by R. K. Weir
Eyeing me for a second, she moves from the door and leans up to kiss me. It’s so abrupt that it throws me off guard completely.
"What are you doing?" I ask, placing a hand on her chest and holding her back. She looks up at me with half-shut eyes, a smirk glued to her plump lips.
"Well I woulda gone for your friend, but it doesn't look like she swings that way." Her smirk grows.
I hold my expression and she sighs.
"Look, I ain't looking for anything serious here, just sex," she explains, reaching a hand towards the bottom of my shirt and giving it a playful tug. "We're two adults with needs. That's all this is."
Her shoulders slump as she sees me looking unconvinced. "Plus you heard that girl, there's a horde coming. We could die tomorrow." She slips a hand beneath my belt, her eyes dancing with mischief. "All the more reason, to make the most of today."
I pause for another moment, unsure but making no move to stop her.
"Don't you wanna have sex with me?"
The words are like a spell, because in the next instant her body is against mine and my hands have already found themselves down her back. Her fingers tangle themselves in my hair as we tear each other's clothes off and move towards the bed.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Stella
A sigh, inaudible to him, bleeds from my lips as I step out from the hall and into the hazy light of the setting sun. Joey follows closely behind me, almost stepping on my heels as I stop to appreciate the horizon. An explosion of purples and oranges all muddle together as the ball of white slowly descends behind the distant mountains.
The air is thick against my skin, still warm despite the approach of night. But it is quiet, peaceful even.
I wish it were like this all the time. . .
Joey bumps into me, craning to look in the direction my gaze was set. I step aside, my teeth gritting in irritation. The sooner he shows me to my room, the better. He takes my place and leans up, looking out across the horizon.
"What are you looking at?" he asks, his head bouncing between me and the sky. I narrow my eyes at him before letting out a low breath. Shaking my head, I smooth out the lines of my face. It isn't worth getting worked up over something so small.
"I was looking at the sunset," I tell him. His brows furrow as he looks out at the hills.
"Oh, right," he says with a nod, scratching at his arm. I glance down as his nails dig in at the vicious itch, leaving long, red marks trailing up and down the skin of his forearm. He notices me staring and stops. Pulling his arms behind his back he gives a smile as I meet his eyes. "You like the . . . sky?"
Brows knitting together, I stare at him for a moment before replying. "I guess. . ."
His hand reaches up to rub the back of his neck as he nods, an awkward grin replacing his usual smirk. "Oh, yeah, me too! I love the sky!"
Pursing my lips, I widen my eyes and give him a nod, not knowing how else to react. He stares at me for a moment before throwing his hand out in an ungraceful gesture.
"Let's get going shall we?" he says, giving his arm another scratch.
I nod and follow after him as he begins walking. After a few minutes of silence, he begins talking again. Pointless things, where he grew up, what kind of pets he had. I nod along, pretending to listen. My eyes travel around the area as we walk through the grounds of the school, making notes of wide spaces and areas where I could jump the fence. I'm so engrossed in my strategic planning that I barely hear him ask me a question.
I look towards him, one of his brows arched and waiting.
"Hmm?" I murmur, completely oblivious to what he has said.
"Are you okay?" he repeats, his brow shooting down in a more concerned fashion.
"Yeah, fine," I nod, looking back out at the fence and wondering if I would be able to jump it in one swift motion, or if I would have to dig the tip of my shoe into one of its holes.
"I know it's pretty scary, with the horde and everything, but Aaron's a smart guy. Arrogant, but smart. He'll think of something," he tells me as we walk up a small set of stairs to a block of classrooms right next to the fence. I shoot him a smile and nod, wondering if it's a positive or negative being this close to the fence.
"Anyway, this classroom is yours," he says, leaning forward and opening the door. "There's already a bed and everything inside."
"Thanks," I smile, stepping inside and glancing around the room. The walls are covered in posters, most of them reading Shakespeare's most famous quotes, others detailing the proper use of grammar. At the back wall beneath a dirty white board lies a bunch of cushions pushed together, a single blanket crumpled on top of them.
