The Forest Kids

Chapeter 4

I walked around the cabins. There were small groups of kids all around the area. They were mostly talking and laughing at whatever they were talking about. Occasionally some of the groups of girls looked at me. They didn't look mean, just curious. Even though they looked nice, it felt like school, when every group of middle school girls would turn and giggle to themselves every time I walked passed. Slightly embarrassed, I look towards the ground. I keep walking for a couple of steps before the light from the sun turns into shade. Noticing the sudden change of lighting, I stopped and lifted my head. I was under a tree. It was a nice oak tree. The leaves were brushing back and forth against each other.
As I stroll past the tree, my eyes caught sight of a figure leaning against the stem. It was a boy. He looked around my age.

Immediately his messy blue hair caught my attention. I haven't seen that many people at school with colored hair. It tousled with the branches of the tree in the wind. He had on a simple white T-shirt. He wore a pair of well-worn light blue jeans. His relaxed aura drew me a step closer to him. His medium-light skin glowed in the sun. He was leaning against the tree with a book in his hands. Although he looked relaxed, something felt just... different. He had bandages wrapped up in both of his arms. It made me wonder...
        Why?
I noticed that he had a blue bracelet on his wrist on top of part of the bandages. I thought for a moment. I remember Toby and Lily and Sam. They had bracelets on too. I looked to my side at a group of older girls. They all had yellow bracelets on. I shook my head as I decided to brush it off. I took a step forward.
Crunch!
I jumped and made a high-pitched yelp. As I took a step back, I realized what made that sound. On the ground below me was a branch. I guess I was too in my head that I didn't see it.
"Oh, hello." I heard a relaxed and gentle voice say. I looked up. The boy was looking at me and our eyes met. His were narrow and lightly glowed green. After a split second, he looked at his book and folded down the corner of the page he was on, and gently closed the covers shut. He looked back at me and smiled warmly.
"Are you new here?" The boy asked.
"Oh! Um.. yeah!" I chuckled in slight embarrassment. "Sorry, this all happened so fast. I'm still trying to process all of this." I looked at the bracelet he had on again.
"Um... What major is that?" I asked as I pointed to his wrist. The boy chucked and raised his arm.
"I'm a writing major." He answered, still smiling. "Oh, I'm Ben, by the way." He held out the same hand for me to shake.
"I'm Molly." I smiled back. My face felt warm. I guess Ben noticed because he turned around and grabbed something from the ground.
"Here, you look hot." He held out a metal water bottle that was colored green. I took it.
"Thank you." I rubbed the metal on the opening of the water bottle and brought it to my mouth. I took a sip, rubbed the metal opening again, and looked over at Ben.

Ben quietly sat down, against the tree. He patted his hand on the ground. He looked at me warmly. I moved over and sat with him. I rested my hands on my knees as Ben placed his book on the ground next to him.
"Is it nice here?" I asked.
"Definitely. This place is much nicer than where I came from." Ben yawned and stretched his arms. I couldn't help but look up at his blue hair. It was definitely pretty. I opened my mouth to compliment it, but it shut without a word coming out. Instead, I just looked at the back of one of the cabins in front of us.

"So, you thinking of coming back?" Ben asked. His sudden question made my shoulders flinch.
"Maybe. Phillip and I just need time to think about it."
"Hey, no pressure."
I looked over at Ben as he rested his hand on my shoulder. He had a smug smile on his face. I couldn't help but snicker.
"What's that for?" Ben chuckled. "I mean it!"
"I know!" I took a breath. "It's just a lot to take in, Y,know?" I picked a piece of grass from the ground.
"Heh, I know what that's like. I'm guessing you've met Toby?" Ben asked.
"Mhm! He's nice! But that blonde girl that was with him..."
"Let me guess, Sam?" Ben sighed. "She's been like that for a while. When I first got here, she was decently nice. But after a while, she just got... like that."
"Ah. Well, I don't think she likes me that much." I plucked the piece of grass in half. I threw one half on the ground and fidgeted with the other.
"Ya well, Sam doesn't know what she's talking about." I turned to Ben.
"I like you." Ben smiled.
"Heh... Thanks." I smiled back.