Chapter 14
The fire began to glow as the orange and pinks from the sunset died. The scenery around us is truly picturesque. The tall trees with large canopies protecting us from the rain, the moonlight bobbing in the clear water and the glow of the fire makes the wood come to life. Who would have thought the crackling of the fire would be so relaxing and calming.
We're all sat around the camp-fire. Sticks over the open flame melting the marshmallows on the end. Toasting them and turning them a golden brown. The air around us filled with small talk, giggles from the girls and boys boasting.
When did I become so poetic?
Aubrey and Eden sat on either side of me, both taking around me. Ralf is sat across from me gulping the beer in his hand, he looks incredibly bored. I cant help but notice the eyes on me, burning into my soul. My eyes glanced from the stick holding my marshmallow to look around the small circle surrounding the camp-fire. Next to Aubrey Hans, who I recently learnt from eavesdropping that he's from Germany and moved over here last year after an exchange program, is trying to talk to Margaret. She's busy texting and yawning, clearly not being discrete she doesn't want to talk. Harriet is next to her and her eyes are fixed on me, her long lashes batting, it looks like she has something in her eye. Not attractive.
Ralf is next to her, his eyes glancing between me to Aubrey and back to me. Warning me to stick to the plan, trust me, I would rather be bitten by a snake, I think to myself. He takes a long sip from can before his eyes focusing on the embers of the wood.
Matt's eyes are focused on me, an angered look on his face. His arm crept around Maisy and he pulled he close. Maisy's big eyes focused on Matt's face. She follows his gaze to me and gives me a warm smile. This seems to piss Matt even more. She touches his chin, grasps it gently and turns his head to face her. She reaches up slightly and plants a small kiss on his lips to reassure him. Jakes eyes are focused on me, looking between me and Eden. Mainly his eyes are sat on Eden but when his eyes land on me his facial expression changed. He looked like he'd squeezed a bitter lemon in his mouth.
My eyes landed on Eden who sat on my left, her eyes locked with mine, holding each others gaze. The blew gently making her hair fly in different directions and part of her face hidden in the shadows. Whilst others highlighted from the light. A small, shy smile slide on to her face and her cheeks turned a deep red colour. Oh, how I wanted to lean in and press my lips to hers.
A hand found its way onto my shoulder, causing me to brake my graze with Eden. My head flew to the other side to see Aubrey giving me a stern look. She shook her head and mouthed no to me. I let out a long sigh as I turned to look at her again. She was busy talking to Jake, I could see the smirk on his face.
'Jesse, you've melted your marshmallow.' Aubrey giggled. I looked and noticed I had.
'So have you.' The pair of us burst in to giggle, causing more eyes to look our way. Aubrey grabbed the bag of marshmallows and held one to my mouth.
'Opened up.' She smiled at me, I did as I was told and my mouth was filled with a soft, gooey food. 'How many can you hit in you mouth?' She asked. Good question.
'More than you can.' I challenge her.
'Oh, really. Bet you five pounds.' She smiles at me, her eyebrows raised. I shook her hand and we began to stuff our faces with the gooey goodness.
A packet of marshmallows later I had won the bet. The competition had grown bigger and now every one -except Harriet and Margaret – had joined in. All of giggling and trying to talk with our mouth full.
'Hu muny?' Hans asked. None of us could get our words out clearly without giggling so we used hand signals. I looked around at everyone flashing numbers with there hands. A twelve here, a six there. I let let a cheer as I saw I had to highest number. Sixteen. Everyone handed there money over to me. Now I'm £30 richer, not that I need the money.
'Now that disgusting game is over can we play a game everyone can play?' Harriet announced producing and empty wine bottle. I hadn't noticed that the two of them were sat drinking whilst we had our competition. We all gathered around in a smaller circle on the floor. I chewed the food in my mouth – half choking as I tried to swallow them.
'Me first!' Margaret exclaimed, her words slurring. She grabbed the bottle and laid it in the centre of the circle. She spun it and it landed on Hans. He couldn't reach over quick enough, his lips crashed into hers, her face grimacing as he moved his lips. She pulled back quickly, even in a drunken state she's rude. Hans took his turn and it landed on Harriet. Harriet clearly had had more of the wine than Margaret because she gave him a big, soppy kiss.
Harriet took the bottle and spun it. It started to slow down near me and my heart beat increased. It stopped in-between me and Jake. A big grin spread on her face.
'What now?' Jake asked.
'I get to kiss them both!' Harriet squealed. She saunter over to us, kissing Jake quickly on the lips. Maisy looked a little worried at what her friend would do with the guy she clearly likes. Harriet quickly made her way over to me. I was excepting a quick kiss like everyone else had received. When Harriet's lips met mine she practically threw herself at me. Her touch pushing its way into my mouth. I tried to push her off but she leaned closer in, causing me to topple over. I managed to push her off me.
'I'm tired of playing, I'm going for a walk.' I said standing up and walking in a random direction. I have no idea where I'm going.
After fifteen minutes of walking I found an old wooden pier that lead me into the lake. I walked along it and sat on the end, letting my mind wonder. I'm not sure why but when Harriet kissed me I felt... embarrassed. I mean I've kissed girls in public before. Heck, my mums seen me kiss Eden, she's seen us in bed together. We didn't do anything. But when Harriet kissed me I knew that people were watching me, were my reaction. My thoughts wondered along as I sat on the end of the pier. My legs sat swaying in the wind as the dangled over the edge into the icy waters.
