Graveyard Shift

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER TEN

I was sitting where the edge of the lake was and had my knees to chest. Nick, Erik, and Julia were not aware of what had happened, so Anna and Kris were doing their best to pretend it hadn't happened while talking to Daren. I could tell he was still fuming, but he was okay now. When they saw us, the story was that Daren and I both tripped on some huge rocks. "Hi, stranger," Eleanor said. I felt my heart begin to race considering it had been about thirty minutes since she spoke to me. I looked up and she furrowed her brows before sitting next to me. I felt this sharp pang of hurt in my chest at her greeting, knowing she meant she really didn't recognize me at the moment.
"Hi," I replied back gently.
"Why were you and Daren Michael fighting, William?" She asked.
I shrugged, "Friends fight-"
"Not like that."
"Maybe not for girls, but guys are different."
"You don't even argue with people, William. You're passive aggressive."
"Eleanor, it doesn't matter why we fought."
"So you're just not going to tell me?"
"You didn't tell my why you were crying earlier, so why should I tell you anything?"
She huffed, "That was different."
"How?" I demanded. She stayed quiet. "Because you're you and I just give into your every wish and desire. I don't think so. Not today, Eleanor Dem."
"Why are you being like this?"
"Like what? What am I being like?"
"An asshole," she snapped. My eyes darted toward her and her cheeks were slightly pink from frustration.
"Why don't you tell me what you're really thinking? Why is it that you keep secrets from me when I tell you everything?"
"You do not tell me everything-"
"Yes, I do. You know I do. Don't play dumb when we both know you're smart."
"Then who do you like?"
"No one."
"You're right. Who do you love?"
"No one."
"See, that's a lie." I froze up. She raised her eyebrows. She didn't seem amused at all. She didn't even like me a little bit; it was so obviously painful. "William, I know who you love and you haven't told me. That's not everything."
"Eleanor, that's-" I stuttered, "that's different."
"It's a big, personal secret, is what it is. How is that different?" She questioned and crossed her arms.
"I'm sorry you and Daren got into a fight."
"I don't want your pity," I snapped. She looked hurt by the remark, but stood and walked away swiftly, easily.
***
Nick and Julia were taking a hike with Kris and Anna, leaving Malik, Erik, Eleanor, and Daren at the campsite. Suddenly, a slump came to my side as I stared at Eleanor by the water with Daren. Malik was sitting next to me and followed my gaze. "So what's up with you and Eleanor anyways? Are you guys dating?"
I shook my head, "No, just friends."
"Oh," he said. "Well, what about Kris and Daren, what's up with them?" He asked. I wondered if he had heard Anna and I talking last night.
"What about Kris and Daren?"
"Are they dating?"
I was still really losses off at Daren, but he was still...he was still my best friend.... I didn't want to say anything that might give Malik the impression he could hit I'm Kris when Daren felt uncomfortable with that. "Why?"
He shrugged, "I dunno, I'm just curious. They always bag on each other, but it seems like it could be more than that. I mean, it's how Nick and Julia were." I raised my brows. "It's true, I swear."
"Why do you care if they're dating anyways?"
"I'm just tryna' learn more about you guys." He shrugged and looked over at Eleanor, Erik, and Daren.
"You think Erik kinda has a thing for Anna?" I asked considering how close they had been just yesterday.
"Erik?" He questioned then shook his head. "Nah, he's got a girl back home." I raised my brows and let out a small sigh. "What's wrong?"
I shook my head, "I just didn't expect things to get complicated over summer."
He chuckled lightly, "Chill, you're in high school. It's not the end of the world. Still a long way to go." I wanted to tell him that there really wasn't that much longer to go. I wanted to tell him that he didn't understand that Daren and I had actually fought and it was because I was in love with Eleanor. But I didn't because I just didn't know Malik all that well. After all, it had only been a day. We both looked over the other way when gentle laughter filled our ears. In the distance, a few figures were heading this way. The rest of the group was back.
"I'll see you later," Malik said as he made his way over to them. I dusted myself off as well and started to make my way over to Eleanor, before looking at Daren. Daren then looked up at me. Eleanor gestured for Erik to follow her casually and he did so easily without any questions.
"Hey," I said. He gave a s small, awkward smile with a nod of his head in reply. "Don't do that." He kinda looked at me befuddled and shrugged his shoulders in question. "You know what, Daren. You're being all silent and want to be left alone and really don't want me talking to you right now, but I'm not just going to pretend we aren't still best friends. We are. It was a stupid fight. I was-" I sighed, "I was stupid." Daren then smiled a little more and my eyes softened. "I'm sorry."
"I don't know if I can believe you," he said before crossing his arms and looking the other way.
I smiled a little more. "What if I promise you double In 'N Out when we leave this campsite? Since you didn't get any when we came here."
He looked at me again and smirked. "Alright, I suppose it will," he let out a dramatic sigh, "have to due for now." I smiled and he started to laugh. "You lunch like a girl."
"You bleed like one," I retorted.
"Probably why I was being an asshole." We both laughed.
***
I couldn't help but realize it was only the second night of being with everyone at the campsite. It felt like it might've been ages. I hoped it would feel like that when we actually had to leave. I wish that something that could happen in years could happen in just this week. I stared at the fire that was already set up even though it wasn't dark out yet and looked at the purple sky. The sparks and embers of the crackling pieces bounced and flew into it and I wondered if everyone was just like that.
Did we all just bounce and fly around all over until completely just disappearing and dying? Or, maybe it wasn't dying, but it was going our own separate directions. Once part of the sky, now a piece o the sand or a piece of the wind or a piece of the water, finding a whole new direction in our life for ourselves. I looked around me, at the campsite and at the people I knew and met. They laughed and conversed and argued and sat around the lake and fire. And I just tried to imagine a world without any of these people, without meeting them at all, without spending time with them, without being right here in this moment with them, but I just couldn't. Because how was I supposed to be a part of the sand or ocean when my best friend or the girl I loved was a piece of the wind or fire? And it suddenly all hit me - it was not a possibility to not live for something. We all lived for something even if we thought we didn't. And I lived for living.