I stormed through the trees completely lost in my thoughts, oblivious to what was going on around me. My body was healing violently as I fought off the images in my head. Fists. Bloodied clothes. A bloodied carpet. Blood. As much as I hated to say it, I was more afraid of Justin than I was angry. He had let his temper get the best of him and beat Theo senseless without even blinking. How could he do that? How was he capable of that?
So caught up in my own head, I had forgotten there was a game of man hunt going on, so when Julian tackled me to the ground screaming 'Gotcha,' you can only imagine how I reacted.
"What the fuck, Julian!? Get off of me!" My heart beat eradicated as I screamed and thrashed around. My mind was still in another, darker, place and my only objective was to get the boy off of me.
"Ok, ok," he said, attempting to protect his head from my constant attack. "G," he screamed, "-stop hitting me." He finally got the upper hand and grabbed my wrist, preventing me from giving him a concussion. I blinked as I stared up at him with glossy eyes. "Hey?" His tone changed. "You ok?"
I numbly nodded my head. He looked me over a second longer, deciding for himself of I was really ok. Coming to the consensus I would at least not hit him anymore, he rolled off of me. We both lied on the ground, looking up at the starry sky through the trees. They winked back at me, somehow blanketing me in warmth and easing my breathing. I took a second to clear my head and Julian lied beside me, silent, not needing me to tell him I needed a minute.
Head now clear, but still looking at the sky I asked, "Why the fuck would you tackle me?"
He chuckled. "We're playing man hunt."
I turned and deadpanned him. "Yeah, not tackle football you idiot."
"I'm sorry. It's sort of a reflex. Not my fault you're so small." He said grabbing my entire arm in his large hand.
I rolled away pulling my arm with me and regarded him from my new position on my stomach. "I may be small but I'm feirce. You of all people should know that, shouldn't you?" I teased smirking.
He scowled at me as he pulled himself from the ground. "The girl beat someone up for you one time in 1st grade and she thinks she's Superwoman. And I actually think Hillary would know way better than me." He asked offering me his hand.
I looked up in thought. "True." Then I smiled at him and accepted his offering.
Julian used to be a small ghostly pale little boy with big buck teeth and a buzz cut. And Hillary Benson loved to pick on him. She bullied everyone and only had like three friends. She was taller than most of us were at the time and lanky with red crazy hair and freckles. She thought just because she was a year older and an inch or so taller she could treat us however. Not me, though. She was scared of me. But as long as she stayed out of my way we were fine.
Until, one day I saw her sitting on Julian's back, her legs on either side of him, pressing his head into the sandbox. When I saw them - her henchman behind her egging her on, along with a small crowd that had formed - I got so annoyed I hopped off of the swing and stormed over. I pushed her minions out of the way and grabbed her hair in both my hands pulling her back violently. I threw her to the ground and twisted her onto her back, hair still in my hands. I had gotten her to promise to never bully anyone again or else I would pull all of her hair out.
I of course got put on recess probation for two weeks and a call home, but I got high fives from my parents. They said I was sticking up for a fellow classmate and giving a bully a taste of her own medicine. The teacher told me to apologize, my parents said if I did they would beat me up. Kidding of course.
I still have yet to apologize to the red head.
As I looked up at the attractive baseball player, I actually couldn't see that little boy anymore. He was tall, like really tall, 6'4 to be exact, 230 pounds, tanned bronze skin, brown undercut hair, and muscles everywhere. Though he still had the same big innocent blue eyes. And in a way he still was that little boy. But he could stand up for himself now. Not that he needed too. He was too popular and cute to be picked on.
"And don't forget if it hadn't been for that day we wouldn't have become such close friends," I said smiling. I wrapped my arms around his torso as he hugged my shoulders with one arm.
He stuck his free hand into his pocket as we walked back to the Center. "Yeah. And it was really entertaining to watch her kick and scream while you tore at her hair."
I started to laugh. "I actually did take a few strands with me when Mr. Palmero pulled me off." He began to laugh along with me. We walked and reminisced about when we were little for about two more minutes. We still were when the Center came into view. Once we stepped out of the thick foliage, I had forgotten why I left in the first place.
We headed right for the food table and grabbed a box of pizza, two bags of chips, a container of beer, and two bags of assorted candies. We headed over to a tent that was set up near the back of the gazebos and set the snacks out on a blanket. We sat and talked and laughed as girls continued to run into the Center, or base. By the time the alarm went off and people - boys and girls - began to trickle out of the woods, we had still been talking. Julian sat back on his hands and I was lying in his lap, nursing my third bottle of beer. I was used to this stuff. Plain beer I could handle. I could down five or six before I actually got drunk. Three and I was just a bit tipsy.
