Vo'ke

Four

When I awoke, there was a throbbing pain in my lower back and the smell of potatoes permeating the air.

I was lucky enough to be paired with Zayn in one of the bedrooms, with Annalise and Scarlett taking the other. That left a bitter Louis on the couch, and Liam and Niall sharing the inflatable mattress in the main area.

Despite all this, the mattress was hard as a rock. I sat up slightly and stretched in a desperate attempt to correct whatever it was that was hurting. It didn't work.

Zayn buried himself deeper into the covers, despite the heavy knocking on our door. His hair was a mess, his lips pouted as he rolled onto his side and pulled the duvet further up over his eyes to block out some of the remaining sunlight.

I glared at his figure as I stood and crossed the room, running a hand through my unruly curls in an attempt to tame them before making any sort of human contact. I suspected it didn't work from the look on Annalise's face when I pulled open the door to greet her. A moment later, I realized the fact that I was shirtless probably wasn't helping the situation.

She took a step backward, surprised at my sudden proximity. Her hazel eyes swept quickly up to my face, an unmistakable blush rising to the surface of her fair skin. Still, there was an admirable determination about her when she said, "Atian and Scarlett arrived an hour ago. They have food ready and a fire going outside. They're going to tell us more about the Rugaru, if you and Zayn would care to join us."

I nodded, unsure of what else to say. When she realized this was the only response she'd get from me, she turned and retreated down the hall toward the entryway.

"Zayn," I called over my shoulder, glancing back to see my temporary roommate still soundly asleep in a cocoon of quilts. With a heavy sigh, I made my way over to the bed, ripping the sheets away.

I received no response.

"Come on, mate," I grumbled as I reached forward to give him a good shove in the arm. I heard him grunt in response, his eyelids twitching slightly.

"Dinner's ready. Get up."

He didn't respond, but I could tell from his deep intake of breath that it was a conscious decision he made. Figuring my duty was done, I went over to where my duffel bag had been thrown on top of an ancient trunk. Unzipping it, I rummaged around until I found a plain white shirt and some dark jeans. My jacket was lying on the floor where I'd thrown it earlier. Pulling it on and zipping it up, I headed out while Zayn finally gathered the strength to sit up in the mess of blankets and sheets.

In the kitchen, Liam was busy scooping various items of food onto a plate. At my arrival, he nodded a silent greeting. I gave him a half-hearted smile in acknowledgment as I reached for a plate and surveyed my options, which were few. Baked beans, cheese potatoes, hamburgers, and rolls. I opted out of the beans, but filled my plate with the rest before grabbing a warm bottle of water and following Liam's lead out the front door. Zayn was just making his way out of the bedroom when I pushed open the screen door and was met with the dry scent of burning firewood mixed with the sting of December air.