âIvy- Ivy Can you hear me? Where are you? Iâm here to pick you up!â
Startled at first, Ivy then realized it was Balfour calling out for her again. She quickly stood up to respond loudly, but in her haste, she forgot about her injured left foot and yelped as she crumpled back to the ground.
âAh!â
The piercing scream sent Balfour into a panic, and he raced toward the deeper part of the woods where Ivy had fallen.
Upon reaching her, he found Ivy sprawled out on the ground in a complete mess.
âWhere does it hurt? Tell me where youâre hurt!â
With utmost care, he supported Ivyâs arms, trying to help her to her feet.
But Ivy staggered and ended up collapsing against him.
âOuch-â she cried out in pain, grateful that Balfour was there to cushion her fall, or else she would have twisted her wrist as well.
âAre you okay? Where are you hurt? Is it bad?â
Balfourâs concern was evident in his voice, but the more he asked, the quieter Ivy became, her tears falling relentlessly.
So, he did care about her after all!
Then why had he been so harsh with her before? It made no sense.
His flashlight had tumbled aside, and in the faint glow, he could see Ivyâs lowered head and the gleam of tears on her cheeks.
âDoes it hurt that bad? Stop crying and talk to me!â he urged, his hands carefully feeling along her arms, afraid to touch her anywhere else in case he aggravated her injury.
Ivy bit her lip and stubbornly looked up at him.
Balfourâs heart skipped a beat at the sight.
âCome on, stop crying and tell me where it hurts, okay?â
âWhy do you care so much all of a sudden? You said I was a hassle, that I was indifferent. Why bother with me now?â Ivyâs eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her defiance making them all the more poignant, striking a chord deep within Balfour.
âWhen have I ever said you were hassle and indifferent?â
His voice was a whisper now, a low rumble of confusion.
âPssh. You canât just take back what youâve said. Itâs like spilled milk, you jerk!â
She had been upset all afternoon because of his words, and now he had the audacity to claim he never said them!
Ivyâs tears finally fell, like large pearls striking Balfour right in the chest.
âItâs all your fault. If it wasnât for you, I wouldnât be here right now! You were so harsh to me! Wasnât it right that I wanted us to wait for more people to help with the rescue? I never said I didnât want you to save Ms. Lewis!â
Ivy hadnât cried in front of someone for a long time. Since she was little, she knew her tears wouldnât earn her any sweets.
Even now, her crying in front of Balfour was subdued, the sobs caught in her throat.
Balfour, worried she might suffocate from holding it in, sat up a bit and continued to comfort her.
âDid I really say that? I must have been out of my mind with worry. I didnât think through my words. Iâm sorry, can you forgive me this time? I shouldnât have said those things about you. How could you possibly be that kind of person!â
Balfour genuinely felt remorseful; he hadnât realized his rash words in a moment of desperation had lingered with Ivy for so long and had hurt her so deeply.