Page 108 of Serpent In White

Fear zips up my spine. I can’t tell him about what I saw… About what happened over there that led me to where we’re sitting right now. My lip trembles as I whisper, “No.”

He blinks at me, like he doesn’t necessarily believe my answer, but he doesn’t call me out. He simply glances up for a moment, then breathes out steadily.

“It’s getting dark. I’m going to set up camp for the night, and I think you should stick around. It’s dangerous to be out here alone.”

“You’re out here alone,” I murmur petulantly.

“I’ll start a fire,” he goes on, ignoring me again. “I have some extra food you’re welcome to.”

He stands up and holds out his hand for me to take. And after staring at it for a solid ten seconds, I do. Holding his hand feels nice, comforting though it gives me tingles all the same, which makes me uneasy. I don’t know this kid. I should get away from him…

I didn’t come here to hike and camp and roast marshmallows.

I open my mouth to tell him that, but he cuts in before I can. “Why don’t you just stay for a bit, and we can talk? No strings attached. And if by tomorrow morning you still want to go off on your own, I won’t stand in your way.”

I give him a skeptical look, but he just keeps blinking those eyes at me like a cartoon character until I sigh, giving in to his persistence. I suppose there’s no harm in talking to him. He seems like a nice enough guy, and if he’s not, well… I always have my knife.

“Fine, but if you’re hoping to get laid out here in the woods, you can just think again. No fireside makeout sessions, got it?” I fold my arms over my chest, letting him know I mean business.

He shows me an amused smirk. “Yea, I wouldn’t worry about that. I’m seeing someone, so…”

“That doesn’t mean anything,” I counter. “Men are scumbags.”

He laughs out loud. “Oh, is that right? All of us??”

I can’t help the quirk to my lips. “Yes. Every one of you. All shit.”

“I would apologize on behalf of my gender, but I doubt it’d be sincere,” he chuckles. “However, speaking on behalf of just me, Abdiel Harmony, I’m with someone. And I love him very much, so there won’t be any attempted fireside makeouts, I promise.” He taps the spot over his heart with his finger.

My face goes blank at his words.Oh… he’s gay. Alright, then… that settles it, I guess.

I’m not sure why I’m disappointed all of a sudden. I have this weird stinging feeling in my gut, like jealousy, and it’s ridiculous. It goes against everything I just said to him… Plus, again, can’t stress this enough, I don’t know this person.

I shouldn’t care that he’s in love with someone, or that it’s a man, so there’s probably no hope of him ever being attracted to me. None of that matters, and neither does this stupid inner monologue I’m having while he stares at me, wearing a content smile on his full lips.

He’s not affected by me… clearly. Not one bit.

Shaking my head, I pick my backpack up off the ground and sling it over my shoulder. “Great. I’m super happy for you and your loving relationship. Now, where are we setting up this fire? I actually am pretty hungry…”

Abdiel makes a face, something I can’t exactly detect flashing through his eyes, disappearing quickly. “Let’s get away from that clearing. I don’t want to sleep anywhere near it.”

Yea, me neither.I should ask why not, to play it off like I don’t have any feelings about the clearing, or that black rock, but instead I just nod along.

Abdiel suggests we backtrack to a spot south of here, where he can set up his tent and start a fire.

And without any further preamble, I leave with the stranger. This could be a really stupid decision on my part, but I’m feeling significantly more positive already, the farther we get from that clearing.

“Do you even have a tent?” Abdiel asks as we walk, his boots clunking into the solid ground, snapping twigs and crushing leaves, while my sneakers make much less noise.

“No.”

“What were you going to sleep in?” I peer at him, and realization dawns on his face. “Rhiannon, I won’t let you hurt yourself.”

“You don’t know me at all.” My forehead lines “I’m not your problem or your concern.”

“You are, because you’re a human being,” he says with certainty. “All—”

“Life is precious. Yea, I heard you before,” I mumble.