ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ʙᴀᴛʜ- ᴠᴀɴᴄᴇ ʜᴏᴘᴘᴇʀ ✓

EIGHT

NIGHT HAD settled into the woods, making the cabin grow colder than it originally was. Vance had found some logs when the sun was still up, setting them into a fire pit outside. Blue somehow managed to get her jacket clean which she was happy about. She put it on, trying not to shiver from the cool breeze outside.

"And..." Vance said, throwing a lit match onto the wood. "Fire!" He announced as flames started to crackle under the branches. Blue smiled with her lips closed, putting her hands up to the flames for warmth. Vance sat down on the opposite side of her, grabbing a metal fire poker, poking at the wood. Once he put it down the only sounds were the crackling fire and crickets off in the distance.
They both tried to not make eye contact but eventually failed. "I stole something." Blue spoke up, trying to make conversation to get out of the awkwardness that was in the air. "From who?" Vance asked, now interested in what she was saying.
"Well I can't tell you who but I can tell you, well no show you, what it is." She compromised, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the switchblade.

"Holy shit." His jaw dropped as Blue smiled, looking at the blade. "Should I trust you with that?" He asked with a smirk. "Maybe... maybe not." She shrugged, keeping that same smile. The silence fell except now it was comfortable.
        "I think it's so stupid. We're 15 years old and this is what's happening. And you? You shouldn't even be in this mess. I'd much rather be at home right now playing my guitar but nope." Blue rambled. Then she realized she was partially blaming Vance. He had no part in this except for helping. "I take that back." "You're blaming me?" He asked, feeling himself start to get angry.

"I didn't mean to say it that way. I just meant... we're to young to be dealing with this." She corrected herself, watching Vance relax. She looked at the fire, completely ignoring Vance's existence while watching the fire dance. He couldn't help but notice the several details of her face, the orange lighting illuminating the girl.

Now Vance was never the type to look or even pay attention to girls. He thought he had better use of his time instead of wasting useless affection towards someone who had nothing to do with him. The only girl he talked to let alone looked at was Blue. He didn't do it because he thought she was pretty or sweet but because something about her made him mad. That has already been explained.

Never once in his life would he ever think to help her. He still didn't really have any idea why he helped her in the first place. Maybe a pain in his heart told him to? It wasn't because she was crying or having a panic attack, it was more because he knew the feeling of being blamed for something he didn't do. It was on a daily basis in his household. He never could explain himself so when the opportunity for Blue came, he let her have that moment.

The way her face was lit up by the fire made Vance view her slightly different. For once he didn't see someone who made his blood boil and instead saw, well... Blue. A normal girl who at the moment just wanted comfort.
           "You gonna keep staring?" Blue asked with a slight smirk, lifting her head to look at the blonde boy from across the fire. "I wasn't. Just thinking." He replied, not breaking eye contact although he had been caught. "Okay. Whatever you say." She mumbled.