Delinquent Camp

Chapter Nineteen

            “Of course.” I nod and he rises to his feet.

            “Okay, I’ll take you. But not anytime soon.”

            “What?” I snap, jumping to my feet. “Why not?”

            He shakes his head and his hair falls perfectly over his eyes. “Michelle is going to be watching you closely, making sure you’ve dropped the whole idea. You need to let her suspicions rest first.”

            Sighing, I fold my arms across my chest. “Alright. I’ll let you know when she seems normal again.”

            He smiles before heading down the dock. When he reaches the end and hits the sand, I call to him.

            “Are we okay?”

            “Of course,” he yells back, and heads down the trail.

            Despite his answer, things seem tense between us. Ever since Ember came back and Rhyson found out about the drugs, he’s seemed different. He hasn’t even touched me since yesterday when I got back to Haven.

~~~

            “Why don’t you share how you feel now that you have overcome the place where Mellissa passed away?” Michelle suggests, her eyes staring at me across from the fire. The woman I once trusted, and even felt close to, feels like someone completely new. It’s been over a week since I talked to her about Scarlett, and she’s still not letting her guard down.

            “I have closure,” I lie, smiling sadly. The truth is I won’t have closure until I find out who’s targeting me and who killed Mellissa. “I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It was hard, but not as hard as I thought it would be.”

            Michelle smiles, but there’s something in it that isn’t meant for me. “That’s great to hear, Gemma. Why don’t you go next,” she says, looking to her new target.

            The rest of the campfire goes by in a haze. By the time I’m heading back to my cabin, I’m so lost in my thoughts, that I don’t hear my name being called. It isn’t until I feel a hand on my shoulder that I finally realize someone is trying to get my attention.       

            “Sorry,” I mumble, rubbing my eyes. “I was distracted and-“ I stop midsentence, my eyes narrowing. “What do you want, Danny?”

            “I want to apologize, for being an ass the other day,” he explains, shoving his hands in his pockets. “And for all the other times. Can we maybe talk sometime?”

            I shrug, watching him cautiously as we walk down the trail. “What are you going to tell me that’s going to make me even consider spending time with you?”

            Danny stops and gently grabs my arm, stopping me. As the other Haven kids walk by, heading to their cabins, Danny pulls me into the woods so that we’re alone.

            “I know I’ve been a jerk, but there’s a reason for it, Gemma. There’s a reason I’ve been pushing so hard to get you with me and not Rhyson.”

            For a moment I open my mouth, wanting to explain that Rhyson and I aren’t together, but I quickly close it. As much as I’d like to think I’m single, Rhyson and I are so close that we’re unofficially a couple. Even if he’s being distant since he found out about Ember.

            “And what is that reason?” I fold my arms across my chest and struggle to meet his eyes in the darkness.

            “I like you, Gemma. I really do. But regardless of that, I don’t think you should be with Rhyson. Not now, not ever.”

            “Don’t start this again, Danny. I don’t want to hear-“

            “Listen,” he snaps, cutting me off. He grabs my shoulders and steps closer so that I can see his face better. His eyes are wide and he keeps looking behind me onto the trail, as if he’s expecting someone to be eavesdropping. “This time is different. This time I’m going to tell you why. Rhyson’s hiding something from you, Gemma. Something big.”

            “Then why are we waiting?” I ask, my voice low. “Tell me now.”

            “Rhyson knows who kil-“ Danny stops midsentence, but it’s not because he doesn’t want to tell me. Out of nowhere, a dark figure leaps out of the woods and tackles him to the ground. I watch, stunned, as the hooded person pins Danny to the ground, not letting him move.

            “What the hell are you doing?” They yell, fighting to keep Danny down.

            Danny grunts as he reaches past them and into his pocket. Without notice, something bright flashes in the darkness and the person leaps back. Danny holds his lighter, smug as he jumps to his feet. He flicks it again, creating the spark and then lighting it. Cautiously, he picks up a small branch and lights the dead leaves on fire.

            “What is going on?” I ask, circling the person on the ground. I still can’t see their face, but as Danny walks towards them, I take my place behind. Quickly, I grab the figure’s hood and rip it off, revealing a black head of hair.

            The girl turns to look at me, the fire creating an orange glow across half of her face and darkness on the other. Her pupils are huge, but it’s not from the darkness. Her mouth hangs open in fear and surprise.

            I step forward as she tries to stand up and I push her onto the ground; hard.

            “Gemma, I didn’t want you to find-“

            “What the hell are you doing, Ember?”

A/N: Things are going to start happening >:) Excited to find out who left the notes, who hurt Scarlett and who killed Mellissa? Drama ahead! Better place your guesses, the truth is going to start unraveling