Make Me Yours

Chapter 41

Seanne's POV

The sun is almost down when finished setting up the tent, the mat, and the portable grill on the far side of the beach, away from the families who are playing on the sand.

Kookie insisted we sleep here tonight, under the sky. I thought JD would disagree, as he is someone who prefers sleeping on a bed, but he quietly followed when we went out. Julia, as the mastermind of this trip, is the busiest of us. She's making fire out of the charcoals for us to grill barbecue and squids. (She told us we need to be old-school, so no electric stoves of some other kind.)

I, being the culinary student here, is obliged to marinate the meat and the squids. Good thing we brought the rice cooker, I was able to cook rice hassle-free (Julia didn't know I asked Kookie bring it. She brought their old pot).

"Hey, help me carry this table there," Jayden called to Kookie. 

I watched them work from the corner of my eyes. They seem to be getting along well better than before. I wonder if something happened...

"Is the meat ready?" Julia asked. She successfully made fire, and now there's smoke rising up from the grill. It's lucky the wind is blowing away from us, or else we will be smoked the whole night.

"Yup," I said and placed the bowl of meat on the table beside the grill. I started piling the meat and squid. Seconds later, the delicious aroma of grilling meat wafted in the air.

"Mmmm! Smells great!" Julia tapped my back, "You can marry now, Seannie."

I snorted. "Marry my foot. Give me the fan so I can keep the coals burning."

"Okays! I'll cut the fruits," Julia handed me the fan and went to the table. Jayden brought out something from his bag.

Uncle Larry's old camping lamp!

"Wow, that's still functional?" I blurted. It's what we usually used when we were camping some 10 or 12 years ago.

Jayden just glanced at me and nodded. 

I turned my back. How long is he going to be cold like this? I miss him.

"Seanne, let me do that," Kookie said, and took the fan from me. "I'll grill the meat. You can help Julia cut the fruits."

I frowned at Kookie. He smiled and jerked his head towards Jayden's direction. 

So he wants me to approach Jayden?

"Okay," I said and smiled at him. But when I got near Jayden, he suddenly walked away towards the villa.

"Jayden, where the heck are you going?" Julia called.

"I forgot the batteries," he said without looking.

"Tch." Julia looked at me, "Seanne, I think you should get the rice. It's been more than an hour."

"But--"

"Go," Kookie nudged me. 

I nodded. Then I ran after Jayden. "Hey, JD."

He continued walking, but I noticed he slowed down. I caught up with him.

"I'm getting the rice," I muttered.

He did not respond. We walked in silence until we get into the cottage we rented. It's a nipa hut-styled villa with two bedrooms, a small receiving area that connects to a small kitchen, and a bathroom. Jayden went inside his and Kookie's room, while I went to the kitchen to get the rice cooker.

I unplugged it and removed the inner pot. But the pot holder slipped from my left hand, my fingers skid on the hot side of the pot. "Ouch!"

"What happened?" Jayden ran to me and took the pot from me. He put it down, grabbed my left hand and pulled me to the sink. He turned on the faucet and put my hand under the running water.