Runaways- Runaways 1

Chapter 10: Marcus

"Oh, come on, why are you looking at me weird? You're the one who just fell in love with some kid who we haven't ever met before, and he's just saying that we aren't alone and there are hundreds if not thousands more of us throughout the country." Peyton and I had gone out to collect firewood together, Luke and Aaliyah going the opposite direction, and she was mad at me for not trusting Eli? "You're too trusting."

She rolled her eyes. Obviously, I'd annoyed her, which was my goal if I was being honest, but who in their right mind wouldn't be concerned about some random stranger? "First of all, I'm not in love with him. That's a little farfetched."

"Mm-hm. Sure," I teased.

"Shut up Marcus," she said, shoving me away playfully. "Secondly, what reason has he given us not to trust him?" 

I blanked. She had a point. Gosh, that was one thing I didn't like about her. You couldn't beat her in any logical argument. I shook my head and just kept inspecting the twigs on the ground.

"I thought you were just jealous." Peyton elbowed me, laughing. I nudged her back, not letting her get away with being right. "Why's Aaliyah acting so weird?" she asked a second later. It was such an abrupt change of topic that it caught me off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"She seems, I don't know, a little standoffish towards me. Is she still mad or jealous? 'Cause, I mean, that would be pretty childish. It just seems like she's avoiding me." I shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to answer her.

"I don't think so. I mean, I'm not sure why she's doing it. I haven't really noticed anything, aside from her looking at you more often than not if you get what I mean." I raised an eyebrow as I met her gaze, pleading with her to understand me. She did. I could tell when her eyes widened a little bit and she looked down at the ground. "You don't think that too?"

"I don't know. I was hoping maybe you'd give a different reason. Like, something other than the fact that she likes me. I think I caught that too." She shrugged. "I thought she knew I was straight."

I sighed. "Peyton, you remember how many times I told you about the guys I liked. The majority of them were straight. Infatuation is complicated and not really something anyone can control."

"I get that. Believe me, I get that after having my first love reject me," she joked.

"Okay, well, I did like you for a time. And you know I still love you, just as more of a sister than a girlfriend."

She chuckled. "I know, I know, you replaced me with Luke." She mocked disappointment and jealousy by frowning and crossing her arms. I just jabbed one of the sticks into her arm sarcastically, receiving another lighthearted jab back.

"I'm beginning to think y'all can't get anything done. I tried to separate you and Luke but apparently she's just as distracting." Eli came up behind us, making both of us jump. I could tell he was just kidding, but it stung a little anyway.

"We're just fine thank you," I countered. "We aren't children that need to be 'separated.' We were doing just fine even before you got here." I didn't mean to sound as rude as I did. I guess maybe I was a little jealous of him. Maybe. He just shrugged and looked at Peyton.

"Peyton, you said you can build a fire, right?" She nodded.

"I can do it if you want me to," she replied, almost as if she was showing off. "Are Luke and Aaliyah already back?"

"Yeah. Come on, I'll take you both back assuming you probably lost your way." He was being sarcastic, but it was still insulting since the clearing where we had chosen to sleep tonight was only a tenth of a mile back. Peyton and I really didn't communicate without constant banter and sarcasm, but Eli's was different. I could feel aggression behind it. It didn't bother me though. I didn't like him either, especially if he was after Peyton. She was fragile and I'd already broken her heart once. She didn't need that again.