Finding My Normal

Ch 42- Swing My Heart Across the Line

A/N

I was having trouble with this chapter and it took me forever to write it, but I think I'm good with this version :) Let me know what you think in the comments!  The next chapter will be the last for the camping trip.

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Being here at night is beautiful and soothing. It's so dark I can see all the stars in the sky, so I look up while walking the trail and try to recognize the constellations. That's the most entertainment I can come up with during our night hike since North won't talk to me.

We were sent off in pairs, ten minutes a part from each group to follow the two mile long trail for our night hike. No one has caught up to us and we haven't passed anyone so I think we are keeping a good pace.

The silence is killing me though. I've attempted to get him to talk to me multiple times during our hike and all I get is silence. The only sounds are the ones coming from deep within the trees. Insects, owls, the crunching beneath our feet as we walk.

I know I was mad at him yesterday, but why is he mad at me? Why won't he talk to me?

"So...how's Betsy?" I ask him trying to find a subject he might be willing to talk about--his motorcycle helmet.

But I get nothing.

"North please talk to me," I beg. "I know you're mad at me, but can you just tell me why?"

He huffs, "I'm mad at you? No Sang, you're mad at me."

"What?"

"You're mad at the balloon game and you stopped talking to me. You don't care how I feel, Sang so just cut the act."

"I do care. That's why I'm asking you to tell me what's wrong."

"No you don't care," he barked, "You were mad about the game and you just stopped talking to me."

"I didn't stop talking to you! I'm talking to you right now and I've been trying since yesterday!! You were gone when I came out of my tent. Then you've been ignoring me all day."

"Whatever Sang. I don't play these mind games. You either care or you don't."

I stopped dead in my tracks. How dare North say I don't care about him. Where is this coming from? Just because someone is frustrated in an argument and needs a break doesn't mean they don't care.

"North, if I didn't care about you why would I go through all this trouble to get you to talk to me?"

He grunts and keeps walking. I run to catch up and continue the conversation. If he's not going to respond fine, but he will listen to what I have to say.

"I do care North, but I was mad at you. When you decided for me how that game was going to be played I was upset and when I told you," I jab a finger towards him, "you were the one who didn't care."

He grabs my wrist, "Don't fucking say that. I do care. That's why I did what I did. I was doing something nice. So you could have fun and win the game."

I yank my arm back out of his grasp, "Have fun? Have fun by what? Just standing there behind you guys? That's not fun, North!! That's not playing the game. The way you treated me was wrong. And when I told you about it you didn't listen!"

"I was listening."

"No! You kept insisting what you did was okay. It's not okay to treat me like a baby, North. And I didn't stop talking to you, so stop saying that. I was frustrated and needed a break. I went into my tent to cool down, can't you understand that?"