Out of their Element
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@littlest-lily Gonna wait until after work to read this one.
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@Olo I hope it doesn’t disappoint
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@littlest-lily Well, that was certainly worth the buildup! Too bad Camila wasn’t watching; it might have helped her “get it.” jk
the fleshy shape up ahead, as big as inflatable lawn decor.
I won’t be unable to unsee that whenever I look at a neighbor’s holiday display.
Peek-a-boner was terrifically cute. Just excellent emotional and physical immersion. Hope she gets to see it out when she’s on the floor and he’s standing over her.
“I’m sorry I can’t take you inside me.” “Conventional sex is overrated.”
This was a tough exchange. I hope Aiden finds the poise at some point to acknowledge that Evie, too, is missing out the pleasures of penetration.
One final note. A former co-worker once confided to me that an old boyfriend of hers had, more than once, exclaimed “What a trooper!” at the moment of climax. I thought it was the perfect thing to say to one’s tiny lover after they had just survived copulation, so put it in my next (F/m) size story.
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@Olo HAHAHA I love the term “peek-a-boner”
This was a tough exchange. I hope Aiden finds the poise at some point to acknowledge that Evie, too, is missing out the pleasures of penetration.
If I may peek back the curtain a little bit… I actually agonized over that last little exchange up until the minute of posting it. Because Evie’s entirely worried about Aiden at the moment, but that “weighty pause” on his end was processing that exact thing you mentioned, at least to some degree (after all, he’s the one that has the kink, not her, so he’s not so bothered by the lack of penetrative sex). It felt like a natural thing for her to worry about after such a major “first”, but then I kept wondering if this was the point where they should have more of a serious conversation about it. But it wasn’t quite working and felt like too much, so both Aiden and I figured we’d put a pin in that lol. I figured I’d let them just have their moment now, and I found a spot in part 4 that I think will work better (hopefully! I have it mostly planned out but haven’t written it yet soooo)
Hahaha, it’s so much work for the tiny in these sex scenes, they are a trooper!! I actually don’t think this is the first time I’ve used that term either lol, I feel like I had Leo say it at one point too
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Chapter 72
AidenI move slowly and rhythmically as I pull on the oars to push the rowboat through the water. I noticed a few minutes ago that Evie has drifted off to sleep in my pocket, so I hope my movements are akin to gently rocking her. I keep glancing down to check and then feeling smug about how she’s still snoozing away against my chest.
It was a pretty rough night last night. Not the part right before we went to bed and things got intimate… That part was stellar. But it got really windy once we had turned in for the night, and the foliage just outside our window was rattling pretty heavily against the glass. I woke up several times, so I can’t imagine what it was like for Evie. I’m glad she’s getting a nap in now - I’ll probably take one myself once we go back to the cabin. We’ve been taking it pretty easy today as a result.
I smile at a brief memory from this morning. We were admittedly a bit nervous to rejoin the group after what happened last night. But in the end it was fine since we were the first ones in the kitchen and never ended up seeing Camila, who was apparently sleeping off her hangover. I left Evie on a counter on one side of the room and was rummaging through some cabinets on the other side when a yawning Star wandered over, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
“What’s Evie doing with that banana?” she whispered to me, nodding towards the kitchen counter with an arched brow.
I glanced over my shoulder. “Picking off the stringy bits for me,” I chuckled, “She likes to do her part once I’ve peeled it.”
Star suppressed a laugh, and then she smiled widely as she let out a soft sigh. “You two are perfect for each other.”
I freeze into stillness as Evie stirs from within my pocket, the boat drifting slightly off course. I bite my lip and stare at her as I wait it out, but it seems she’s just turned over without actually waking up. I carefully resume rowing to turn the vessel back around towards shore, and I fall back into thoughts about the day.
“Do you have a favorite kind of rock?”
Evie and I spent a good hour this morning laying in a hammock in the woods. She sat cross-legged on my stomach, enjoying the gentle breeze that was playing with her hair. I’d pulled up some music on my phone to help me stay alert as we phased in and out of conversation.
“Hmmm. Maybe opal?” I responded, propping the back of my head up with an arm as I gazed down at her. “No, wait. Geodes. You never know what they’ll look like on the inside until you crack them open. So it’s like a Christmas present every time.”
She tilted her head. “Isn’t that a cop-out? There can be all kinds of different crystals inside a geode, right?”
I smiled, touched by the fact that she’s paid enough attention to my interests to know that. “Yup, I’m cheating. Why do you ask though?”
“I’ve been mulling over the idea of designing my own board game, just for fun. I’m trying to decide on a theme. If I make it about rocks, then I get to bug you with more questions.”
“No problems here!” I suddenly wrapped my arms around myself, pinning her against my abdomen in a hug. She yelped and laughed as she wriggled in weak protest, but I held her fast and told her sincerely, “That’s so cool, Eve. I can’t wait to play your game.”
I slow my rowing again as I get closer to the dock. There’s a family of ducks on a trajectory to intersect my path, so I sit back and watch them pass. I briefly consider waking Evie up so that she can see the little ducklings. But I want to let her rest, I’m sure we’ll get another opportunity down the line. Besides, we’ve already witnessed plenty of birds today.
“I see a chicken!” she exclaimed, leaning over my ear excitedly. I could just make out the blurry shape of her pointing hand in the edge of my vision. Despite being tired, we had still decided to check out that mushroom foraging class that the campground was offering. Both of us had been unreasonably amused by the fact that most of the edible mushrooms in the area had names like “Shrimp of the Woods” or “Chicken of the Woods.”
“Nice, good eye,” I whispered back as I located the fungi she had spotted. I reached for it with gloved hands and added, “Want me to put you down?”
“No, I’ll stay here,” she said, pulling back a little deeper under my hat. “That other group’s too close, it’s making me nervous.”
I went ahead and extracted the mushroom before muttering, “I’ll go a bit further from them so you can come out if you want. Although you’re still plenty helpful up there, you’re good at spotting these.”
“Wait!” I was about to get to my feet when my girlfriend pipes up with a reminder from our instructor. “Don’t forget what she said. Tap the cap!”
