The Duns

Only A Little Bit In Love

Chapter Thirty-two

Catherine

Why did he accept another day's wait? Their people are tired- we have an advantage! I sigh as we walk back to the tent. Sometimes I don't understand him- no wait, often I don't understand him.

"I know what you'll are thinking." He says in a sing-song tune as we enter our tent, "Why did I agree to give another day? Well for one, Maximus could be lying for all we know. There's no way they just arrived and managed setting everything up- they could have been on their corner- or just out of sight- for days. Also, our people are exhausted, we all know it's not easy setting up a war base and this extra day will do us better than bad."

I nod, starting to agree with him. I see the others around me doing the same. I start heading over to him when Aunt Eliza unexpectedly leans on to his side and murmurs something in his ear. He shakes his head roughly, denying anything she said, and his eyes turn gray.

He quickly composes himself when he sees me staring at him, frowning. I look at Aunt Eliza, who's hands are crossed, and she immediately shuffles out of the area. I turn towards William, hoping he would give away a little bit of what he heard, and see an expression of shock and confusion written onto his face.

I change my route and walk towards him. For a second, I think I see a look of pity on his face, for what? I don't think he knows about my death, but it is gone as quickly as it appears.

"You heard what she said, didn't you?" I ask him softly.

"Catherine, whatever they spoke about was personal; nothing either of us should know."

"What do you mean personal? My aunt and my boyfriend- the only things closest to me in this world now- have secrets behind my back that I don't know about. It doesn't sound too personal; it sounds like it's about me." He visibly bites his jaws from the inside, sucking his right cheek in.

"I have to go." He says and my hold on his elbow does nothing from stopping him on doing so.

I drop my head back, suddenly exhausted, and sigh loudly, rolling my eyes. What is going on?

-

I snuggle up into my blanket, my back on the bare inflated bed, and put my hand out to switch off the glowing lamp on my side- not the kind we have back home, but the ones you can carry by holding onto its handle; old and just about functional.

I roll onto the other side; wrapping my hand around the ends of the blanket, I try settling into a more comfortable position- nothing. I grumble quietly and turn over again, looking at the other side of my tent where Aunt Eliza sleeps soundly, her blanket covering her clothes completely. From where I lay, I can only see the back of her head, her long white hair that flows over her shoulders, longer, stretching around her waist and the continuous, slow, lifting and falling of her chest. How did she manage to go to sleep?

My long-sleeved t-shirt forces me to shove off the blanket, my feet burning under the jeans I decided to keep on incase of the cold, there was absolutely no need for that. I pull my feet closer to my chest, curling up like a wounded dog, and put my hands over them, holding my knees. I tuck my head in; I eventually fell asleep, staying in the position for much longer than I had anticipated.

"What are you doing here?" A shushing voice, a calm whisper. "She'll wake up!" She? Who me?

"I don't understand what more you want from me?" Aunt Eliza? Who is she talking to? I wish I'd slept with my head still looking over at her. I stay frozen in my position, keeping my eyes shut tightly.