Chapter Nineteen
"It was good of your Dad to let you have the car for the weekend."
I glanced in the rear view from the passenger seat and snorted at Violet's innocent comment.
She and Gordie were sat in the back seat of his Dad's Sedan, his arm wrapped about her. Gordie kicked the back of my chair and I muttered an 'ow' before Chris smirked across at me from the drivers seat.
Gordie's Mom didn't like to drive long distances after Denny's accident, so she and Mr Lachance had caught the train to Salem. This left the keys and the car available for Gordie and Chris to swipe. I think Gordie was always a little nervous about driving his old man's car because for some reason, he usually let Chris drive. Of course this time, it gave him the freedom to cuddle up with Violet in the back.
"So where have you told Ace you are this weekend?" Chris asked me, turning up the radio.
I shrugged. The truth was I had told Ace I was studying with Gordie for an English test and that I would probably stay over at the Lachance's on Saturday night. The lie was believable since I had been studying so hard that week. Ace hadn't liked it, I guess, but he hadn't argued either. I think sometimes he was glad to have his bachelor pad girl free for the night.
Gordie and Violet were whispering between themselves in the back and I glanced round at them, feeling a twinge of jealousy.
"What are you looking at?" I snapped, catching Chris' eye as he looked my way.
"What are you looking at?" He retorted. "Jeez, let them alone to make out."
He said this fairly loudly and it just went to show how engrossed Gordie and Violet were with each other since neither of them seemed to hear him.
"This so goes beyond the call of friendship," I grumbled, folding my arms and sinking down in my seat. "He gets to make out and I get stuck with you all weekend."
"We can make out if you want." His voice was so low I thought I misheard at first but then a grin started to creep over his face as a blush crawled across mine.
"Keep your eyes on the road, Chambers!" I snapped.
Chris settled back down in his seat, looking out across the golden fields before his eyes came to rest again on the tarmac road.
"Man, I haven't been camping in years," he said, resting his tanned forearms on the steering wheel. I forced myself not to admire the muscles bulging under his t shirt sleeves.
"I hate camping," I grumbled. "All the bugs, and the uncomfortable sleeping, and the cold- boy I hate the cold."
"It's sweltering today. I can see you're gonna be a real bundle of joy," he said sarcastically. "Why bother coming?"
"I was doing a buddy a favour," I said through gritted teeth.
Chris smirked at me.
"Sure that's why you came."
"It is actually! And why the hell did you come, huh?"
Chris smirked again, this time more widely.
"I was doing a buddy a favour."
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We ended up in Eugene, about 30 miles away from Castle Rock. Eugene was a big rural town, filled with woodland and open space, the perfect place to go camping.
Chris parked Mr Lachance's Sedan and we cut through some woods into a wide open field.
"Here looks good," Gordie said, climbing over the ancient wooden fence and then reaching out to help Violet over.
Chris hopped over the fence effortlessly then looked back at me. I tossed my bag after him and imitated his action almost perfectly, landing on the grass beside him.
"Did you think I needed help?"
"No, I was kinda hoping you'd fall on your ass and I'd get to watch."
Violet giggled.
"Are you two always like this?"
"Yes,"Gordie sighed. "Come on, let's set up camp."
Gordie and Violet got to put up the tent which left me and Chris on firewood duty. The two of us wandered to the bottom of the field, over the back fence and into a wooded lot which was dominated by a bubbling stream.
"So how's the new job working out?" Chris already had a large pile of twigs and branches in his arms. I stooped to pick some up as well and shrugged.
"Okay."
Truth was, every single bone in my body hurt. Friday night was nothing like Wednesday or Thursday had been. Despite Fran asking me to start the following week, Clarissa had stayed off sick leaving the diner short staffed. So I had volunteered to step in.
"It gets easier, you know." Chris' bright blue eyes were unwavering. "The aches and pains are an asshole to begin with but they ease up."
Damn. He must have seen me moving so stiffly, I realised.
"What about you?" I asked. "How's it going at Walmart?"
"I'm getting by," he said.
I knew getting by meant he was struggling. My shift was only until 11pm and I was exhausted. Chris wasn't finishing until 2am, and where as I got to sit down when it was quiet, he was humping boxes for the entire shift.