I pull up to the shore, and it’s a painstakingly slow process to get out of the boat without startling my small passenger awake. But even though Evie was only conscious for half of this little excursion on the pond, I’ve certainly enjoyed it nevertheless. I sit down on the dock as I struggle to figure out which of the included ropes I should be using to tie the boat to its mooring post, when I hear distant rustling.
I glance over, expecting to see a squirrel or rabbit. But with a cold dread I realize it’s Camila, a couple dozen feet away but heading straight towards me. I haven’t seen her at all today, not since that moment by the campfire last night. I know she was going to take a car trip with the others to visit some waterfalls, but I guess they haven’t left yet.
Well, no point in pretending I didn’t notice her, so I give her a wave as she approaches. She shyly waves back, and I finish tying off the boat by the time she reaches me. She lowers herself into a seat beside me on the dock. On the outside I’m calm and collected. But internally I’m already nervous as hell.
“Where’s Evie?” she asks, looking down at her own feet dangling just above the water.
“She’s taking a nap,” I say shortly. Actually, at this point I’m sure that’s not true, now that we’ve started talking. But I doubt Evie would want me to bring attention to her right now, so I don’t give any more details.
“Listen…” Camila sighs. “I’m sorry I was acting weird last night. I had a bit too much to drink.”
I nod indifferently. “It’s fine. I figured.”
She’s fidgeting with her hands quietly for a few moments as we sit there awkwardly. Finally she presses on. “I still wanted to talk to you, though. Um, take any of my feelings out of it for a second… Seeing how the two of you are as a couple, I’m just… I’m worried about you.”
I frown as I finally turn to look at her. “About me?”
She moves a little closer, her hand sliding towards my leg. “Yeah… I just want to make sure you’re happy.”
I move further back to keep her from touching me, taking her in. There’s a pouting look in her dark eyes, a nervous tension in her jaw. But it sets me on edge. I don’t buy the “worried” tone one bit. This entire interaction feels completely false.
I find myself glaring at her. Hackles raised. I try to stay aloof but my voice comes out in a growl. “What part of ‘please respect it’ don’t you get?”
Camila’s eyes widen in surprise. “I’m just saying that–”
“I appreciate the concern,” I interject, “But it’s not necessary.”
I see a moment of heartbreak on her face, unexpectedly genuine. Her eyes glaze over with a thin sheen of tears that don’t fall. But a split second later, her gaze hardens. Cracks begin forming in her unassuming facade as her temper flares.
“Aiden… come on. This is weird. We’re all just pretending that everything’s normal. But it’s fucking weird.”
I tense up at her shift in demeanor. I can see the storm coming. Shit, I’m probably the one who screwed this up by immediately going on the defensive. But that doesn’t matter right now as my thoughts immediately go to Evie, who I know is listening to all this. I want to protect her from the outburst that’s clearly about to hit us.
“Stop,” I say, and I get to my feet. “I don’t want to talk about this right now.”
She’s right behind me, insistent even as I start walking away. “You haven’t been the same. You used to be so fun and laid back, but now you’re stressed out all the time. And no wonder when you’re dating someone like her! You have to feed her and carry her around and do everything for her! How are you supposed to relax when you have to watch where you step all the time, or worry about dropping her? And what can she even do for you?”
She’s quickened her pace and wheels out in front of me, blocking my path off the dock. Desperately I try to speak, to stop this. “Camila–”
“You have to think about the long term!” she plows on, practically yelling over me at this point, “There’s no way she can truly make you happy in the end. This is so stupid, you can’t convince me this isn’t some kind of weird charity case! It’s just like you to take pity on a little freak who–”
I finally snap and raise my voice, “Camila, that’s enough!”
She stiffens, breathless from her tirade. She stares defiantly at me for a moment. And then her eyes begin trailing down just a tad, until they land on the subtle lump against my chest. Her scowl deepens and her nostrils flare as she comes to a realization.
“She’s with you right now, isn’t she?” Camila sneers.
I don’t answer, just hold my glare. I watch her warily as a series of expressions dance across her face. She looks back up at me.
“Figures,” she spats as she turns to leave, “You don’t even get a second to yourself.”
With that she marches away, heading back towards the cabin. I watch her go, still on my guard, though my shoulders are lowering as I sigh dejectedly. My hand automatically hovers up to rest loosely against the outside of my pocket. All of that happened so quickly, and my mind is all over the place. I feel unsteady on my feet as the throbbing anger and stress fills my body.
“You okay?” There’s a shifting against cloth from my little passenger. Her quiet voice is hesitant, as is her touch as she reaches out to put her tiny hand on mine, her eyes wide and worried.
I look down at her, stuttering, “A-am I… Evie, are you okay?” I reach in with finger and thumb to pull her out, quickly yet carefully placing her in my palm. “I’m so sorry you had to hear all that… You know it’s all a load of bullshit, right?”
She sits down and looks a bit disoriented. Probably because she just got woken up. Woken up to a series of insults, no less. Her gaze drifts. “She was… talking out of anger. And she didn’t know I was here.”
“That doesn’t excuse anything,” I murmur with a gentler tone, my concern for her upstaging my residual wrath. “She shouldn’t have said any of it.”
The emotions seem to be catching up to her. Evie lowers her head, one hand over her brow to shade her eyes as she wavers in her seat. My heart aches at the sight. I let her process for a few moments, but then I’m getting nervous at her silence and I gently kiss the top of her head.
“Talk to me, honey,” I breathe. “You know none of it’s true, right? I’m so much happier with you in my life.”
She nods stiffly and then hesitates, fighting against her natural tendencies to close in on herself, before finally managing to speak. “But, um… What about the… the part about you not being the ‘same’ anymore? Do you think that’s true?”
I shake my head and firmly say, “No. Camila doesn’t know me. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“But still,” Evie sighs, “What if she has a point? I’m sure you’re more stressed out about my safety than you were with your last girlfriend.”
I have to sit down. Thankfully there’s a stone bench nearby so I take the couple of steps over to lower myself onto it. I rest my arms on my knees, both hands cradling my little one as I think very hard about what to tell her.
