Adelaide

Chapter 13

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of something cooking and was surprised to see Darcel hunched over a fire turning a stick with what looked to be a rabbit on it. With what happened between us yesterday, I'm really not in the mood to eat. I still have a granola bar and my orange left so I'll eat that whenever I do get hungry.

"I'm glad you're awake, we need to get some protein in you." He said gruffly, putting out the fire quickly.

"I'm not hungry," I muttered, getting up and stretching out my limbs. I finger-combed through my coarse curls a bit before putting my hair in one tight braid.

Darcel's eyes narrowed, "You need to eat something that's actually beneficial to you Adelaide."

I stared at him blankly, "I will, just not right now. We can save it for tonight. I'll finish up what I have for lunch."

He clenched his jaw, "You haven't had the proper amount of protein since we've been traveling, you're going to be weak."

What doesn't he understand?

"I said I'm not hungry," I stated again.

This time he growled loudly, standing up in fury, "You'll eat it anyway!"

He's mad, again. I don't know why he's being like this, he's infuriating!

"Why do you keep speaking to me this way?" I asked in confusion.

"Why can't you just listen?" He asked exasperatedly.

I'm genuinely surprised by his tone, his words, his anger. What did I do?

"Darcel, I'm not going to force myself to eat and get sick just because you want me to. I'll eat it later." I tried reasoning one more time.

He growled, gripping his hair before he started to pace, "Are you doing this on purpose, as payback?"

"What?" I asked incredulously. What the hell is he talking about?

"You know I'm worried about you and your health, yet you're refusing to do anything about it. You're still upset about yesterday but that's no reason to starve yourself." He motioned to the rabbit, while I just stared wide-eyed at him in genuine perplexity.

"Are you serious?" I asked stepping closer to him. "Why the hell would I even do that? I care about my health and continuing what we are here for, your head seems to be too far up your own ass to see past your own little insecurities you have going on and you're taking it out on me! This isn't how you talk to people, especially your mate!"

I ended up yelling, I didn't want to but it's like he's making it a point to hurt me. I literally just opened my eyes and this is what I have to deal with.

He didn't say anything after that for a few minutes, I hope he's taking that time to ponder over what I said and actually try to understand where I'm coming from.

"Whatever it is you're going through, either tell me about it or get it together because I won't be your emotional punching bag. I feel like your intentionally trying to push me away Darcel, the way you speak to me hurts, okay it hurts me." My voice was heavy with emotion while my eyes filled with tears with how much I'm feeling.

"Adelaide, I-"

"You told me about your parents, if you felt forced to do so then I'm sorry. Now that I know, I can't help but wonder if that's eventually going to be us because so far, the possibility doesn't seem that far-fetched."

I didn't stop there, the flood gates have now been opened.

"Yesterday, I asked a few questions that I didn't know were invasive because you don't communicate with me. Then, you just shut me down, shut me out or get mad at me. I'm not going to deal with this for the rest of my life, wondering if I'm doing something wrong because that isn't fair to me and I have more respect for myself than to be with someone who doesn't take accountability for his own words and actions." I sniffled, wiping away my tears, annoyed that I'm crying over this but I'm upset and sad which is a bad mix.