FOREST

16 - forgiveness and the truth

Kaden woke up earlier than usual. The sun had barely gotten out, and he decided to take a shower and pull himself out of the thoughts that kept him up most of the night. When he returned, Zoie was still in bed, her eyes shut.
He felt like watching her sleep for the rest of the day, but knew that she probably wouldn't like to wake up to that.

So, with a headache following him, he got into his gray sweatpants and a dark purple T-shirt and started jogging.

Most of the people were sleeping, and he didn't see anyone as he ran in an unspecified direction. But even the chilly air mixed with the sound booming through his headphones couldn't stop the voices in his head.

He knew that he messed up, and sadly, it wasn't something that he could blame on alcohol.

Zoie was still a mystery to him. He never had a girl he was interested in, or not, not be all over him. And there was something about her, something about her glowing skin, her cold hands, the lines of her face - something that pulled him in.

Yet, at times he felt like she didn't even see him, while at times she looked like she wanted him as much as he wanted her. It was all very confusing, unpredictable, and it had him hooked.

But what he did the night before could have ruined his chances with her, and he knew it. Sure, it wasn't his first time being a bit pushy with a girl. It's just that the girl he was pushy with never minded. Every "no, no" lead to a "yes, yes" and he knew it. But Zoie wasn't one of those, and it threw him off.

But he decided that he had to get a taste of her.

All he knew was that he was Kaden Brooks, someone who wouldn't settle until he got what he wanted.

*

With a thin coat of sweat spread over him, he returned to the tent. He decided that he would apologize in order to get into her pants, but when he entered, the tent was empty. He checked the clock - 8.47 AM. He couldn't picture her being at breakfast alone, and he knew that there's no way Spencer and Layla went before 9.30, only because of Spencer who would rather skip it than get up early.

"She could have went with Melanie, Tamara, Cara or Landon though," he thought.

Landon.

Just at the thought of him the blood boiled in his veins. He knew that she was not serious about what she said, she even told him she wasn't, but he still saw him as some sort of a competition. Someone who could get something that he couldn't.

"Maybe if I just check his tent-" his thought was interrupted by quiet footsteps.

Zoie appeared at the entrance, completely dressed, a towel and the clothes she slept in in her hands. She gave him a quick glance and walked over to her bag, packing the clothes.

"Were you-"

"Showering? Yes," she didn't sound any less angry than the night before, "It's not like it's any of your business though."

"I just," he sighed, but couldn't finish the sentence either way.

She started heading towards the door, but he got in front of her, stopping her from exiting the tent.

"I'm sorry Zoie," he said.

"I heard it the last time you said it," she rolled her eyes and stepped to the right.

"Then why are you still mad at me?" he asked, stepping to his left, getting in front of her once again.

"Are you really asking me this?" he nodded, "Do you seriously think I'll just let you go after you almost raped me?"