“Every relationship has its challenges,” I say. “Like… Imagine if Star needed a wheelchair. Or she started dealing with seizures, or was going blind. Do you think Diego would be better off without her?”
She shakes her head as tears start sliding down her face. I move to try and dry them, touching my thumb against her cheek, and she leans against me, crumpling against my fingers, holding me tight. She presses her face into my skin and mumbles, “You have to deal with all of my emotional baggage too, my panic attacks… You do so much for me.”
I lean forward emphatically. “And you do so much for me. I hope you know that… You’ve done more to make me happy just today than Camila has over all the years I’ve known her. So please… please don’t take any of that stuff to heart. Okay?”
Evie lets go of me, nodding as she shakily but dutifully wipes off her own tears. “Okay. I trust you, I know we’re good. That was just… really painful to hear.”
I smile with weak relief mixed with a heavy dose of sympathy. We sit out there for a while yet, soothing and supporting each other as we calm back down. Eventually I see in the distance that all of our camping companions, Camila included, get into Diego’s car and drive away. At least the coast is clear, for now.
But the uneasiness never leaves the pit in my stomach. I’ve told Evie the absolute truth, yes, but maybe not the entire truth. I don’t want to admit, to her nor to myself, that the stress about her wellbeing does wear on me sometimes. It doesn’t feel worth fully addressing that right at this moment.
Because our relationship is worth it. And I’m not going to let anyone get in the way.
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that “weighty pause” on his end was processing that exact thing you mentioned . . . But it wasn’t quite working and felt like too much, so both Aiden and I figured we’d put a pin in that
I figured as much. It’s a natural consequence of the one-sided perspective mode you’ve chosen, and Aiden’s instinct (and yours) was correct. It wasn’t the right time.
Aiden’s also grown up a little, in that one of the hardest things to do in a relationship is let someone else do for you (especially when it revolves around a secret kink you’ve been ashamed to share for so long). Concern for Evie’s physical safety aside, he finally gave in to the moment. That was nice to see (as Evie would readily attest).
Speaking of secrets, I’m worried sick that there might be no way to prevent Camila from venting her frustration by blabbing to others about Evie’s condition. If she were a more mature and empathetic person, Aiden might have been able to explain his kink to Camila and thus assure her that there’s no need to worry about him, but she’s proven that her “concern” is wholly insincere and self-serving and that attempting to appeal to her better nature is futile. If only Diego had some kind of leverage over her…
“What’s Evie doing with that banana?”
“It’s not a banana, I’m just happy to see her.”
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@Olo It’s funny you mention Aiden giving in to the moment regarding his kink. This was definitely a big step for him but he’s honestly still got some work to do there hehe, I’m excited to write some of those parts!
Yeah Camila’s a bit of a liability ain’t she
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Chapter 73
Evie“Alright, so it’s almost 5pm… If we were to leave now, we could get home before nine. Just saying.”
I’m pacing back and forth on the nightstand, deep in thought. “We should at least wait for Moira to come back, though,” I respond, “There won’t be enough room for her in Diego’s car with all the bags.”
“Okay, then, we’d get home by ten or eleven. Still not that bad."
“But we had such a rough night and you’re exhausted, Aiden. I don’t think that option’s safe. We were already planning to leave tomorrow, maybe we just go a few hours early, first thing in the morning. For tonight, if we don’t want to see her we can just, like… conveniently decide to have dinner up in the loft or something.”
I’m restless and jittery. I’m feeling so self conscious about the fact that we’re considering changing our vacation plans just because Camila’s said a few nasty things about me. Ugh, what a mess of a trip this is turning out to be.
“Well, you do have a point about driving safe,” Aiden sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. He leans back on the bed’s headboard and runs a hand through his hair, pushing his bangs up on top of his head as he stares into space. “How about this… I was meaning to take my own nap now. I’ll try to get some shuteye. And then maybe we can make a decision about a late-night return later.”
I turn to face him, feeling honestly rather thankful about ending this conversation. “Alright, sounds good. Think you’ll actually be able to sleep?”
“I’m pretty beat, so I’ll at least try.” He kicks off his shoes and lays down onto the mattress, not even bothering to get under the covers. He turns his head to smile my way and asks, “You going to be okay over there?”
“Yeah, I’m good, I’ve got my phone. I’ll wake you up if I need you.” I give him a smile and try to lighten the mood by blowing him a kiss. “Sweet dreams, babe.”
He shifts his head onto the pillow with a heavy sigh. And then within a couple of minutes after his eyes close, I notice his breathing becomes slower and deeper as he drifts off to dreamland. Good. I’m sure the lack of sleep wasn’t helping with the stress levels. I’m glad he’s able to get some rest.
There’s just one issue. After about twenty minutes of distracting myself on my phone, I realize that I’m both thirsty and apparently out of water up here on my nightstand setup. I could honestly go for a snack too… I should have thought this through before he started his nap. I briefly wonder if the discomfort is enough for me to “need” Aiden, though. It doesn’t seem worth it.
But my stomach complains loudly, and I look over towards the ladder that leads to the floor. Come to think of it, I bet I could scavenge something up for myself… It doesn’t hurt to try, right? The house is empty, and we haven’t encountered a single bug inside the cabin for the entire stay. I’ll take a quick trip to the kitchen, and if I can’t reach anything then I’ll just come back and either wait it out or maybe consider waking my boyfriend.
It’s an easy journey to the floor, and it’s very quiet as I walk down the cavernous hallway. I can’t quite decide if it feels peaceful or eerie. But I reach the kitchen soon enough and look up and around me as I get a lay of the land. The pantry door is cracked open, and between some cargo-like containers on the ground and the snacks stored on the lowest shelf, I can already tell I’ll have no problem climbing up for something to eat.
