We didn\'t die.

I guess I\'m just overdramatic but Easton and I did not become alligator food. We crossed the bridge successfully and now we\'re back to our original mission-finding that damned box.

"I told you we\'d make it,\'\' he says smugly.

"I told you we\'d make it,\'\' I mimick. "I\'m never crossing that contraption ever again."

"You\'re just a scaredy-cat. It\'s not that bad."

"Whatever you...what\'s that?"

In between shrubs, I could see a wooden gold and brown box. I finally found it! I leave Easton\'s side and run forward towards the direction of the box, "Easton, hurry up,\'\' I yell.

As I ran, I see a figure zoom past me and grab hold of my treasure!

Now it\'s on.

"Hey hey hey,\'\' I stomp towards whoever it is that\'s holding my property. "I caught sight of that box first so I will really appreciate it if you let it go, like right now before I shove you..."

"You never stop with the threats do you, Princess?"

Why do I always have to run into him? Does the universe hate me or something?

I stretch my right hand towards him. "Jason, hand the box over. You know damn well I saw it first"

"Well I grabbed it first, finders keepers." His eyes twinkle with mischief, his white shirt already covered in mud.

Yikes.

"Okay, that\'s it.\'\' I leap towards him and tackle him to the ground. His eyes widen in surprise but I smirk. I try to drag the box away from him but he already hid it underneath his body. "Give me that box.\'\'

"No, and get off me.\'\' He tries to push me off him but I refuse to move. Our position is quite capricious really; I\'m on top of him and my legs are wrapped tightly around his legs so he wouldn\'t run away.

Nothing sexual about that at all.

"You\'re an animal,\'\' he pants.

"And you\'re a prick for not handing the box over." Jason flips us over so our positions are reversed; he\'s on top of me now, his left hand securely pinning both of my hands to the ground while the other is holding MY box.

We are staring at each other, chest pumping and bodies sweating. You know, if I didn\'t want that box so desperately and if I didn\'t hate his guts, I probably would have blushed or giggled like the girls in Adelaide when he tells them Hi in the hallway. "I always like my women underneath me, wreathing and screaming my name,\'\' he says with a crooked smile. I scrunch up my face in disgust. As if I\'d have sex with him.

"Get off me,\'\' I warn in a sing-song tone. I\'m getting really pissed now and my hands will not be pinned for much longer.

"Or what?"

"Oh look, Principal Grande is approaching,\'\' I point to the right. He loosens his grip and lets his guard down so I grab the box and escape. I sprint towards the side before he could realize it was a scam. "Easton," I scream. I\'m not able to get far though because Jason catches up to me and grabs my waist from the back, lifting me off the ground.

Can he stop with the touching and the grabbing?

I try to wiggle out of his hold and kick him but it\'s no use. First off, he\'s like 6ft 4 and a bloody athlete. I\'m 5ft 6 and definitely not an athlete. Plus, he has clearly defined muscles. The chances of me winning is like the chances of a goat winning a wrestling match against a lion-none.

"Okay Jason,\'\' I sigh and raise my hand in surrender. "I accept defeat, so you can put me down now." He unceremoniously puts me on the ground and I pat my white tee with my hands. Like Jason, my outfit is already ruined by the mud.

Thank you, Jason.

I turn around to face him with the fakest smile I can muster. We both look at the box next to his feet. He grabs it before I even have the chance to stretch my hands and holds the box to his chest like his life depends on it.

I have a bright idea.

"How about we just flip a coin to see who gets the box? I suggest. "Head means I get the box, tail means you get the box."

"That seems fair."

"Easton will flip the coin."

Speaking of Easton, he\'s meant to help me combat my enemy but instead he just watched Jason and I struggle from the sidelines. So much for team spirit.

"Easton", I yell again. He jogs over to us and I elbow him in the ribs. \'\'What was that for?

\'\'For being a supportive teammate.\'\'

"I was really rooting for you though."

If looks could kill, he\'d probably be 6ft under right now.

