Fade Out. DISCONTINUED

Chapter 10

I've felt like this once before.  Drank too much and a brick weighed heavy in my head.  I'm glad this time isn't anything like last time.  Reluctantly I open my eyes to see Mark asleep next to me, his warm hand rests splayed out on my thigh under the material of my jersey.   His radiating heat is so welcomed, the cold temperature of the tent does nothing but further my hangover.  I blink a few times when Mark's rough fingers slide down my thigh to slip under my knee bringing my leg over his two.  His head then slumps into my neck nuzzling to get comfortable, it might be comfy for him but that beard is so scratchy...

"Mmn, Mark.." I grumble tiredly, trying to move my body away from his but as I silently predicted his hand splays against my back pulling me back to him. 

"No..sleeping." he replies tiredly but I remove my leg and he wakes, blinking to see what was disturbing his sleep cycle.

"...hello sweetheart. What time is it..need to pee" he scoffs

I fight the urge to laugh hysterically when he moves away from me sitting up, rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah, I know I mean who needs this tent, you're pitching your fuckin' own lad!" Then I do, laugh loudly waking up the men around me which doesn't make this situation any less funny. 

"Fuck off woman, you know nothing of men struggles. So no more cuddles for you!" he laughs, hopping over the still waking Glen and Danny.

"Oh, how will I cope!" I holler out the tent and get a middle finger waving at me in return. 

"It's fucking freezing in here." I hear Danny moan about the cold once again and choose to mock him, hoping he'll take the joke.

"Aww, are you feeling left out Dan. You're wantin' cuddles too?" I ask, and jump over my bed and squeeze my arms around his torso which sits up against the tent side.

"Red, I can't...breathe.." he laughs, but I carry on squeezing honestly he deserves a hug after everything yesterday.   After a minute I settle my head against his chest, he smells just the same and his breath fans my hair. 

"I missed you Red, I'm glad I'm here and I'm sorry about yesterday. I don't know what happened...I'm sorry." 

I lean round to look up at him, his eyes aren't directed towards me they look off out of the mouth of the tent.  My fingers tickle his sides sending him slapping my hands away with laughter.  I land ungracefully against the hard part of the tent floor and grimace; my back definitely didn't need a knock.  He notices and lifts me up to my previous placement;

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Dan.  And Danny? Don't apologise, it's fine and completely understandable."  I feel bad for lying to him – I was scared of what i'd seen over the last few weeks but if I voiced it to him, he'd brush me off and ignore it. 

"Are you sure, I never meant it.."

I scowl, fed up of the conversation but alas my expression melts away and I press a kiss to his temple, preceding a playful slap to his head.

"None of that mushy shit. It's a nice day we're all off for walk! I stumbled over a nice footpath yesterday while trying to find your arse, so get ready!" I laugh. As I get up my teeth clamp together, the pain in my lower back flaring up again.  I ignore it again and change into something warm prepped with wellies where could I go wrong? 

As soon as we arrived on the trail Danny had whipped out his camera, focusing heavily on a group of trees and bluebells littered underneath.  Glen had walked away from Mark and I, he'd been quite distant over the last few days; something about his ex and son, understandable but nonetheless rather sad to watch. No doubt Mark and Danny had gotten some song inspiration out of his suffering – I'd have to say I myself had been a victim of that over the years.