Social Experiment

Past Lives (Westin)

I knock on Hailey's door. "Who is it?"

"West!"

"Come in," As I shut the door she grins, "Good morning."

"Morning."

"Alright, get to the point. I can tell you didn't come here for a pleasant chat about the weather."

My face reddens a bit. "When are we getting the tools back?"

She sighs. "It shouldn't be too long now, they've got to be close to finishing..."

"I don't trust Terrance. Or the other Outcasts, for that matter."

"Hey, don't call them that. There was a time when people thought of you as one, you know."

I try to keep my voice even. "Yes, I remember. But Hailey, it's what they called themselves! The same way we're Riverstones and Abbi's a Fox."

"Whatever. I don't know when we're getting the tools back and I fully trust the people of Terrance's village."

"Outcast Village." I say, irritated by her refusal to call them what they've called themselves.

She ignores this, and after a minute of stiff silence I storm out.

"How can she trust him?" I mutter to myself, pacing in my hut, "After all he's done! What does she expect, that he's just going to give back axes and knives peacefully?"

"That's exactly what she expects. Presuming that by "she" you mean Hailey."

"Ozzie!" I snap, "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

He raises an eyebrow and replies calmly. "Haven't you ever heard that talking behind your girlfriend's back is rude?"

"She not my-" I groan, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to ask whether you'd accompany me on a hunting trip. Overnight, possibly."

I gawk at him. "Hun- hunting trip?"

"I believe that's what I said, yes."

"Why overnight?" I ask curiously.

He smirks. "Well, if you don't want to come..."

"No, no, I'll come. I just want to know what we're actually going to be doing."

"Westin, do you honestly think I'd undermine you, Hailey, and everyone else here? We will be hunting, I can guarantee that."

Intrigued, I agree. "Okay, anything that will get me away from Terrance."

He winces. "That's the thing, Terrance is, well... coming with."

"Have you lost it? Why would you invite him? Ozzie, do you have any idea how much pain he's caused?"

This time he gets angry. "I've been living alongside Mikayla just as long as you have! Longer, actually, because I was a Riverstone first!"

Composing himself, he takes a deep breath. "Look, I didn't invite him. He invited us."

"Us?" I repeat, dumbfounded.

"You and I."

Why would Terrance invite me? "Fine, I'll come with, but don't expect me to be chummy with him."

"I don't."

I glare at him, trying to come up with an excuse not to go. Yes, Terrance is an untrustworthy, double-crossing little... well, you get the idea. However, my curiosity of this "hunting trip" overpowers any urge I might have to punch Terrance square on the nose.