UNDER EDITING 𝐺𝑅𝐴𝑉𝐸 𝐷𝐴𝑁𝐺𝐸𝑅 | 𝐴𝑃𝑂𝐶𝐴𝐿𝑌𝑃𝑆𝐸 ✔︎

Overthinking

(Jasper's POV)

I wake up to sunlight pouring into the shabby treehouse and groan. My back is killing me. What happened yesterday is still... freaking me out. I sit up and shake Noah awake as well.

He seems to gasp a bit when he's awaken but regains his composure once he sees it's just me.

"Let's head back, Ashwell." I smile and he simply nods while yawning. "You do remember the way back, right?" His worrier senses instantly kick in.

We make it down the treehouse and look around the forest.

I nod confidently. "Of course, we just need to walk this way until we reach the wall." I point diagonal from the treehouse.

After a good five minutes of being cautious and climbing over random branches, I make light conversation.

"Anything interesting going on with you lately?" I grin. I wasn't quite sure why I asked this. Maybe I was sick of the talk of constant 'deaths' and 'zombies'.

"Interesting?" He raises a brow. "What do you mean? We're together all the time. You'd know if there was."

I shrug. "Yeah but... I don't know. Maybe there's something I don't know." Was I really trying to weasel a confession out of Noah right now? I'm such a pussy I can't even do it myself.

Noah seems to slow down his pace and play with his hands. "I think you... have it wrong."

I shrug with a grin. "Well I thought I'd ask. As I said before, Lexi's been weird and all so I thought that-"

"Whatever you thought was wrong." He mumbles quickly. This causes me to stop a bit abruptly. Oh. He sounds... oddly upset. And oddly serious.

"Right." I say stiffly. "We should um... get back."

Noah just nods and the air seems to become dry. We continue through the forest as bad thoughts swarm my head. Is it possible I... misinterpreted the whole thing?

(Lexi's POV)

"Where could they be?! I knew we shouldn't of made them stay in the kids room!" I panic. Cooper rolls his eyes but I can tell he's worried too.

"I'm sure they're okay. Carlos just sent some people to search for them." He reassures.

"I don't understand why they don't want us helping search." I huff. Cooper shrugs.

I pace around the kitchen a bit more, both angry and worried. Why would they sneak off with no warning?!

I go to ramble a bit more, but a knock is heard at the door. Before Cooper can even take a step, I sprint to the door and yank it open.

A rough looking man is standing in the doorway with Jasper and Noah on either side of him. They both look unhurt but I can tell they're worried about getting in trouble.

I squint my eyes annoyed at them before pulling them inside. I look at the man in the doorway for an answer. "They were outside of the walls. We had just found them right as they were climbing back over."

I death stare Noah and Jasper and they become interested in their shoes instantly. I roll my eyes and thank the man before closing the door.

Jasper and Noah sit on the couch and wait for the silence to break. Cooper and I stand above them, Cooper being the more calm one for once.

"Where the fuck were you." I growl. They both look at each other, wanting the other to answer. "Noah, explain." Cooper says, deciding for them.

"Well you see... we were really bored in the play room. So we decided to-"

"TO HOP THE WALL AND ALMOST GET YOURSELVES KILLED?!" I shout.

He tries to come up with better wording but sighs. "...Yes, you could say that."

I pinch the bridge of my nose intensely. "Who's idea was this?" Jasper sits up a bit. "It was all mine. I'm really sorry, but I just wanted to go have fun. We should've stayed in the playroom like... like Noah suggested." Noah gives him a confused look but nods anyway.

I sigh, calming down a bit. Cooper rests a hand on my shoulder. "You should've told us." He states plainly.

"It's not like you would've let us go if we had." Jasper mumbles. Cooper rolls his eyes.

"Look, we are all obviously exasperated. You two need to go fill your stomachs before you get sick."

They nod and stand up. "Oh um... Coop? Did you ever talk to Carlos?" Jasper asks quietly. Cooper runs a hand through his hair.

"No. We were up all night and morning worried about your lost asses so I didn't really get the chance."

Jasper gives a disappointed look, knowing that it's his own fault, as he trots to the kitchen with Noah following behind him. They sit rather far from each other if you ask me and their whole presence is awkward.

Cooper releases his hand from my shoulder and sighs. "Let's just leave them be for a bit. We don't know if something shook them up out there." He mumbles.

I nod, still calming down a bit.

(Jasper's POV)

Thoughts continue to swarm my head about Noah. I'm not that bad at reading people, right? I mean Lexi was making it so obvious. Or at least I thought she was. Am I just delusional?

I glance at him munching on a breakfast bar with no expression on his face. God he doesn't like me, does he? Did I scare him by saying that? Jesus.

I play with my wrapper a bit, contemplating on what to do. "Hey uh... Noah I-"

"Noah! I need your help organizing these medical supplies so please eat quickly!" Lexi interrupts.

Noah mumbles an 'okay' before finishing his breakfast and going to Lexi. I feel so fucking bad. Does he hate me? He can't hate me..

"Stop overthinking, dumbass."

Cooper.

I roll my eyes when making eye contact with him. "I'm not overthinking anything."

"No you are. You play with your hands or stuff in your hands when you're overthinking. Anyways, I don't wanna know what it is. Just fix it and stop looking like a paranoid loser."

I try to make an argument but just mumble a 'whatever' before munching on my breakfast again. He walks away bored.

I've got to make sure things are okay...

AYO I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT I HAVE SO MANY IDEAS ATM FOR THIS STORY!! IM PRAYING THE WRITERS BLOCK DOESN'T COME BACK TO HAUNT ME!

LMK WHAT YOU THINK OR ANY IDEAS YOU HAVE FOR THE STORY AND THANK YOU FOR SO MANY READS ILY ALL!! 😘😘