Getting a drink might be a challenge, though. At first I consider the sink, but not only would it be impossible for me to get up there, I doubt I’d be able to turn on the faucet. And even then there’s no way I’d be able to reach the stream of water without getting trapped inside the sink itself. But I remember there’s another water dispenser, a smaller standalone one. It’s meant for bringing outdoors, but it’s currently stored on a low side table by the kitchen counter. There’s a handle on the spigot that I think I’d have a better chance of budging. Maybe I could loosen it just enough for some water to slowly drip out. But can I get up there?
I take a closer look at the duffel bag that’s right next to the side table - Star’s, I think. The thick fabric exterior is loose enough that I could probably find handholds to climb up on top of it… That’ll get me most of the way to my goal. There’s another ten feet or so on top of that, but what the heck. Maybe I’ll get a better idea when I’m up there.
I drag over some napkins from the pantry to put on the floor at the base of the bag - if I happen to slip and fall, I’d rather land on a padded surface than the tile. And then I begin my climb, using fabric folds and zipper pulls to hoist myself up. It’s pretty hard work, especially since I’m dehydrated, but there’s something kind of fun about this. I feel like a little explorer, an adventurer, setting out on my own.
Several minutes later I successfully make it to the summit. I wander around the top of the bag for a while, gazing out towards the rest of the kitchen, and then focusing up towards the ledge that’s still a decent distance above my head. I’m going to need some kind of tool if I want to get up on the table. I start to wonder what’s inside the bag that I’m standing on. Feeling a bit guilty about infringing on my friend’s privacy, I head over to one end of the main zipper so that I can pry it open, just a tad. I take a brief peek inside. Okay, good, no sex toys. Looks like some extra toiletries, maybe. Actually…
“Jackpot,” I whisper with a grin as I tug the zipper a little further. “Sorry, Star, I hope you don’t mind.”
I reach down past a rolled-up towel and grab hold of what looks like the top of a ladder rung. With considerable effort I pull, pull, pull… and manage to yank the wide-toothed comb out of the depths. I drag my makeshift ladder to one of the nearby table legs that the duffel bag is leaned up against, and then I push the comb up until it reaches the tabletop’s surface. I use a thread that had been fraying off one of the bag’s straps to tie the comb to the table leg, so that it’s nice and stable. A lot of effort to create a path, but now the climb becomes an absolute breeze.
I stick my arms up in the air once I’ve reached the top, feeling quite proud of myself. I’m starting to feel dizzy from the thirst, though. Almost there. The water dispenser is looming ahead of me, I just need to get up to the spigot. There are small paper cups nearby that I can drag over and climb on, shouldn’t be an issue–
I startle at an unexpected sound. A very distant boom. It takes me a second to piece it together… was that a car door closing? But the others were estimating they’d be gone for at least two hours, and it’s only been one. Are they back early?
The back entrance of the living room is within my sights. The door swings open and in strolls a single figure. Of course it’s Camila. I hear the other three discussing something outside briefly while the door’s open, but then it slams shut behind her as she walks inside… and heads straight towards the kitchen. Fuck me.
She’s on her phone, so she’s distracted, maybe I can just hold still and she’d pass me by. But because she’s texting, that means she’s looking down, and I guess she noticed me out of the corner of her eye. She stops in the middle of the room, a towering beauty with a stone-cold gaze. She stares at me blankly, and I stare back. God, I feel so stupid for having left the nightstand. I’m so tired of having to deal with this girl. And I’m insanely tense from the fact that everything’s out in the open now. I know exactly how she feels about me, and she knows that I know.
Camila lowers her phone and smirks as she finally says, “Uh oh. Someone better call pest control.”
Alright. You know what? That’s it.
My hands clench into fists as something snaps inside me. While I tend to react towards stressful situations with fear, I’m somehow beyond that at this point.
At this point I’m pissed.
“What is your problem?” I call out towards her. I take a few steps towards the edge of the table I’m on, glaring at the giantess. “I’ve only ever been nice to you. Why do you hate me so much?”
She crosses her arms and takes a couple of steps towards me. I’m not much higher than her knee level but she doesn’t crouch or anything, just looks down her nose at me with disdain.
“I guess I’m just tired of being the only one who has any sense around here,” she sneers. I refuse to take any steps back, holding my ground defiantly.
“You think I asked to be this way? Seriously, how do you think I feel, Camila?” She lets out a breath of mirthless laughter as she rolls her eyes, but I plow on. “Look, I know you’re hurting. I know you’ve had feelings for Aiden for a long time. I’m sorry. Rejection is hard. Especially since he’s with someone you see as below you. But that doesn’t give you the right to treat me like shit.”
She sets her jaw, glaring daggers down at me. “You’re a shackle to him. You know that?” she hisses, “Oh sure he might be all… weirdly… infatuated with his new little puppy right now. But he’s going to be miserable in the long run. And he’s probably too nice to break up with you, he’s just going to keep dating you out of pity. Don’t you see that? You’re not good for him.”
“Oh and you are?” I say incredulously. “I’ve never once seen you take an interest in what he likes or do anything nice for him.”
Camila looks like she wasn’t expecting that response and falls into silence, eyes glazing over. Still overcome with anger, I don’t relent.
“You have no idea what our relationship is like. Aiden’s an adult. It’s not up to you, or to me for that matter, to decide what’s best for him.”
I take another step forward, craning my neck to continue looking her in the eye.
“And he chose me. So back. Off.”
To my shock and indignation, Camila breaks into cruel laughter. “I can’t even take you seriously right now. So much talk for such a pathetic little–”
“Fuck you!”
As soon as I shout, she lunges. I tense up at the sight of her suddenly bending down, maintaining a half-amused smile on her face as her head swoops in like a fighter jet, coming so close that I catch the scent of florals from her perfume. She purses her lips and I’m abruptly knocked backward by an intense gust of air. I collapse onto my back, hitting the table hard and wincing at the impact, before quickly propping myself up on my arms as I look up at her in sudden terror.
Camila slowly rises back up, looking perfectly smug. “Didn’t even need to lift a finger,” she hums, and she thunders away from me, continuing through the room to turn a corner and head up the stairs.
