Delinquent Camp

Chapter Eight

Eight

“Thanks for walking me,” I mumble to Danny, who’s hiking slowly beside me. His hands are shoved in his jean pockets as he stares up at the sky. “I’m not sure I’d be able to find my way in the dark.”

Danny shrugs, giving me a small smile. “It’s nothing, really.”

“So,” I reply, stretching out the word after a few moments of awkward silence. “I guess you got sent here for lighting something on fire?”

He looks down, meeting my gaze with a grin. “Not just something,” he chuckles, turning onto another trail. “A house.”

“Yours?” I ask with raised eyebrows. He shakes his head no.

“This guy who used to beat me up.” He stares straight ahead into the darkness, remembering. “One day I just got sick of it and lit his house on fire.” He looks at me briefly and smirks at my wide eyes. “Don’t worry, he was the only one in it at the time. Oh, and he got out alive.”

“That’s…good?” I ask, not sure of how to respond. Danny rolls his eyes and shoves me playfully.

“Anyways, it’s nothing compared to your story.”

I stop, caught off guard. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Danny stops a few feet in front of me and turns around to face me. “I’m just saying that if I ever went through what you did, I don’t think I’d be very sane.”

“Well,” I smile, starting to walk again. “You’re already insane so I guess you’re halfway there.”

“Nothing gets past you, does it Gemma?” He laughs, stepping into pace beside me. In the dark I can see the faint glow of the clearing’s lamp light up ahead.

“Nope,” I grin, popping the ‘p.’ “I’m quite the detective.”

Danny stops, rubbing the back of his neck with his palm once we reach the clearing. I stare at him, confused.

“I guess Rhyson will walk you back?”

Instead of giving Danny a remark about how I’m perfectly capable of being by myself, I shrug, watching him closely.

“You’re not going to walk me the whole way?” I hear footsteps approaching us as I say this, however I don’t let my gaze waver. Danny on the other hand, keeps looking back and forth between me and where Rhyson is coming as if he’s a cop about to bust him for drugs.

“I’ll see you around, Gemma,” he says, avoiding my eyes. He gives a small wave before turning and speed walking down the trail before I can even say goodbye.

“What was that about?” I mutter when Rhyson takes Danny’s place. As I stare after him, Rhyson stares at me with a smirk.

“Let’s just say that I know a few secrets about him that he wouldn’t want to leak out.” I raise my eyebrows and Rhyson shrugs. We start walking towards the playground when I ask him what he knows. “I can’t tell you right now, but when I can, I will.”

I have no idea what he means by that, but I let it float to the back of my mind as I settle on a swing. Rhyson leans against the post on the other end of the swing set, staring out into the forest.

“So why don’t you like Ember?” I ask quickly, instantly regretting it. The question has been in my head ever since we talked and I can’t keep it in anymore.

“I never said I dislike her,” he replies, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

He holds them out to me and I shake my head, not wanting the distraction. “But you act like you don’t.”