StarFall (Completed)

Ch. 28 - Bullet Promises (Part 1)

The fire spit and crackled, my eyes closed tight as I let the night air engulf me. Hoping it would clean away my sins, my pain. Hoping it would bring me to something, anything, that would help me feel like me again.

Across from the fire laid Bobby, still worse for wear but slowly recovering. Madison curled up next to him, calm but still not making much sense. 

The wind tickled my cheek as if to say hello, and I welcomed the greeting--the distraction from my thoughts; from myself.

A rustling in the woods behind me caught me off guard. I jumped to my feet.

"Relax, it's just me. Safe, harmless Miller." He carried bundles of wood in his arms.

I eased up. "Sorry," I said, sitting back on the ground as he neared me.

"Perfectly fine." He tossed wood into the fire before seating himself beside me. "How's everything here." He looked to Madison and Bobby sleeping away.

I half-smiled. "Seems alright. I mean, he's a giant lizard-wolf who was just beaten half to death by an even larger monster, and she's...I don't even know what she is, and that's coming from me...but, you know, other than that it's alright." 

Miller put his hand over my back and he shuffled in closer. "It's going to be okay." He reassured me as I hung my head down.

"How can you be so sure?" I let my doubt-filled eyes flutter up to meet his gaze.  

He smiled, the wrinkles around his eyes creasing. "Because it's you." 

I lifted my head and stared at him. "How do you do that?" I shook my head slow in disbelief.

He furrowed his brow low. "Do what?"

"Make me feel like it's all gonna be alright?" 

Before he could muster up an answer I flung my arms around him, hugging him tight.

"Thank you," I whispered.

He pulled away. Noticeably confused, yet the redness coloring his face spoke volumes. "Well..um.." he cleared his throat. "If just doing that gets me a hug then you're gonna kiss me with what I tell you next."

Silence overtook the conversation as we both stopped dead and stared blankly at one another.

I pulled away.

He pulled away.

"Uh.."

"No." He waved his hands in front of me. "It's not what you think..I mean.."

"Uh..." I said louder. Trying with all my strength not to faint from the thought of kissing Miller.

He stood up in a hurry. "Wait here." He bolted off into the woods.

"Where are you going?" I shouted.

"There's something I need to show you."

"By going into the woods alone without me?"

He laughed as I heard him trip over something and fall to the ground.

"Miller?" I waited through the silence.

"I'm okay."

I laughed to myself softly as the wind greeted me once more.

"Mm, nerd-alert." Madison stirred in her slumber.

I crept closer to her. "No, he just left, sorry. Are you okay?" I went to place my hand over her shoulder but hesitated for a moment, fearful of what I might see. I swallowed and pressed my hand firm against her and waited, relieved when no visions of fire and doom came shooting into my head--as most would be, I would hope.