[Discontinued For Now] Shadows || Wyatt Lykensen

Chapter One

Cheer camp. Normally it was okay, I didn't hate it but I didn't like it either. It was okay. But this year? This year it was awful. Because why? Because Bucky made me an Acey. 'Macey', which was a stupid name because my name was Ajax. Not Macey or AJ but Ajax, but people didn't seem to understand that. Did they even want to understand it or were they just being ignorant?

I shook my head when Bucky called everyone over to split up. "Good luck." Bree smiled at me. "Yeah gonna need it," I muttered as Addison gave me an apologetic smile. She knew I didn't want to be an Acey, but Bucky was a good manipulator and most of all a blackmailer. I may be his cousin but not by blood.

I scoffed slightly before taking place beside Kevin, better known now as JC - and he also hated that name - as it wasn't his birth name. So he understood me better than anyone and well he was also my best friend. Bucky introduced us, introduced me as Macey. I put on a fake smile and did a pose before muttering something. "It's Ajax." But this caused Bucky to send me a warning glare.

Okay maybe cheer camp was stupid.

●●●●●

Finally, the last day of cheer camp broke through, meaning that at the end of the day we would head back home. Well, the nightmare would still be going on, but at least I could avoid everyone as much as I could.

Wait, maybe I should introduce myself. My name is Ajax Wells, I am Addison's adopted sister and a huge introvert. I rather stay in the shadows and away from humans than be popular, but well plans changed when Bucky pulled me into the Aceys after my Freshman year and now I was better known as 'Macey', other people also tend to shorten my name to 'AJ', something with that my name was either weird or more meant for a boy. It was total bullshit. After all, I was your typical tomboy of a girl.

"Macey! Hurry up!" Bucky yells from the sideline. Right, I tend to zone out when things are boring or when I am not interested. Or when I lose concentration - which happens a lot - and Addison always jokes it's a special condition.

I sigh softly before walking over the rope that bounces up and down under my feet, doing a few tricks before crossing the mud bad without falling. Silently laughing after seeing Kevin, Lacey, and Stacey getting mudded. "Nice color, totally sweets you. Brings out your eyes perfectly." I tease Kevin with a grin as he rolls his eyes. "Fuck off." He mutters but a small smile breaks through on his face, even though Bucky is scolding us.

After Bucky talks about the election and stuff, we head back to the building to pack our stuff so we could get on the bus and head home. It's silent when Addison, Bree, and I reach our room and start packing. I grab my brown woven leather bracelet out of my bag and clasp it back around my wrist. It's all I have left from my biological parents. Parents I've never met and probably won't be able to do so.

Whenever I asked mom and dad about my birth parents, they would change the topic, avoiding constantly talking about it. I slightly shake my head before I sway my bag over my shoulder and follow the two other girls outside as we head for the bus. We place our bags inside before we take a seat. I take the spot beside Kevin. "You okay?" He asks, nudging my shoulder. "I'm good." I nod with a smile, which doesn't reach my eyes and doesn't convince Kevin. "AJ, you can talk to me." He urges carefully.

"I swear the next person that calls me AJ or Macey will receive a punch from me." I huff with an eye roll as Kevin chuckles. "Sorry, Ajax. I'll try to not do it so we can avoid sparking your anger issues." He jokes, earning another eye roll from me. If I kept rolling my eyes, I'm probably sure they would roll out of my head.

The bus finally starts to drive with Shrimpy sitting behind the wheel, which gives me horror vibes. Is it responsible to let a person dressed in a shrimp costume with limited sight? "I got a feeling this is bound to go wrong," I say, probably jinxing it. "We arrived here safely, we'll be fine." Lacey shrugs and turns her head at us, sitting in front of us. "If you say so," I answer before averting my eyes to the window, once again zoning out but now because I get lost in my whirlwind of thoughts.

Because of this, I barely register what happens, until the bus comes to a halt with a lot of force. Making me slide off the seat I was sitting on, bumping my head against the other seat. I groan slightly before crawling back on my feet. "Zed!" Addison suddenly shouts before dashing out the backdoor of the bus. "Addy, what the hell are you doing?" I scold before dashing out of the bus, accidentally - and on purpose - stepping on Bucky who lay face first on the ground before I run after the white haired girl, but soon lose her out of my sight. I am such a great and responsible and very caring sister, I think sarcastically before taking in my surroundings. Everywhere are trees and bushes, just a forest I got lost in.

"This is not thát bad. At least I don't have to see any damn people." I scoff at myself before picking a random side and starting to walk. Maybe this was good? Sure, I was probably lost but at least I was away from the torture I had to endure the entire summer, and after all, I wouldn't be able to go out and walk around on my own when we would be back. Because mom would probably press us to hear all the details of cheer camp.

But for now, I could care less, I was finally on my own. Away from people in a big forest with birds chirping around me. This was almost heaven.