CHAPTER EIGHT
"Chris," I murmured, nodding to the side. "We have an audience." He looked to find Vern gaping, Teddy snickering, and Gordie rolling his eyes. Again.
"Took ya long enough, Chambers," Teddy grinned but I felt my eyes narrow.
"You didn't help," I muttered, trying to sit up but Chris wouldn't move. When I looked back up at him, he smirked.
"Excuse me," Teddy folded his arms. "We left you here."
"Yeah but to do that?" Vern demanded, causing me to laugh, burying my face in Chris's neck as I did so.
"Can I have one?" I questioned, looking up at Chris, who cocked an eyebrow.
"You want Vern?" Nodding, I couldn't help laughing more when he pulled back.
"I want one," I reiterated. "Meaning: he's adorable."
"Hey!" Vern protested but Chris smirked, catching my lips once more. "That's disgusting!"
"Vern," the boys laughed, shaking their head and pushing him playfully. They started making a fire, with me watching from my sleeping bag. I had Chris on one side and Teddy on the other. It would be an interesting evening, that was guaranteed.
"So," I blow out slowly, looking around. "What're we going to do?"
"You still got Ace's knife?" Teddy questioned, tilting his head in a way that concerned me a little.
"Yeah," I said slowly, glancing at Chris who shrugged. "Why?"
"Give it here." He held out his hand, and I licked my lips, giving it to him. Grinning, he started off where they'd gone to get wood and I found my eyebrow rising slightly. "Well, are you guys coming, or what?"
"Teddy-."
"Live a little, Gordie," Teddy cackled, beckoning us to follow. Sighing, I stood, noticing that Chris lingered a little, as if waiting for me and I couldn't help smiling a little but directed my focus on the floor. Teddy led us a little further in the woods and when he stopped, I looked around a little but I my gaze snapped over to Chris when I felt him stiffen.
"Ted," but Chris didn't continue. He looked uncomfortable. Actually, so did Gordie and Teddy. I let out an uneasy sigh, feeling a little awkward myself, especially because I felt like I didn't know something.
"C'mon," Teddy muttered, for the first time since I'd met him, seriously. He stepped forward, towards a tree behind a bunch of bushes but maneuvered around them so he was standing by the tree. Raising his hand, he stabbed the bark with Ace's knife, and I saw Gordie and Vern jump a little.
"What're you doing," Vern hissed but Teddy didn't respond, instead kept carving. Rubbing my arm, I peeked over at Chris to find his eyes on the ground; his fists balled. Looking forward again, I took a step back, breaking away from the group as I made my way back to where we'd set up camp. Obviously, they weren't telling me something. It seemed private though, intimate almost. I felt like I was intruding just standing there with them. Sighing, I picked up a stick as I poked the low flames of the pathetic fire the boys had started. Twigs snapped and I found I couldn't even look away from the mesmerizing glow. I stabbed at the mass once again, the corners of my mouth curling up as the orange-yellow jumped higher.
"Corey?" I jerked, glancing back to find that Chris had returned and let out a shaky laugh. "You alright?"
"Caught up," I murmured, my eyes flickering back to the fire before I walked around it to my sleeping bag but felt something tug me back. Turning again, I found Chris watching me, as if he were searching for something. My head fell to the side gently. "What?"
"You sure you're okay?" he persisted and I laughed, smiling as I nodded to assure him.
"I just zone out, thinking," I told him, patting his shoulder. "No big deal." His eyebrow rose as he regarded my hand. I looked too, confused by his expression but he grinned, wrapping his arms around my waist. Leaning closer, I felt his breath against my lips and inhaled sharply, but it wasn't uncomfortable by any means.
"Ahem," someone coughed and I peaked over his shoulder to find a red-faced Gordie, bashfully glancing to the side, as if to shade his view.
"Hey," I smiled, stepping around Chris who stood still for a second but turned as well.
"Ted and Vern are fighting," he muttered, briskly turning on his heel and I laughed, glancing at Chris who merely rolled his eyes, walking past me.
"Hey!" I protested, tugging on his forearm and he looked back at me. Pecking at his lips, I nuzzled my nose against his.
"What?" he murmured but I merely shook my head, the corners of my mouth curled up in amusement, moving to follow Gordie. "Corey!"
