Stranded

Stranded--10

(edited 07/29/19)

Chapter 10

I'm sitting in the hut, by myself. Everyone else is outside near the fire that they made. It was pitch black outside. I hate nights the most. I shiver when a chilly breeze nips at my bare skin. I was in a tank top and my sweatpants. It's all I really have left. The shirt I had been wearing got ripped up and is now being used to tie things together. More useful that way. I think we've been stuck here for over a month. I hear everyone outside laugh. I smile. It's nice that we all got along now. Well, everyone that is, except for Drake and I. We haven't spoken in days. We tried to once, and it ended by Ron holding me back while I tried to give Drake a black eye. I don't even remember what he said, but I know I wanted to hit him. How did we end up like this, we were a team! Feelings suck and this place sucks. Like I said before, bad timing.

I hear Drake's voice, and then everyone laughing again. I sigh and bring my knees up to my chin.

"Hey, what's wrong. Why are you in here alone?"

I look up and see Alice entering the hut. She scoots close to me and then sits next to me, criss-cross-apple sauce. How cute. I shake my head at her, "Oh, nothing."

"Bull." She says and my mouth drops a little in shock. "Alice!" I scold.

"What? You know that it's bullshit."

"Why do you little kids think it's cool to swear all the time?" I mumble. Who does this child think she is?

"I am not a little kid! I am fourteen!" She lightly pushes my shoulder. I gasp again. "What? You're fourteen? I thought you were like, twelve or something."

"What? No way. It's crazy that we've known each other but we don't know anything about each other." She looks down at lap. She's playing with a small twig in her hands. I pause and think. She's right. I only really know the boys and a little about Olivia. I don't know much about anyone else except the basics. Who we all have become since the crash.

"You know what, you're right. So...tell me about yourself, Alice." I move my legs and sit like her. She beams at me and tucks her long black hair behind her ears. "Okay, I will. Right after you tell me what's wrong."

Damn. I thought that if I changed the subject, Alice wouldn't ask again. I thought wrong. Kids these days are too smart, too tricky. I shake my head at her again, "It's nothing. Honestly."

"Don't try and lie to me! It has to do with Drake, doesn't it?" She flings the twig she was playing with. Things are getting serious.

I look at her with confusion. "How'd you know that?" She shrugs her shoulders and she has a smug look on her face. I shake my head in disbelief. Too smart, too tricky, and too cocky. I like her. She puts a hand on my knee, "Drake and I are actually pretty close. He tells me a lot. He's like the big brother I never had. Now, tell me your side of the story." I stare at her as she lays down and gets all relaxed, ready for me to start my story. I take in a long breath before Is start at the beginning. I ramble on forever, telling three different side stories during the story Alice asked me to tell before I finally get the the end.

"And he just didn't want to...I don't know. Maybe I was just stupid for thinking that he might have feelings for me. I didn't even know that I had feelings for him! I thought he was like, my partner. He's been here for me since the start of all this. I just thought the feelings might be mutual, but they weren't. And Ron doesn't see me like that at all. At least, I don't think he does. I hang out with Ron so much now. Ron is fun and he's so bold. He's kinda like the person I want to be." I sigh and finally look at her, not sure what else to say. I told her everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything. Alice is still lying down with her arms folded over her chest. Her eyes are closed so I thought she might be asleep.