"I need to get back by a decent time on Sunday," Chris said. "I need to read the three chapters for history class Monday."
I shrugged.
"I could tell you what's in them."
I felt his eyes on me even as I walked away, the fire wood in my arms. He hurried to catch up with me and then threw me an approving look.
"You read them already? When did you get time? I thought you were working last night."
" I was. I read a chapter at Gordie's before I went to work. I read the other two when I got back to Ace's. Couldn't sleep."
His smile was soft.
"So you figured your history book might make you sleepy?"
"No, I figured that history class- and all my other classes- just might get me into college if I pay attention."
The soft smile turned into an all out grin.
"You got no idea how good that is to hear." His expression was almost paternal.
"Well, I don't wanna be a waitress for the rest of my life."
"I don't know," he smirked. "You look damn hot in your uniform."
I bumped him hard, just as his foot hit uneven ground. In a bid to keep his balance he dropped the branches he was carrying.
"Good job, klutz."
"Klutz would imply I did that by accident."
I was only a few feet ahead of him when I heard his footsteps. Tossing a look over my shoulder, I saw him starting towards me with a menacing expression on his face. I backed up a step, turned around and started to run. The wood I was carrying was slowing me down so I tossed it aside and picked up my speed. In just two seconds, Chris had leapt for me, pulling me down into the long grass. I wriggled in his grasp, turning so we were nose to nose, my back flat on the grass, his hands closed around my wrists.
"You better apologise, Willis." His tone was teasing but I wasn't laughing. I could feel his warm breath on my face, see the smoothness to his cheeks, the redness of his lips and all I could remember was how he had kissed me under the streetlight just a couple of days ago.
Chris saw my serious expression and instantly let go of my wrists.
"Did I hurt you?"
I shook my head. Then I reached up, pressed my lips against his, and pulled him back down onto the grass. He was stunned. It took him a few seconds to respond but then he kissed me back with the same urgency I was kissing him.
I shivered as he nudged me onto my side, laying beside me and stroking my hair at the nape of my neck. His hands went under the back of my t shirt and he pulled me closer to him, kissing me softly and nipping gently at my lower lip. My hands went under his shirt then. I ran my fingers across his muscular stomach, the smooth skin sliding softly underneath my touch.
His hands came out from behind my shirt and came to the waist band of my jeans, plucking gently at the zipper before he suddenly halted abruptly. He sat up, gasping for air, while I stared up at him in confusion. "We can't do this," he said. He looked troubled. "We can't, it's not right."
I didn't care what he thought was right or wrong- I knew that it felt right when his lips were on my own. I tried to pull him back down towards me but he disentangled himself from my grasp.
"What the hell is your problem?" I snapped irritably. "You started this, now you don't wanna finish it?"
I could feel angry tears in the corner of my eyes and seeing this, he tried to reach out and hug me.
"Just get away from me, Chambers. If you don't want to then fine. I'm done here too."
I saw him grit his teeth before he lunged back towards me, pinning my arms back to the ground like he had the first time. His face came threateningly close to mine and I wonder if I looked as good to him as he did to me.
"You know I want to. And I did start this. If you want to finish it, then end it with Ace. End it with Ace and I will kiss you like this all day every day."
I was practically drooling as he loomed over me, the sun beaming down on us. I opened my mouth to say something when Gordie's voice suddenly scared the shit out of both of us.
"Chris! Nina! Where are you guys?"
Chris stood up quickly.
"Over here." His voice was completely calm where as I could scarcely get my breath back. I lay in the overgrown grass, panting like an idiot and hoping Gordie couldn't see me.
"Well, I need some help putting the tent up," Gordie answered. "Where's Nina?"
"Just getting some wood down near the stream. Come on, I'll help you, you pussy. You never could put up a tent."
The boys began to banter back and forth, their voices becoming more distant while I lay staring numbly up at the blue sky and wondering when I had become so desperate to feel Chris Chamber's lips.
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Gordie and Violet were sickening together. They sat by the camp fire holding hands and making out. She giggled and giggled and he smiled at every dumb thing she said.
"Jesus, get a room,"I groaned as they began to kiss for the umpteenth time. Violet pulled away, embarrassed, and Gordie glared at me.
