Beyond Repair

Chapter 5

Friends show their love in times of trouble,

not in happiness.

  -Euripides

=Chapter 5=

“Alex, are you sure you're okay? You still look really pale.” Charlotte’s worried voice breaks the silence which has settled over the group on our walk back to her house.

“I'm sure Charlotte,” My voice comes out quieter than I intended but it doesn’t matter now. During the walk home I couldn’t stop the over whelming sense of guilt from flooding me, I didn’t mean to over react like I did and ruin the day. They had been nice enough to include me this weekend and I practically threw it back in their faces.

“Guys, I'm sorry,” I say voicing some of my thoughts without looking anyone in the eye.

“What for?” Annie asks sounding confused

“Ruining your swim,” feeling embarrassed I glance at my feet.

“Hey don't worry about it. It was getting boring anyway, there’s only so much you can do at a swimming hole.” Charlotte cuts in while waving away my apology with a kind grin plastered on her lips.

“Guys can we get food now?” Chris calls out a while later, instantly breaking the overwhelming feeling of awkwardness that seemed to settle over us.

The girls laughed loudly at him, “It’s always comes back to food with you doesn’t it Chris?”

“You can’t judge me Charlie.”

“And what are you implying Christopher?” Charlotte stops in her tracks causing everyone to pause behind her. Turning around she places her hands on her hips and glares down at Chris.

“That ugh,” he stalls as he slowly becomes more nervous looking.

“Please don't kill me.” He mutters quietly

“Come on guys, why don't we just get back and then we can go out to the diner,” Annie steps forward and breaks Charlotte and Chris from their silent stare off.  Shaking her head Charlotte pivots and starts walking off again.

The rest of the walk didn’t take long but not much was being discussed either, whether that was a good or a bad thing I wasn’t sure but with each stride Charlotte she seemed to loosen up a bit, something which surely would have made Chris happier .

Back at the house I quietly grabbed my bag and walk across the hallway and into the bathroom. Mindlessly I change from the horrible bikini and into a pair of white wash shorts and a simple singlet. Thankfully I didn’t have to worry about drying my hair, considering it managed to dry in the heat on the walk back, but I do however approach the basin.

Sighing deeply from my nose I splash some cold water onto my face from the facet to try and help clear my head. But no matter how hard I try I seem unable to forget about that wolf.

I was certain that what I saw in the clearing was real; there was simply no way that I could have imagined an animal like that. Shaking my head I decided that I would draw him wolf later. Shutting my eyes I committed him to memory – his brown and grey fur which looked like it would be incredibly silky to touch, his forest green eyes and tentative stare.

Quickly a shiver brushed across my spine, there is something about that wolf which seems off but I can’t seem to place my finger on it. Opening my eyes and brushing a strand of hair from my eyes, I push away from the sink and leave to room to go and find the others.

Dumping my bag back in Charlotte’s room and tossing the damp swim suit into her laundry basket I venture towards the lounge where I assume the others are waiting. The first thing I expect to see was not Annie sitting on Chris’ lap, giggling as he whispered in her ear, feeling the heat rising in my cheeks I awkwardly back out of the room.