Washed Up ≫ A.I

Chapter [20]

[Charlotte Kendall]
Day 9

In the tent, I felt a slow shift beside me and immediately woke up to a groaning sound. I rolled over and noticed Tyson wrapped around me. His long arms were hugged around my stomach but he wasn't even close to my backside. I carefully peeled myself away from his grip and crawled over to his side on my knees quietly. He groaned in pain in his sleep again before flipping onto his back and grabbing his stomach. It was hard to tell if he was awake or not by the sleepless grimace in his expression.

"Tyson?" I whispered harshly to wake him but he didn't budge. I pushed him slightly and waited as his neck rolled side to side before his eyes slowly peeled open.

He blinked away crusty flakes of sand from his lids and smiles up at me as I placed my hand on his sweaty chest. His skin was hot and damp from hiding under this tent all night.

"Is it morning?" His voice asked in a low hum. I turn my neck behind me to look out the flaps of the tarp and notice the sky completely overcast and dark. However, birds were chipping wildly like they normally do. I nod once I look back around at Tyson in the sand.

"Are you feeling okay? You seemed like you were in pain just now." I say while sitting back down on my butt beside him. Tyson pulls up onto his elbows and sighs before shaking out his damp hair.

"I feel better than the night before I can tell you that." He huffs with a soft laugh. I smile with an understanding, compared to my night before as well.

But don't get me wrong, the night with Ashton in the caves was something magical. However, I would have never expected those moments to end like Cinderella's.

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?"

I blinked away from my thoughts and shyly glanced at Tyson. I couldn't imagine how he felt when he woke up to half the group missing one night. He brought in his lower lip before sitting up to my level. I knelt my head down and puckered in guilty thought.

As Tyson placed a palm to my cheek the words flowed out softly, "You were sick. I know I should have stayed beside you but I thought that if we found people and aloe out there that we could bring that all back and help you get better." I confessed. Tyson's eyes burrowed with sensitivity. "I know you would have stayed if I were sick. . . I'm sorry."

My cheeks pinched with a burning blush as Tyson scooted closer shaking his head in disagreement, "No Charlotte don't be sorry. I'm not upset."

"But if I didn't go then no one would be fighting or hurt. Ashton was right last night, this is all my fault." I start to choke out the words as Tyson holds up my cheeks and calms me down with a much gentler shush than Ashton.

"No you don't have to bring that up, it's no one's fault Charlotte."

He tucked my face into his neck and started rubbing the top of my back, carefully passing the bandage that Emma tapped down over my cut. He kept reminding me that Denise was okay and that Ashton and Brandon will get over whatever they were fighting about because it always happens. People move on when everyone is in tight proximity but I really didn't care about all of that. I cared that Ashton was upset with me. I didn't want any bad sides or dislikes within our small survival. Ashton's distasteful behavior last night ended everything we ever worked on a bad note.

The sun was barely glowing along the beach's horizon now yet the sky was still covered in clouds. I could peak through the flaps of the tarp and hear the waves through the darkness. Tyson pulled away from hugging me and scooted back down to his elbows. I couldn't see his face but I could feel his eyes all over mine. I tried to hide my exhausted expression but it was never any use.