Code Black [The Experiments Book 1]

Chapter 8: Me and Miles

Chapter 8: Me and Miles

          “So, how do you like camp so far,” Miles asked as we met up in the football field.  Miles hated football, but he agreed to play as long as he was on my team.

            “Well, all I’ve done is go on that tour, and sit around looking at miserable people.  Other than that, it’s been great,” I joked bitterly, hurting my own feelings.

            “Who’s miserable,” Miles asked, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.  Miles always knew how to comfort me.  If he had darker skin, he would be Aric’s twin.  They both knew me so well, or so they thought.

            “A camper I met here, and my boyfriend Hunter,” I said, my heart skipping at boyfriend.  “They have a grudge against each other, and I can’t hang out with just one of them for very long without the other getting angry or sad.”

            “It’s that bad,” he asked me, rubbing my shoulder with his thumb.  His arm sat awkwardly around my neck.  He was still a little shocked from the wings, and probably didn’t want to touch them.

            “Well I feel bad for both of them.  Their friend drown a few years ago and they can’t get over it,” I said, lowering my voice in case of eavesdroppers in the crowd of campers waiting to be split into teams.  I already told the councilor that Miles wanted to be on my team, and he reluctantly agreed.

            “Well, we’re spending two months here,” Miles stated the obvious.  “They’ll have to sort out their feelings toward each other.”

            “I hope they do it soon,” I replied, almost whispering.  Miles put a hand on my back, but suddenly took it away and blushed, looking at the ground.

            “It doesn’t hurt you know,” I said, looking at his embarrassed face.  “They’re just wings, it’ll feel weird to the touch, but weight on them doesn’t bother me.”

            “It just bothers me though,” he replied with sad eyes.  “I think it would be easier on me if I could see them for myself and know that they’re truly attached to you.  I’ve known you since Pre-K and didn’t even know about them.  How do you hide them so well?”

            “I don’t know how I hide them so well,” I replied.  I touched his fingers with mine, rubbing circles with them.  “And I’ll show you.  Just, not here.  Maybe after the game, we can go off and I’ll show you.”

            “Alright,” he replied, a crooked smile appearing on his face.  He brushed my bangs back, just like everyone else, but they instantly curled back into my face.  “What is with your bangs?”

            “I chopped them off one day when they got caught up my nose when I was flying,” I replied, giggling a little.  “My hair is naturally curly, so it looks shorter than it is.”

            “It looks nice,” Miles said, his silver eyes gleaming.  “But it looks like it annoys you.”

            “I’m letting it grow so it is even with the rest of my hair,” I said.

            “No, I think you should keep the bangs, but let them grow out a little longer,” Miles said.

            “What about you,” I asked, rubbing Mile’s hair.  It matched mine.  “Are you going to let yours grow out?”

            “No,” he replied, fixing his messy hair.  “This is the perfect length.  Long in the front, short in the back, but not long enough to cover my entire forehead, and not as short as a buzz-cut.”