Amber Eyes (23 page)

“Of course. I’m dangerous. I know. I won’t bother you anymore. I promise.”

I opened my mouth to explain the stuff about Yago, but decided otherwise. If Edward wanted to be dramatic and think he was the dangerous man I’d just referred to, be my guest. Edward deserved to feel tortured, he’d just earned it.

He walked into the tall grass dragging his feet, his arms lifeless by his sides, his head bowed. He talked in a whisper I could barely hear, “Follow me.”

I followed him four or five steps behind. From time to time, he’d glance over his shoulder, I presume to check whether I still followed him. I wanted his company only because I knew Yago would not dare to approach if Edward was with me, but nothing else. I didn’t want to see Edward ever again. I’d flee tomorrow. I’d take my money and stuff and travel back to Somerset and spend the rest of the week camping under Jenny’s porch until she came back. I hated Edward. I hated Daniel. I hated this little Boy Scout group of random no-ones. I hated Yago. I hated all Laura’s boyfriends. I hated men.

From time to time, I’d also glance over my shoulder, sure I’d just heard footsteps behind us, but not once did I see anybody after us.

At a fork, Edward took the right trail.

“Not that way,” I murmured.

He stopped in this tracks, glanced back and me and then hastily looked to the front. His tone sounded as devoid of emotions as mine had been. “I think this is the right way to our camp.”

I’d stopped too, standing five steps behind him. Through the dark sunglasses, his back appeared like a vague form in the night. The starlight could not reach us anymore. The trees had closed like a cathedral’s ceiling over us. “No it isn’t. I know this place.”

Edward started to turn towards me but refrained. “How do you know this place? You’ve never been here before.”

“I lived here. Trust me.”

The statement came out of my lips in the same natural way in which
Justin
had come out the previous night when Aaron had asked my name: like an accepted second nature. Like something already part of me. Yes, I’d lived here and so had Laura and Dad. They had celebrated Christmas together and Grandma had pictures of those celebrations in her living-room. That was the reason why I’d earlier felt that I’d come back home, because I indeed had. Only I’d forgotten it. I was between 3 and 4 years old when my dad died in that accident.

“That’s impossible,” Edward said.

“On the contrary. I lived here until I was four years old. I know this place by heart. Take the left trail.”

Edward shrugged but did as I told him. At the next crossroad, I told him to make a left again. After more time of silent hiking, we finally arrived to our camp. By that time, my feet were killing me, all muddy and cold.

Edward didn’t glance at me but collapsed by the campfire, which glowed in the darkness. He first stared at it and afterwards buried his head in his hands. In that position, he stood still like a statue.

I’d leave him alone until he’d go mad ruminating, ashamed about what he did do, but paying because of what he didn’t. He would pay for my humiliation.

July 4, 6:53 am

The next morning, I woke up to another earthquake caused by somebody shaking the tent.

“Wake up!” it was Jorge’s voice, not Edward’s. “It’s way too late.”

Daniel buried himself inside his sleeping bag. “Leave me alone, dude. What’s the damned hurry?”

“I want you guys outta here on the double,” Jorge insisted. “In your uniforms.”

Daniel stuck an unkempt head out of his sleeping bag—a red mane of frizzy curls. He scowled. “In our uniforms? Don’t screw with me, dude.”

Jorge opened the tent’s flap and stuck his head inside. He glared at Daniel. “Stop being a fool, Daniel. Today is the 4 of July. Abe’s old man will drive us to the parade. Any problem with that?”

Daniel stretched, yawned, and scratched his naked torso. He lifted his upper lip. “The parade, of course. I forgot. Excuse me for not being a smartass like Edward and you. That’s why you guys are our leaders.”

“Don’t be a smartass yourself, Daniel, and put your uniform on. You’re cooking breakfast again.”

“Me? That’s not fair. I cooked breakfast yesterday.”

“I know you did, that’s why I said
again
.” Jorge snapped two fingers. “Everybody out. We’re in a hurry. Don’t bother organizing the camp. Abe’s old man will bring us back in the evening after the fireworks. Don’t leave any money though. Just in case.”

Abe crawled out at once. I sat up with my dark sunglasses already resting on my nose. Daniel was kicking his way out of his sleeping bag, which ended up a shapeless heap of cloth at his feet. He was only wearing white briefs.
Eeew!

