Love Unspoken

"What's up?" Alexander's voice came from above, and Quinn's heart, which was pounding like crazy, finally started to chill out a bit.

She pointed over there, tears in her eyes. "Two freakin' snakes fell from that tree, almost nailed me. They were huge, as thick as my arm." Seeing her dirty face, panicked eyes, and still clutching a banana leaf, Alexander couldn't help but laugh.

He cleared his throat, trying to hide his grin, and put on a serious face. "You okay?"

Quinn quickly shook her head and handed him the banana leaf. "Here, take this."

Alexander took the leaf and used the chance to touch her face, fixing her messy hair. "Alright, it's okay now. We're far enough away. They ain't coming over." Still shaking, she sniffled and leaned closer to him.

Alexander wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led her back to the riverbank. Quinn, still freaked out the snakes might follow, asked to move a bit further away. Alexander nodded and walked about 100 feet before stopping.

Quinn immediately cleared a spot on the ground. The trees weren't as thick here, letting a lot of light through. Seeing the open space, she felt a bit more relaxed.

After she was done, she looked over at Alexander and saw him shaping two round pots out of clay. He lined the pots with banana leaves and set them on branches to dry. When they were almost dry, he added another layer inside and then took the makeshift pots to the river to fill them with water.

the pots on two stones and lit a fire. The clay cracked as it dried, but thanks to the leaves inside, the

front of the pots, staring at the water, waiting until bubbles

at Alexander, excited. "It

raised an

She knew Alexander was

that if she praised him, he'd get even

picked up a

at

the fire, his hair a

bloodstains, but despite his rough look, he didn't seem pitiful at all. Maybe it was his calm and composed

looked at the pot. The

put out the fire and then sat down next to him, untying the cloth

the wound was red and swollen, and it felt hot to the

in the boiling water to sterilize it, using the other pot