"My room is right next door, so if you need anything, just ask," Joey says.
I frown as he steps out from the doorway. I’m not entirely surprised that he has given me the room right next to his. In fact, I should have known to expect it. Turning away with a simple nod and a roll of my eyes, I hear him take a step out, before quickly coming back. I turn around to find him leaning inside, a concoction of emotions leaving him with a puzzled look.
"Hey, if you like the sky, I could show you something pretty cool?" The words tumble out quickly, a smirk finding itself on his lips at the end in an effort to gain a semblance of confidence. I repress a sigh and glance at the mound of cushions, yearning to lie down. I look back at him, the answer ready in my eyes. He quickly adds, "You’ll like it, I promise."
I sigh, audibly this time, but nod nonetheless, too tired to argue. "Okay."
"Awesome," he smirks, "lemme just do some stuff in my room and I'll be right out." He disappears from my doorway, the sound of a door opening and closing following his departure.
I step towards the tempting pile of cushions, yearning for sleep. Swaying forward threateningly, I just manage to pull myself back. If I lay down now, there's no way that I'll be getting back up anytime soon. In an effort to keep myself awake I begin pacing around the room, analyzing the many pictures that line the wall. I stop at a poster of Othello, trying to remember the events of the play.
Scenes muddle together as clouds in my memory. I let them fade after a few moments, deciding it pointless. Stepping out from the classroom I glance down the hall at the other three rooms on my right, and then up at Joey’s on the end at my left. Closing my door, I lean against it for a few more minutes, staring out the window at the darkening sky.
I tap my foot, and peel away chips of paint sticking out from the wall, like hands willing to be held. Turning and resting my head against the door, I sigh as I wait another few minutes. When nothing happens, I step towards his door and twist the handle, pushing it open.
"Joey how muc—"
I cut myself off as he throws a table over and frantically stuffs something down the front of his pants.
"Jesus, Stella!" he shouts, grabbing the blanket from his bed and throwing it over the upturned table, his other hand still held down his pants.
Eyes wide I jump back, away from his room and back into the hall, pulling his door shut with a slam. Oh my god.
Was he?
No. . .
He was hiding something, down his pants. . . I shudder, just thinking of the awkward memory. I knew this was a bad idea. With a cringe, I struggle to think of what I should do. Do I wait for him to come out, or do I just go to bed? Before I have time to contemplate further, his door creaks open a slit, before pulling open completely. He stands hunched in the doorway, his flushed face focused on the ground.
"I don't kno—" he begins, but I cut him off.
"Please tell me I did not just walk in on you masturbating." His eyes widen and his jaw falls slack as he looks up to meet my gaze.
"What? No!" he gasps, the pink tinge under his eyes disappearing completely as a redder blush overcomes his features. "I-I-I was just," he stutters, but stops as a door down the hall creaks open.
We both turn to look, and find Gale, the skinny man from the bus sticking his head out from his room.
"I . . . heard shou
ting," he mutters quietly, his gaze flickering between the two of us. "Is everything alright?"
I turn back to Joey, reevaluating what “alright” could entail. Before I reply, Joey does.
"Everything's fine, Gale, thank you," he says with an irritated tone, his eyes picking a spot on the ground and rooting themselves there. With a small nod, Gale watches us for another moment before retreating back into his room, closing his door quietly.
After a moment of tense silence, Joey breathes out a sigh, but keeps his eyes on the ground. "Can we just forget about this? And I'll show you what I wanted to show you?"
Suddenly it clicks, and I find myself gawking at him. "You dirty creep!"
"What?" he asks bewildered, looking up at me.
"You wanted to show me 'something cool' and then I find you with your hand down your pants!" I take a step back, tempted to punch him. With his eyes wide he begins waving his hands about, stuttering furiously that I have it all wrong.
