Dark as the Night

57

A/N: The song James plays first is above.  It is, from what I can tell, the most covered song ever.  That's not an actual fact, just my observation.  It's classic, because it's awesome.

-Evie

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Two days later, Odessa climbed into the van with Adam, Tai, and James for the monthly trip to the Kalispell craft fair. Liam wouldn't be joining them because he had urgent camp business to attend to, and Leila was stuck at the med center with a farm worker who had come in an hour before they had to leave with what appeared to be a broken arm. She had given Odessa the list of supplies to pick up in her stead, as well as the money she would need to buy them.

They took off through the gates as the golden sky began to lighten and the sun started cresting over the trees on the eastern side of camp. James, sitting in the back seat, pulled his guitar onto his lap and began strumming soft chords with his eyes closed. Adam looked at him in the rearview mirror.

"I'm surprised you're not hiding that thing," he commented. "I've never seen you bring it out in public." James glanced at his reflection then looked down at his hands, shrugging.

"I'm not exactly singing in a karaoke bar, am I?" And with that, he began humming quietly along to his song. Adam turned questioning eyes to Tai, sitting in the front seat next to him. Tai tilted his head slightly at Odessa and shrugged as well. Adam nodded in understanding, but kept glancing curiously at the two teenagers behind him.

Odessa sat in the middle seat, going over the list of items Leila had requested, as well as her own shopping list. She checked that the med center money was separate from her personal money, and tried to figure out a budget for herself. She looked up to ask Tai something, but he was dozing with his head against the window.

Instead, she set her things on the seat and turned behind her to watch James play. "Does Tai always sleep on the way to town?" she asked in a whisper.

"He didn't sleep last time," he pointed out, murmuring. "But yeah, he usually does. He almost always has to pull an all-nighter right before craft fair day to make sure the work they plan to sell is finished. Even though Adam has been home a week, Tai wasn't able to get much done earlier in the month because of training. So he had some last minute pieces to do yesterday."

"I see."

She was silent for a few minutes while James changed to a new song, crooning along in his rough baritone. The words were melancholy and so unlike his cocky personality that she couldn't help the playful grin that tugged at her lips. The moment he finished the last note, she poked his knee.

"At least you can admit that you're a creep. Acceptance is the first step to recovery."

James opened one eye and looked at her with a smirk. "You think you're funny, huh?" At her quiet giggle, he began strumming another song. "This one is for you," he said with a wolfish grin.

"I thought you didn't play songs for girls?" she gasped and adopted a mockingly doe-eyed expression. He grinned wider.

"I'll make an exception." He closed his eyes and murmured huskily, "You make me come." Odessa's own eyes widened in shock but he ignored her and kept singing. "You make me complete."

Strum, strum.

"You make me completely miserable."

She smacked his knee playfully and his green eyes opened and met her grey ones, laughter dancing in them. She snickered and smacked him again, biting her lip to keep from laughing outright.