\'\'Where\'s my bag?\'\' He hands it over to me and I open the side zipper and bring out a quarter. "Shut up and flip this coin; heads means we get to go with the box and tails means this cheater here gets it."

"Cool."

He throws the coin mid-air and catches it with his palm. The three of us eagerly look at the coin. "It\'s heads, we win." Easton declares.

"Ha! Take that Jason Blunt,\'\' I fist-pump the air. I will be taking that box now and we\'d be on our way.\'\'

Without waiting for a reaction, I grab the box and sashay away with Easton by my side, leaving a stunned Jason behind.

I\'m so tired.

When we are a safe distance away from Jason, I look at my outfit again and realized I need a very hot bath. I literally reek of mud, grass, debris and Jason.

Just great! How can I go back to the hotel looking like I had a fight with a bear?

\'\'Now that I think about it,\'\' Easton starts. \'\'How are we sure this is the actual box with the \'treasure\'? Aiden did say there are decoys lying around.\'\'

Double shit! I was so consumed in trying to get the upper hand that I absolutely forgot about Aiden\'s warning.

\'\'Well, there\'s only one way to find out.\'\' I turn the knob of the box cautiously and see a piece of paper in it. I hand it over to Easton and he opens it. \'\'What does it say?\'\'

\'\'Congratulations, you\'ve found the treasure. For achieving this feat, you all will be treated to a luxury dinner, courtesy of La Casa de Royale Hotel. Congratulations once again.\'\' We squeal in excitement and he carries me up and spins me around.

\'\'I guess we did it,\'\' I shoot him a dirty look and he corrects himself. \'\'I mean, you did it, Melody.\'\'

Better.

\'\'Let\'s text Layla and Kayden and tell them we\'ve found the right box.\'\' We both pull out our phones and send the texts simultaneously. We get immediate responses and they cheer using the dancing emojis.

"Easton, do me a favour, will you? Take this box back to Principal Grande. I look like shit, literally and I saw a stream while we were walking so I\'m just gonna wash up."

\'\'And if Grande asks where you are?\'\'

\'\'You\'re smart enough to come up with a lie.\'\'

"Are you sure you\'d be okay by yourself? he asks with uncertainty. "It\'s almost getting dark and I don\'t want you to get lost or something."

"I\'ll be fine. You have my number so if I\'m not back in the next thirty minutes, call the police.\'\' I joke.

"Are you sure you\'d be okay?" he asks again.

"Positive." I give the medium-sized box to him.

"I\'ll call you."

"I\'ll be fine,\'\' I laugh in order to allay his fears. "I\'m a tough cookie, ya know."

"You\'ve already proven that. The way you tackled Jason back there was fucking epic."

"Not to brag, but I did take martial arts classes when I was younger." My dad made sure I took martial arts classes when I was five. Back then, if I\'m being honest, I wasn\'t too thrilled about it: it was always after school and I had a sensei who was always grouchy and strict, but now, I guess I\'m reaping the benefits of those classes, even though the sensei was a mean, old fart.

"No way."

"Yes way, now go."

....................

It takes a solid ten minutes before I\'m able to find the stream. I sit on a rock and remove my muddy clothes. Tying my braids into a bun with a rubber band, I dive head first into the water.

This is what I call Paradise: no Jason Blunt, no school, no teacher, no nothing. Just me, my thoughts and the beautiful stream.

Now that I think about it, Bob and I haven\'t really communicated since I got here. I\'m such a bad girlfriend and he\'s probably wondering how I\'m doing. I make a mental note to call him back when I get back to the hotel room.

I swim a few more times before I get tired and decide to just play around in the water. When I was little, my mum used to take me to get swimming lessons. You\'re probably thinking: martial arts classes and now swimming lessons? Your parents must have prepped you for a career as an athlete, but that isn\'t the case. My mum is an excellent swimmer and I guess she just wanted me to learn too. I fell in love with it and practiced a lot, so if I do say so myself, I am an excellent swimmer as well.

Probably should consider competing professionally and trying out for the Olympics.

I laugh at that thought.

"Has anyone ever told you that you think aloud, Princess?"

Why does he keep popping up everywhere?