Everything I Had

Chapter 22

The fire crackled as it warmed my skin. A blanket was draped around me as I sat on the cold ground, my knees held to my chest. Everyone was away in their tents, fast asleep, except me. I couldn't sleep because of all the thoughts replaying in my head. I closed my eyes and took a long, deep breath, letting the smell of burning oak fill my nostrils. I tilted my head back and looked up at the stars. Smiling, I remembered the night me and Adam were in my backyard, looking at the stars. I remembered my mom saying she thought something was going on between us and laughed silently. Maybe there always was but I didn't even realize it. Just like Matt said, it was like a Disney movie. A fairy tale.

"Can't sleep either?" A voice said from the tents.

I looked over to one of the 4 tents where Ashley was climbing out. I didn't even hear her unzip her and Matt's tent. I guess I was too into my thoughts to notice.

I shrugged back at her and smiled. She sat down next to me casually, but I could tell there was a little tension between us. What happened between her and Adam while me and Matt were talking? I pursed my lips as I stared blankly into the fire, trying to think of a way to bring the subject up. I guess I should just be blunt and go ahead and say it.

"Do you know what's wrong with Adam?" I asked, my voice just above a whisper.

She paused as she stared at me, recognizing the concern in my face. She sighed, nodded, and looked down to her lap. An awkward silence fell upon us as she positioned her arms behind her so she could lean back and look up at the sky.

"What happened?" I hesitated to ask her.

She scoffed and shook her head, "You don't want to know."

I looked at her with curious eyes. I needed to know what really happened.

"Yes, I do. Please, tell me," I begged.

She paused and looked straight ahead. She seemed to be in deep thought and looked like she was holding her breath.

"He told me something that might hurt you. It's better that you don't know."

She was trying to avoid tell me whatever it was. I could tell.

"If it's something that I need to know, tell me."

"Do you like him?" She asked.

"What?" I asked, caught off guard by the question.

"It's a simple question. Yes or no, do you like him?"

I stared at her for moment before nodding yes. I released a breath I didn't know I was holding and looked back at the fire.

"He told me that.. He doesn't like you as a girlfriend or a friend. He told me he felt sorry for you and just sticks around because Danny likes you and to keep up his ego," She said seriously, her face growing cold and emotionless.

I felt my expression fall when he words sunk in. Was I hearing right?

"What? I-I don't understand."

"Face it. He's just pretending. He admitted it all to me."

I breathed heavily for a few seconds before I felt tears lining up at the rim of my eyes.

"I just have a hard time believing it," I whispered.

"Well you better start believing before you get hurt even worse," She warned me.

A tear finally fell from my eye as I listened to her speak. Has Adam really been lying this whole time? Does he just feel sorry for me?

"Men are pigs. I should know, I'm dating one," She mumbled and threw a pine cone into the fire.