All Of Us - Part 1: Summer

Chapter 43 - Goodbyes

Trigger warning: violence

- Evangeline -

I grab a rock and ease myself into a sitting position. With care, I angle my arm and toss the stone onto the water. But instead of skidding across the flat surface, it immediately hits the water and sinks. I sigh, dejected. I've been trying for the past quarter of an hour, with no luck.

"You should be training."

I look up, startled. I'm in the main hall - more specifically, on the bank at the back of the indoor body of water that's located in the main hall. This is usually the busiest part of the camp, but today, most of the rebels have gone, and it is empty. I especially didn't think anyone would see me here, so far back. But someone did, apparently.

"You really should be in the training room."

"Hi, Lino."

He scowls at me and doesn't budge. I saw him arguing with Gail and Dæor earlier. I suppose that he's still in a bad mood, then. "Why are you here in the first place ?" he questions, irritation somehow in his voice.

"I like it here." I grab another rock. "It's soothing." I throw it in the water in front of me. "It takes my mind off of things." I hear the soft "pluf" as the stone falls.

Actually, it's the first time I've been here. I needed to be somewhere calm, away from the others. There's a gnawing feeling in my gut that is getting harder and harder to ignore.

"When are they supposed to get back, anyways ?" I sharply ask.

His frown deepens as he shrugs. "Dunno. Soon, I guess ? They've been away for a while."

I turn back to my little rock pile. Guess I'll have to try a couple more times before they arrive.

"That's not how you do it, by the way."

"What ?" I crane my neck.

"Skipping stones. You're doing it all wrong."

"Fine," I curtly reply. All I wanted was peace, not some boy judging and bossing me around. "Show me, then."

He goes over to the amassed stones to my right as I stick my chin out. After taking an obnoxiously long time to pick one, he stands back, bends his knees, and casually flings it across the water. And to my utter and complete dismay, not only does the rock bounce off the liquid water once, or twice, or even thrice, it skids a grandiose total of five times.

I don't bother to hide my amazement as I turn to him. "How did you do that ?" I blurt out.

He shrugs again, but I can see a smile hiding behind his scowl. "Teach me. Please ?" I plead. He ruffles his hair, as if debating it. "I'll get you food from the kitchen. I saw some hidden sweets earlier," I offer. "Deal. But you better respect your part of the deal, okay ? Let's shake on it." I lift my hand over my head. His hand is small but nimble, his handshake firm. "It's a promise," I reply.

He coughs and looks down. "You know, it's easier standing up." I look down as well. My pants are pulled up, and my bare legs dangle into the cooling water. I wiggle my toes and feel the stillness of the water. "No way I'm getting up," I state. He hesitates for a moment, then drops down beside me, letting his own feet slide into the water. "Ah ? A change of heart ?" I raise an eyebrow.

"It's a warm day," he answers, gruff. "So," he shoots me a pointed look, "back to the rock skipping. You need to choose the flattest rock possible. Like this one, see ?" He shows me a smooth, triangular stone, the size of a plum. "But it's tiny," I point out, confused. "Small is better," he affirms. "Here, take this one." He gives me an even smaller one.