Facsimile

Chapter Twenty Two

Grizz's Pov 

Frustratingly, he tucked another longish piece of hair behind his ears, cursing at himself for not bringing a hair tie or a headband on the trip. His hair whipped in front of his eyes by the gentle breeze. With a confident stride, he navigated the winding paths of the woods, his eyes focused intently on the compass in one hand and the map in the other. Frowning, he heard the never-ending chatter of the group behind him, wishing that so many of them hadn't come. Most of them he doubted had even set foot in the woods before, but nonetheless he guided the group with steady reassurance.

Sensing the group trailing behind, he slumped against a tree, frustration etched into every line of his face. He ran a hand through his hair, inhaling in frustration as he replayed the moment with Tess over in his mind. How could he have been so careless? So oblivious to the opportunity right in front of him? The chance to be with the person he liked slipped through his fingers, because he chickened out. He cursed himself loudly for his awkwardness, for his inability to seize the moment and express his feelings. He felt like such a dick moving away from her at the church. The look of hurt and pain on her face replayed through his mind since it happened. He couldn't quite remember when his feelings for her had started, but he reckoned they must have lead dormant for a while, as every time he was with her he could feel his heart beating faster in his chest and his mood would instantly be uplifted. But he had fucked it.

With a heavy sigh, he realized that he had let his fear and doubt dictate his actions that night, allowing his own insecurities to sabotage any chance of happiness. He loathed Campbell for the emotional and physical toil that he constantly relented on her, and yet here he was bestowing the same feelings and hurt towards her.

"I am such a fucking idiot," he murmured to himself, throwing his backpack in front of him he withdrew his water bottle and took a long sip.

Finally, the group sluggishly walked towards him. Grizz watched with an amused expression as he saw Emily trip over her feet to walk alongside Luke. Her infatuation obvious to everyone in the group.

"So we're headed in the right direction?" he heard her question, the jacket clad boy in front of her. Rolling his eyes, Grizz continued to trudge through the undergrowth, his frustration mounting with each step as he tried his best to ignore the murmurs of the group behind him. Their presence felt like a giant weight on his shoulders, as they questioned every direction and every misstep they made. He had volunteered to lead them through the woodlands, somewhat confident in his ability to navigate the terrain.

He could hear Luke chuckle behind him, "Grizz here is an Eagle Scout. Don't be nervous," Instead of replying, Grizz thrust his hand behind his shoulder and gave him the middle finger.

"I'm not nervous," he heard Emily reply, as she stumbled once more over a root, "I trust you. I just -- I'm not the obvious choice for a rescue mission and I don't want to get lost out here,"

With a heavy sigh, Grizz stopped abruptly, turning to face the group with a furrowed brow and he threw his hands up frustratingly before bringing them down to his side with a slap against his thighs. "Listen," he snapped, his frustration bubbling to the surface, "I'm the only one that knows what I'm doing. If you want someone else to lead, be my guest and then we'll just walk through the woods walking around in fucking circles,"

He knew that his words were sharp, edged with irritation, and he wasn't sure whether it was the constant questioning murmurs of the group behind him or whether he was frustrated by his own actions with Tess. As the group fell silent, chastened by his outburst, Jason pursed his lips in an attempt to stop a loud laugh from emerging.

"Fuck me Grizz," Jason chuckled. Accompanying chuckles soon followed from some other members of the group, and Grizz took a deep breath as his frustration slowly ebbed away. With a slight jesty push from his friends, he followed behind the group as they found a small clearing, his cheeks tinged with a slight redness, embarrassed slightly by his little hissy fit. But, there was a lot of pressure placed upon his shoulders from the group, who were just following him blindly.