Love Restrained | Yellowjackets

chapter twenty two

XXII

With Jackie being gone for good now, the atmosphere around the group was strange, especially because of what they did to her.

Shauna was always distant, more than she was during the two months she spent every single day out in the cold with her dead best friend.

The others were not so different. The winter was cruel. Forced to be inside all the time meant having to be around each other the whole day, and that could be very stressful. There would come times when there's just nothing else to do or to talk about, leaving the silence as the only option.

Coach Scott was deeply affected by what happened with Jackie, even if he wasn't involved in it. Now he would spend the whole day inside the bedroom and if he decided to come out he wouldn't talk to anybody, but it didn't seem like he was ignoring them, it was more as if he just wasn't able to see them, like he was zoned out all the time.

As for Nat and Hayden, the situation was different considering they were in charge of providing the food. They continued to go out every single day, even if it was very clear by now that there wasn't any food around. It was very depressing walking miles and miles through the snow, feeling cold the whole day just to come back with empty hands.

Today was no different, there they were, heading back from another day of hunting knowing they would see disappointed faces when the cabin's door was opened.

And Travis was no longer joining them. He had accepted Javi's death and there was no reason for him to come along anymore, so the girls were once again spending a lot of time alone.

They were taking a break, sitting by a tree. Glancing at Hayden by her side, Natalie noticed her slight shivering despite the thick layers she wore.

Natalie slipped off her gloves, "Here, take this."

Hayden looked at the gloves, shaking her head, "I'm fine."

Natalie's brow furrowed, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face, "Seriously? I thought we were past that phase already."

"What phase?"

"Of you refusing anything I try do for you."

Natalie was right, and Hayden knew it. She had this thing of refusing to accept any gesture of kindness from the girl. It was like a natural instinct. A natural instinct of pushing Natalie away. But deep down, Hayden didn't want to be like that, she just didn't know how to be any different.

"I never refused to kiss you." she murmured, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she leaned in, getting closer to Natalie, seeing if she could take the girl's mind off that topic.

Her eyes lingered to her lips, just waiting for her to close the distance. Natalie took a moment to look in her eyes before pressing a soft kiss on her lips.

It started soft but it quickly turned into something more heated as she felt Hayden's  hand around her waist, pulling her closer.

When Natalie got on her lap, she let her hand slip from the girl's waist to her hips, slowly making its way through her stomach as she reached for under the clothes, in search of the feeling of bare skin, causing a soft moan to escape Natalie.

But as they pulled apart, reality crept back in. She saw through Hayden's attempt to distract her, recognizing the pattern.

"Ok, nice try." Nat said, getting off Hayden.

"What?" She pouted, not able to hide her disappointment.

"I see what you're doing."

"I was enjoying that. And don't tell me you weren't either."