Me And The Dark

Chapter 14

Mattheo

Early morning dawned with the soft golden light of the sun that had gradually enveloped our tents.

It was a real stroke of luck that the weather was on our side, especially for November. Even though the night had been cool, the excitement of the night before and the warmth of friendship had made our camping trip more enjoyable.

I gently awoke from my sleep, letting my eyes rest on Lorenzo sleeping peacefully beside me.

He had been spared the torments of my childhood, which made him less sullen than me.

During our years together, I had always done everything to protect him as much as possible from the brutal realities of our childhood. I often regretted that no one had done the same for me at the time.

Enzo had been lucky enough to have at least one relatively stable parent, even if his father was a Death Eater.

In comparison, he had enjoyed a certain stability, even if this had come with its own set of complications, not least because of his father's affair with my mother.

As far as I was concerned, I'd had no parents to counterbalance the other. Both were consumed by darkness and madness, and I often wondered if that was passed on, if it was in my genes.

I scratched my forearm, feeling that familiar itch that tormented me regularly. The mark, invisible to everyone else, was a constant reminder of what I really was and that it would never leave me.

After dressing summarily in a hoodie and worn Converse shoes, I left the tent, letting my gaze wander to the neighbouring tents where Valentina and Aurora were still sleeping, while Theodore was isolated in the third tent.

Theodore did not seem reassured by the idea of sleeping alone, fearing that he might be attacked by a bear. However, after smoking and drinking a little, he had obviously forgotten his worries.

I sat down by the fire, which was still crackling gently, and rubbed my face, thinking over the events of the previous day.

My mind was frozen on the image of Valentina, soaked from head to toe, lying on the sand. The moment had only lasted a few seconds, but it had stuck in my mind, without me being able to explain why.

I'd never really noticed the little freckles that lined her fine nose, or how her hazel eyes had a touch of orange in the sun.

As I lost myself in my thoughts, the sound of the crackling fire surrounded me, the morning sun gently warming my skin. I was caught between the sweetness of waking up and the burning memory of seeing Valentina emerge from the water.

My friends were beginning to wake up and emerge from the tents one by one. Enzo was the first to emerge, his hair a mess, still in a state of semi-sleep. He had collapsed by the fire like a zombie.

Valentina came out afterwards, yawning and stretching gracefully. She was beautiful, even when she woke up. Her brown hair was curly and her eyes seemed to capture the morning light.

Valentina sat down next to me, creating a certain distance between us, which only increased my questions.

"Did you sleep well?" I asked, hoping to break the ice between us.

"It was fine... until I was woken by Aura sneaking out of the tent..." she said with a yawn.

Her story made me smile. It seemed that Aurora and Theodore had found it hard to resist temptation. It was an outdoor excursion, after all, and hormones had their own agenda.

"Do you want me to sleep with you tonight?" Enzo suddenly offered, breaking the silence between Valentina and me. I couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy at the idea, even though I knew it made no sense.