Hazel in the Middle

Bridgewater

At lunch I could feel the tension in the air. I'd gotten a bottle of water and went to sit at my lunch table with my friends. When I sat down Cameron simultaneously sat in the vacant seat next to me. Everyone was awkwardly silent.

'What?' I asked to the table. Nobody commented.

'Whaaat?' I dragged out in a sing song voice.

'Aaron looks like he's trying to beat you up with his eyes, Hazel what have you done?!' Alice asked. Alice was the most innocent in our group with round green eyes and blonde/white hair that always fell in the most perfect bouncy curls down her back. I felt Cameron stiffen and then his arm dropped causally over my shoulders.

'Yeah Hazel, what have you done to him?' Cameron said wiggling his eyebrows in a teasing manner. I elbowed him hard in the ribs as his hearty laugh escaped his mouth and bent at the jab. His hand were around his chest now but a light giggle was still audible.

'Gosh Jimmy,' I empathised his childhood nickname, 'do you remember that time when-' a hand shot out and firmly covered mouth.

Cameron looked at me menacingly. 'Don't you dare,' he said his hands still around my mouth. I glared at him with daggers before Natalie cleared her throat.

'You guys,' she waved a hand between us and we all went back to harmless gossip about we'd done over the weekend and what had supposedly happened to other pupils over the weekend.

***

When the final bell rung I could have cried from happiness. I leaped from my seat and headed towards the parking lot. I was waiting by Cameron's car when he came strolling over.

'Haze, I need to talk to someone, I'll be back in a minute,' he lobbed the keys at me with a smirk playing at his lips. He jogged back the way he came while I struggled to catch the keys. My hands curled around the keys in victory when a voice came making me jump in to the air from shock.

'Well done.' Oh no not Aaron again.

'Look, I'm under strict orders to brake your nose if you come near so please,' I held my hand in a stop sign before continuing, 'I'm very thankful about the other night but you're the one who said you wanted us to still not talk to each other and I'm honestly really not quite sure how I got where I was. In fact I'm still clueless as to where I was.' I felt my speech turning into a full on ramble and stopped while I could.

'Hazel, calm down. We just need to talk, okay?' He sounded fairly sweet unlike the other times we'd spoke. 'Not here but I'll find you. Don't tell anyone.' His breath fanned my face and he'd inched closer to me while he was talking. My body was frozen in place against Cameron's car and all I could do was nod my head. He put his finger to his lips to make a shush signal.

He smirked at me as if we had a big secret that bound us together before he walked away, hands in pockets. I stared after him in total shock. Why had I let him get to me? Why does he always sneak up on me? 'Haze, why aren't you in the car yet?' Cameron had stirred me by the waist towards the open passenger door.

'Umm, sorry I was just daydreaming I guess.'

'About me no doubt.'

This made me scoff, 'Whatever Jimmy.' Even though I was with Cameron my mind was still on Aaron. Why was he so bothered about why I was there? Wait, I still don't know where I'd been.

'Jimmy, where was I left the other night?'

A frown formed on his face before he answered reluctantly. 'Bridgewater.'

***

Even though I was younger than by brother by two years it was my turn to give him the parental lecture. 'Sam, what the hell are you doing messing with people from Bridgewater. This has gone way too far now. Who have you pissed off the time? Do you need any money, I've got a lot in savings for things like this.' My tone ranged from angry to concerned as different images flashed through my head.

He gripped my arms which, I hadn't realised until then, were waving about in front of me. 'Hey calm it, I don't need money. All I need is for you to be safe and to keep the food coming.' He smirked at the last point knowing I hated his sexist comments. I narrowed my eyes before giving up and going into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Now I understood everything I hadn't before. Bridgewater was known as dead man's land to those outside the district. That didn't mean nobody lived there, but it meant if you didn't you should think twice before going in. That's why Cameron must have been set to watch over me.

Aaron must have been there because of the gym or the underground fighting matches. He probably keeps asking why I was there because of the state of the area. Maybe he thinks I followed him there or something. Maybe he was doing something he didn't want me to see. I guess at first he was just to annoyed at having to save me to be bothered about why I was there.

That must be why Cameron told me to stay away from Aaron. Maybe he thought he had connections to the Bridgewater gang. Maybe he did. This was all getting really confusing and scary.

'Hazel, when is the food done?' Sam voice brought be back to reality.

'It's coming one minute.' I carried our plates out in front of the television. 'Here you go, red sauce and mayonnaise are in the fridge if you want any.' I sat down making myself comfy on the recliner chair, pulling it out and using it as a table while I crossed my legs.

'Yeah, go get me the ketchup then Haze.' I growled at my brother who was totally oblivious scoffing down his food. I got up to bring the sauce in. I loved him but sometimes he could be a right pain.

***

A/N Thank you if you've voted or read or whatnot and please keep reading.