Too Young (The Jewel Project #1)

Chapter 21.1 - The night before

A weird, paranoid feeling had caught hold of him, as if he'd forgotten something very important, something that would lead to their doom. But as much as he thought about it, he couldn't figure it out. Sam entered his tent and grabbed the document, but couldn't face reading it again. Maybe tomorrow morning.

He got the sudden feeling he was being watched. Christine was indeed standing in the threshold, scowling. His heart sank into his stomach. He'd once again missed the chance of sending her to safety. Why did he have to be so weak when it came to her?

"Have any time for me?" Her voice was scathing.

"Look, Christine." He stood. "We'll be done soon. Then I'll have all the time in the world for you."

"Kyle and Kay find time for each other. And Jerry and Tina spend all their time together. I'm starting to think that you're avoiding me on purpose—"

Sam walked over and put his hand over her mouth. "Don't say that." He leaned his forehead against hers. "It's not much fun, having to do all this. But if I would spend my time with you..." He took his hand off her mouth. "That would be great. It would make me really happy." Christine's eyes seemed to shine, even if there was barely any light in the tent. "And that happiness would make me feel really guilty." Sam let her go and turned away.

"Why?"

Sam felt relieved that she didn't sound upset anymore. "Because it would feel like slacking off."

Christine raised her eyebrows. "Being happy feels like slacking off?"

"Right now it does, because I'm supposed to get us home safely and I already feel as if I'm wasting too much time with—" He stopped once Christine put her hand on his lips.

"Okay, I get it. You have this weird guilt complex. We'll have to figure a way to fix it. But until then, you're right. We have a few more days to go and then we can start being a normal couple." She rose on the tips of her toes and kissed him on the mouth.

Blood rushed through Sam's veins like water out of a broken dam. The guilt bubble exploded leaving room to solace. Everything seemed easier, more beautiful. Before he could react properly, Christine pulled back.

"Now do what you have to do. But you owe me a kiss." She winked and left his tent.

Sam smiled. Christine was some piece of work. If the guilt wouldn't have returned with a vengeance, he would've damned the whole thing and rushed after her. But she was right. He had a job to do. Then they could be normal.

*

Kyle sat outside his tent, tapping his knee in the rhythm of the melody that wouldn't get out of his head already, spinning the heart-shaped rock necklace around one finger. Ever since he'd seen Jessie and Jimmy entering camp, the blasted thing started playing inside his head, lyrics and everything. It wasn't the first time a song hit him out of the blue, but it had never been so damn insistent. He should just write it down and get it over with. Which would've been much easier if he still had Jessie's guitar.

He'd asked her to let him have it for the night, but Jessie claimed she needed it, stuck her tongue out at him and left him to the madness inside his head. It was soon, it was weird and totally insane, but Kyle loved Jessie to bits already. She was like the little sister he never had. He had no idea why this connection had formed between them after less than a week of knowing each other... then again, maybe it was one-sided and he was crazy.

"Hey, why are you outside?" Tom stopped next to him.

"Oh, Jimmy's out and Jerry's not asleep yet. Not a big fan of awkward silence." Kyle stuffed the necklace in his pocket and squinted at Tom. There was something different about him and he had the vague idea he knew the answer. "What's up?"