“
Wake up, wake up,
” he said, mimicking Jorge tone. “Can’t anyone rest in this damned camp?” He glared at me. “What are you looking at, dude?”

I’d been looking at his perfectly smooth, milky torso and arms, wondering whether he really shaved himself. I shrugged. “Nothing.”

I crawled out of the tent. Jorge’s warning about leaving our money in the camp had been uncalled for. I had no plans to leave my money here. Moreover, I had no plans to stay at all. Once in Abbeville, I’d take the first Greyhound back to Somerset. Yago still worried me—certainly, he had spent the night in one of the mansion’s bedrooms. I knew his intentions so to be safe, I needed to flee, making sure he wouldn’t realize I had. If a large crowd would really gather in Abbeville to celebrate the Fourth or July, it would be easy for me to slip away without Yago, or anybody else, noticing.

Once out of the tent, I got to my feet and I inhaled deeply, sucking the air not only down to my lungs, but down to my buttocks, absorbing the minty aroma wafting in the air. That very tang had led me to think, two days ago, that I’d just returned home. Now that I had to leave, I still wanted to breathe it in. Somehow, the aroma worked as a fuel to make me feel confident. I even wondered if I should stay here, but that was not an option. For some seconds, I dreamed of Jenny hugging me tight, which made me smile.

“Hurry up,” Jorge indicated me. “We’re in a sorta rush today.” He grabbed the tent’s pole and shook it again. “Daniel, I’m waiting.”

Daniel crawled out of the tent only wearing some faded blue jeans, unlaced sneakers, and no shirt—I could count his ribs. He scratched his tummy, pulled his jeans up to hide his butt crack, and yawned. Then he shoved me aside mumbling, “Out of my way, dumbass,” and strode toward the campfire. This time, he didn’t sway his hips as he’d done yesterday morning.

Edward was still sitting in the same position in front of the campfire where I’d left him, but the campfire had not died—he’d kept it alive the whole night, fueling it with wood logs. Daniel sat by him and placed a coffee kettle on the fire. Edward stared at Daniel’s white, bare chest, sighed, and fixed his eyes again on the flames.

Fifteen minutes later, Daniel had breakfast almost ready and I hadn’t come even close to Edward.

“Come here, loser,” Daniel called me. “I need your help.”

As I approached, Edward craned his neck. He fixed his gaze on me but then he looked elsewhere: at the sky, at the woods, anywhere but at me.

“Stop making a fool of yourself and take care of these eggs, dude. I’ll get some bread.” Daniel handed me a pan where he was already frying ham and eggs. There were so many they were overflowing from the pan. “And don’t mess it up! The ones you drop are part of your share, dude.”

When the eggs were ready, everybody sat around the campfire holding their plates. I walked around, serving each one. Edward had no plate.

“I’m not hungry,” he said.

“Yes, you are,” Jorge said. “Here, Justin, this is Edward’s plate.”

I took the plate, dishing what was left onto it. As I walked over to Edward, I suddenly tripped, thrusting the plate forward. It flew away from me, landing upside down. I ended up lying on my tummy and tasting dirt. Daniel guffawed and I felt my face hot. The main problem was that Edward’s share was ruined. “Rats!”

“Now you’ll need to give Edward your share, dumbass,” Daniel said, laughing.

“No.” Edward’s voice seemed to come from beyond the grave. Daniel’s laugher stopped. “I said I’m not hungry.”

“Hey, that’s not fair, dude!” Daniel’s pinched expression caught everybody’s attention. “You have to go without breakfast because Justin’s a loser?”

“I’m not hungry,” Edward insisted, desperation cringing into his voice.

“It’s not fair, dude. Leave this loser without his breakfast.”

“I’m not hungry!” Edward shouted. “Besides, you made him trip, Daniel. I saw you. If I was hungry, I’d make you give me your share.”

Daniel’s face blushed and even his milky torso turned reddish. Edward stood up and walked away toward the forest, dragging his feet. Five pairs of eyes followed him in utter silence.

As he walked away, I smiled. I still hated him because of what happened the previous evening and was glad that he was suffering, regretting what he’d done. However, seeing him so broken felt like a swarm of bees stinging my heart. The smile faded from my face and I looked down at my plate, suddenly not hungry at all. I had to admit it, I wasn’t really feeling glad despite whatever I wanted to believe. He was feeling like crap because of something he didn’t do, because he thought he’d kissed another guy, an idea driving him nuts. I knew he hadn’t, so not telling him equaled lying and I couldn’t lie to him. He could be the blindest and most stupid guy on Earth, but he supported me when I needed help without asking anything in exchange, doing his duty without thinking of himself.
Duty comes first, self goes second
, that’s what he’d said, and he meant it.

