Play With Me ✔️|| 2 || Off the Ice Series

26 | Arden

Smoke floats its way up into the air as I approach the camp, dusk falling around us, the crackling of the fire Jason is poking away at brightening the area.

I ignore his eyes on me, finding him sitting with a few pieces of fruit in his lap, a small fish cooking over the fire.

It's not much. But it's something.

The air around the fire feels heavy with unspoken tension as I take a seat across from him, letting the burning embers distance us more; yet every time I look up, I can see his eyes through the flames before he looks away.

Jason had been avoiding me most of the day, and his lack of presence was hitting me hard.

But I had come to one conclusion, I was falling in love with Jason.

And it was the stupidest most reckless decision I'd ever made.

Even if it hadn't been a decision, not really. I had no say in it at all.

I pick at the small meal Jason managed to scavenge, nodding my head in thanks as he passes it over.

"Where did you go?" His voice is quiet, almost too intense in its delivery with the accompanying silence around us and I shrug, avoiding his eyes.

"Just for a walk."

"You were gone for hours."

So were you, I want to say but I don't. "I needed it, I guess." I still won't look at him and I can tell he's getting frustrated, a small growl exiting his mouth.

"So, you went exploring, alone?" He sounds fed up, "on an island where we don't know if we're the only predators?"

"So did you." I utter, looking at him with a raised brow. He left first, he was the one that walked away, not me. He was the one that was gone when I woke up, not me.

"That's different." He mutters, shaking his head.

"How?" I push, "How is it different, we're both stuck on the same island."

He doesn't answer, looking away. "Anything could have happened, Arden."

Arden, not kitten. He hadn't called me kitten since last night, I don't even know why I missed the stupid nickname, I hated it.

I can feel his eyes on me, a weight that lingers and unsettles, but I refuse to meet his gaze. Instead, I focus on the food in front of me, picking at it without much appetite.

"Arden," he says, his voice soft.

I hesitate before raising my eyes to meet his, a mix of weariness and anticipation swirling within me.

"What, Jason?" I look up at him over the dying fire, not realizing how much time had passed while we sat in relative silence.

I see anger flit over his eyes before he shakes his head and sighs. "Nothing, never mind."

I should ask him to say it, to tell me whatever is on his mind, but I don't. Happy to avoid the root of the issue a bit longer.

I don't know why I do this to myself, I'm my own worst enemy.

He doesn't say anything else before quickly finishing his meagre dinner and then getting up. I watch as he begins walking for the dark forest around us and a small sigh exits my mouth.

His shoulders tense for a few seconds but when I don't say anything he continues on, "I'm going for a walk, don't wait up."

I look away and back at my dinner, eating what I can stomach before moving for the shelter and forcing sleep to claim me. And for the first time in a few days, I wish I could leave this island, wish we could finally be rescued so I wouldn't have to deal with this awkwardness that I've expertly placed between us.