A Richer Shade of Gold
Chapter Twenty-Four
"Where are you going?"
"Cabin three." Xavier replied nonchalantly, shrugging his coat on.
"Olivia's cabin?" Kendall asked, already knowing the answer. Xavier simply nodded as he slipped his snow-boots onto his feet. "Why?"
"If you must know, I'm going to see Wesley."
Kendall frowned. She was fine with Xavier hanging out with Olivia but her attitude changed when it came to Wesley. She knew she currently wasn't in the right place to say anything but she didn't approve. She wished her and Xavier could just get over their fight but it was Xavier who messed with her. And it hurt for Kendall.
"Don't make that face, Kendall." Xavier sighed, "In the midst of our argument, did you expect me to twiddle my thumbs and be all alone?" Xavier's tone was soft and careful, but Kendall could detect the exasperation and annoyance laced within it.
"I didn't say anything. Be friends with whomever you wish." Kendall replied, lifting her chin up. "Just be wary around Wesley."
"We're just hanging out." Xavier rolled his eyes, "I'm not going to label him my best friend or boyfriend, for that matter."
Xavier stood up, his hand heading for the door knob but Kendall called his name, redirecting his attention to her. "Why did you do it, Xavier?"
"I didn't do it." Xavier replied, an expression of mild anger and disappointment upon his face. "I know how much you think it hurts that I 'betrayed' you, but you don't know how much more it hurts that you don't believe me."
Xavier slipped out of the cabin without hearing Kendall's answer. She knew he wasn't interested in hearing one. Kendall sighed and sat down on one of the couches in the cabin, reflecting on how much it felt like the two were strangers now. Xavier had stopped calling her by her nickname, 'K', and resorted back to calling her by her name. She wasn't expecting it to, but that hurt as well as the hole in her heart left by him.
After changing into more snow-appropriate clothing, Kendall left for a walk. The cabins were surrounded by woods and Kendall wanted to be outside. She didn't mind the snow. It was bitter and chilling to the bone but that was what Kendall longed for. She needed a breath of fresh air. Kendall left cabin 4 with nothing but the key and her sour attitude.
The snow crunched under her boots, giving her the urge to stomp around even more. Her heavy sigh panned out in a wisp of white in front of her. As a child, Kendall always used to love when her breath would fan out in a cloud around her. She loved it as much as the next kid. Letting out another huff, Kendall hugged herself and shook a little, heading in the direction of the woods.
As Kendall trudged through the snowy scenery, her mind wandered to what Wesley and Xavier would be doing at this moment. Her mind was so wrapped up in muddled thoughts that she didn't notice a root surfacing through the ground. Kendall let out a tsk! as she stumbled over it, landing fortunately on her feet and not her face.
"Careful there, I know the snow is soft but it'll still sting when you face-plant."
"Aren't you supposed to be with Xavier?" Kendall asked, turning to face Wesley.
"He and Olivia started discussing something so I gave them privacy."
"You mean you snuck out?" Kendall continued walking, Wesley trailing behind her with his hands in the pockets of his coat.
"I mean, if you always want to be so negative, then sure, I slipped out."
Kendall didn't bother to reply. She didn't have the interest nor the energy.
"Why are you out here anyways?" Wesley asked her, continuing on the conversation that was lacking in effort from her end. "It's fucking freezing."
Kendall rarely ever heard Wesley swore but she thought it sounded cute when he did. It must've been the accent. "Well, when it gets to a very low temperature and there is enough moisture in the air, little ice crystals form and fall. This process is called snow. And this process cannot happen unless it is 'fucking freezing'." Kendall replied, slowing her words slightly as if she was speaking to a child.
"Ha. Very funny." Wesley said dryly, "Maybe you should drop out of school and become a stand-up comedian."
"If it means getting away from you." Kendall glanced back and gave him a sarcastic smile.
"Want to know the reason that I'm out here?" Wesley had caught up to Kendall and was now walking next to her.
