No Matter What

15

                   LAST NIGHT - XIAO'S POV:

I've been in my tent for probably ten minutes tops and I'm already hearing those gross noises coming from across the campsite. I roll my eyes with a groan and turn in my sleeping bag, draping it over my head as I return to my phone to text Aether:

Xiao: here we go.

Aether: ???

Xiao: my parents are having sex.... AGAIN.

Aether: HAHAHA

Xiao: they do it so much. and it's so LOUD. it's disgusting.

Aether: Not really... they do it because they love each other ❤️

Xiao: ew.

Aether: Lmao I mean it's natural right? You'll want it one day toooooo 😏

Xiao: EW STOP DONT TALK ABOUT THAT.

Aether: HAHAHA. Bruh we're in high school now ya prude. You don't ever....yk....

Xiao: SHUT IT. NO. NEVER.

Aether: Anywayyyy...

Xiao: i am gonna sneak out so i don't have to hear it.

Aether: Will you get in trouble if they get up after and see you're not there?

Xiao: they always fall asleep after i think. i'm fine. gonna go to the lake.

Aether: Ooo can we call when you leave??

Xiao: yes. hold on.

I put my phone down for a moment to gather a few things. I reach for a flashlight, as well as sift through my bag for my blade, stuffing it into my pyjamas pouch.

Just as I reach for my phone, my body freezes at the sound of a twig snapping just outside of my tent. My blood runs cold, thinking my parents are about to catch me sneaking out. But, that's impossible, because I can still (unfortunately) hear them going at it across the campsite. An animal, perhaps?

I move slower, keeping an ear out for any more noises as I put my bag away and cautiously crawl to the entrance of the tent. I hold in my breath as I unzip the tent slow enough to create minimal noise. Once open, I peek out, eyes wide as I scan from left to right. I don't see much activity. The neighboring tents are far enough away that even they wouldn't be able to see me sneaking out and tattle to my parents.

I also don't see anything around that could make that twig snap, which is a good sigh I guess, though it's also very dark so it's hard to see anything out here. I let out the breath I was holding and step outside, slipping into my shoes and quietly re-fastening the tent.

I've only taken a couple careful steps toward the trail when I hear something rustle behind me. I gasp, body whipping toward the noise that once again seems to come from near my tent. My hands shake as I struggle to turn on the flashlight, finally pointing it at the tent and freezing.

I then jolt the light toward the tree line behind it, aiming into the darkness. I swear I saw movement behind a specific tree just past my tent. I don't want to move, but at the same time, I want to book it away from here. I'm certain it's just my eyes playing tricks on me—I'm paranoid because I'm sneaking out, of course. I'm imagining Childe suddenly standing before me with the same expression he wore at the petrol station. Only this time, he wants to murder me.

I shake the thought, backing away slowly, before footing it down the dark trail. Once far enough from the campsite, I click on Aether's contact and place the phone to my ear as it rings.

"Yay you escaped," he says.

The lake is quiet and large, the moonlight casting subtle twinkles of light through the trees around it. The water is calm, and the sound of cicadas softly fill the crisp night air. I take a seat on a large stone beside the water, taking in the scenery.

"I'm wearing your jumper," I say into the phone, picking up a twig and drawing squiggles into the dirt.

"Is it keeping you warm?" Aether says.

"Mhm." I bring my knees to my chest in a hug, dropping the twig and focusing on the picture of Aether on my screen. "I miss you. I wish you were here. It's kinda boring going on these trips with my parents because I don't know what to do half the time."

"Well," he says, "they know about me now, right? Maybe you can ask if I can go with you next year? I like camping."

I pause. "Weird. I just realized, they never actually said anything about it after that.... Do...do you think they knew I was..."

Aether laughs. "Babe, I'm sorry but it's sooo obvious. Also, what are they gonna say? Our son is gay??? DISOWNED! They're literally raging faggots."

I smile. "True. Wait... it's obvious!?" I frown again. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The cackle from the other line almost makes me forget why I'm upset, lip twitching in an attempt to keep from joining in on the laughter.

I sigh, shaking my head. "Anyway... Yeah, I hope you can come next year. That would be cool. But I still don't think Carrot Top will let that happen. He didn't seem happy that I was talking to someone. He'll probably have to interrogate you first, so get ready."

"I'm not worried," he says. "Parents love me."

"I see why..." I blush to myself, now playing with my sock. My eye wander across the lake before me. Aether says something back on the phone but I don't hear it. My blood goes cold once again as my gaze focuses on what I swear is a figure looming beyond the lake. I keep it in my sight, squinting a bit, trying hard to make out the shape. Eventually, my eyes focus in the darkness and I identify the figure as a tall male. He's just...standing there. I'm not sure if he knows I see him, and I can't make out any of his features, but I feel him staring at me.

"Xiao?" Aether's voice finally reaches me. I'm unsure of how many times he's called my name now.

"There's someone there," I say quietly into the phone.

"What? Where? Who?" Aether says.

"There's a man... He's across the lake... And he's staring at me, I can feel it."

"Oh my archon..." Aether breathes. "Okay um.. you should call your parents.."

"I can't, then they'll be mad at me for sneaking out." My breaths grow heavy as I watch the man watch me from a distance, his silhouette only a dark outline in the night.

"Maybe he's just doing the same thing you're doing," Aether says. "Maybe he just wanted to look at the lake at night."

I exhale slowly. "Yeah, maybe..." I allow myself to relax a bit, the thought of the man having no real concern with me comforting my clouded mind. I look down at the twig on the ground for a moment, thinking if I had to, I could use it as a weapon. Then I remember I have my blade. My fingers run the shape of it in my pocket to make sure I haven't lost it, then I look back toward the tree line across the lake.

Only this time, the man is gone.

My eyes bounce frantically across the perimeter of the lake, scanning over and over for any movement or strange figure standing, crouching or laying around. But, there's nothing.

"He's gone..." I say to the phone. "I don't see him anymore, he's not there..."

"That's good then, right?" Aether says. "He probably got bored of the lake and went back to his tent."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Y-yeah..."

"See? Nothing to worry about."

"Yeah..." I say, though I never stop scanning. I have to be certain I haven't just missed him. But, no, there's nothing there. The man has vanished. My tense shoulders drop and I smile, letting out a small chuckle. "I think I'm just paranoid that I'll get caught, I'm starting to see th—"

My breath catches in my lungs as suddenly, something grabs me from behind. I try to scream, but something damp and soft is being shoved over my mouth and nose. It's hard to breathe. My body flails in a tight grasp, phone dropping from my hand. I think I accidentally pressed the speaker icon, because I can hear Aether calling for me. He sounds panicked, but his voice grows more and more distant, as does any feeling I have in my fingers and toes. My will to fight back is fading. I think I'm dying. Everything around me is disintegrating to nothing, and quickly. Until it's all black, and I feel nothing at all.
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TO BE CONTINUED (I can say it I'm 🌈. Please vote 💛)