Stranded | ✓

three

I had no idea how long Beck and I were sitting together by the fire. The sun had long set, and if I had to guess, it was probably past eight o'clock. I was still cuddled into Beck's side. I refused to remember that he was my enemy — for reasons that I didn't quite know — because he was warm, and the temperature was quickly dropping.

After a couple more minutes, Beck pulled away slightly. "Hungry?" He asked.

"I could eat. What are we gonna eat? Do you have anything in your bag?"

He shook his head. "Nope." He said nonchalantly.

"I don't either. If we don't have anything then—"

I all but choked when Beck stood up and pulled his shirt over his head. I looked up at him with wide eyes as he searched the ground for something, picking up a long stick a couple moments later. He flipped it, revealing the sharp end that he had carved himself.

"I got a bit bored last night so me and my friends made a couple of these. Never thought it would come in handy, but now it has. I hope you like fish."

My mouth opened and closed. He chuckled and turned on his heel, wading into the water to try to catch a fish. My eyes were stuck on his muscular back that I could barely see in the moonlight. I watched as his muscles flexed as he twisted around, looking in the water for any traces of fish.

I gulped before looking away. My stomach erupted into butterflies. I shook my head to myself before getting up and grabbing the pile of excess sticks and rocks. We had to somehow get off this island, and for that to happen people would have to know that we were here.

It took me a while, but after a good twenty minutes, I had positioned the sticks and rocks on the sand in large letters that read HELP US. I just hoped planes could see it.

When I returned back to our original spot, Beck was just taking the fish off of the fire. It was cooked nicely for being cooked over an open flame. I was surprised.

"I'm thinking you've done this before." I said as I sat across the fire from Beck.

Only then noticing my presence, he looked up at me startled. He quickly collected himself.

"Yeah, uh, my dad and I used to go on these camping trips in the middle of no where. He always insisted on catching our own food." He had a small reflective smile on his face as he looked down at the cooked fish.

"Why don't you go anymore?"

He looked up at me then, his eyebrows furrowed. "You don't know?"

"Know what?"

"About my dad's infidelity."

My body went cold. I looked at Beck with wide eyes. For one of the first times every, Beck looked completely and utterly broken.

"W-What? But, but he would never do that! He always used to brag about all of you and how he loved you and your mom so much. How...How can he just change?"

Beck shrugged. "That's what I've been trying to figure out. That's why...That's why I stopped talking to you. And started messing with you."

"What? I-I don't understand." How could this have possibly led to Beck and I's silent fallout?

"It was with your aunt. My dad cheated on my mom with your aunt."

All I could see was red.

Without another thought, I shot up and stormed off down the beach, not stopping until my legs were hurting from walking on the uneven sand. I then plopped down in the sand, pulling my knees up to my chest and resting my chin on my knees. I looked out at the water, willing my anger to subside.

It didn't.

My aunt has ruined too many things for me to count. Birthdays, school functions, many many friendships, and many more things. Hell, she even burnt down my parents' first house.

My aunt was reckless, careless, and a frequent alcohol drinker. She was fifteen years younger than my mother — her sister — which made her a mere five years older than me. She hated responsibilities, which explains why she plays men just to have a place to stay and money to buy herself luxuries.

To my knowledge, my mother had cut all contact with her four years ago. Coincidentally around the time that Beck and I stopped talking. I knew then that all of this was true. She indeed had wrecked one of the most important things to me. Beck and I's friendship.

What hurt the most was that I had been kept in the dark on all of this for four whole years. For four whole years I was left wondering why Beck suddenly hated me so much, why he suddenly stopped coming over to hang out, and why our parents had cut all contact.

Now I found out. When my old best friend and I were stranded on an island.

I wondered if I wasn't in a life or death situation if anyone would've ever told me.

But what really hurts is that I had gone through all of his heartbreak because of my aunt. I loved Beck. I still do. As more than a friend. My aunt had managed to ruin my first love too.

The tears were falling before I could stop them.

I hastily wiped them away. This happened four years ago. How could I still be heartbroken over it?

My body stiffened when a body sat next to me, sitting in a similar position as me. Beck didn't say anything, he just looked out at the water as silence wafted between us.

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

I sniffled and nodded my head, quickly wiping a tear off of my cheek.

"Rory, you must've forgotten that we were best friends." He said softly, tilting his head to look at me.

"I know you, Rory. You're not okay."