"I have a feeling you'll enlighten me no matter the answer you receive."
Wesley nodded in approval, a grin stretched out on his face. "I didn't lie about Olivia and Xavier's conversation. They started talking about something I wasn't a part of and I was walking to my room when I saw you walk out of your cabin."
Wesley paused, earning a bewildered look from Kendall that showcased her initial reaction. Wesley cleared his throat and continued, "I thought it would be a good time to apologise."
Kendall paused and turned to look at Wesley. She stayed silent for a moment, planning out her answer. She wasn't quite sure what to say to the boy in front of her. It was always so hot and cold with him. "Apologise? That doesn't sound like you." She said as neutrally as she could muster.
"Yes, well, I'm sorry for the...incident at the spa." Wesley looked nervous, fidgeting with his gloves as he stared at the snow under his boots. "I didn't think you would react the way you did. Actually, I'm not entirely sure how I thought you would react."
Kendall gave Wesley no words as she sighed and looked forward towards the path disappearing into the snowy trees and shrubbery. "It's fine." She finally said before rubbing her arms. "You know what, it is cold out here so I might head back inside."
Wesley looked like he wanted to say something but he didn't which made Kendall feel a pang of disappointment. She wasn't sure what she wanted him to say. He had changed so much over the last few weeks. He went from unbelievably annoying to actually decent. But what Wesley did...What he did was made her feel so vulnerable, so helpless. And Kendall hated that. She hated showing weaknesses and flaws, especially to strangers or people as dangerous as Wesley Archer.
Kendall realised she was supposed to be leaving when Wesley said her name, catching her attention which was occupied by her thoughts. Kendall didn't mean to linger around and look like she was desperate for something more so without so much as another breath, Kendall rushed back up the snowy trail. Her heavy breaths fanned out in front of her as she trudged past branches and tree roots, her boots creating crisp prints in the snow.
Wesley Archer scared Kendall. The idea of him and what he could potentially do to her frightened her. What if the spa incident stemmed from malicious intentions? Kendall didn't know how far Wesley would go, or why he would for that matter. Kendall wasn't sure if it was the bitter chill in the air or the feeling of uneasiness in the pit of her stomach but her whole body shook from a wave of shivers that pulsed through her. Her fingers felt numb and sore as she fiddled with her cabin key.
Kendall sighed when she made it back into the warmth of her cabin, her fingers already thawing upon being enveloped in warm air. Xavier wasn't back yet. Kendall assumed he was still in Wesley's cabin with Olivia.
For the first time in a while, Kendall felt alone. She had pushed her best friend away and her other had been caught in the crossfire. It was obvious why Olivia had chosen Xavier over her; Xavier was nicer and easier to get along with. Kendall had a difficult personality and wasn't as approachable. In the end, Kendall knew she would always be second to Xavier in competition of who was the better friend.
But they were both there, in Wesley's cabin. Kendall sat down on the foot of her bed and started to pull her hair out of the side braid that it was in. As her mind scrambled images of Xavier and Olivia spending time together, she wondered what Wesley would try to take from her next. He had already stolen her best friends so what was next?
Kendall needed to be one step ahead, perhaps even two, but her mind was exhausted. She was sick of all the scheming and planning she had to do. Of course, she was no Blair Waldorf but she still had little things to do here and there, and for Kendall that was more than enough.
Kendall ran her fingers through her hair once more before stopping her train of thoughts from further stressing herself out. She fiddled with her ring before sliding it off and placing it on the bedside table. Due to the cold weather, it felt tight on her frozen fingers. Kendall pulled her covers back and crawled into the bed, the feeling of tiredness and exhaustion washing over her as she snuggled into bed. Everyone would be leaving for dinner soon but Kendall didn't feel the least bit hungry. She had already been fed with a spoonful of reality. And although eating was supposed to make you feel more full, all it did was make Kendall more empty.
/
This was trashy. I kid you not, I started this chapter like four weeks ago and I've only finished it now and I didn't even make 2000 words. Ugh.