“Woah, I was just kidding around. It’s no big deal,” he says, lifting his hands up in surrender.
“I’m not gay,” I say poking him in the chest.
“Alright.” He shrugs. I can see shock and confusion all over his face, but I bet it’s just an act. He clearly just wanted to get under my skin tonight. Pull things out about me. It’s probably why he offered me weed—make me loosen up, say shit I’ll regret. Well, it stops here.
“You’re a little shit disturber,” I say.
He narrows his eyes at me. “Yeah, I got it.”
I look down at my hand that’s still poking him in the chest. “And you’ve got…piercings...” My finger slowly slides towards where his nipple would be. I didn’t get a good enough look in the water. “Did they hurt?” I ask, licking my lips. My mouth has gone dry just thinking about it.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” He swats my hand off his chest and walks over to his seat.
Dammit. How’d I screw this up?
I rack my brain to think of the last few events.
I noticed his tongue ring. I complimented his eyes. And somewhere along the way, I said something to make him dislike me again.
Yeah, checks out.
I breathe out deeply. “You know how to put out a fire?”
“Yeah, it’s not rocket science,” he mutters, staring into the flames.
I nod my head. I really don’t want to leave it like this, but me being high around him is clearly not a good combo. “Okay…well…goodnight,” I say.
He looks at me, and I can tell by his face that he’s disappointed that I’m already calling it a night.
I frown, opening up the tent and crawling in. Truthfully, I’m disappointed too. We were having a good time.
But no, I have to be smart here. And clearly being around him while under the influence isnota smart move.
5
Noah
I try to refocus on the fire as the tent zipper closes behind Brad.
That wasweird.
Not just because of his strange reaction to my piercings—which I think he really liked, by the way— it was his strange reaction to me being pansexual.
Did he have a problem with that? It didn’t seem like it. It seemed like more curiosity than anything. Actually, he only got weird when I put the attention back on him andhissexuality.
Whatever. I shake my head and decide to set aside my box of weed.
He clearly has some things to figure out about himself, and that’s none of my business.
Except a weird form of excitement stirs in my gut. What if Imadeit my business?
Just when I was starting to think of the many ways I could unravel Brad, my thoughts were cut short by a noise off in the distance.
I stop moving and look out into the darkness, past the trees that surround us.
Suddenly, another cluster of sounds scatters across the forest floor, jumpstarting my heart.
I jump up out of my seat and quickly make my way over to the tent.
