Imperfect

Twenty-two - Callan:

My favourite thing about summer was how late the sun set in the evening. We made and cooked chicken skewers on the barbecue for dinner and then toasted some marshmallows around the fire. I couldn't be sure, but I thought I noticed a small smile on Lys' face when the guys started singing like drunken idiots around the campfire.

Noah, who didn't have anything to drink, offered to drive into town and get some more food for tomorrow and, to everyone's surprise, Alyssa asked to go with him. He'd blinked at her a couple of times before agreeing and now, I sat with Elliot and Ben, waiting for them to come back.

The sun was only just dipping beyond the horizon and the mosquitos had started to appear but it was too nice to not stay outside and enjoy the last bit of sunlight. The three of us finished a few bottles of beer as we chatted. "What exactly are you trying to achieve with Lys?" Elliot asked once I was sufficiently buzzed.

I shrugged at the question, not really knowing the answer myself. I didn't really have an aim but I couldn't sit around and do nothing while she was hurting. It was hard seeing the way she had reacted to me simply touching her, the way she screwed her eyes shut and struggled to catch her breath just because my hands were on her. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and comfort her, but I knew that would've only made things worse. So, I'd waited and waited for her to calm down and realise she was safe, but that never happened.

"I'm not trying to achieve anything," I answered when Elliot continued to stare at me, awaiting my answer. "She's obviously hurting right now and no matter how selfish and bratty she can be, she still deserves to be happy."

Ben stuck his fingers into his mouth and made a retching sound while Elliot rolled his eyes. "It's been two days and you've already gone soppy," he muttered. "Where did you take her earlier today?" He wiggled his brows. "Is that why you've changed your tune so abruptly?"

It was my turn to roll my eyes. "It isn't like that, alright? I just think she's been through a lot recently and she just needs to relax and have some fun."

"Hmmm, I'm sure you can show her a multitude of ways to relax and have some fun."

I shot him a glare. "That's not funny. Don't make jokes like that in front of her."

The smirk that crossed his face made me regret my words the moment they left my mouth. "Aw, someone's got a crush!" Ben squealed, clapping his hands together while grinning at me. "That's so cute."

"Fuck off."

The two of them laughed between themselves until the sound of gravel crunching underneath the car tyres rumbled towards us. "Oh look, the future Mrs Alyssa White is back," Elliot teased. I kept quiet while the car rolled to a stop and the doors opened. "Did you get more beer?"

Noah emerged from the car laughing and pulled open the back door to reveal a few more packs across the back seats. I grinned as I moved towards them to help him carry them over, and then faltered when Lys stepped out the car. She met my gaze and the smile that was already present on her face widened slightly, taking me completely by surprise. "We also bought some more marshmallows and chocolate biscuits to make s'mores."

Noah nodded. "Yeah, Lys has never had them, can you believe that?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Never?"

She shook her head before opening the trunk of the car and grabbing a couple of the bags. We unloaded all the chilled items into the mini-fridge we had brought and then started to tidy everything away before bed. I went down to the river to refill my water bottle and Noah appeared beside me. "Shopping was okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah, she wanted to grab some more fruit and healthy shit but she was alright, even left the radio on in the car." He nodded his head as he filled his own water bottle. "She needs this," he said when he straightened back up and glanced to the camp where Lys returned from presumably relieving herself. She wore a large jumper over her shorts and her hair was pinned back. It was so different from how she usually looked, so casual and relaxed, I couldn't help but contemplate how much it suited her.

"I'm just hoping it helps," I mumbled as we walked back up the embankment and back towards her.

"It will if she's willing to let it," he stated before aiming for our tent.

I, instead, made my way to her. "All good?"

She glanced up, her makeup free face a little red from being exposed to the sun. I'd never noticed before but she had a few freckles dotted across her nose that made her look far sweeter and more innocent than she was. "Yeah, just need to fill my water and then I'm going to sleep."

I nodded, but before I could respond, Elliot spoke up from where he was wiping down the barbecue. "Which tent you sleeping in tonight, Cal?" I frowned as he grinned at me before raising a brow. "Noah's or Alyssa's?"

My frown only deepened when Lys glanced up, confusion written across her face. "Why would he be sleeping in my tent?"

Elliot shrugged a shoulder innocently. "I just thought maybe you two would want to finish what you started earlier."

Something between disgust and panic flashed in her eyes before she was turning to me. "What does that mean?"

I rolled my eyes and met Elliot's gaze; his eyes alight with amusement. "Will you shut your fucking mouth; I told you it wasn't like that."

His smirk only widened. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, we all know you Cal. Never fail to get a woman into your bed."

Alyssa's eyes only widened and the redness present in her complexion only moments ago faded to a paper white colour. "I'm going to bed," she muttered, abandoning her plan of refilling her water bottle and instead diving into her tent and zipping the door closed immediately.

I sighed before turning to face Elliot. "You're a prick, you know that?"

He only grinned. "Well aware."

I rolled my eyes and threw some water on the fire to snuff it out before making my way to the tent, using the torch on my phone to guide me. Noah was somehow already fast asleep, snoring softly on the airbed beside mine. Outside, water rushed down the river and the wind rustled through the trees. I loved the sounds of nature and found myself drifting off to the soft noises.

It was three in the morning when a high-pitched scream pierced through the silence. I was out of the tent before the others, staggering through the dark towards Alyssa's tent. I hesitated outside, pausing until my eyes adjusted to the dark. "Lys?" I called before reaching for the zipper that opened the entrance to her tent. The rest of the guys started to stir and mumble inside the other tents but her small, pained whimpers was all I could focus on.

"Don't."

I froze, the zip only slightly to the left of where it was. "What is it? What happened?"

She sniffed a few times, her breathing heavy and shaky. "It was just a bad dream," she whispered back after a few seconds. "It was nothing."

"Can I come in?"

"No." Her voice broke into a sob and I desperately wanted to ignore her request and let myself in but I knew it would upset her more.

"What's going on?" Ben grumbled before crawling out of his tent, rubbing his fists against his eyes.

"Please just go back to sleep," Alyssa's soft voice begged from the other side of the thin fabric. "I'm alright."

I met Ben's gaze, frowning while a sympathetic look crossed his face. "Let us know if you need anything," he called to her before disappearing back into his tent.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I whispered after a minute.

"Promise," she said, but the shake in her voice made me believe otherwise.

AN:

Slightly shorter chapter this week but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!