Synching With the Devil's Son

Chapter 5

Bella's P.O.V.

Trish drives over to Shop-N-Go where we pick up Ryan and enough food to feed a small army. His parents have always been very generous with us through the years, supplying food and supplies for all our get togethers since we were little, and asking for nothing in return. "Liz and Harmony will be bringing matches and wood, Jeff and Mick are setting up camp, and Scarlet and Daniel are hauling in all the pots, garbages, and a make-shift toilet as we speak," Ryan says, kissing Trish quickly as he scoots into the backseat. I like how he doesn't expect me to move to the backseat so he can sit next to his girlfriend. I also like the fact that everyone is coordinating their responsibilities to make this a fun weekend...all but one. "And what is Lucien doing?" I ask snarkily.

Trish looks at me sharply. She knows I cannot stand the guy, and I appreciate that she knows, but it doesn't stop her, or any of them for that matter, from inviting him everywhere we go. Ryan, blissfully unaware of my feelings, says, "He's been tasked with bringing the weed and booze! It's going to be an epic weekend!"

"I'm sure it will," I murmur, looking out the window. I promised my brother to try and get along with Lucien. The problem is, he seems to know how to push all my buttons...in the exact sequence to ratchet up my anxiety or all at the same time so I loose my shit. I blow a stray hair out of my face and continue to gaze out at the gorgeous view. It always manages to relax me as we pass through the foothills of the Smokey Mountains on our way to our campsite by the river. By the time we arrive, I'm in a much better mood, having been pulled from my dark thoughts about Lucien and how I'm going to deal with him all weekend.

Our campground is really just an old deer stand in the forest that hunters use during the season. After Trish parks and we disembark, I immediately count the number of tents set up around the fire.

Five...five two person tents.

Doing some mental math I realize with a start my friends are expecting me to share a tent with Lucien. Daniel and Scarlet are engaged, so that's one tent down. Jeff and Harmony started dating around Christmas and probably can't wait to sleep together uninterrupted by watchful parents, so that's two tents. Liz will want to share a tent with Mick because she's had a crush on him for years, although none of us thinks he realizes it. He's not the most astute person you'll ever meet, but his blond hair, chiseled face and rock hard abs are enough to get most girls' attention. And of course Ryan and Trish will be together, so that's tents three and four. Oh Hell No!

"I hope you guys don't think I'm going to sleep in the same tent as Lucien," I say loudly, getting everyone to turn their heads toward me. "If that's the case, I'll be happy to take Trish's car and return for you when you're ready to come home."

Liz walks over toward me, smiling slightly. "I'd share with you, but I really want some alone time with Mick, please Bella?" she begs, reaching out to grab my hands. I know how much this will mean to her, maybe she'll find the courage to finally tell Mick how she feels. The earnest look on Liz's face makes me nod my head and say, "I know you do, I guess it won't be a problem," even though I want to scream, 'no fucking way!' Nobody seems to understand the impossible situation they've placed me in. I cannot stand Lucien, nor he me. I envision how the long nights are going to play out...I'll throw shoes at him when he's snoring and he'll put some sort of creature in my sleeping bag. I should have stayed home because my friends do not understand my situation. I have no desire to breathe the same air as Lucien Amon. It's completely my fault, Trish is the only one whom I've confided to about how Lucien and I don't get along, and I quickly realize this is going to be a long, LONG weekend.

As I'm unpacking my bags into our/my tent, I hear the unmistakeable sound of an approaching motorcycle. 'Maybe he'll just crash and I can go on to have fun this weekend,' I think to myself uncharitably. When I look up, I see Lucien removing his helmet and notice his black wavy hair has been neatly trimmed and he looks...well...he looks really good. 'Where did that thought come from?' I wonder. He glances over at me, and when his electric blue eyes capture mine, he grins evilly. 'Yep,' I sigh inwardly, 'a wonderful fucking weekend indeed, yippee for me.'

I march over to him as he's gathering his gear and say, "Apparently it's been decided that you and I are sharing a tent. I am here to tell you that will happen when Hell freezes over. You, sir, get to sleep with the wildlife this weekend." I point to the rolled air mat, blanket and pillow I hauled out of the tent and placed near a tree for him.  

He looks at the gear, then at me for a moment, and sneers, "I will not be sleeping outside when there is a perfectly good tent with room in it for me. If you have a problem with that, I suggest you find someone who gives a shit. Or, you can put your belongings under that nice Elm over there and watch the stars twinkle in the sky all night." He turns to walk away and then swivels back to me with a smirk. "If you want to gripe about it, I suggest we wrestle for the privilege of the tent. If I win, your ass is literally on the grass."

I watch in disbelief as he dumps his things into our/my tent without preamble or permission, and then proceeds to unpack the alcohol he loaded into his motorcycles panniers. Daniel, Mick and Jeff venture over to investigate what Lucien brought with him, and I hear, "Awesome!", "Yeah man, this is great!", and "You've outdone yourself Lucien!" from my friends. Stupendous. Lucien has supplied us with alcohol. No wonder he gets invited to all our gatherings. I'm still standing there with my hands on my hips, trying to figure out how to get his stuff out of our/my tent, when Lucien strides back over to me with a smirk on his face.

"Stop thinking how you are going to unload my stuff from that tent," he indicates with his head, "because it isn't going to happen. I will repeat myself, since you have an obvious mental deficiency. If anybody is sleeping outside, it's going to be you. Not my fault you don't want to share."

'You fucking prick. So much for chivalry.' I think to myself. What I don't want him to know is sleeping out in the open is an absolute no-go for me. I was attacked out in the open, during the darkness of night, and I have a therapist, Lexapro and nightmares to prove it. I just raise my hands in the air, shake my head, and stomp over to everyone else who have started preparing dinner. 'Way to stand your ground, Bella,' I scathingly tell myself, finding the cutting board, an onion and a sharp knife. I turn my back on Lucien and get to work helping prepare dinner.