Hudson and Claire came through the foliage in one of the last groups. She was throw over his shoulder kicking, screaming, and laughing. He finally put her down and she hit him and he just laughed and pulled her in for a kiss. When they stopped she was blushing severely. She turned away from him and immediately spot me and Julian. She ran over, Hudson right behind her.
"Hey, Haireson," I called them by the ship name I had picked up on the day before at school, and the blush that had started to disappear from her face rushed back with a vengeance. I smiled. "What happened?"
She looked up wide eyed. "What? What do you mean? Nothing happened." I raised a brow and smirked, looking to Julian who had the same expression. "We were just playing the game, right Hudson?" She looked at him but didn't wait for his answer. "Right." She looked back to me looking as innocent as possible and I fought to hide my smile.
"Claire, I meant with the game." Her face fell and she looked embarrassed. I burst into laughter and so did Julian. She turned beet red and dropped her head to her palm.
"Of course that's what you meant." Hudson laughed too and sat down behind her, wrapping his arms around her torso.
"So who won then?" Julian asked again, reiterating.
"The Girls won." Hudson answered after kissing the side of Claire's head. She leaned back into him smiling. "They were hiding in trees and bushes and even in plain sight. If you ask me that's cheating." I smirked at his mention of hiding in bushes. Though that didn't work out too well for me.
"No what's cheating is what you guys tried last year." I said pointing the neck of my beer at him.
Hudson rolled his eyes and Claire laughed. "That is true. You guys basically attacked us."
"We were just using our numbers. There were more of us than you so we used it to our advantage."
"But that was assault," Claire said matter-of-factly.
"No. It was a simple ambush." It was really. As they stood in the bushes and waited for us to come for them. Once we came out most of the boys ran back for the Center while others grabbed two to three girls and pinned them to the ground.
"It was and that's what makes it cheating. You weren't even hiding and you took the hunt out of man hunt." I said taking another sip of beer.
Hudson just smirked shrugging as Julian shook with laughter. Me and Claire both reached back and hit them. They just laughed more so we rolled our eyes. I took a swig of my beer and Claire grabbed her own popped the top off and gulped down half the bottle.
A few seconds later more of our friends made their way over. Including, Jackson, Tucker, Oliver, and Puck. And Mandy, Lena, and Hillary. And yes that would be the same Hillary that used to bully Julian.
Claire wasn't in school the day Hillary shoved his head in sand so she didn't know what happened. She did see what she did to him on a daily but it wasn't as bad as that. But she believed in the whole, people could change thing. She looked a lot better now and that only made matters worse. She still had the same big red hair but she usually kept it in a rubber band. Freckles still surrounded her nose and she was pale but always had pink cheeks. And her stormy grey eyes sometimes changed colors and would be an icy blue.
I hardly talked to her because she was still quick at the mouth and rude, but I was trying.
Once they came over, we began talking, drinking, and eating. Walter got up and announced the winner of the game and all the girls howled and growled while the boys booed and roared.
We talked all night and all fell asleep tangled in each other. Except Claire and Hudson who crawled their way into the tent. Julian and I fell asleep with me lying on his chest and wrapped in his arms. Same for Tucker and Mandy. Everyone else lied strewn about the blanket. Lena and Puck had ran off awhile before we fell asleep and had yet to come back.
I was the first to wake up and man did I have a headache. I had forgotten to watch my drinking and had seven more beers. I wasn't 'hungover' per say but boy my head.
I rolled off of Julian's stomach and sat up rubbing my eyes. He groaned and rolled over still asleep. Standing I made my way to the second platform where I knew Lena kept her things every year, passing by the refreshments table and grabbing a bottle of water. I knew she kept Ibuprofen in her bag and I needed at least two. I got to the top of the platform and found her gray Pink bag. I ruffled through and found the pills. But not before I found a lone condom. I smirked and poured two orange pills into my palm.
After placing the bottle back into her bag and zipping it back up, I popped the pills into my mouth and downed half the bottle of water. Just as I put the top back on someone spoke and water came out of my nose.
I went into a coughing fit so bad tears formed in my eyes. Through tear filled eyes, I turned and looked at who scared me. "Could...you...maybe not sneak up on me while I'm drinking," I said as I coughed. I could hardly see his face since I was so teary -
"I'm sorry." - but I did recognize his voice. "But in all fairness, I didn't expect you to start dying on me."
I tried to hide the fear on my face as I looked at him. My eyes shifted momentarily to his newly bandaged hands and I flinched when he flexed his fingers. My grip on the bottle tightened as I swallowed my eyes shifting to the ground. I could still feel him looking at me as I rose from a crouch to my feet. "What do you want?" I mumbled.
