A Silver Summer

Chapter 21

Chapter twenty one

"Here." Anika sniffed and jumped back from the hose, wiping her face with the back of her hands at the same time. 

Ryleigh stood behind her with his arm stretched forward. Anika looked at his fist and then around the side of him to see Ivy and Skinner hiding in the doorway of the barn. How long had they been watching?

"What is it?" Anika asked, her voice cracking despite her attempt to control it. 

"I stopped by the infirmary. The nurse gave me more of these." he said, opening his palm to reveal two white tablets. 

Anika hesitated in taking them and once she had them in her hand she stared at them with a small frown. 

"What's wrong? Aren't you in pain? I saw you out here and you were cry-" he cut off with a wounded look on his face. "They're pain pills. I swear they're not anything else."

Anika's eyes widened at what he thought she was hesitating over. "I know you wouldn't drug me."

Relief washed over Ryleigh's features before confusion became the dominant emotion. "Did they not help?"

Anika winced at the memory of this morning. "They didn't spend enough time in me to do anything. I was sick after you left the cabin."

"They made you sick? It could've been the bump on your head that made you nauseous."

"I'm not sure if I want to take more of those. I don't feel like getting sick again." Anika frowned at the horrible taste at the back of her throat just thinking about her previous retching. 

"Well, hold onto them. Just in case. I can see if the nurse has any other meds?" Ryleigh said, ready to turn and run back to the office building if Anika said so. 

"No, no I'll be fine." Anika insisted. 

"Last time I checked, 'fine' people don't have tears streaks on their face." Ryleigh shocked her by closing some of the distance between them and wiping his thumb against her cheek. 

After the initial surprise wore off, Anika slapped his hand away ans stepped back out of reach as her previous thoughts came back to her. 

"Why do you care? Just... just leave me alone." Anika glared into Ryleigh's confused and hurt blue eyes. I'm doing you a favor, she wanted to yell in his face and cry. I'm pushing you away. 

Anika held off the tears glistening in her eyes long enough so that he wouldn't see when she pushed past him on her way back to the cabin. She made a mental note to pick up her sketchpad and bring back the supplies later. 

Minutes later, Anika arrived at her cabin. She paused at the front step and looked around. 

"She ran off?" Anika whirled around at the voices coming up the path. 

"Yeah. She stood up from her seat and practically ran out of the barn." she heard Ivy explain to the first voice, Mel. 

"He was talking to her and then she stalked off." Skinner's bitter voice met Anika's ears. They were getting closer to the cabin and Anika wasn't in the mood to talk. Taking a leap, Anika ducked behind some shrubs as they came into view. 

"What did you say to her?" Keira demanded. 

"I didn't say anything to offend her... I think." Anika's ears perked at Ryleigh's guilt filled voice. 

"What do you mean you think?" Keira shouted in outrage. There was some grunting sounds and a handful of curses from the other side of the bushes.