Love, Blood and Wilderness | YELLOWJACKETS

Chapter 29

    Shauna decided to rest while the rest of us did our chores, clearly still irritated from her interaction with Nat. I started putting things that were out place away and scrubbed any dirt or mold off of the wood. Lottie was absent, doing something in the woods, and no one seemed to mind that she hadn't picked a chore because she was "keeping us safe" and that was chore enough.

    I was disappointed she wasn't in here so I could converse with her, but I knew I needed to try to get over her, yet again.

    "How's the star of the YellowJackets novella feeling?" Van approached me.

    "Just wonderful," I muttered.

    "God, y'know, I got to say Taylor, I didn't think you were such a player."

    "Yeah I'm just causing mischief left and right," I scrubbed the spot on the floor a little harder.

   "That you are."

    "What do I do, Van? I mean, just a few months ago I was pining over Lottie, you know this. What do I do to... Make sure none of them are hurt?"

    "Pretty sure that's impossible," she replied, "I don't know how you do it to be honest, you're like gay Jesus."

    "Aren't you supposed to be doing your chores?" I scoffed.

    "Yes but your problems are more interesting," the redhead confessed, "but to answer your question, I am serious. I don't think it's possible to make them all happy. There's gonna be some heartbreak and you just can't help it. You just have to go with your gut. It's noble of you to help Shauna with her baby but I feel like that's not what your gut is telling you."

    "Well I don't know what my gut is telling me over the sound of it growling all the fucking time," I smirked, "How's everything with Tai?"

    I could hear Taissa and Akilah giggling over their laundry and I could feel Van's smile without even seeing it.

    "It's good. She's doing better sleeping so that's all I can ask for."

    I looked up at her hovering over me while I knelt on the floor. Her scars were less prominent and her face seemed more at ease. Maybe Lottie's whole therapy thing was working after all. Maybe I was wrong to be so skeptical.

    "That's great. I'm happy for you guys."

    "Thanks. If there's ever anything at all me or Tai can do..."

    "Thank you," I grinned.

    "Me and Misty are going out!" Crystal announced enthusiastically, one hand interlocked with Misty's and the other holding the bucket of feces. How could two people find joy in dumping a bucket of shit over a cliff? As annoying as Crystal and Misty were, at least they kept the cabin on their toes in some aspect. They headed out the door, giggling together and I listened to irritated sighs throughout the room.

    I heard muffled yelling in another room, Travis was yelling at someone, no surprise.

  "Quit acting like such a fucking saint. You planted the bloody clothes. Just say it!" I heard him shout.

    He could only be shouting at Natalie.

    I ditched my spot on the floor and made my way to the other room.

    "You made me stop looking for him!" I got closer to the scene.

    "I didn't think that he was alive. It doesn't make any sense that he is," Nat replied.

    I creaked the door open to see Nat and Travis standing over Javi as if they were two parents telling their kid they were getting a divorce.

    "Well, maybe he wouldn't be so fucked-up if I had found him sooner, so that's on you," Travis snapped.