"I want you to talk to me."
"Theres nothing to talk about."
"Then why can't you look at me?"
I focused all of my attention on a peculiar spot on the floor, a dark spot that blemished the area around it. Justin ducked his head to look at my face then took a step forward reaching out his hand. I took two steps back bumping into the railing. My eyes rose briefly to his. Hurt and confusion radiated from his eyes. "Are you afraid of me?" I shook my head, my stiff neck hardly able to deliver the lie. "You are."
"I'm not. I'm just..."
"Geneeva I'm sorry I hit him ok?"
My head jerked up in horror. "Hit him? Justin you broke his nose and bust his lip. You beat him."
"What else would you have had me do?"
"Walk away!" I screamed my concern far from the sleeping people all around me. Though judging from the bottles scattered around the ground, setting them on fire wouldnt wake them.
His eyes flared with anger causing me to drop my head again. "Is that what you do? You let people walk all over you and just turn the other cheek?"
"There are some battles that aren't meant to be fought."
"Bullshit!" I couldn't help but flinch then as he screamed. I instinctively rose a hand to shield any blows that may come. Justin took a step back and ran his fingers tightly through his hair. "I'm sorry. I-I just don't get it."
There was silence for a few minutes, my hand was still held out in front of me and he had closed his eyes. I squeezed my own closed as images swirled behind them. Accompanied by the sounds of breaking bones and grunts now, it was harder to shut out. My hands went to my ears, pressing them closed but that just made everything louder.
Suddenly warmth closed in around me and hovered near my cheek. My body leaned into it of it's own accord and as it did, the horror show behind my lids flickered and dulled. I reached forward, eyes still closed and clasped my arms around a sturdy body. My mind went quiet, a soft hum in my skull. The occasionally picture would flashed by but then quickly flicker away but that was a constant.
Maybe ten minutes later, after my breathing slowed and my body ceased its shaking, I pulled away and crossed my arms wiping at my damp cheeks. Only a little embarrassed by the scene I had caused I avoided eye contact. For that reason and not wanting to see the the emotions I knew would likely be in his eyes. The questions.
Unsure of what he was doing, or rather I would react, he slowly reached out to me. When I didn't run the risk of bolting away, he grasped my chin gently and turned my face up to him. Surprise exploded at the forefront of my mind as I saw his face. There was nothing. Hi wore a mask of soft indifference as he looked at me head on. There was a question in his eyes but it wasn't the one I was expecting. I knew it would come but only if he knew I would answer. And strangely, I kind of wanted to.
The fear that gripped me when I saw him was long forgotten as I took in his soft expression and delicate demeanor. His blonde hair was a mess, his lashes brushed along his sunkissed cheeks as he blinked, and his moist pink lips were crooked and ready to be molded into whatever would match his next expression.
I found myself walking through the trees next, the occasional break in the foliage let the sun tap my skin all over before I moved on. The crunch of grass behind me met my ears as Justin followed behind me. I found a bench next to the lake and took my seat, Justin sitting next to me a foot away. He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees crossing his hands. I buried my hands in my lap keeping my gaze on the murky water and the petals and flowers that swam across the surface.
Justin understood the silence. He didn't speak, he didn't press. He sat patiently waiting for me to say whatever I needed to say. And nothing more. I wanted to tell him everything but I knew I couldn't stomach it. But I would tell him what I could.
My eyes stayed on the water and I didn't dare open my mouth. He turned his head partially and cocked his head before scooting closer. He plced his warm hand over my own and looking down I realized my hands were tucked into tight fists, my knuckles turning white. I breathed in a shaky breath and closed my eyes. "You can trust me."
And you know what?
I did.
I couldn't tell you why. Since my dad left I had never trusted anyone. With anything. My feelings, my things, my secrets. Nothing. I once freaked out on Claire because she asked to borrow my favorite charm bracelet. And I made her sign a waiver once when she asked me who my secret crush was. It was about five pages long.
But I don't know. There was just something about Justin that made me want to tell him my deepest darkest secrets. Like that time in fourth grade when I had the hugest crush on Jimmy Porter and I wrote him a poem and stuck it in his cubby hole. He read it aloud in front of the entire class and everyone was laughing their little butts off. Lucky for me I signed anonymous - or 'Anonomous,' as my little brain spelled it. And they couldn't match it to my hand writing, not that they were smart enough to try.
I trusted Justin. I don't know if it was those gentle green eyes, or that silky smooth voice, or his approachable demeanor, but I did. And that's why the next five minutes were spent with me telling him why I freaked over a little fight. Though it didn't seem so little to me.