I’m shaking with panic. Breathless from the yelling I was doing, and from the mind-numbing fear that grips me now. For a moment there I thought she was going to actually hurt me. I’m reminded of a time from many years ago, from something Brock did once, when I was trying to stand up to him and he suddenly got in my face before he grabbed me by the hair and ripped me to the floor.
I hear the sound of the door opening again and I jump violently, whimpering uncontrollably. But it’s just Moira. She comes in through that same back door, and she has a frown on her face as she hurries into the kitchen, her eyes aimed towards the staircase. She probably would have walked right by if she didn’t purposefully take a quick glance around the room. She notices me and rushes over, taking in my crumpled state with sudden distress.
“Evie? What are you… I thought I heard… Oh my god, did Camila just…?”
I’m still not quite in control of myself. Camila crossed a line just now, I know that. But I feel trapped. I don’t want more fights, I don’t want more attention on this. I’m just too scared. I shouldn’t have antagonized her like that, what was I thinking? Besides, it was my own stupid fault for wandering around the house on my own, I’m sure Aiden would have wished that I had just woken him up instead. I don’t want to upset him, nor anyone else. I just want to get through to the end of the trip, and then maybe I can put all of this behind me. For a moment I fall back into my old habits. I plaster a smile on my face.
“I’m fine,” I say shakily, trying to reassure my worried friend. “She didn’t touch me.”
Moira frowns, confused and unconvinced. She doesn’t insist quite yet, first offering me a finger to help me back to my feet. I take it gratefully as I try to think of what to say. Fuck, what am I doing, I think, Stop it, don’t start again with the lying…
“We, uh… We had an argument,” I finally admit with tense anxiety. “It got a little ugly…”
And I finally push myself to tell her… most of the truth, at least. I detail what happened between Camila and Aiden last night, what happened with the three of us by the pond, what happened here in the kitchen… and I just leave out the part where she blew on me to knock me down.
“I am so done with her,” Moira growls with frustration once I’m finished. “For someone who’s apparently so interested in learning about other cultures, she sure lacks in empathy. I don’t care if she thinks you stole her love interest. How can anyone be mean to you?”
I blink up at her, a little taken aback. “I, um… Thanks, Moira.”
I hear distant laughter from the remaining Ignacio couple, causing me to startle but with less panic now that my friend is here with me.
“Did everything go alright?” I ask, remembering the fact that they should be in the middle of visiting waterfalls. “Why are you guys back so early?”
“Diego’s car battery was having issues halfway through. Thankfully there was someone there who kindly helped him jump the car, but we decided to head straight back. That’s what they’re working on right now, trying to figure out what’s wrong with it.”
Yikes. Here’s hoping it’s fixed before we have to leave tomorrow. Damn, this trip is cursed.
Moira hesitantly adds, “So, Evie… Even before you said anything just now, Star and I were texting in the car. We’ll keep Camila entertained, alright? I’ll be honest, she’s made some passive aggressive comments about you, she and Diego have gotten into a couple of spats about it. But she still seems fine with us overall. We won’t let her get near you.”
I fidget restlessly and lower my gaze. “Thanks. You shouldn’t have to do that. But… Aiden and I will probably just stay up in the loft for the evening, away from everyone. I’m so sorry, Mo. I hate all this drama, and I hate for any of you guys to get sucked up in it.”
She smiles sympathetically. “Listen. Just for the record, we’re all trying to keep the peace and not openly show preferences or whatever since we’re all stuck in one house together. But know that all of us are on your side.”
I take a deep breath. I’m glad I just confided in her, it feels so much better to have Moira be there for me. Gosh, I almost feel bad for Camila. Even her own family is in my corner.
Moira is looking at the water dispenser now, then she glances down at the comb that’s on top of the duffel bag.
“Can I get you some water?” she offers.
I sigh and lower my head. “Yes please.”
-
@littlest-lily So you know all of us were screaming like a horror movie audience, “Don’t get off the nightstand!”
Of course it’s Camila.
I had to pause several times after reading those words, and my pulse still hasn’t returned to resting.
Am I a bad person for wanting some fanart of Camila sneering at Evie?
I’ll be in my bunk.
-
@Olo Wouldn’t it have been such a letdown if she just took a quick trip to the kitchen without incident?
I do feel like I need to do more art of this cast. I’m sure I’ll get there eventually~
-
Chapter 74
EvieI hum with pleasure as I burrow myself into the crook of Aiden’s neck. I’ve dragged the loose collar of his sweater to drape over myself like a blanket, soft and weighted. We might as well be outside by the campfire again, it’s so cozy.
I feel his chuckle in response to me making myself at home, and it’s like he’s moving in slow motion as he carefully leans forward from his seated position on the couch. He’s got a small portable propane burner set up on the coffee table just ahead of us, and he’s holding a large skewered marshmallow out for roasting. Earlier we realized we hadn’t had any s’mores yet on this trip, and that felt like a travesty. So even though we’ve relegated ourselves to the loft upstairs for the evening, away from the rest of the group, we’ve figured out a way to enjoy the sweet treat regardless.
“You all packed up?” I ask him lazily, gazing down the long length of my giant’s arm leading towards the little flame on the table.
“Yeah, pretty much,” he responds. “I’ll be ready to leave first thing in the morning.”
“Sounds good. I think I’m mostly there. Oh, I’m just remembering - we left some of my things out to dry in the living room from the hot tub. Like my swimsuit and stuff.”
“Oh, right, we did. I’ll make a mental note… Whoops.”
The marshmallow has just caught fire in a small burst of orange. Aiden quickly brings it to his mouth, and I tense up at the heat coming so close. But with a quick puff of air he blows out the flame.
“I think it’s ready," he muses, twirling the skewer between his fingers to assess the damage. There’s a small patch of black but the rest of it looks perfectly toasted. My mouth is already watering.
“That smells so good,” I groan, and as much as I hate to abandon my warm little nook, the scent of the sugar is calling to me. I crawl forward and turn around to climb down the front of the titan’s chest, easily finding handholds in the chunky sweater.
“Careful,” Aiden murmurs, his tone tinged with amusement as I make my way down his body. His free hand approaches to hover nearby in case I lose my grip, but to his credit he lets me make the quick journey to his lap on my own.