'Room for a little one?' Eden's voice was soft but confident. I nodded in response and I moved up a little and she sat next to me. I went stiff when she rested her head on my shoulder but when she giggled my muscles relaxed and it felt like old times. For a while we just sat like this, the only noise coming from the wind.
'How did we end up like this?' Eden asked.
'What do you mean?'
'Like this. I mean so comfortable with each other, yet were so distant,' She let out a long breath and her head dropped. 'I've missed you.' She said quietly, the wind carrying her words.
'I've missed you too.' That's an understatement. There hasn't been a single moment where I haven't thought about her. 'I know what you mean. It's almost as if we've become strangers to each other.' I said staring at my reflection in the water. The ripples making my face look distorted. 'I don't even know why your last name is Carson when your dad's last name is Forest.' I stated.
'When I was eleven my mum broke up with my dad, again, because she had a new guy. Nichols. I'd known his since I was little, one of my mums best friends. He'd been there for me every time mum and dad fell out. The slightest argument and he'd take me to his house and let me stay in his daughters room. She'd died when she was twelve, car crash. I guess that's why he protected me so much. Growing up I spent a lot of time with him, I spent more time with him than Austin. After a few months they got married, a rash decision. After a year mum and dad got back together and that when I started to call him Austin. I hated living there. Always getting into trouble, causing something to go wrong. I even went missing at times. Some how I'd always end up at Nicholas's house. I eventually moved in for a few months, ignored mum's phone calls. Then I found out mum was moving to New York and she had legal custody of me, I had to go. I went to the registry office and changed my name from Forest to Carson.' She looked as if she was going to cry as she told me about her step father.
'Did you ever see him again?' I asked. Her eyes dropped once more and I tear landed on her lap. She moved her head from my shoulder and tried to move away but I pulled her back into me. As if it was as natural as a mother caring for her baby.
'He died. He was hit by a car.' She whispered. Another tear fell onto her lap. 'I've never told anyone about that. About Nicholas and how he saved me from my family.' I rubbed my hand in circles on her back, trying to calm her down.
'EDEN! JESSE!' Voices in the distance called.
'Who cares about her? Jesse is the one we're looking for.' A voice slurred. I turned to look behind me, Aubrey and Harriet came through the greenery. Aubrey gave the same stern look as before and shook her head. Eden noticed there presence and stood up and walked away. She looped her arm through Aubrey's and walked off.
Harriet stumbled over her feet and fell on her face. She began to snore, great. I stood up and threw her over my shoulder and began walking back to the camp site. The fire now reduced to a flew flickers and bright embers.
'Which tent is she in?' I asked Hans. He pointed to the closest tent, I walked into the tent and laid her on the floor. Well, more like throw her on the floor. I just left her and walked out to the fire. The only people out there where Maisy and Matt – who were sat cuddled up on a log – Ralf who sat quietly watching the fire. The cooler full of beer at his side.
I took the seat next to Ralf and we fell into silence. I hadn't noticed the smoke from the fire until my eyes began to sting.
'So what happened?' Ralf asked casually. I looked at him, he was leaning over the chair arm, his head in the cooler. He pulled out two tins of larger and gave me one. Popped the ring on the top and took a mouthful of the bitter liquid. I honestly hate beer but I guess that's because of my training, Bubba makes us work ten time as hard if we have a hangover. God I hate Bubba it times. I mean I get drunk and I drink alcohol but I don't drink this. This taste like pure vodka.
'What do you mean?' I asked.
'After Harriet tried to rape you with her lips?' That comment made me laugh. I relaid the story, careful not to mention anything about Nicholas. Ralf listened careful, he looked like he was taking mental note of what I said.
'What happened when Eden came back?'
'She looked like she'd been crying. Aubrey practically forced her into the tent. She wanted to stay up and have a few drinks, but that girl can't handle her drink. After a mouthful of anything with alcohol in it she tipsy. I've suffered enough nights of her drinking in a life time.' He slouched down in his chair whilst y mind kept asking me questions.
'What do you mean suffered enough nights of her drinking?' I asked.
'When she first came here she was pretty messed up. At first she was quiet, barely slept or ate. She'd go missing and she'd come back pissed. She wouldn't remember what she did. She'd only say 'Nicholas' that's all we heard her say for weeks. Well, that and things about your family. There were many times me and Aubrey had to go out and look for her. Every time we found her in a cemetery a few miles away. She always sat at the same grave.' He explained. I'm guessing it was Nicholas's grave she was sat at.
I slouched down as Ralf told me about other things. How he thought he had a loon as a sister. That Eden was the best thing that happened to him because he wasn't alone any more and because she's friends with the girl he fell for. Half way though I tuned out and listened to the crackle of the fire.
'Come on, lets get to bed.' Ralf said patting me on my back. He led me into a tent and I saw two bodies in sleeping bags. Ralf climbed into the bag next to Aubrey and I climbed into the sleeping bag next to Eden. Her head found its way onto my chest and my arms automatically wrapped around her.
Bliss.