Young Wild

Chapter VIII

We all sat in circle in a clearing near the gift shop.

Jake sat leaned up against a tree, smoking a cigarette (remember kids, never follow in a dog's footsteps, there may be poo there, in this case, a cigarette) and Livy was staring at him like he was absolutely insane.

"How can you do that? It disgusting and terrible for your health," she scolded.

Jake puffed a big cloud of smoke into her face.

"And mine," she answered coughing.

"Magical being here. Steel lungs, baby!"

Livy sighed and shook her head disapprovingly.

 There wasn't much conversation, so I thought I'd get one going.

"Carman, do you have any idea why Medea called you Melaine?" I asked.

Jake whipped his head around to look at me so fast, he probably broke a world record. Carman's eyes dilated and she broke down crying.

"They know, they know. It's all coming back! Make it stop!" she sobbed into Jake's shirt.

Jake couldn't do anything but hold her and comfort her.

Charlie and Livy glared at the two.

"Why don't they just kiss and get it over with, save us the pain," Charlie snarled.

"Why would I kiss my baby sister?" Jake asked him, baffled.

"Sister?" Livy asked with a faint glow of hope in her voice.

"Jake's my adoptive brother. Sort of," Carman said, appearing to come out of her breakdown, though tears still sat in her eyes.

"We love each other, but not romantically, a siblingly love," Jake informed. "We're so close, we can practically read each others mind!"

"Its true," Carman said eyes closed tightly. "But I can only read his emotions.

"No, Car, don't do this to me again!" Jake groaned.  

"He has a crush on Livy," Carman said, but when her eyes should have opened, they remained closed.

"He does?!" Livy asked excitedly.

Jake blushed and Livy smiled a really big smile.

"I like you, too! If it wasn't obvious enough..."

The tears returned to Carman's drying face.

Jake held her and comforted her, "You're Carman, act like her."

Carman nodded and dried her face on her sleeve.

Jake went back to smoking his cigarette. Carman held out her hand for him to give her one.

"No way, I'm not letting you kill yourself. Not as your technical protector," he said.

"I. Hate. You," she told him smiling.

I thought to myself for a moment. I had nothing left to lose.

"Hand me one of those," I said to Jake, trying make myself sound older.

"No way, Adds. You're underaged."

"Yeah! Well, you're under... speciesed...," I said trailing off. I put my chin on my fist and looked at my nose, making my notorious "confuzzled face".

Jake raised and eyebrow and puffed on.

We better split up and try to find ourselves a ride out of here.

Jake went with Livy, Carman with Charlie, and I got stuck with Ryan.

"Jake I cannot believe you smoke! I know it doesn't hurt you, but imagine what the smoke could be doing to us! Think of me, Me-Carman! Meh main girl Carman!" Livy told Jake as they walked off into the woods.