I walk along his thigh to get closer to where the rest of the set up is on the coffee table, the graham crackers and chocolate ready to go. I sit on his knee to watch him assemble the massive gooey sandwich, and then he breaks off a corner so that he can hand it to me. My portion is the size of an entire pizza, but it’s enticing nonetheless, the chocolate already melting against the hot marshmallow. The nibble I take is simply divine, in that cheap artificial kind of way.
“I can’t even remember the last time I’ve had s’mores,” I ponder.
Aiden finishes chewing his own bite and then beams down at me. “You’ve now officially experienced camping. Congratulations.”
I tilt my head back to respond with my own grin between bites. We eat in silence for a couple of minutes as we hear the sudden raised voices coming from excited conversation downstairs. There’s some laughter as I catch that Diego is poking fun at Star for something. And then it sounds like they’re all relocating from the dining area to the living room, and Camila is avidly telling the other girls that she wants to take some pictures for her Instagram. It’s a good thing I’m not there, actually. The last thing I want is to end up on social media, even if it’s by accident.
But I really do wish we could be down there and hang out with the rest of them. Part of why I was so excited for this trip was to spend more time with Moira, Diego and Star. And yet for all of our last day together we spent it separated. It’s such a bummer.
“I do hope we can do more stuff like this with the others,” I say, brushing off some of the graham cracker crumbs I’ve been leaving on my boyfriend’s leg. I don’t have to specify what I mean when I say that. He obviously knows I’m excluding someone with that statement.
Admittedly, I haven’t told Aiden at all about what happened in the kitchen earlier today, so he doesn’t know just how much I’m wanting to avoid Camila at this point. I really do plan on telling him eventually. I just don’t want to stir the pot right now. All it might do is make him angry enough to confront her without thinking things through. Moira said they’d be keeping an eye on Camila tonight to make sure no more altercations happen, so it just feels pointless to cause a fuss… I can vent my heart out on the car ride back tomorrow morning.
My towering partner gives me a sympathetic smile in response to my current lamenting, and he softly strokes my spine with the back of a finger joint. “I’m sure we’ll get more chances to do fun things with them. Remember the other day during the hike, when Diego was suggesting that you, me and Moira come spend the night at their place? Does that sound like fun?”
I lean into his touch and nod. “Yeah, it does. And maybe we can actually travel somewhere else with them. I doubt the logistics would work out, but that Disney trip sounded pretty great.”
“Totally. This weekend isn’t the end all be all, there will be other opportunities.”
I let myself slowly collapse all the way back now, so that I’m fully laying over his hand as I look straight up at him. I sigh, “You always know how to make me feel better.”
Aiden’s smile softens as he murmurs, “I’m glad.”
“Okay, I’m going to stop before I get a stomachache,” I add, lifting my still-huge portion of the treat up towards him. He laughs and pinches what’s more like a crumb to him out of my hands so that he can pop it into his own mouth.
He starts cleaning things up at that point, but I’m still splayed onto his fingers. They twitch below me, gently requesting I get off of them, but I refuse, simply flipping over so that I can cling to them even more. This doesn’t escape the giant’s notice, and he pauses in his one-handed tidying to address me.
“Hey, I need that arm,” he finally says with a raised eyebrow.
“No you don’t,” I insist, and at this point I’m trying to crawl inside his grasp and pull his fingertips to close around me. This captures his attention all the more. Aiden drops the box of graham crackers and pivots in my direction, causing my heart to flutter as he suddenly takes up more of my vision. He lifts me off of his knee and relocates me to the armrest of the couch that he’s on, so that he can encircle one arm around me. And he leans in close, so close that his breath tickles my skin and I could reach out and touch his lips.
“You are so goddamn cute,” he whispers, his eyes scanning the length of me. I revel in being the center of his attention.
“Mm-hmm,” I hum, “That’s my secret weapon. It seems that I’ve tamed the fearsome giant.”
“You keep telling yourself that, short stack," Aiden teases and he kisses me, his mouth pressing heavily against my chest. I flop back, buckling under his weight and struggling not to laugh at his playful showing of dominance.
“I got you to stop what you were doing, didn’t I?” I insist, shivering with pleasure as his lips move on to caress my neck and shoulder.
He maintains contact and so his voice rumbles through me. “Mmmm, true. Alright. I surrender.”
I can’t stop giggling as we snuggle into each other. This is one of those moments that’s overwhelming for all the right reasons. Sometimes I really adore the fact that there’s so much of him.
“I love you, babe,” I tell him wistfully.
He stops kissing me so that his face can descend, my view of his mouth quickly replaced by the stunning hazel of his eyes instead. He’s so close that I can practically see my reflection in them. “I love you too, Evie.”
He lays his head down and appears to settle in beside me, sighing contentedly and relaxing his posture. But soon his smile shifts into a look of consternation instead. And then he sheepishly shifts gears.
“Actually… I suck for interrupting this, but… mind if I go downstairs real quick? Just need to go pee.”
I smile. “Yeah, go ahead. I’m fine here,” I say, scooting back. Then as he sits up I suddenly think of something that has been subtly bothering me with how dry the air has gotten. “Actually, would you mind finding my lip balm while you’re at it?”
“Sure, do you remember where it is?”
“Check the shelf just in case, but otherwise it’s either in my black pouch or somewhere in your duffle bag… Sorry, that’s not very helpful.”
“No worries, I’ll find it. Be right back.”
I watch him leave and sigh as I lean back against a couch cushion. At least I can catch my breath. I’m feeling so warm from pleasure and from my boyfriend’s proximity. It’s a little dizzying after such a long day. A long three days, if we’re being frank.
Actually, what would be really nice is a quick breath of fresh air. I glance upwards and off to the side. Right next to this couch is a window, unfortunately closed. But I’m starting to be good at noticing invisible paths. If I were to walk along that windowsill, I could hop onto a nearby table… and on the other end of that table is a second window, opened by a crack. It’s not all that far. What the heck.
