Zero

[10]

So here is Chapter 10! I'm really happy with how it turned out and I hope you all love it as much! For those of you eagerly waiting to learn more about Zero's past, please hang with me. This chapter is pretty action packed, but I promise more will be revealed about her in the next chapter :] I apologize for any errors, this chapter is unedited! You can point them out if you'd like to help make the editing process easier for me ;] 

Chapter 10

 

            The sun is the first thing to draw my attention the next morning. It is up and warm and shining bright. Any evidence of last night’s storm will be dried up by afternoon. The second thing to draw my attention is the realization that I am far too comfortable to have slept without a pillow. As understanding dawns, I realize that I have in fact been resting on a pillow of sorts all night. Hunter’s arm.

            It could be worse, obviously. I could have been really cuddled into him instead of just resting on his arm. An arm that I would have no doubt been able to avoid had he not been an ogre and stretched out full span leaving me with no other options.

            In attempt to avoid and further awkward feelings on my part, I carefully lift my neck from him arm and withdraw from the position. Once I’m out of the woods, I glance back at Hunter who is certainly not sleeping. Very much the opposite, actually. His green eyes so plainly full of mirth meet mine and he cracks. The laugh he was probably holding back while I was trying to sneak off of him is unleashed in loud sound.

            My cheeks heat though I’m not sure why, I have no reason to feel embarrassment. A little foolish, maybe. But if I feel foolish it’s only because he let me. Hunter could have made his consciousness known.

            “I was wrong,” he says still laughing.

            I quirk an eyebrow waiting for his explanation even if I’m not convinced it’s something I want to hear.

            “I thought you were your prettiest when you smiled,” he says plainly as if his words aren’t completely out of line. “But I’m thinking I was wrong. You’re prettiest when you’re all ruffled up like this and flustered.” He laughs under his breath. “Your hair’s a little wild and tangled up and your cheeks are all flushed.”

My fingers fly unconsciously to my dirty blonde hair. The long wavy locks I once described as dark blonde can now only be defined as dirty. I attempt to smooth out some of the tangles but eventually give up and pile it on top my head, secured with a hair tie. I open my mouth to protest his words but can’t seem to figure out what I want to say, so I give up and huff a sigh.

“Most girls would just say thank you,” he says no longer laughing, but with humor still present in every ounce of him. Maybe thanks would be appropriate if it were an actual compliment, but it doesn’t seem like one. It’s more like he was only trying to tease me, push me out of what comfortable.

“Would you…” I trail off in frustration. “Just put on your clothes and wait out side. Be useful, make breakfast,” I snap.

“Yes, ma’am,” he says and offers mock salute.

While I stare firmly at the tent wall, Hunter rustles around for his clothes and gets dressed. After assuring me he’s decent, he leaves the tent with promises to start breakfast. I wait a beat, to make sure he isn’t coming back in for anything, and then grab my clothes. I had laid them out next to me and though they dried mostly, everything is still very damp and I am not looking forward to wiggling back into damp jeans. Yet I do, knowing that at least they should be dry before too long.