The woods were eerily quiet, the sound of branches creaking in the wind the only break in the heavy silence. Natalie sat on the steps of the cabin, her breath forming small clouds in the crisp air. She flicked her lighter absentmindedly, watching the flame dance for a moment before snapping it shut.
"Mist?" she muttered under her breath, the irritation already creeping in. "What do you want?"
Misty had been lingering nearby for the better part of an hour, pretending to busy herself with meaningless tasks, her eyes always flickering toward Natalie. Misty, with her constant need to help, to be involved, to be seen-it grated on Nat's nerves. Nat didn't have the patience today. Not with everything falling apart.
"I just thought you might want some company," Misty chirped, stepping closer, clutching her hands nervously in front of her. "You've been out here for a while, and, well... it's cold."
Natalie glanced up at her, sighing. "I'm fine, Misty."
Misty hesitated, biting her lip as if she were weighing her options. She gave a small, nervous laugh, her eyes darting between Nat and the ground. "You sure? I mean, we could, uh, talk about what's been going on. If you need to vent or-"
"No, I don't need to vent," Natalie cut her off, her tone sharper than intended. She saw Misty's face fall slightly, but it was like Nat couldn't stop herself. "I just want to be alone, okay?"
Misty blinked, her shoulders hunching a little. "Oh... okay. But... if you did want to talk, I'm here. You know, for you." Her voice softened at the end, her words laced with something that made Nat's skin crawl-not because Misty was being cruel, but because there was something more behind the offer. Something Nat didn't want to touch.
Nat sighed, running a hand through her disheveled hair. "Yeah, I get it. You're always here, Misty."
There was a flicker of hurt in Misty's eyes, but she quickly masked it with a smile, as if she could brush off the sting of Natalie's words. "I just... care, you know? I care about you."
There it was again-that look. The way Misty's gaze lingered a little too long, the way her voice wavered like she was trying to hide something she didn't want to say out loud. It wasn't the first time Nat had noticed it, but she always pushed it aside. The last thing she wanted to deal with was Misty's... whatever this was.
Natalie stood up, brushing the dirt off her jeans, and shot Misty an exasperated glance. "Why do you always have to do this?"
Misty blinked, her confusion evident. "Do what?"
"This!" Natalie gestured vaguely between them. "You hover around, acting like we're... I don't know, close or something. Like I'm your best friend, or-"
"I just-" Misty started to protest, but Natalie cut her off.
"Stop pretending this is something it's not." Nat's voice was low, but her words were sharp. She could see Misty's face fall, the hurt in her eyes growing, but she didn't stop. "You're not my friend, Misty. You're just... here. And it's annoying."
Misty stood there, stunned, her mouth slightly open as if the words had knocked the wind out of her. She tried to say something, her lips trembling, but nothing came out. She looked like she wanted to cry, but she quickly blinked the tears away, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"I didn't mean to... annoy you," Misty whispered, her voice shaky. "I just... I just wanted to help."
"Well, don't." Nat shoved her hands into her pockets, turning away. She regretted the words as soon as she said them, but it was too late to take them back now. And in the twisted part of her mind, Nat thought maybe it was better this way. Maybe if she pushed Misty hard enough, she'd finally get the hint and leave her alone.
But Misty didn't move. She just stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at Nat like she was waiting for something. Some kind of explanation or apology that wasn't coming.
"I... I like being around you," Misty admitted after a long, painful pause, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know I'm not... easy to get along with, but I like you, Nat. A lot."
Natalie's stomach twisted uncomfortably. She had seen this coming, in the small, awkward ways Misty tried to be close to her, always offering more than just friendship, though she never said it outright. And now, it was all out in the open, and Natalie didn't know what to do with it.
"Misty," Natalie began, her tone softening despite herself. She didn't want to hurt her, but she also couldn't give her what she wanted. "Look, I don't... feel that way. You get that, right?"
Misty's eyes widened for a moment, and her hands fidgeted nervously in front of her. "I-I know. I mean, I wasn't saying that I-" She laughed awkwardly, trying to backtrack, but it only made everything more painful. "I just thought maybe-"
"No." Natalie cut her off gently this time. "It's not gonna happen, okay?"
The silence that followed was heavy, almost unbearable. Misty's forced smile faltered, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Okay," she said softly, her voice barely audible. "I understand."
But she didn't move. She just stood there, looking at Natalie like she was waiting for something more. Some reassurance, some promise that maybe things would be different later.
But Natalie couldn't give that to her. She wouldn't.
"Go back inside, Misty," Nat said finally, her voice weary. "It's cold out here."
Misty blinked rapidly, wiping her eyes quickly before nodding. "Yeah... okay." Her voice cracked as she turned and hurried back toward the cabin, her footsteps crunching in the snow.
Natalie stood there, watching her retreat. She wanted to feel relief now that the tension had broken, but all she felt was guilt gnawing at her insides. Misty wasn't a bad person, not really. Just... too much. Too intense. And Natalie had never been good at handling people like that.
The cabin door creaked shut behind Misty, and Natalie was alone again. She flicked her lighter a few more times, watching the small flame flicker in the darkness before snuffing it out.
And even though the woods were vast and empty, Natalie had never felt more trapped.
