Hexed

Chapter Fifteen

Step by step we get closer to the forest, I have been walking in the middle of the group, Jerome and Willow up front leading the way, Naomi and Kasper at the back and Benji next to me. He hasn't said much to me, mostly because I've only given him short answers cutting off the conversation. I know it's not great of me but I'm really not in the mood for talking right now. Especially when we're walking in the full sun and can feel the sweat dripping down my back. I overhear the conversation Naomi and Kasper are having. They're really the only ones talking so it's kind of hard not to listen.

I wouldn't say they're already friends, but it sounds like if we were in different circumstances, they could be. He tells her about his family, our school, the things he likes to do, basketball, arts, and of course a little about me. Not much though, I don't really mind him talking about me, it's mostly about how we met and just some basic details.

"So, you guys know each other for quite a while, huh?" She says to him.

"Yeah, pretty much my whole life, I was about seven when they brought him in. And I guess we've been friends ever since."

"It's nice to have someone that close to you." she pauses. "I met Willow only a year ago at concert. Though it feels like I've known her for forever."

About halfway there Jerome turns around and we take a small break to have some water and give our legs a break. They untie my hands so I can actually hold the bottle myself. Nobody really says anything, I don't think anyone really has anything to say, the silence is somewhat helping me stay calm. When Benji is about to tie my hands back, I stop him.

"It's okay." I say "I don't think it's necessary anymore."

He looks over at Jerome, who just shrugs in return. He puts the rope away and we start walking again. This time it feels nicer to have my hands lose. The voices from before have completely gone and I definitely don't feel so miserable like last night. At least, on the inside. The burning sun and aching legs drain me, I don't think we're stopping before we actually reach the forest.

At a certain point I take over one of the bags, I still feel guilty about it all. I obviously hurt Kasper and I can't imagine how scary it must have been for all of them. I mean I was going completely insane and practically started attacking them, I don't really know what I would've done.

I've stopped looking up to see how far we still need to go, anytime I do I want to just fall to the floor and call it a day. Kasper and Naomi have also stopped talking to each other, the only thing we can hear now is our footsteps hitting the sandy floor. We stop one more time, to have a drink, there's supposed to be a river a bit further into the forest. If not, I don't know how long we'll make it. But, I trust them, they took care of me when they could've just left without me. I owe them.

I breathe in the fresh air as we walk into the forest. Finally getting some shade from walking in the bright sun for hours. The floor is still extremely dry, my first instinct is to lay on the floor and don't move for the next hour. We don't stop, I glance at Benji next to me. He looks back, but doesn't say anything. I guess we'll be stopping near the river instead.

I lean against a tree while the others are settling down as well, the sun is setting and the air is cooling down. I have already put on my sweatshirt even though it's not fully necessary. I just like the comfort of it. I got it from Kasper about two months ago when things started getting really bad with Lydia, and I ran away for the first time. It was cold and through everything I forgot to take a jacket or anything, so when I called him, he offered me his sweatshirt. I didn't really know what to pack this morning, so I just stuffed it in there.

"Don't you think they'll find us with the fire and everything?" I ask to nobody in particular.

We're all sitting around the fire that Benji crafted for us, giving an orange glow on everything surrounding it.

"People camp out here all the time. Plus, even if they are looking for us, this is not the first place they'd go." Naomi replies.

I want to ask why. I want to ask so many things, still. But I can't get the energy to. My legs hurt and I'm not only physically, but mentally drained from the last few days. Kasper walks over from the other side and sits next to me. This is the closest we've been since last night. I'm not sure how to act around him anymore. Does he understand that it wasn't me? Is he trying to? I have no idea what is going on in his mind but I'm just trying to go with it.

Benji puts on some music while we all chill and eat some food. It tastes kind of gross, I'm not very sure what's in it but I eat it anyway. This is the first time I really see any of them, for who they are and not the people they're forced to be in threatening situations. Willow and Naomi are talking, cracking jokes and just overall being in a happy mood. I know neither of them are genuinely happy with the situation but they seem to enjoy the moments while they can. Benji is keeping an eye on the fire, sometimes joins in the conversation and Jerome just observes, laughing along but still in his own thoughts. Just like me I guess. I don't say a word. I smile, laugh. But no real words come out of my mouth. I've learned to keep silent over the years. I know Kasper has tried to tell me to join the conversation sometimes, like when we'd be standing in the hallways waiting for our next class to start, or even before that in the orphanage. But for most of the time I keep my mouth shut. Kasper seems pretty tired as well. He says a few things, things that make me and the others laugh. I love that he is always able to, even if he's in a completely foreign situation.

"I love this song!" Willow says as she already gets up to start dancing to it. "Come on, Nao."

"Oh no." Naomi says.

"Come on. Dance with me." she smiles at her. "Please?"

Naomi rolls her eyes but gives in.

"Fine, just this one time okay?"

Willow grabs her hand and instantly starts moving to the beat to the song.

"She says that every time." Jerome says smiling.

The way they move together, forgetting that we're even here is beautiful to me. Slowly Naomi gets into it as well, they're close, holding hands and swinging around. Their laughs filling the cold air. Then when the song is slowly about to end Willow stretches her arms out and wraps them around Naomi as they both kiss each other. Not one of those, quick pecks, or long dramatic ones that seem to last forever, but just casual.

Then I feel Kasper leaning onto me, his head on my shoulder as he moves closer to me, still watching the two dance. I hesitate for a moment but then put my arm around him. I always thought of him as the stronger one, more self-assured. If there was a hero in this story, it would be him. But I also know him well enough to know he's not the brave guy he pretends to be all the time. If anyone would be rude to ither of us, he'd be the first to say something about it, even for others. He's always wanted to make the world a better place somehow, well he used to. He told me how he was planning to overthrow the president and give everyone equal rights, food, shelter. Anything anyone could ever asked for. Of course, we were eleven at the time and hardly knew the logics of any of the world's problems, but still. Now, he's just a boy laying on my chest. I can feel his warmth through the sweatshirt. I wonder if he remembers that it's his. I hope he does.