The most strenuous part is going from the armrest to the top of the couch backing, since the cushion that I’m climbing is so pliant. But from there I quickly make my way from platform to platform, and I’ve reached the open window in under two minutes. I notice nervously that there isn’t any kind of mosquito screen, just a gap that gives out to a cliff from the second story. I give the opening a very wide berth, moving as far away from it as I safely can on the table.
I take a seat and gaze out at the night. A big, almost-full moon shines like a melting snowball in the sky. The rustling of distant trees fills the air, devoid of their rich colors in the dark. I do get some of that fresh air I was craving. Yikes, the temperature has severely dropped since we last went outside, I guess that cold front must have hit. I should’ve asked Aiden to get my coat too, maybe even a scarf. Meanwhile I was feeling so warm from his body heat that I’d taken my socks and jacket off, and they’re still on the couch.
A breeze brushes me from behind and I shiver. Alright, I can’t handle this, I need to go back to the couch right now for the warmer clothes. I get to my feet and frown as I realize something. The breeze was coming from behind?…
I’m abruptly knocked down to my hands and knees. Wind whips at my hair and I curl up reflexively, gasping at how suddenly and violently it just pushed me. I realize that there must be another open window nearby, maybe in Camila’s room, and it’s causing a draft. But this split-second thought is useless to me as I don’t have any time to react to what happens next.
The following gust is so powerful that I find myself airborne for a moment. I cry out in fear as I tumble forward, bouncing against the table as I roll out of control. Desperately I try to get back up, grab onto something, drag myself out of the way of the air current, but it’s too strong, too fast, and it’s like I’m getting inhaled towards a dark, gaping maw. All of it happens within just a couple of seconds so I’m in complete shock as I fall right out the window.
Thankfully my arms grab reflexively the second I hit any surface. I grip tightly to some kind of flimsy platform, and I hold on for dear life. I can’t see anything, can’t make sense of it, but I’m not falling - I’m being whipped around and am too terrified to make a sound, but I manage to hang on until the wind finally relents.
I’m gasping for air as I look up, towards the light of the room I was just in. It’s a good twenty feet above me now. I shiver in the dark, wondering what I’ve even landed on. It’s relatively stiff but quite thin even to me… oh, god. I’m hanging onto a leaf. There are vines that have scaled up the side of the cabin walls with large, bedsheet-sized leaves having grown firm with the season. That’s all that’s keeping me from plummeting to my death.
I have to climb up this vine, back up to the window. But I’m scared to budge, to do anything that will cause me to lose my grip. Fuck, fuck, what do I do?!
And then I hear voices. I didn’t notice them coming up the stairs while the wind was blowing at full force, but I can hear them now that they’re in the loft proper. One is Star, and she’s talking to someone, surely to Aiden. He’ll be looking for me, he’ll figure it out, he’ll find me out here, I just need to hang on–
“Oh jeez, it’s freezing!” Star complains, “Crap, we’ll need one of the guys to help close the window in your room.”
“I’ll at least close this one, hold on.”
My heart sinks. No, not Aiden. And the two girls might not know that I was still upstairs. They don’t know to look for me. But Camila said she was going to the window, she’s coming this way. I have to get her attention.
I see her silhouette looming behind the glass pane over my head. To these giants, I’m only a few inches away. I’m so close. Camila puts her hands on the edge of the window, but before she pushes down she takes a quick glance outside, up at the moon and then down… at me. Our eyes meet. I break into a relieved smile right as I shout, “Camil–”
The window slams shut. Her name dies in my throat. I stare wide-eyed, still cast in her shadow, as she locks the latch. She’s no longer looking at me. I could have sworn she saw me, but… Oh my god. What the fuck do I do now.
At this point I’m trembling from the effort of hanging on to this leaf. I have no choice anymore, I have to move before I lose my grip. Maybe I can still climb up the vine and start hitting the window. Aiden will be back eventually, he’ll find me. He has to.
I reach one arm out, up the long stem that attaches this leaf to its trunk. The tumultuous weather is making it exceedingly difficult, it takes several seconds for my fingertips to even touch the stem. But even when I reach it the wind is unrelenting, and I’m pummeled by another gust with the power of a hurricane. I watch in horror as the stem that I’m holding onto detaches from its anchor. The vertigo hits me with so much force that I’m unable to scream as I careen into the night.
-
@littlest-lily I’m not worried; I’m sure an owl will prevent Evie from hitting the ground.
I can vent my heart out on the car ride back tomorrow morning.
If Aiden’s anything like me, you do not want give him alarming or enraging news while he’s driving.
that Disney trip sounded pretty great
Sorry, Tink, but they don’t allow guests to wear costumes.
I’m starting to be good at noticing invisible paths
Years of Super Mario Bros finally pays off!
I could have sworn she saw me
How deliciously deniable.
-
@littlest-lily BTW, in the SW genre a cliffhanger is now officially called a “sillhanger.”
-
@Olo Oh, sure, owls would be a great thing for Evie right now
And unfortunately this sillhanger’s going on for a wee bit longer~
-
Chapter 75
Aiden“Has anyone seen Evie?”
I’m breathless from hurrying down the stairs and into the living room. Four pairs of eyes turn to me as everyone goes silent.
Star is the first to speak. “I hate that you just asked that question.”
Moira’s already on her feet and rushing over to me. She puts a hand on my elbow as she looks at me intently, keeping her voice calm and even to counter the panic that’s clearly rising in my chest.
“Where’s the last place you saw her?” she asks.
“I was just with her up in the loft, like, less than ten minutes ago,” I pant, “She wasn’t on the couch where I left her, but… I thought I just heard people on the stairs so…”
Everyone else is also standing and approaching at this point and Star says, “Yeah, Camila and I were up there just now. We didn’t see her. Figured she was with you, though, so we weren’t looking particularly close.”
“Maybe she’s still up there then?” Diego adds with a furrowed brow.
It feels like there’s a vice squeezing around my heart. It’s true that I didn’t search for very long when I went up and saw the couch was empty. I figured she must have left with someone, for whatever reason. But if that’s not the case, then my mind is jumping to worst case scenarios. If she was still in the loft, why didn’t she call out for me?
