The White Lie

Chapter 8

The next morning I awoke with a start, hot, bothered and tangled up in my sleeping bag. The morning sun was streaming in through the tent from outside, almost blinding me. I groaned, throwing my arm over my face and blinked several times, glancing around blurrily. I stretched, laying there for a few moments and preparing myself for the day ahead. Our plan was to spend the day at the site we were camped at, exploring, relaxing and just hanging out and then we were driving up to the next site to spend the night next to our first waterfall.

As I lay there thinking about the plan for the day, I heard a yawn from next to me. I shrieked, clutching my chest... Well trying to clutch my chest, but there was an object in the way... an arm that didn't belong to me. I shrieked again, louder this time and the sleeping bag to my left moved slightly, a groan coming from inside where the arm was protruding from. I began to wriggle out from under the arm slung over my chest when a familiar blonde head popped out of the forest green sleeping bag.
"Stop all that yelping will you." Alexander mumbled, propping himself up on his free arm. He gazed sleepily at me and I looked pointedly down at the arm still on my chest.
"Oh shit, sorry." He said seemingly unfazed, taking back his arm and running his hand through his hair.
Neither of us said anything for a moment before I broke the awkward silence.
"Um... sorry for waking you. I forgot you were there, I mean, you scared me." I mumbled, embarrassed.
Alexander chuckled, rolling over onto his back. "Well don't let it happen tomorrow."
I didn't reply. Instead I just lay there next to the very cute boy that I had just slept next to for an entire night, dumfounded. He thought I was staying here again tonight?
"What?" He asked, noticing the confused expression on my face.
"Oh, nothing. I just thought I'd go back to my own tent tonight."
Alexander nodded thoughtfully, "Oh yeah, I guess so, I didn't really think about it."
Another awkward silence followed.
"Well," I said finally, sitting up. "I'm going to go and get some breakfast, I'm starving. I'll see you out there." I manoeuvred onto my knees, scrambling ungracefully out of the tent. I could feel Alexander's eyes burning into my skin as I crawled away. Once I was out of the tent, I reached back in to grab my bag and he reached for my arm.
"Reece, you can always stay here again if you need. I mean, I know you planned to sleep with Indie but I don't mind."
I pulled away from him, chewing on my lip. Spend the rest of the trip with Alexander? "Yeah, maybe. Thanks for the offer." I flashed him a smile and pulled back out of the tent. The prospect of sleeping next to Alexander every night excited me and scared me at the same time, but I was really hoping I could sleep with Indie from now on. This was meant to be our trip and I wasn't about to let some boys come between us. I shouldered my bag and faced the remnants of the camp fire. 7 sets of eyes stared back at me. Everyone except Indie and Alexander had been milling around the camp kitchen and the extinguished fire pit. I mumbled good morning to the group, flushing bright red and not meeting anyone's eyes as I headed towards mine and Indie's tent to get changed.

As I approached the tent I could hear someone rummaging around inside. Indie. Great. After kicking me out of the tent last night and not giving a thought as to where I would even sleep, I was not ready to speak to my best friend quite yet, still furious at her. I stood awkwardly outside, waiting for Indie to emerge and when she did she threw her arms around me. "Reece! Good morning! Where an earth did you sleep last night?" She was sticky with sweat, clearly having been for a run this morning and she looked stunning with her long brown hair was thrown up into a messy bun and she was wearing her gym leggings and a fluro pink singlet. My blood boiled as I saw the carefree look on her face, not one ounce of guilt at having left me to find somewhere to sleep on my own. I shrugged her arms off me, refusing acknowledge her and crouched down to enter the recently vacated tent. I called over my shoulder to her, still standing dumbfounded in the spot I'd left her "It's not like you cared where I slept last night" I snapped, crawling into the tent to get changed.