Eliot Strange and the Prince of the People

24) Alone With My Man

Ten minutes later and Torin and I are alone in camp. I feel all bashful all of a sudden and awkward. It was just last night that we made out. Funny, how I feel silly and sexy all at the same time. Not to mention, I thought I might never see him again, and here he is, my prince, my boyfriend. Is he my boyfriend? Torin must be thinking some of the same thoughts because he says, "My lady, why do you keep running away from me? Do you like me chasing you?"

I shake my head and try to be neutral to his charms, but it is impossible.

"I am starting to believe you do, that or you find me despicable. Undesirable, maybe?"

I shake my head no again and then, just for fun, up and down.

"Ah, you are sending me mixed signals. I do not know if that is a yes or a no to me being despicable."

I giggle. It is impossible to be mad at Torin, or sad that he will soon be gone. "I like your sling, is that Peppa Pig?"

"Yes, one of my favorites. Peppa and George and Grandpa."

"You know Peppa?"

"Yes, sadly I must confess. Me and my mates used to smoke weed and watch Peppa after football practice."

Confessions again and an embarrassing one to boot. I hold back a laugh.

"I know, right? Embarrassing, but alas my lady, you will find as you get to know me that I am not entirely perfect. Almost, but not quite."

There he is, there's my prince. "Yes, and you are becoming more ordinary too, smoking weed with the school boys, really?"

"It is legal in my country, Eliot."

"And in mine as well, but not for teenagers."

"I didn't smoke that much, my father always had me drug tested when I returned home."

"That's harsh."

"Yes, he was quite the jailer." Torin imitates his father as he wags his finger in my face, "Tori, son, we have a reputation to maintain, a duty to our country."

"That's tough, a lot of responsibility."

"I certainly have tried my best over the years to ruin the family reputation. That is my area of expertise." Torin takes a bow.

"Well, from what little I know, you are well liked, reputation or not. Steven has always loved you, and he knows his celebrities."

"Celebrity, humph, more like a silly clown, a buffoon."

"You did have that clown hair for a bit," I say. We both laugh remembering the orange hair. "And now you are some kind of mountain man with that scratchy beard. But anyway, since the world ended, you stepped up. You are a great leader, Torin."

"I've changed, my lady, tried to. This.." he pauses to find the right word, "situation has forced me to."

"Yes, it has, all of us have changed," and with that I change the subject. "Why'd you come, Torin? It is not safe for you here. You are supposed to be catching a ride home."

"Yes, yes," he says as he inspects the wound on my forehead again. He pushes back my hair to look closer. He is inches from my face. "You may end up with a black eye. You have the start of a real shiner." Torin kisses my forehead, then my future shiner that feels like a headache is growing behind it. "Who hit you?"

"Jamie. With his slingshot."

"That little bastard. He almost put your eye out. How dare he hurt my lady, my girl. I shall have to thrash him when I see him again."

"Am I?"

"What?" Torin kisses the other eye.

"Your girl?"

"Most definitely. One hundred percent my girl." He kisses my neck.

"I thought you were leaving."

And to that Torin has the perfect answer. "I would never leave my girl."

"Never?"

"Never."

"What happened to the Canadian plan?"

"Plans change."

I guess I am his girlfriend. About damn time. Kissing follows. Kissing that makes me want to lay down behind the Welcome to Mount Airy sign and do it like a bunch of monkeys at the zoo. Or better yet, against the sign, right out in the open, right here in front of God and everybody. Torin must be thinking the same thing because he says, "Not one of them."

"Not one of who? What?"

"Not one of those boys had a condom? Unbelievable. Every red bloodied American boy over the age of 12 has one in their wallet. Just in case."

"Did you really ask them?" I ask.

"No, no of course not. That would be inappropriate, but I wanted to. Now, I've missed my chance." He sighs. "They probably didn't have one."

"No, probably not. Damn end of the world," I say. "We all quit dreaming. Even the horny teenage boys."

We laugh at that. Seriously, we really don't have time to make out in the green grass in front or behind the sign. We have got to go find, maybe rescue Gus, then find our dads. I say as much. Torin reluctantly agrees.

"Damn end of the world," he says. "It has ruined everything."