Rescue

Part 19: Huge Relief

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Adora POV

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Ray and I are about halfway on the walk back to the cabin. We slept next to each other after the firework show, closer than ever. He was practically spooning me, and now we're following our makeshift landmarks with our fingers intertwined.

It's a huge relief, really. I was nervous I would have to go for years without telling him my feelings. Maybe I never would have told him if he hadn't kissed me last night.

It was the sweetest thing ever. It brings a red hue to my face just thinking about it.

"Uh," he carefully starts. I look at him while tightening my grip on his hand, signaling to him that I was listening. "I probably should have told you, but that was my first kiss. Just wanted you to know."

"Don't worry," I reassure him, stroking the back of his hand with my thumb. "It was mine, too."

"What?" he asks with surprise. "But, you were so good at it!" His eyes widen when he realizes what he said and I let out a laugh.

"Why, thank you." He hides his face and I roll my eyes with a smile. "I learned from... uh..." My voice trails off and my eyes lock on the ground. Ray bends down a bit to get his face into my view.

"From?" he questions. I scratch the back of my neck and look away.

"I... I watched 50 Shades of Grey." I brace myself for a fit of laughter from beside me, but instead he just gives me a casual response.

"Makes sense. The only education I have is from stupid Disney movies."

I stop and swat his hand out of mine. "You think Disney is stupid?!" I pretend to act offended, placing my hand over my chest. "Clearly you've never watched Tangled."

"Which one is that again?" I grumble and grab his hand, explaining the story from beginning to end as he listens to every word.

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Noah POV

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My feet bring me back and forth on my bedroom floor as the voice of the police chief taunts me over and over again in my mind. My jaw clenches as images of Adora's tear-streaked face appeared over the chief's voice as she takes the knife from my hand.

"DAMN IT!" I throw a random action figure from my shelf across my bedroom, nearly into the hallway.

Mom walks into my room with a look of confusion and disgust on her face. "What's wrong?"

"The police found Adora, they're gonna go arrest her anytime now!" I run a hand through my hair, trying to slow my breathing.

"It's for the best," Mom says, leaving me absolutely dumbfounded.

"What the hell?! You want your daughter to rot behind bars for the rest of her life?!"

"She's a murderer, Noah! A despicable human being going against God, do you understand how horrible she is?!" Mom yells, pointing a finger in my face.

I can't just tell her Adora didn't do it, Adora wouldn't want that.

"She's still my twin sister, Mom! And she's still your daughter! So what if you two don't have the same beliefs? You're supposed to love her anyway!"

"Until she admits that she's a child of God, she is no child of mine." Mom slams the door behind her, making tears blur my eyes. I stumble backwards as my heart rate picks up.

My back hits the wall and my feet give out, bringing me down to my knees. I let out heaving sobs that I've held in for weeks and curl up into a ball on the cold floor.