Turning Tables ---Going Under Construction---

Silent Nights

As Xander and I made it back to the campgrounds everyone was filling their plates with smores. It reminded me that I hadn't even eaten my actual meal, we had just left them on rocks beside the water. Xander must have realized the same thing because he grabbed both of us a hot dog to eat before we got to the sweets. 

Somehow I ended up on a bench with Emmitt, Xander being pulled beside Joe. I glance sideways at Emmitt, wanting everything to be okay, wanting to continue our conversation from earlier. I want to lean in and tell him to meet me by the waterfall to finish what I started with Xander. I can't though. 

Instead, I smile at the one who just confessed his love for me a second time in our lives, wishing I could say it back because it would be easier than feeling the heat radiating off the person beside me more than the fire before me. 

"Truth or Dare!" Cam yells. I had not been paying attention to the conversation until that point and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep when she mentioned the teenaged game. "Truth, dare or shot," she amended with a bottle of whiskey in her hand. 

Joe started jumping in his seat. "I fucking love it, let's go."

Emmitt shifted uncomfortably beside me as Xander agreed. I didn't even know how to turn the game down so I stayed silent and they took that as agreement. 

"I'll go first," Cam told the group. "Xander. Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," he said without a seconds thought. 

She grinned mischievously. "I dare you to skinny dip into the river."

Joe and Cam laughed vigorously, already many shots deep. It was at least 40 degrees outside with a decent wind. If someone wasn't careful they could easily catch pneumonia. The wild child I used to be wanted to laugh along though. 

Xander, with no hesitation, started stripping in front of the campfire until naked. As much as I would like to pretend, I remembered every bit of him to a tee. Before I could feign innocence he ran full speed into the river. It wasn't high enough to jump, but it was cold enough to be a challenge. Several cries of agony later Xander came back to the fire and Joe threw a blanket around him.  

"As our resident Hero," proclaimed Cas. "I give you our next choice." 

He grinned and looked right at me. Worried I clenched up. "Jade, Truth or Dare?"

There really was no lesser evil in this group. "Truth..." I replied hesitantly, hoping it was my best guess. 

His eyes tell me he won't be too cruel. "What is something on your bucket list?"

Emmitt let out a sigh beside me and I don't really know why. "I would like to visit all seven wonders of the world." 

Our game continued, as did the liquor. As the night wore on Cam and Joe turned in, too dazed to continue. Even Xander gave up, telling me he would meet me in the tent as he maneuvered towards it.  Finally only Emmit and I were left. With a few too many drinks in my system, I continued our game. "Truth or Dare," I asked, still pressed close to each other on the small bench. 

"We don't have to play anymore," He told me. 

I needed an answer to something though. "Truth or dare," I asked again. 

He sighed and grabbed the bottle of whiskey, ready to take a drink at the first sign of trouble. "Truth," he replied. 

"Why do you like me?" Emmitt moves the bottle to his lips and I grab it from him. "Please, just tell me."

"You are ridiculous," he tells me with his head in his hands. "You have no consideration for the people around you. How can you ask me that when the man you are with is in a tent not 10 feet away from us?" 

"Why do you like me?" I ask again. "Now more than ever the question is relevant."

Emmitt raises his head from his hands and we stare at each other. I know that when I look at him it's different. It's raging fire flowing through me instead of Xanders cool heat. Everything is new, and I can feel the pull from him inches or miles away. I need to know if he feels it too or if I'm insane. 

"Why are you doing this to me?" He asks. "What do you get out of it?"

"Just tell me I shout!" I shout. I look around hoping no one woke up. No one seems to stir. 

Emmitt stands from the bench anyway and pulls me up with him, the whiskey still in my hand. He's silent until we reach the cars and he pulls the bottle from me.

"You still have to tell me." It's almost a plea when it leaves my lips. "I need to know, I can't keep doing this without knowing."

"Doing what? You didn't start this, I did. I am also ending it. Don't keep pushing this!" 

Ignoring his advice I nearly leap on him, throwing myself into him and kissing him with the force Xander had kissed me with earlier. Emmitt stopped thinking and gripped me hard against him. He pushes me into the bed of Xander's truck and pulls my jacket off. The cold barely bothers me, either from the alcohol or Emmitt's heat, I don't know. All I can think of is Emmitt and me melting into one.

With a ragged breath, Emmitt pulls away. "I like you..." He starts, still breathing heavily as our body press together. "Because I fell like a new person. I feel better than the person I was yesterday... I feel complete."

I reach up to start kissing him again and he stays away. 

"But I can't want you, I can't need you, I can't feel this way because he saw you first." Emmett's eyes filled with regret and horror at our position. "I can't see you anymore. Not until I figure this out." 

He pushed off of me and went to his car. I thought he was going to cool down and wait for me to go to sleep. Instead, he started the car and sped into the distance. I watched his car pick up dust and drive away. I felt for the bottle of whiskey still next to me and drank the rest of it. Already I could feel my hangover, but it was worth it if I could forget this night.