"I swear to God that's not what was happening! I promise!" The conviction of his words and the fear etched into his face has me believing him. Lifting my shoulders, I take in a deep breath and try to calm myself somewhat. But I quickly let them slump back down, too tired to deal with anything more.
"I think I'm just gonna go to bed," I tell him, beginning to turn back towards my door. His hand shoots out, grabbing my elbow. I freeze and look back at him with a scowl.
"Please just let me show you what I wanted to show you! It'll only take a minute." His eyes plead with mine. "Please?"
My shoulders slacken as I sigh, glancing up at the ceiling and praying for the patience I need to deal with him. I look back at him and shrug his hand off of me. "Fine," I mutter through gritted teeth, "let's just get this over with."
He visibly relaxes as he steps back and closes his door, gesturing for me to walk outside. I look at him skeptically before leaving the building, walking down the small steps and waiting for him at the bottom.
"I-uh . . . I was just—" I wave my hand out, effectively cutting him off.
"I don't wanna know," I tell him. With a simple nod he walks forward, his hands visibly shaking. Taking in another breath I follow after him, trying to shake away the awkward air surrounding us. "So where are we going?" I ask.
He turns back, a smile twitching at his lips, unsure of whether to stay. "I'll show you."
Brows netting together in uncertainty, I follow him wordlessly as he leads me round the side of the hall and towards a large patch of grass. I can almost imagine the masses of school kids that used to run wild across it. He steps off the concrete path, his shoes disappearing in the knee-high weeds. I pause at the edge, hesitant of any snakes or other animals, but quickly brush the fear away. It's been an eternity since I've seen an animal, even a rat.
Joey walks towards the middle of the school oval and drops down into the grass. He lies on his back and looks up at the sky, the weeds almost enveloping him completely.
"This is it?" I ask, staring down at him.
"That's it." With his hand resting atop his chest, his index finger lifts up and points towards the sky.
Looking up, I suddenly find it hard to breathe. My eyes linger among the stars, studded against the velvet backdrop of the night. Dazzled, but not by the sky, I find myself hating the stars and hating Joey for bringing me out here. Not because he's done anything wrong, but because this situation is so familiar that I can't help but think of the last person who took me out to see the stars and how much more beautiful they were then. They didn’t look any different, but they somehow felt different, because I was with Max, my boyfriend, curled up in the back of his red pickup truck.
"It's beautiful," I breathed, letting my head fall back on his arm.
"You like it?" Max asked, squirming to see my expression.
Millions of stars, twinkled, like diamonds against the satin sheet of night. Some bright, others dim, but all shining brilliantly. The clouds rolled over them like dark waves while the light of the moon accentuated their curves and grace. Like a sequin dress, or a vivid dream, the night sky was alive with tiny jewels.
"I've never seen so many stars before," I mumbled, too entranced by their beauty to speak at a normal volume.
He propped himself up and smiled down at me, his grey eyes light against the moonlight. "That's because you've never been out of the city before."
I squirmed slightly, finding a more comfortable position against the metal floor of his truck. Sensing my discomfort, he pulled a pillow closer and tucked the blanket against me, his eyes never leaving mine.
"Why aren't you looking at them?" I asked, finally pulling my eyes away from the dark sea to look at him. He grinned down at me, his eyes dancing with the reflection of mine.
"Because I have something much prettier to look at." Leaning down, slowly, his lips lowered to mine. I waited with a racing heart, until finally, tenderly, his lips brushed against mine. Soft and supple, they pressed down, the stars watching over us. He pulled back, his eyes so intense that I didn't think anyone would ever look at me the same way again.
And I know that I will never look at anyone the same way I looked at him, or feel the same way I felt about him. Glancing back down at Joey, a frown at my lips, I find myself feeling sadder than I've felt in a long time.
"I think . . ." I mutter, "I think I'm just gonna go to bed."
He leans up from the grass, pushing long strands away from his face. "You don't like it?"
