Treacherous

Chapter Nineteen

Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved.

     .::Treacherous: Chapter Nineteen::.

~*~

“Lilly! Drake!”

     I bolted through the mass of trees that was creating a barrier between us. I’m pretty sure I heard Alex mutter ‘where’s the fire?’ but I wasn’t paying any attention to them, because my best friend was currently leaping out of the car (that had yet to come to a stop) with the same large grin on her face that was on mine.

     We leapt at each other into a body-crushing hug. I squeezed her thin figure to me, her familiar strawberry scented hair washed through my nostrils.

     “I’ve missed you.” I said with a small smile as I pulled back. She grinned even further, if possible, and looked to the side to smile at Drake.

     My eyes widened further as they took in her appearance. Gone were the long luscious locks of golden hair. In its place were dark brunette locks, shortened to just below the cheek. She looked so much like Alice Cullen from Twilight. It was uncanny. I felt the internal shudder as I mentally referenced Twilight.

Lilly linked her fingers with Drake who was looking at her with a horror-stricken expression.

     “Could you maybe wait until the car has stopped moving to leave the vehicle?” Drake asked sarcastically. Lilly giggled and shrugged innocently; as if she hadn’t just threatened her own life because her common sense flew out the window.

     I shook my head in amusement, “c’mon guys, the others are waiting.”

     They followed me, this time at a normal humane pace, through the throng of trees, fallen bark and half-dead grass, until we found our campsite.

     When everyone came into view, it was as though they all silenced. What was with everyone and the mention of these two?

     Carter stood first, like the trooper he was. “Drake, buddy, it’s good to see ya’.” He said with a grin. They did a man-hug, before he moved to Lilly who looked up at him with a timid look.

     “You too, Lilly, it’s been a while.” He pulled her in for a quick embrace and I watched as a look of surprise etched across her angelic features. He pulled back and examined her new haircut. “The hair suits you.” He commented, and just like that, everything was back to normal.

     I let out an air of breath when Alex, Liece and Tristan stepped up and smiled, hugging and shaking hands. It was a cute sight. Hunter sat idly beside Jason and my eyes flickered to them just in time to witness an exchanged weary look.

     After the little episode last night, everyone had begun to skirt around me, and began to do things that were really starting to piss me off. First of all, Alex wasn’t his usually cocky, energy-induced self this morning when he woke up. He offered to make me coffee, which I don’t even like – to which he apologised profusely – then offered non-burnt pancakes and a hot chocolate. Liece’s hug that morning lasted a lot longer than usual, and her eyebrows scrunched up the way I hated. A look of sympathy. I could see it hidden behind everyone’s smiles and it honestly made me feel sick at the sight of the expression.

     Leon had disappeared into his tent and had never left. Tristan told us he didn’t want to participate in anything and that really frustrated me. We were all here to have fun together. Even though I knew for sure that Leon only snapped at me because I’d hit a nerve with my question, so that was fair; but the idea that someone had told him that secret was a bit unsettling. And another thing: how did he know in the first place? Did Jason spill the beans to him? Did he dig around into my past to find my story? I honestly didn’t know, and the idea that my background was so easily founded, unnerved me quite a bit.