Safe Haven

Chapter Seventeen - Matilda

I was absolutely terrified.

My feet hurt. My legs hurt. My head hurt. I was starving. I was thirsty. I was cold. This was quite possibly the worst idea I'd ever had. I didn't even know why I decided to come. I was still upset with Ben. Cameron and I weren't really close anymore, and Oliver was a random person I didn't even know. Granted, he was pretty nice.

And I was still upset with Ben.

We'd been walking so long that even Cameron and Oliver began to get along. Well... sometimes.

If you step on my heel one more time, I swear to God—" Cameron threatened.

"Not my fault you're walking slow," Oliver fired back.

"Okay, really? I'm not even walking slow. I'm walking the average speed that the rest of the group is walking. You're just walking fast."

"No, I don't think so. It must be your short legs," Oliver teased.

Cameron made a strangled noise before huffing. "I am NOT short!"

"Any shorter and you'd probably fade out of existence."

Despite myself, I laughed, and if I wasn't mistaken, I heard a chuckle from Ben as well. Cameron, however, didn't take the news well and launched into a full-on swearing fit, calling Oliver names I'd never even heard.

"Matilda?" Ben suddenly asked, turning to make eye contact with me. Behind us, Cameron and Oliver were still arguing about everything and calling each other names. I avoided his eyes. "I'm really sorry for not telling you in person that I was going to leave."

"You were gonna leave me," I mumbled, feeling the pain resurface. He slowed his walk for a moment to walk at my side instead of in front of me.

"I would have come back to save you. I promise. I was scared you wouldn't want to come with me or that you'd tell someone. You have to understand that I barely know you."

"I know."

"I just... I don't want to fight. You don't have to forgive me, because I probably wouldn't, but I don't know... just please don't hate me?"

"I don't think I could ever hate you," I informed him. Then, against my better judgment, I reached down and laced my fingers in his. "Now you're stuck with me, though." I smiled a little, swerving to bump my shoulder into his. He smiled, head dropping bashfully, then his eyes found mine.

"I don't know, 'stuck' might be poor word choice," he said.

"Maybe."

~ ~ ~

"Oh my gosh, I actually dreamed about eating a slice of pizza from my favorite restaurant last night," Ben groaned, as if he just remembered. He adjusted the backpack on his shoulders and sighed.

"I dreamed about a pineapple that could talk," Oliver said.

"What the hell are you even ever saying?" Cameron asked, but he sounded more amused than annoyed.

"I bet that pizza must be good for you to dream about it." I said. I didn't think I'd ever had anything good enough to dream about.

"The best pizza around. I can't wait to eat some when I get home."

My heart sank a little. What would I do when Ben, Oliver and Cameron made it to their homes? I didn't have a home. I didn't know anyone out there. Where would I go?

What would happen to me?

Most of the day was filled with walking and long snippets of conversations that seemed to trail off and never finish completely and of arguments between Cameron and Oliver.