The Survival Games

Chapter 4

  As we enter the house we all were going for, I start getting a really nervous feeling in my stomach. Oh no, why the anxiety? Why now? But apparently it wasn't only Devon that was making me feel anxious. Someone's watching me..

  I feel as if someone's staring at me, but was this supposed to be in an attracting and seductive way, or a creepy, "I'm going to kill you," type of way? And as I was thinking this, Julio started looking at me more often than he had before. What the hell is he doing?

  Sure, you could say Julio was cute. But I would never disrespect Wendy, whom she shipped herself with him. I just avoided looking at him as much as possible, and for awhile, it actually worked.

  After Blake and Colt collected all of the loot, we started heading north. I kept a good eye on our surroundings. Checking for any hiders, ambushers, basically anything that could do us harm. We haven't encountered anyone yet, which was good and bad. Good because we didn't have to kill anyone yet, and bad because, well, we didn't kill anyone yet. I was starting to get worried about whatever Julio was doing. If he was just hallucinating, tired, or just out of it today, he was acting more, flirty around me.... For the first couple of times he did that, I just casually walked faster so he couldn't act that way. But as the day progressed on, he just kept lingering at my side. Oh my fucking god, get away! 

  That night we set up camp inside of the "Bat Cave" as Devon would've called it. All of the loot was gone so there would've been no better reason to wander around here. "Devon," I say desperately, my eyes pointing to the beach.

  Devon turns to the others, "I'll catch up in a bit." He turns back to me, and we walk along the shoreline. When we're out of their earshot, we sat down. I take a huge sigh, and instantly burst into tears.

  "A-are you okay?" Devon asks with concern.

  "No, I'm not all right." I say, my throat swelling up, "I just-" I break out in tears, hot ones stinging my cheeks as they fall. God I'm embarrassing myself, STOP CRYING!

  "What happened?"

  I sniffle, "Well, I have this friend— Wendy — right?"

  "Yeah?" He looks at me with those beautiful eyes.

  "Well, she kind of ships herself with Julio, and.."

  "Mhm, continue."

  "He- he started acting flirty with me, and was lingering near me half of the time we were walking. And I- I just don't feel right. I feel like I'm disrespecting her, and I don't like it!" I start sobbing again. I've always had that "best friend duty" thing stuck on me forever, and with Julio acting like this, I started having second thoughts about teaming with them and if it was a good idea in the first place.

  "Come here." Before I know it, I'm in his arms, the warmth of his body against mine in the dark and cold of the night. I'm stunned, but I still sniff and sob a little, knowing that this can't be true. He-he's holding me?! I keep crying and hug him back. This feeling, in his arms, it felt safe. I felt like nothing could hurt me. Not anymore, not ever. Then another feeling washed over me, thinking that this doesn't feel right either. I quickly pull away and I keep sobbing.

  "I- I'm sorry. I just don't know what's right and what's wrong anymore." Tears flow down my already burning cheeks. "It's just that, I don't want her to hate me because of what Julio's doing. And I hate myself for letting it happen."

  "But you didn't do anything." Devon wipes a tear away from my cheek. The tears stop flowing and we both gaze into each other's eyes. After what felt like an eternity, I look away and Devon kisses me on the forehead. Um... What. Just. Happened? Did he just do what I think he just did..

  I look up at him, "Wh-what did you do that for?"

  "You look like you need some rest. I'll let you sleep near me tonight if that makes you feel any safer ok?"

  I give him a weary smile, "Okay." He grabs my hand, pulls me up, and we both walk back to the cave. I set up a blanket and pillow I found inside of my backpack (for a small backpack, it held a lot of stuff!) next to Devon and I smile, knowing that I'm safe for now.

  Before the world started fading to black, I barely hear Devon whisper goodnight to me. The thought of his voice soothing me before I drift off into sleep left me feeling calmer, but the dreams awaiting that night were going to take that all away.