Sailing Away

Chapter 5

Taylor heard footsteps, she looked up to see a disheveled Eric and Jory carrying Ian on a stretcher, and...Jackson. He looked so tired and upset, but he still looked really hot. She screamed his name loudly, startlingly him. He looked up at her in surprise as she rushed towards him, pulling him into a tight, bone-crushing hug. He didn't return the hug, just stood there stiffly, waiting for her to let go. Taylor pulled back, alarmed, what is with him? She stepped back uncertainly, tripping over a log as she backed up.

"Guys!" Lex cried, running into the clearing. He threw himself at Jackson, hugging him. Taylor watched angrily as Jackson hugged the small boy back. Daley followed closely, but her appearance was terrifying. Her red eyes were rimmed with tears, her clothes were mismatched and she looked tired. Nathan walked into the clearing a moment later. But instead of greeting them, he looked for Melissa, when he didn't see her, he started panicking.

Where's Melissa? Is she OK? Is she hurt? Is she...is she...?" Nathan couldn't say it, he couldn't suggest she was dead. Eric, Jory, Ian, and Jackson avoided eye-contact. They all knew that Nathan would not be to, thrilled at the fact that Melissa had sailed off, and that she might not be coming back. Nathan was getting more and more scared by the moment. They wouldn't look him in the eye, and he was afraid that she was...

Jackson couldn't let Nathan think his best friend was dead, so he answered Nathan's question. "No." Nathan looked at Jackson hopefully, his expression not looking as dead. "She's OK, or, she was last time I saw her. She and Abby sailed off in a boat we found." Nathan's dark face whitened. Lex felt like crying, the only thing that had kept him going was to know that Melissa might be coming back. She was one of the only people who didn't scoff at him when he acted smarter than the older kids.

Nathan sat down, he looked faint. He looked at Jackson. "Can we start from the beginning of the story?" He asked faintly. Daley looked around, finally noticing that Abby wasn't present. Not that she was disappointed, Daley felt quite a bit of resentment towards Abby. She was, after all the reason they had split up. Jackson nodded, signaling to the others to set Ian down. They obliged, then took a seat themselves, ready for Jackson to explain what had happened while they were gone.

--

Melissa was tired. There was huge bags of sleep beneath her eyes. She rubbed them tiredly, refusing to look at the ocean. It would just make her throw up again. She glanced at Abby, who was staring out at the ocean. She didn't seem to be too bothered by the endless carpet of blue in front of them. They didn't speak unless speech was needed. They fished for food and cooked them on the make-shift stove they had created. They boiled the sea water, it was disgusting, but they put up with it.

Melissa didn't know how long they had been at sea. It was a blend, a routine. Unmemorable. Boring. They didn't sleep well, didn't eat well, didn't interact. The sun beat down on them, and they took risks by jumping into the water from time to time. They didn't do that to often, it was too much of a risk to climb back into the boat. They didn't want to flip the boat over, then they would be in trouble. Melissa and Abby jumped at any sign of any movement, they always thought it could be help. Some type of helicopter or boat, some form of help.

--

Abby sighed. She was tired, not that she could let Melissa know. They weren't really friends anymore, not since she had returned to camp for the second time. She just felt that she couldn't really connect with Melissa anymore. She had had it easy at camp. Warm showers, enough food and water, no endless trekking across the island. She had been the one to live all that, and she didn't feel like talking to anyone who was such a goody-goody.

As Melissa sighed again, Abby frowned at her and opened her mouth to speak to her for the first time in...well she didn't know, she wasn't even sure how long they had been on that accursed boat. Not that she would ask Melissa, for that would involve speaking to her voluntarily.

"Do you mind not breathing so loudly?" Abby asked her annoyed. The look on Melissa's face and the fact that she was a pushover let Abby think that she could speak to her anyway she wanted. But she was wrong. Abby was dealing with a girl who's boyfriend, had a bitch trying to win his heart, and she might never see again. And since they had just become a couple before Melissa had left, and she was thinking nonstop about what could happen while she was on the boat...well you just don't want to annoy a girl like that.

"Shut up Abby. I'll breathe as loud as I fucking want." Melissa responded harshly. Abby looked up at her in surprise, not expecting to meet the fierce look that occupied Melissa's dark eyes. She glared at Abby, who in turn glared right back. But little Melissa was not in the mood for Abby picking on her. Abby's eyes widened in even more surprise, and she broke eye-contact with Melissa, turning her gaze back to the ocean.

Melissa suddenly found it hard to breathe. She had finally stood up for herself, maybe the kiss Jackson had given her. The fact that he felt the same way that she felt about him enthralled her. He was rubbing off on her, making her stronger. She could only hope it was him who was strong enough to resist Taylor.

Sorry it took so long to update!

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