"What?" I said. "Come on, overload on the PDA."
Gordie opened his mouth to respond but Violet nudged him.
"Nina's right. We came here to hang out with everyone. How about a game of truth or dare?"
My eyes met Chris' over the camp fire.
"No, that's lame," I said quickly.
"How is it lame?" Gordie retorted. "Come on, you wanna do something, let's play truth or dare. Nina, your turn. Truth or dare."
I rolled my eyes.
"Whatever. Truth."
"Okay. Asides Ace, if you had to sleep with anyone in Castle Rock, who would it be?"
I opened and closed my mouth like a fish while willing myself not to look at Chris.
"Huh? That's a stupid question. Nobody. I'll take a dare."
"A dare, huh?" Gordie was smirking as he thought up an evil plan but it was meek and mild Violet White that spoke next.
"I dare you to kiss Chris."
Chris' eyes met mine over the camp fire again and I shook my head vehemently.
"Not a chance in hell."
It looked as though Chris wanted to laugh as my supposed best friend Gordie jumped on the bandwagon.
"Uh, uh, uh, Willis. You turned down a truth, you can't turn down a dare. Answer one or do the other. Your choice."
"This is ridiculous-" I started but with three pairs of eyes on me, I finally threw up my hands. "Okay, okay, who would I sleep with after Ace in Castle Rock?"
I don't know why I said it. It was the only name I could think of beyond Chris' at that particular time and even though I felt no romantic attachment to this person I could see my response pissed Chris off no end.
"Uh- Eyeball, I guess."
Violet's eyes went wide. Gordie guffawed loudly. But Chris- he looked like I'd punched him in the stomach and I couldn't even explain to him why I'd said it.
"Well, I mean, if it had to be someone- not like I think Eyeball is hot or anything-"
"Yeah, yeah. I worry about you Nina. I think you're taking this whole Cobra groupie thing too far." Gordie was rubbing his hands together. "Whose next? Chris? Truth or dare?"
"Dare," Chris said coldly. He wouldn't even meet my eyes.
"Alright, well I dare you, to go into the cow field, and get tipping some of those old Daisy's."
"What's that mean?" Violet looked confused but I knew just what Gordie meant. He wanted Chris to go into the dark field two fields over and push over the cows who were sleeping standing up. It scared them something stupid.
"Fine. Whatever. Who's gonna come be look out? Gordie?"
"Nina, you go," Gordie said. "Make sure he does the job."
Chris was already striding away and I kinda got the feeling Gordie was trying to get rid of us so he could be alone with Violet. I didn't care. It gave me a chance to catch up to Chris.
"Chris, listen-" I tried to take his arm and he shrugged it off. "Look, what I said didn't mean anything."
"It never does, does it, Nina? You say Ace looks after you but you let me kiss you. You say you're Ace's girl but you kiss me. You would rather people think you like Richie over me."
"Oh, come on, I just said that because I didn't want Gordie to know-"
"But why?" Chris snapped. "He's your best friend. You tell him everything else and he doesn't even like Ace. Why wouldn't you tell him that you like me?"
"I-I don't know, okay? You're reading too much into this!"
"Whatever." Chris was over into the next field and striding across it before I could say anything else. I ran behind him, trying to catch him up while he strode off, not looking back. As soon as he was over the next fence and into the farmers field he quickly and systematically shoved over the three nearest cows. They all hit the ground with a thud, mooing pathetically as they did so. I didn't get what was funny about it. I felt kind of bad for the cows.
Chris was striding across the field towards the rest of the herd. His boots thudded over the grass as I raced after him.
"Chris, c'mon, don't be mad." I caught the back of his shirt.
"Why would I be mad? Because you're ashamed of me? Because you won't drop the boyfriend who treats you like dirt? Or because you'd rather say you liked a Cobra, my brother, your boyfriend's best friend, than say you like me?"
"Would you just-"
Bang! The sound of gun shot literally made me jump on the spot. We heard the farmer yelling just a second later, and Chris shoved me in the opposite direction of what we'd come hissing 'run!' as the farmer's yelling grew nearer.
I ran. I ran on my already tired legs on fear repeatedly tugged me along, dragging me in front of him as the farmer drew nearer. It was dark but there was little cover in the open field and as another shot rang out behind us, it took all I had not to scream.
