Ice Veins

Chapter 4: Relaxation

**Richard to the right** ---->

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"So what kind of job did you have in the big old city with the pervy lesbo?"

I looked up at Richard, a soft smile tugging at my lips.

"Nothing to brag about. I got minimum wage like almost everyone else and hated it, but it put food on the table."

I had been with these guys for nearly a week with no issues, and I had to admit it felt nice to be with them. Richard was a big dork, but he wasn't the most annoying one.

The one taking up space on my log seat... now he was the bigger issue. Not only was he still guarding me like I was made of glass, but he wouldn't even let me put my own marshmellows on my roasting stick as we sat here in front of a fire pit.

Logan. That was the name every one called him by. According to Devin, who had warmed up a little towards me, he was highly respected for being brother to the Mayor.

Somehow, I highly doubted it.

For the 5th time, I pulled my marshmellow from the fire and, just as I went to blow it out, Logan did it for me.

That was the last straw. I stood so suddenly that the interactive story Richard was telling had paused mid-sentence, and the entire circle had stopped their chatter to see what I would do next.

"DO YOU MIND?!" I snapped, turning my heated gaze on the man next to me. He merely stared back, unfazed by my sudden outburst before speaking himself.

"Not in the slightest, why?"

Richard snickered, but I ignored him, "I think I can tend my own food, thank you!"

"Then why am I doing it first?"

A few more chuckles, and I was turning a faint shade of pink, I could feel it. He, however, seemed perfectly fine with shrugging off my anger. So, I did the next best thing.

I slapped him.

Not only did my new circle of friends gape at me, but Logan himself had eyes the size of dinner plates. As fast as he had stood up, he was walking away, growling under his breath curses directed most likely at me.

I watched him go for a moment before Richard had my upper arm and was turning me back towards the houses, a laugh echoing from his chest, "My god, you slapped him! You slapped Logan, of all people!"

I snorted, "Yeah, and? He deserved it trying to act like a smart-ass."

Richard gave me a little shove, nearly causing me to walk into a low branch, but I quickly ducked. "Yeah well, you better get used to it, I'm pretty sure he thinks he's yo-"

Devin popped up out of nowhere, quickly shoving himself between the two of us with a grin, "I don't think anyone else would've gotten away with that, Lena. You're some kind of dame." 

I rolled my eyes and looked at the house we were closest to; the one in which I was currently shacking up. It seemed like the biggest one among them, but I couldn't be too sure. They were all pretty huge, and from the looks of them they were built by hand and then taken care of for generations, and I envied them of that.

Like usual, I always found myself looking for any signs of doghouses or places under a porch where a dog might stay, but there was nothing. I didn't have the heart to ask where they kept the wolves that I had seen that day.

"What, haven't come to grasp our amazing painting skills yet?"

I blinked, quickly turning my gaze to Richard with a smile, "Nah, not at all. There has to be a bubble or some kind of flaw, it'll just take me a minute to find it."

He leaned his weight against my back, and it took everything I had to hold him up. I had to go so far as to stop walking to hold him, and I protested softly under his weight.

Rather than move, he whined annoyingly, "But Leeeeenaaaaa, if you do that you won't be able to hang with your favorite girls ever later."

When I gave him a sharp look, he quickly laughed and eased up. Sorry, but the whole time I've been here, the girls have been girly. Carolyn, with her extravagantly dyed hair and bright personality, had thought it fun to make me model a dress. It was only fun until I realized I was being a pincushion for the next few hours as she adjusted hem lines and added new layers of fabric. I had to give the girl her props though, it turned out fantastic.

"Unless they plan on going skydiving, I may have to opt out."

He brought a hand to his chin, rubbing it casually, "That doesn't sound like a bad idea...."

I raised an eyebrow and shook my head slowly before walking towards the safety of the house. I was kidding, but I knew he wasn't. That man had more adventure in an hour than I've had in my lifetime, and I'd like to keep it that way, at least for a short while.

I knew I was going to be roped in sooner or later.

Up the steps to the porch, and I noticed Mowanza on the wooden swing by herself, looking at the pages of a book.

"What are you reading?" I asked, taking a few cautious steps towards her. If she didn't want my company, I wouldn't give it to her.

She blinked a few times and looked up, her gaze curious until it fell on me, where it hardened before falling behind a mask. "Nothing special."

I sighed, "Alright, look, I know you don't like me but-"

"What makes you think that?"

I had to pause, giving her a once over and only looking over my shoulder as Richard walked past and into the house with Ashley, who was grinning in my direction. Apparently she was filled in on the slap.

I looked back to Mowanza, "Uhm, well.... you don't talk to me-"

"I don't talk to anyone."

"-and there's the fact you're always avoiding me-"

"Coincidence."

"-and I just feel like you really don't care if I'm here."

She closed her book and looked up, her eyes rolling, "Well you're not a toy or something, I'm not going to poke you or ask you anything that you don't want to share like these nutcases. You'll say what you want to say, and when you want to say it."

I nodded lightly and said, "Yup, I'm convinced." before walking over and sitting down next to her, making the swing shake slightly with the added weight.

"Convinced of what?" She asked, a suspicious glint in her eyes as she longingly looked back to her book.

"Me and you are going to get along just fine."

She smiled then, and the action lit up her entire face, "Oh good, because I have this shoe design idea..."

I quickly jumped up and took a step back, holding up my hands defensively for a moment before her gaze finally fell back on me.

"I was kidding."