I shake my head. "No, no it's not that, it's just. . ." I glance up again and feel the familiar stroke of that distant memory, brushing softly against the forefront of my mind. I feel Max’s arms around me and how warm he was and how he smelled like freshly mown grass and I just can't stand to look at the stars any longer. I look back down at Joey who's waiting patiently, the blue of his wide eyes almost completely hidden in the dark. I shake my head, pushing the memory away. "It doesn't matter."
Joey frowns, his gaze dropping to the grass. He opens his mouth to respond but stops short, his eyes catching something behind me. I turn quickly to see a dark figure, trudging across the oval towards us. Their legs pull up high over the blades of grass as they maneuver through the field, their movements unlike that of an infected. Settling slightly, I wait as they approach.
Slowly, the moonlight ignites the figures face, revealing Aaron, his features painted grim.
"Stella," he nods, before glancing down at Joey in the grass, "Joey. I thought I saw you two walk out here." His gaze lingers on Joey.
"What do you want, Aaron?" Joey asks, slumping back down in the grass and almost disappearing in the fields embrace.
"A favor actually," he sighs, his focus turning towards me, "from Stella."
I repress a frown. Favors are never good, they involve a risk of some kind, usually a dire one. I stare back at him, the grim expression on his face earlier only serving as an amplitude to the dread I feel now. Seeing no way out of this conversation, I raise a brow and wait for him to continue.
"I thought of a plan to lead the horde away, but it requires everyone doing their part to help." His eyes flicker towards Joey, but only for a second. "We have fireworks, all I would need you to do is drive out and light them. Spark one every few minutes to keep their attention and draw them towards you."
I scoff. "That's a suicide mission! As soon as I light one the runners will go crazy!"
He waves his hands out. "Not a suicide mission, you'll have our fastest car, and you can take someone with you."
"If it's not a suicide mission why don't you do it then?" I ask.
He sighs. "Like I said, everyone has their part to play. This is the only way I can think of utilizing everyone in case things go wrong."
"Oh, so while I'm out their risking my life, everyone back here will be packing up and ready to go in case I fail?" I shake my head, scowling at him. He returns my scowl with a glare of his own.
"Look," he says, his voice harsh. "Truth is, no one is willing to do it—"
&n
bsp; "I wonder why!" I say. He pauses, his eyes darkening from the interruption.
"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this," he growls, "but you owe us!"
My jaw falls open as I stare at him, my hands curling into fists at my sides. "Excuse me?"
"Rocket brought you here where we've given you shelter, food and helped fix your friend's leg! If you're unwilling to pay us back, then feel free to get out!" he yells, throwing a finger out towards the fence.
I stand, my feet rooted to the spot as I glare back at him, my chest rising with each heavy breath. My lips form a tight line as I struggle to form a response. With narrowed eyes, I throw a glance towards the fence before looking back at him. I've survived out there this long, I can do it again.
"Fine," I spit, turning on my heel.
"Fine as in you'll do it?" Aaron asks, stepping forward.
I glance back. "Fine as in I'll leave."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Logan
Rocket's body is pressed close to mine beneath the blanket. We both lie still, panting lightly, a thin sheen of sweat covering the both of us and shining in the rays of moonlight that seep in from the open window. Even the orange color of her hair is subdued in the night, glowing softly against the white sheets and her dark skin. Drifting in and out of sleep, I almost don't notice the sound of a knock.
Our attention turns towards the door. I ignore it, choosing to stare back up at the ceiling, reveling in my unperturbed state.
"You should probably get that," Rocket whispers, "could be important."
Sighing, I lie still for another moment before pulling the blanket away. Even with the crutch under my arm it's a struggle to pull my pants on, and in the time it has taken me I'm hopeful that whoever is at the door has gotten bored and left. But they knock again, this time louder. Zipping up my fly I move towards the door, more than a little irritated.
Unlocking it, I swing it open to find Stella, a frown on her lips. Her eyes widen for a moment before narrowing as she looks me up and down, her nose scrunching.
