As I step into the cabin, a heavy sigh escapes my lips. I navigate my way up to the attic. The recent hunting expedition with Travis and Natalie still lingers in my mind, a constant reminder of my perpetual role as the awkward third wheel in their dynamic. I shake my head, my thoughts trailing off as I realize how the situation seems to be a recurring theme.
The faint splatters of blood on my shirt serve as a grim reminder of the hunting trip.
I enter the attic, greeted by a dim light filtering through the dusty windows.
Jackie's hunched form on her makeshift bed catches my attention as she wrestles with her walkman. I decide to engage, casually letting out a greeting while simultaneously pulling my shirt off. "Hey," I say, my voice carrying over to her, but she remains fixated on the fussy device in her hands.
Scanning the room, I locate my laundry pile, fully intending to grab another shirt. Yet, to my bafflement, the shirt I was expecting to find is conspicuously absent. My internal confusion rises - I could have sworn it was right here. "Hey, do you happen to know where my shirt is?" I begin to ask, my curiosity piqued. But before I can finish, I swivel to face Jackie, and there she is, sporting the very shirt I was searching for.
My bemusement peaks as I observe her wearing my missing shirt. It's a curious scene, one that begs for an explanation. "Is that my shirt?" I venture, my gaze fixed intently on her. The response that follows takes me by surprise, her words tinged with an unexpected innocence. "You mean our shirt?" she retorts, finally lifting her eyes to meet mine.
Amusement bubbles within me, and I playfully roll my eyes, taking a few steps closer to where she sits. With a mock-serious expression, I put forth my request, "Can I have it back, please? It's literally my only clean shirt right now. If you don't return it, I'll be forced to walk around shirtless." My tone is light, infused with a mixture of jest and sincerity.
As a mischievous grin curves Jackie's lips, her gaze locks onto mine. She holds my stare, her playfulness apparent. "Well, shit," she begins, her words dripping with mock regret, "I was all set to give it back, but if it means you'll be walking around shirtless, I might just have to reconsider."