I looked at my plate again, staring at my cold breakfast while thinking about Laura. She’d left me in Yago’s place without considering my feelings or even my safety. She lied to me. She said she loved me, but she only loved herself. I couldn’t be like her—I didn’t want to be like her. I wouldn’t lie to Edward, he didn’t deserve it. I would tell him the whole truth, and I wouldn’t care how difficult, embarrassing, or humiliating it might be for me. I would take his anger once he learned the truth, or whatever his reaction it might be. I might lose a friend—something I deserved because I deceived him in the first place, telling him that my name was Justin—but I’d do the right thing this time because I owed him and because I cared about him. His world just got rocked because he kept thinking he’d kissed another guy, and that was creating an identity problem within him. I’d save him. I had to save him. I wanted to save him.

“Edward, wait!” I sprang to my feet, dashing after him.

Edward didn’t turn. He was already in the forest following a narrow trail, far away from the campfire. I penetrated de forest a few steps behind him.

“Leave me alone, Justin. I need to be alone.” His voice was flat, and he dismissed me with a hand gesture.

“Edward, wait.”

“Come back, loser, leave Edward alone.” It was Daniel’s voice sounding strangely close behind me. Edward stopped in his tracks and turned towards me. Large trees surrounded us.

“We need to talk,” I said.

Edward sighed. “Yes we do.” He placed a hand on my shoulder but withdrew it as if my shoulder had been burning. He craned his neck glancing over me and then at the forest behind him.

Please, stay with me, Edward, don’t flee me. We really need to talk.

Daniel came rushing. “What’s wrong with you, dude? I told you to leave Edward alone, sissy.” He clutched my arm and yanked me, making me spin and face him.

“Let me go! It’s none of your business.” I turned and tried to sprint again after Edward who strode away of us deeper into the forest. I couldn’t though. Daniel had grabbed my arm and forced me to turn once more and face him. His squeezed my arm as he held me.

“Let me go!”

“Leave-Edward-alone-dude.”

“No. You leave me alone,” I pushed Daniel with both hands, causing him to trip backwards and fall on the ground on his butt. I ran after Edward but Daniel hastily sprang back to his feet after me, tugging at my t-shirt. I turned. His face was as red as his hair.

“Let me go, Daniel!”

Daniel yanked me close to him. “I saw you guys making out last night, dude. I know it all. You’re a homo queen!”

The shock froze me. For some moments, I could only stare at him in profound disbelief. Last night, I’d thought I’d left the camp without anybody noticing it and now it resulted that a crowd had followed me. I’d allowed Edward to take my shirt off because I’d thought we were alone. I’d kissed Edward in the midst of intimate passion, and now I was just finding out Daniel had snooped into my private affairs like one of those pervs with binoculars spying on their neighbors. He’d seen me half-naked with all of my shields down.

Wrath welled up inside me, boiling like hot oil ready to spill and burn the insolent one meddling my personal business. “How dare you?”

Before I realized what I was doing, I slapped him on the face so hard his head turned sideways and a perfect handprint appeared bright red on his check. I almost cried, “
Ouch
!” because my palm hurt upon slapping him. The next thing I felt was Daniel’s closed fist punching my stomach. I bent, holding my tummy with both arms and tripped backwards, ending up on the ground gasping for air—Daniel’s punch had knocked all the air out of my body.

He stood in front of me, his legs planted wide and holding his closed fists in front of him like a boxer. He glared at me with popping eyes. His nostrils flared. I could hear his noisy breathing. “Get up and fight, sissy!”

“Stop it, guys!”

Jorge, Brian, and Abe bolted towards us down the trail. Jorge arrived first, tugging at Daniel. He fixed a flinty stare on Daniel. “Are you out of your mind, Daniel? Why on Earth did you punch him? We’re Boy Scouts, not a street gang.”

Brian and Abe arrived right after Jorge, standing behind him. I was still gasping, but at least I could finally breathe. I wanted to cry, but I wouldn’t do it in front of everybody and by no means in front of Daniel. I tried to sit up but the pain in my stomach prevented it.