"Quick, the barn!" To the left of us, I saw an old rickety building and the two of us thundered towards it. My chest was screaming in protest and the last thing I heard from Chris was him telling me to hide before we scuttled off in different directions. I hid behind a huge bale of hay trying to steady my breathing, hoping against hope that the farmer would run on by. Luck was not on my side.
I heard the door creak as the farmer entered, torch in one hand, loaded shotgun in the other. I wished to hell that my heart would stop pounding so loudly and my loud breathing would quieten down. It's all in your head, I told myself. You're just being paranoid.
But when I opened my squeezed tight eyes and came face to face with the barrel of the shotgun I knew I was being every bit as loud as I thought I was.
The farmer fixed me with a hard glare as I froze under the nose of the gun.
"I-I-"
"Get out here!" I had never had a gun pointed at me before and I think it was the most scared I had ever been.
I stood up, my legs almost buckling beneath me, and the farmer a toothless balding man with a cruel face, lowered his gun in surprise when he realised I was girl.
"What in the hell do you think you were doing to my cows?"
"I-Uh- it was just a prank," I stammered. My eyes darted round the shadowy barn in search of Chris but I could see nothing.
"A prank, huh? You might have damaged my damn cows. How funny is that? How funny is it?" He reached out and grabbed my shoulder, hauling me towards the door of the barn. We moved about three feet before Chris leapt out at us, knocking both me and the farmer to the ground. The gun skittered across the barn floor and I managed to roll away while Chris and the farmer wrestled frantically.
As I scrambled to my feet, the farmer just managed to pin Chris down and began slugging him across the face. Looking round desperately, I spotted a shovel that was leaned against the wooden wall and raced over to grab it. Rushing back, I slammed it down as hard as I could over the farmer's head. The noise it made turned my stomach and I dropped the shovel with a clatter. The farmer groaned and slackened his grip on Chris, who rolled out of the way just as the the man hit the ground.
"Are you okay?" I asked breathlessly. Chris didn't answer. He already had the gun in his hand and expertly released the four remaining bullets into his open palm. Throwing the bullets towards the back of the barn into the darkness, he dropped the gun at the farmer's feet, grabbed my arm and propelled me out of there.
We didn't run towards Gordie and Violet. The field was too open and a light had come on in the farmhouse. Instead, we ran into the undergrowth on the opposite side, running and running until we were deep in woodland.
Finally, I couldn't run anymore. I leaned over, heaving and gasping while Chris did the same beside me. Just as I was beginning to get my breath back, I felt Chris grip my arm tightly and pull me upright.
"Never- EVER- do anything like that again!" He was shaking, his eyes wild. I wrenched my arm away.
"Me? you're the one who tipped the cows and decided to jump a farmer holding a gun."
"I wasn't letting him take you out of that barn into a dark field. But that's not what I'm talking about. You should have run. I can take care of myself."
"You didn't look like you were doing too swell of a job, " I said sarcastically.
"Nina!" He was yelling at me now. "Don't you ever risk yourself for me, okay? Not ever. Damn it, I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you!"
"Chris, I'm okay." I touched his cheek gently and he closed his eyes, resting against my hand before closing his own hand around it and pulling me towards him.
I nestled against his chest while he rained kisses on my hair.
"I have never been so scared in my whole damn life as when I saw that asshole pointing the gun at you." He kissed my hair again. "I could never let anybody hurt you."
I tilted my head to look up at him and he looked down, his eyes full of temptation. Chris didn't have a liar's face. It was clear to see that he was struggling with his conscious.
I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips against his. After what felt like an eternity he tightened his arms about me and kissed me back.
"Let's not go back to camp" I whispered to him. "Let's stay here. Just me and you."
Chris smoothed back my hair, taking my face in his hands.
"We can stay on one condition, Nina. When we get home, you finish it with Ace. I'm not fooling around."
I smiled up at him, enjoying his body heat, and even the way he was wrinkling his brow in seriousness.
"Okay," I told him, and I meant every word. "As soon as we get back tomorrow, I'll tell him we're done."
I felt his whole body relax against me and the next time our lips met, I knew that was it. I knew this time neither of us would stop.
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