"Hiya boys!" I grinned down at the ball of boys before me and they momentarily stopped, looking up at me. Teddy pulled away from Vern, cautiously standing as he regarded me. "Whatchya doin'?"
"He took my candy bar," Vern said lamely and I couldn't help laughing, producing one from my pocket and throwing it to him.
"Well aren't we the pacifist," Gordie smirked and I felt my eyebrows narrow before I folded my arms, turning to find Chris, who laughed, scooping me up and carrying me back to the fire.
"You sound like a madman," I chuckled, lying against him as the others took their respective spots around the fire. As they started talking though, I felt my eyes drift shut, my arm over Chris's legs and his hand resting on my hip.
I awoke with a start, taking my surroundings before I remembered where I was and who I was with. Shaking my head, I sat up, stretching slightly and found Chris a few feet away, against a tree trunk, watching me. As I stood to walk over, blanket wrapped around my shoulders, I heard Gordie stir and stopped momentarily but continued after he'd stilled.
"You're a little creepy," I muttered, plopping down next to him and he chuckled, his arm draping over my shoulder. I made him lean forward, so that he was under the blanket too and rested my head in the crook of his neck, as our surroundings got a little lighter as time passed, until it was bright enough that the others woke up too. We're met with groggy faces and I stood, making my way back to my sleeping bag. Eventually we started gathering our things; after, we started to head back to town. It was still pretty early and I couldn't help smiling a little, glancing up at Chris, who's walking with his arm around my shoulder.
"So, you think when we get back," he started quietly, pulling me a little closer as he leant nearer to my ear, "we could see a movie or something?"
"Sure," I laughed, nodding and he grinned. My hand met his, intertwining my fingers with his, and we're quiet the rest of the walk home. He walked me up to my front door, lingering for a minute before looking back to Gordie, who's waiting in the street with his back to us.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" he questioned and I smiled, glancing down at my feet before nodding and his face lit up before he leant closer, pressing our lips together.
"Bye," I called after them, waving as I opened the door but paused at my lack of greeting. "Adam?"
"In here," he croaked and I took in a deep breath before proceeding. He was sitting at the kitchen table, his hands clasped in front of him, and he was staring at them. I took the seat beside him, putting my hand over his and shook them slightly, making him look up, a broken smile on his lips.
"What's wrong?" I inquired quietly, scooting closer. "Is it the store? D'we have to shut down?"
"No," he shook his head, pausing for a second, his eyes closed. "It's mum." My eyes widened and I took my hand away, sitting back in my chair.
"Did she have another stroke?" I asked, folding my arms, not even bothering to look at him anymore. "I'm sure she'll be alright; she's gotten through it before. She's not weak, ya know. She'll be fine, Adam, I'm sure of it."
"Corey," his soft tone forced me to stop, but I squeezed my eyes shut, leaning my forehead against the table as I let out a shaky breath. "She's gone."
"Right," I nodded, my chair screeched as I shoved it back and I stood with one hand on my hip, the other covering my mouth. "What happened?"
"Her body gave out," he stated, still very quiet. "The doctors were surprised she lasted this long; they didn't know how to help her."
"So they just let her die," I laughed in disbelief but he shook his head, reaching for my hand but I stepped back.
"Corey," he started but sniffed, shutting his eyes momentarily. "After the accident, I mean, we both knew it would happen."
"But now!" I yelled loudly, feeling my eyes dampen. "Now?"
"She couldn't exactly help it," he pointed out bitterly and I wrapped my arms around my torso, a sob escaping my body. His head snapped up, as if he weren't expecting this reaction and he stood, his arms tightly enclosed around me. I stood, leaning into my brother's embrace, crying my eyes out. Each tear that left my eyelashes seemed to pain me even more. "Corey?"
I couldn't answer.
He leant down, scooping up my legs as he made his way to my room, setting me on the bed, but crawled in beside me, crushing my face against his chest. But I didn't care. It felt like just as everything seemed to settle and I was happy, everything fell apart.
There was nothing I could do.
Nothing I could say.
It just happened.
A/N: Alright, again, super sorry that it's been so long; also sorry if you feel like it's not very good. I've had massive writer's block, which isn't an excuse, but again I apologize. If you're reading my other SBM story, I know it seems like big-ish events are happening at the same time, but it wasn't on purpose. Promise. Alright, well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter; I hope to post soon! Reviews are love! xx