Dangerous Game

Chapter fifteen: So What's the Plan?

I pushed off of the tree I was resting on and brushed imaginary dirt off of my lab jumper to distract myself from the awkwardness in the air that was forming like a thick cloud between us all. I looked between the two boys, trying to hide my growing anxiety as I processed everything that just happened. Kason had an unreadable expression as usual and Seth had a tense look that I couldn't quite decipher.

Kason. Just. Kissed. Me. Those words registered in my mind as I was still trying to wrap my head around it. Did Seth see? It all happened so fast.

"Seth," I began cautiously, "I-"

"What are you doing, Ash? Please, explain, because I'm desperately trying to understand you right now." His voice was tight with anger and it caught me off guard.

"We were getting more wood for the fire." I said honestly.

He wiped a hand over his face in frustration, "You know that's not what I meant. One minute you're on the verge of killing the guy and the next you're stuck to him like lost puppy?"

Did he just call me a puppy? "Nobody's stuck to anyone. It's not what it looks like."

He snorted in a sarcastic way. "Oh sure, I'm sure its just normal for you to go around kissing guys that you can't even tolerate." He rolled his eyes.

That hit me hard. I was getting kind of mad, myself. I knew he was protective but he didn't have any right to be so upset about this. "You know me. You know that's not what happened." I managed to say through clenched teeth.

"Really? Because lately, I hardly recognize you. I'm not sure what they did to you, but you're hardly the girl I grew up with." He crossed his arms.

I gasped at how ridiculously harsh he was being. "How can you say that?" I hated how hurt and vulnerable my voice sounded.

"It's true. You haven't been yourself, and you know it. You're like a grenade. I never know when you're going to go off. I just want the old Ash back. The one I grew up with. The one I know so well and who knew me so well. The one that I-" He was cut off by Kason, who until then, hadn't said a word.

"Look man, the kiss was nothing. I kissed her. She was talking too much and it happened to shut her up." He explained putting his arms up in defense.

For some reason that made me even more mad. They were both being complete idiots over nothing, and I had better things to do than yell back and forth with these two.

"Okay. This conversation is over." I said sternly. "Seth, you're not in charge of me, and whether you like it or not, I'm going to do what I want. Kason, stay away from me. I don't know what your angle is here, but I don't want to be apart of it. We don't have to fight anymore, but for now, we aren't even on friend terms yet so don't push it. You need to start earning my trust. Now," I sighed in frustration, "We're going to go back, get the others up, and move out. Is that clear?" I raised my eyebrows and waited for an answer.

Neither of them spoke or even nodded. They both avoided eye contact. Seriously? "I said, is that clear?" I sent them both a jolt to their heads and they winced in pain.

"Yes." They said in unison and then glared at each other.

I turned my back on them and began walking back to camp. "I swear, it's like dealing with a couple of six year old's." I rolled my eyes as I heard them fall in step behind me.

*********

My stomach roared with hunger as we sat planning our next move. We had to get to some kind of civilization. We could "borrow" a car or something and go from there.