The cabin had a single bedroom with a metal frame bed but no mattress. There was an old painting of what the cabin originally looked like when it was first built. The room also had an ancient chest of drawers which had a hole on the side and was missing the drawers handles.
The bathroom was a metal bath with a toilet. A cracked mirror hung against the wall, and I remembered JB broke my accident when he shot me with his slingshot. The cabin used to have running water, but now the pipes were dry.
The lounge/dining area and kitchen were all one room. There was a small wooden table with a broken chair. Then another painting of a car that I hung up. JB also painted a tree on the wall, which was pretty well done. The kitchen had a few cabinets with an odd plate or cup in them. There wasn't much, but the cabin was like a dream home for two young boys.
While we were in the lounge area, I removed a loose floorboard. This was our secret stash spot in case someone broke into the cabin. There were blankets, candles and stuff to start a fire in the fireplace. I just had to collect some wood from outside. Luckily, I stuck a machete under the floorboard as well.
"I can see why this is your favourite place," Kiara stated. "You can go collect some wood while I make the place a bit more comfortable."
"Okay. I'll be back soon." I nodded and was about to walk off when I looked back at her.
"What?" She asked and tucked her hair behind her ear. She was so gorgeous. It was like my mind refused to accept that I was here with her. I, Jason, a nobody that disobeys the law like I deserve a free pass for growing up poor.
Kiara... she was intelligent, exotic and hard working. She was... perfect. How was I this lucky to be alone with her right now?
"You take my breath away," I said and walked over to her. With one hand wrapped around her waist, I pulled her closer to me. Our lips found their way to each other, and I gave her a passionate kiss.
She felt so warm pressed against my body. I wanted to stay inside and cuddle, but the cold breeze that blew in from the open door reminded me to get wood. Kiara giggled as I pulled away and lightly tapped her ass. With a wink, I quickly walked off and collected some wood.
Kiara had laid out some blankets on the floor and lit candles as the sky started to grow dark. She smiled at me as I walked back inside and showed off her efforts. Her eyes lit up, and I smiled at her. It was like she was happy that I accepted the way she made the place comfortable.
"Brrr, it's chilly." I laughed and started the fire. I placed the door back in its frame to block out the cold air, and soon the old cabin warmed up.
Kiara placed a blanket over both of us as I sat down next to her. For weeks, all I wanted to do was speak to her. But now... it seemed like my mind hit a blank.
"I'm sorry about your Dad. When did he pass?" Kiara asked innocently and placed her hand on my leg to comfort me in case it was a sensitive topic.
"It's okay. He passed in my last year of high school. He was diagnosed with cancer about 2 years earlier, so it didn't come as a shock. JB and I tried to prepare ourselves, but it still hurt when he did pass." I shrugged. I wanted to be open and honest with Kiara from the start. So, I pushed past the pain from that memory and felt safe enough to share it with her.
"He was your Dad. It's normal to have hurt. What about your mommy?" Kiara said.
I smiled at the way she said, mommy.
"You're so cute when you say that. Mommy." I laughed. "I never knew my mom; she passed away before I was born," I added to answer her question. "What about your parents?"
"My mom and Dad divorced when I started primary school. So, I was constantly travelling between homes. My mom eventually remarried and moved overseas. She left my Dad alone to take care of me. He didn't find another woman and grew into a bitter old man. I swear I'm the only one who can make him smile." Kiara responded.
"Are you and your mom still in contact?"
"Nope. I haven't spoken to her for years. She doesn't even try to reach out to me, so I'm not even bothered."
"I'm sorry. What about siblings? Do you have any?"
"I'm an only child. Is it just you and your brother or...?"
"Yeah, just JB and I." I nodded. "When we first, er, met... you said something about an ex. Did the 'no dating' rule happen because of him?"
I instantly rejected asking the question as Kiara frowned. It was perhaps a bit too personal. She crossed her arms across her chest and glared at me.
"Why do all men assume that the way I live my life is because of them?" She snapped. "Can't I just be happy on my own? Why do I need a reason to stay single?"
"I'm sorry, Kiara. I didn't mean to offend you."
"Yeah, well, you did. Being with someone else is just so much unnecessary stress. At any second, that person could do something to hurt me. I don't want to live my life like that. I'm happy by myself, okay. Now let's just drop the subject." She muttered, and we fell into an awkward silence. The fire cracked as it burned in the fireplace.
I could hear the soft running water of the river in the distance and an owl that flew past the trees outside of the cabin. My brain was debating on what I should say or how to make Kiara feel better. After a few minutes, I opened my mouth.
