Chapter Seven - You Don't Own Me
It had been almost a week since Zero and Madeline had talked that night outside the tent. She would sometimes feel someone's eyes on her back from his direction but when she turned around he wasn't looking at her. And no one else was around him.
Her feelings for him were a complete haze of confusion. Her head was telling her to stop a disaster before it started, her past love life turning out to be much more than that. But her heart was pressing against that barrier that was made from that much-more-than-a-disaster-disaster.
The bugle sounded at four o' clock, awakening Madeline from a restless sleep. She groaned inwardly and grabbed her bandana from its spot on her wooden crate and pulled on a boot.
While she and the boys were walking out onto the lake, she was overcome by a strong wave of nausea and dizziness. She took a couple deep breaths and slowly walked along, trying not to faint from the burning in her stomach.
'It's not burning,' the voice in her head sneered.
'Shut ya trap...,' she said back to it in her mind. 'I mus be going crazy...'
Zero watched her close her eyes, still walking. She felt the sense that someone was watching her and she snapped them open. But yet again, he wasn't looking at her.
'You wish he was.'
'Goddammit, SHUT UP!'
***
Madeline groaned heavily as she heard the water truck approaching. Her hole was almost done and she felt like she couldn't bear enough energy to climb out of it.
"Need some help?" a voice asked. She looked up and saw Zero, stretching his hand out to her. She gave him a small smile and accepted it. A spark of electricity went through both of them, but hid the fact that they felt something.
He pulled her up and they got into the line. Everyone got their canteen's filled and Madeline sat at the edge of her hole. She took a swig of water and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.
She finished her hole around the same time Zero did. ZigZag's eyes widened with anger to the size of dinner plates but he said nothing as she passed. Zero waited for her to catch up and walked with her. Truth be told, he had purposely dug slower today so he could walk back with her. She suspected this, but brushed it off quickly. He could never like her.
Could he?
***
Later that night, she lay awake again, her thoughts jumbled up and not letting her sleep. She was so unbelievably tired, though. She sighed, exhausted, and turned over.
***Madeline's Dream/Flashback***
Her body tensed up, hearing his footsteps nearing the door. He opened it, coming in, and then slamming it. She didn't move from her spot on the couch, her feet tucked up underneath her.
From the way he was moving around, she could tell he wasn't drunk and most certainly wasn't stoned. She wasn't sure which was safer.
"Where'd you go today?" he asked suddenly. She shifted and looked at him.
"No where. I hung around here all day."
He stared at her, long and hard. His gray eyes were fixed on her, making her feel trapped. Suddenly, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her up quickly and grabbed the other wrist.
"How do I know you're not lying?" he whispered threateningly. She stared back at him, cold and hard.
"I. Am. Not. Lying," she said, stressing every syllable.
"You've done it before."
"That was once."
"It still counted."
"Why are you acting like you own me?!" she raved, trying to pull away from his grasp unsuccessfully.
"Someone's gotta watch you... you don't have anyone else."
"YOU DON'T OWN ME!" she shouted, and yanked herself away from him. He grabbed her again, this time ensuring bruises where his hands rested.
"LIKE HELL I DON'T!" he shouted back and then slapped her across the face.
***End Dream/Flashback***
Madeline woke up, shaking violently, her breath coming in desperate gasps. The brunette sat up on her cot. She felt hot tears splashing down her cheeks, making her shake even harder.
"Madeline, are you okay?" Zero asked. He was just a half a foot away from her, concern etched into his face. She couldn't find her voice and just nodded.
"B-B-Bad dr-dream," she stammered and gave him a weak smile. He didn't return it.
"You were talking in your sleep."
"What? What did I say?"
"You said 'That was only once' and kept saying 'no, no, no,' over and over again."
She froze and suddenly felt very cold. Zero placed his hand on top of her's gently. Another surge of electricity went through her, warming her instantly.
"Are you sure you're okay? You're scaring me," he said quietly. She looked down at their hands briefly and then back at his brown eyes.
"Y-Yes... I'm ok. You don't have to worry about me, Zero. I'm perfectly fine," she reassured him. His face said that he didn't believe her, but he nodded and walked back over to his cot and crawled into it. Her hand immediately felt cold without his touch. She sighed a shuddery sigh and just slid back under the sheet, trying to get some sleep before the bugle sounded again.
***New York City***
"Come on Anna... we gotta get this done tonight!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Sheesh, don't pull a Madeline on me."
***
Another day, another hole. The next day had passed by in a blur for Madeline, nightfall coming quickly. Zero had waited for her again to finish digging. That was pretty much the highlight of her day.
It was about half an hour before lights out, so she decided to take a walk, wanting to clear her head.
She had soon lost track of time, though. Soon it was dark and she was still walking around. Madeline saw a small shape coming towards her. Once it got close enough, she recognized it as Zero.
"Hey... what are you doing out here?" she asked him, happy for some company.
"The guys were playing poker and they sent me to come get you. To tell you the truth I was kinda happy to... X and Armpit started fighting when I left."
She smiled, all her perfect teeth showing, making him smile back. The brunette sat down on the dirt, her feet dangling down into a nearby hole. She motioned for him to sit down beside her and he did.
"Do you ever wonder what would have happened to you if you hadn't been sent here?" she asked him. He shrugged.
"I don't know. I probably would of just done the same stuff I did before I came," he said softly, looking up at the sky.
"Yeah... me too," she said. Zero looked at her, their eyes locking. She bit her lip nervously, not really knowing what to do.
'Just let your heart take over for once,' she thought. He was still staring at her. Before either one of them had a chance to think, they were leaning in, their lips finally meeting. The kiss lasted for about three seconds before they broke apart, astonished at what they had just done.
"I'm sorry," Zero said. She shook her head.
"I'm not," she said truthfully, giving him a small smile. They leaned in again and kissed, this time longer.
Finally breaking apart, Madeline pushed a strand of hair beside her ear.
"We should be getting back," she said. "I personally don't want the rest of them to come looking for us."
He smiled and helped her stand up. They walked back to camp in silence, their hands interwoven together.
*~*
OOOO OOOO OOO THEY KISSED! Happy now Lizzy? :P Hehehe... I also left a lil cliffhanger in there... didja catch it? I know I'm so mean... mwuahahahahhahahahahahhahahaha!!!
R&R!!! ^_^
