SWNOVELS Chapter 191
The journey continued, and at every scenic vista, they paused to soak in the view.
While enjoying the sights, they didn't forget to capture these moments in photographs. Jocelyn and Ursula had picked up some chic outfits that were just perfect for photo-ops.
Heads turned wherever Jocelyn went, her beauty undeniable.
Someone had asked for Jocelyn's permission and then tweeted her photos-no front shots, just her profile, and the internet went wild.
In the group photo, Harrison stood beside Jocelyn.
Even though it was a group photo, their striking features and aura managed to draw every eye to them first.
During a break, they all huddled around their phones, scrolling through pictures.
Jocelyn picked a few to send to her folks. Right as she was about to send a group photo with Harrison in it, Daisy called.
They had seen Harrison in the photos.
"Harrison's there too?" Daisy was just making sure.
Jocelyn didn't dodge the question, "Yeah, I only found out he was coming when we met up to leave."
"That's great," Daisy's voice was full of delight. "You should enjoy yourself. Have fun and come back refreshed."
"Sure," Jocelyn replied, pretending not to hear her mother's insinuations.
After the brief break, the team decided to hike Frostpeak, a voluntary challenge not for the faint-hearted.
Ursula was keen, and Jocelyn thought, why not? Having come this far, it was worth a shot.
There were only a few who opted out, and the rest of them prepared their gear, setting off early the next day.
At first, everyone was full of energy, but halfway through, several of the girls began to flag.
Harrison led the way ahead of Jocelyn, constantly glancing back.
Seeing her pause to catch her breath, he reached out his hand to her.
Hesitantly, Jocelyn placed her hand in his.
With a firm grip, Harrison helped her climb, step by step.
Altitude sickness made its presence felt, and many stopped to take in oxygen. Jocelyn struggled to breathe smoothly.
Harrison was always there, taking care of Jocelyn and Ursula.
Ursula, who was faring better, sat watching Harrison hand Jocelyn an oxygen bottle and teased, "Harrison, let me ask you something. If we all ran out of oxygen and you only had one bottle, would you use it or give it to Jocelyn?"
Jocelyn shot Ursula a look.
Ursula, curious for an answer, waited.
Without hesitation, Harrison said, "I'd give it to her."
"Jealous," Ursula giggled. "When will someone gift me such a wonderful friend? I'd marry him on the spot."
Jocelyn rolled her eyes in response.
Harrison turned to Jocelyn, asking, "Feeling any better?"
She nodded.
After resting for a while, they continued on.
Harrison kept a watchful eye on Jocelyn. Suddenly, a cry rang out from ahead, "Avalanche!"
Panic ensued.
Jocelyn's heart raced as she reached for Ursula.
As people from above scrambled down, Harrison turned around and went for Jocelyn.
The snow cascaded down like a flood of flour; no one could outrun it.
In an instant, Jocelyn's world turned white as the avalanche buried her.
In that dizzying moment, a hand gripped her arm fiercely, her waist was secured, and she was flipped upside down, her body slamming against the hard ground, but her head was protected. The tumbling seemed endless until it abruptly stopped.
Silence enveloped her.
At that moment, Jocelyn was engulfed in darkness, as if she had fallen into an abyss with no way out.
Panic set in; she feared dying there.
She thought of her parents, her students; she hadn't yet married, had so much life ahead...
Was this the end?
She wanted to scream, to call for help, but her voice failed her.
Was she already dead?
Melvin flashed through her mind-the man who had hurt her deeply, the one she'd loved for so long.
Would he cry if he knew she was dead?
Probably not.
The man was heartless; why would he shed a tear?
Endless darkness surged, and she could feel no more.
When Jocelyn awoke, the smell of disinfectant filled the air, and she stared at the stark white ceiling, moving slightly.
"You're awake?" Ursula's anxious voice broke the silence as her concerned face came into view.
Without a thought, Jocelyn murmured, "I'm not dead?"
Ursula wiped away tears, smiling as she gently patted her, "Dead? Nobody's dead."
"What about Harrison?" Jocelyn remembered he had grabbed her.
"He's fine too."
Relief washed over Jocelyn upon hearing that Harrison was safe.
Ursula handed her a glass of water and said, "You owe that guy big time. Not many men these days would risk their lives for a woman. You should've seen him holding you tight when the rescue team dug you out. It was your own health condition that kept you unconscious. If there had been a really big avalanche, I guess Harrison would have really put his life on the line there."
Jocelyn shuddered at the thought of a worse fate.
Ursula helped her sit up and brought the glass to her lips. "You really should thank him. Men like that are a rare breed."
Jocelyn sipped the water, her emotions churning without conclusion.
Harrison knocked and entered, and Ursula left them alone.
"How are you feeling?" Harrison sat down, his eyes studying her.
She shook her head, "I'm okay."
"That's good."
After a moment of silence, Jocelyn's hands clenched tightly before she finally said, "Thank you."
Harrison adjusted his glasses, looking at her quizzically. "For what?"
"Thank you for saving me." There was no doubt about that.
Harrison chuckled. "In a situation like that, no one just stands by."
Jocelyn cast her gaze downward, momentarily at a loss for words.
She felt utterly undeserving of the kindness Harrison showed her.
"You shouldn't feel any pressure. I didn't help you to get anything in return," Harrison said nonchalantly. "Friends have each other's backs, right?"
Deep down, Jocelyn was grateful for Harrison. He was always so considerate, always knew just how to ease her burdens.
If she hadn't met Melvin, she surely would have been drawn to Harrison, maybe even fallen for him.
But fate had her meet Melvin first, fall for Melvin first. Even though she knew he was a scoundrel, that he wasn't her forever, her thoughts were still consumed by him.
Even if he had deceived her and abandoned her, in the quiet solitude of the night, her mind still wandered to him.
She admitted to herself that it was pathetic, but she just couldn't forget the one who hurt her the most.
They say the man who leaves the deepest imprint in a woman's heart isn't the one who made her laugh, but the one who made her cry. Pain, after all, leaves a lasting memory, engraved deep within the soul. "Thank you," she said, as that seemed the only word left to offer.
Harrison smiled. "You'd feel guilty if you didn't say thanks, wouldn't you?"
Jocelyn looked down, her heart heavy with guilt.
"Alright, get some rest. After what happened, no one's really in the mood to continue. We've had our fun, and once you're feeling better, we'll head back home."
"I've held everyone up," Jocelyn said, feeling like she was a burden to the group.
Harrison shook his head, "It's not on you. Some folks had already left an hour ago."
After all, they had all narrowly escaped death, and now that they were safe, naturally, they wanted to rush back to their loved ones.
Jocelyn ended up staying in the hospital for two days, and once it was clear she was out of danger, they started their journey home. Ursula was driving them back.
At Ursula's insistence, Harrison and Jocelyn sat in the backseat, under the pretense of looking after Jocelyn.
They were all considerate of Jocelyn's condition, and what should have been a two-day drive home took three, with two nights spent resting along the way. Finally, on the fourth day, they arrived back home. Ursula pulled up to her place, then let Harrison escort Jocelyn to her new home.
Harrison was unaware that Jocelyn had moved, and he headed towards her old place.
As they were about to turn the corner, Jocelyn suddenly realized, "I don't live here anymore."
Harrison was taken aback but it was too late to change course.
They had to go ahead and make a U-turn.
As they drove past the entrance to her old building, Jocelyn spotted a familiar car, her heart pounding erratically.
As they passed by, she caught a glimpse of a silhouette in the driver's seat.