Score •• louis a.u.

chapter 20

I warily glance at the cloudy sky and worry if I’ll be able to shower in time. I rush toward the door, my towel and extra clothes in hand. I am about halfway out of the camp area when my name pulls me to a stop.

“Trey!”

“What?” I call back, nervously looking up. The rolling grey clouds look ominous and I would rather sell all of my organs than be caught in another rainstorm. Plus, it’s actually warm out today, or at least I think it is, and who knows when I’ll be able to get clean again.

“John wants to talk to us.”

I roll my eyes and clutch my towel and clothes to my chest. “Later Louis. I am going to wash up.” I start walking again when Louis grabs my elbow. Spinning me around, he gazes at me in silence.

I sigh. “Tell him I’m going to take a shower in the waterfall area.”

“Trey. He said now.” Louis is firm and he doesn’t take off his hand from my arm. I groan and look at him pleadingly. I squeeze the items in my hands tighter but it doesn’t feel like I’m holding anything, the numbness hasn’t gone away.

“Fine. He better make it quick.”

Louis hauls me behind him and into John’s cabin, not bothering to knock. I have a pretty good idea of what he wants to talk about, but frankly it’s a little later than expected. I was surprised last night when he didn’t say anything to me.

John is stood in the middle of his lounge facing the fireplace, his hands on his hips. Louis coughs to draw attention to us and John raises his head before turning around.

“Great, glad you two could make it!” John claps his hands and smiles like we had a choice in the matter. Louis nods politely but I remain stoic. I glance out the window at the sky again and a shudder runs through me. I am so cold.

“You must be wondering why I called you two in here today,” John says after a few moments of silence.

“Not really,” I say in monotone, itching to get out of here.

John raises his eyebrows. “Oh really? Then can you please explain?”

I sigh. “You want to know what happened last night and I’ve explained the story a million times, John, and I’m not in the mood to do it again.”

I’m being rather harsh, especially since John is basically my boss.

“Actually, I don’t want to know what happened. I called you two in here to reprimand you.”

Louis sucks in a disbelieving breath and I laugh out loud.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am quite serious, Trey.”

I glare at him and take a step forward. BE PROFESSIONAL, TREY PLEASE! “You dragged us in here to reprimand us? To punish us for nearly dying of hypothermia? Oh, I'm sorry. I didn’t realize it was my fault for being susceptible to cold weather conditions!” It doesn’t take long for me to lose my temper; I’ve gotten fairly good at doing that recently. Louis lays a hand on my shoulder but I brush him off.

“You don’t understand. You broke quite a few rules last night,” John speaks in a light tone and I am ready to knock it out of him.

We broke some rules?! I shriek internally. Externally, I huff and cross my arms but manage to hold my tongue.

John reaches down and picks up his clipboard from the sofa. He clears his throat as he flips a page. “Infraction number one: sneaking off after curfew to rustle about in the woods,” he looks up at Louis and me with a challenging look in his eye. “Punishable by practice with the whole team.” I am absolutely speechless and it’s Louis’ turn to grow angry.