“O-okay, I’ll go back up,” I stutter, fighting a wave of dizziness.
Camila frowns and says, “She has to be up there. Can she even get down the stairs?”
I shake my head. “I don’t think so. At least, not that quickly.”
Diego starts glancing around the room. “We’ll take a look down here just in case she somehow hitched a ride.”
“What, hopped onto one of our shoes? Without us noticing?” Star asks incredulously.
“I dunno, maybe!”
“Why would she do that though…” I mutter, but I don’t linger here to chat about it - I’ve already turned to leave.
Moira’s on my tail. “I’m coming with you.”
“Alright. Um…” I take a pause right as I’m about to head out of sight, looking towards the rest of the group. “Everyone, just… watch your step.”
We hasten back up to the loft, scanning the stairs as we take them two or three at a time. And we begin the search.
Option one. Evie fell and hurt herself.
I look everywhere around the couch first - under it, behind it, circling the perimeter and eventually pulling back cushions. There’s a windowsill right next to the couch, a table alongside that, another window on the other side, and I search the floor diligently under any of these platforms that she could have reached. I even look a little further, around another chair that she miiiight have been able to get to if she jumped far enough. I don’t know why she would even risk that, but I look anyway. Nothing.
I do feel a modicum of relief at this. I was so terrified to find her tiny crumpled form on the floor, unconscious or worse. But her sheer absence is still wildly disconcerting.
Option two. Evie climbed down, possibly to get something.
I take a closer look at the couch to see if there are any loose threads or something that she might have used to get herself to the ground without falling. I don’t notice anything right away, all I find are her little jacket and minuscule socks. I try to remember what else she was wearing - could she have dropped something that bounced away, and then managed to climb down to fetch it? In my agitation my memories of the state of things right before I left her are a bit fuzzy.
This line of thinking widens my search to nearby structures that she’d be able to reach by walking. I call her name a few times as I look, but the futility of that is readily apparent.
She’d asked me to get her lip balm. That’s what had taken me so long, I wasn’t able to find it. Maybe she got tired of waiting for me? Could she have tried to borrow some from Moira, whose bed and belongings are up here? There are several bags close by, it’s not impossible that Evie got trapped in one of them. I let Mo search that while I head into Camila’s room to start searching the bags in there, eventually making it to the bathroom and sifting through some of the toiletries that are accessible from the floor. Nothing.
Option three. Something scared Evie and she’s hiding.
Could an animal have gotten into the house? I quickly decide that the odds of that are fairly slim. It’s dark out and all of the lights are on in the cabin, surely a deterrent for most critters. All the windows are closed downstairs. The only open window is the one that’s stuck open in Camila’s room, since it’s still as busted up as when I was wrenching at it yesterday. There aren’t any trees near that side of the cabin for some oddly behaving squirrel to jump from. I suppose a bird could have tried, but even if something was really determined to get in, the window is barely open at all, I don’t think even a sparrow would be able to squeeze through the gap.
A bug perhaps? While I’m not sure how likely it would be for a spider or roach to crawl in through the second-story window, and the house otherwise seems well sealed as we haven’t seen any insects in the cabin during our stay, I doubt that it’s foolproof. It’s certainly possible that some kind of large bug is lurking in one of these rooms and might have freaked little Evie out.
This gets me to start opening up cabinets and drawers. I get down low and try to imagine the world from her perspective, try to ask myself where I would hide if I was frightened at three inches tall. Within the folds of the shower curtain, inside a cupboard, behind lamp stands, under the beds, on top of luggage. Nothing.
Option four. Evie’s playing a prank on me.
This seems like the least likely of options, but after twenty minutes of nerve-wracking investigation, it briefly passes through my brain nevertheless. If she’s fully conscious, it’s just so weird that she hasn’t said anything. Unless she’s keeping quiet on purpose?
Moira’s downstairs now and I’m doing one last sweep up here before I stop and stand still in the center of the loft.
“Eve, please let this be a joke,” I say to the room desperately. “We always said that you’d be good at hide and seek. You win, okay?”
I wouldn’t even be mad at her if that’s all it took for her to show herself. I try to will her into existence, imagining her popping out from her hiding spot and calling to me with a giggle. But of course… no such luck.
Even though I can’t think of a plausible way she could have made it downstairs, I’m running out of ideas, so I join everyone else and start searching each room in turn. I look under every couch and chair. I search the pantry and kitchen floor for any recently dropped crumb trails. I’m sifting through baskets and bags and boxes. I closely examine her camp on the nightstand, trying to remember how I’d left it, though as far as I can tell it’s untouched.
Everyone else is diligently searching as well, moving cautiously from room to room, tiptoeing as their eyes scan the floor. It’s so bewildering that not only have none of us found her, we haven’t even found any sign of her. It’s like she vanished into thin air.
After over an hour of fruitless searching, I’m alone back up in the loft, feeling beside myself with worry. I take a second to sit down, on a couch opposite to the one that I had left her on. I sit and stare at the armrest where I last saw my precious little girlfriend.
Option five. Evie’s upset with me.
After tearing the place apart, it just makes no sense that none of us have found a single clue. Unless she was actively avoiding us by moving from one hiding place to another?
"Did I do something wrong, babe?” I ask softly into the air. Silence is my only answer.
Has she been suffering over something I wasn’t aware of? Did the Camila-related stresses get to her even more than I realized? Did I not do enough to make sure she felt secure and safe and loved and heard? Should I have insisted that we go straight home this afternoon? Or is it the opposite, did I overreact and it ended up frustrating her? Sometimes she still closes in on herself, sometimes she can still be hard to read, especially with how tiny her expressions are, how weak her voice is - maybe I missed something, maybe it was me. At this point I would rather it be that she’s avoiding me than any of the far worse alternatives.
“Please, Evie. Come back,” I say, my voice breaking. Tears blur up my vision and I drop my head to bury my face in my hands as I quietly sob, "Please, please be okay…”
I cry uncontrollably for the next minute or so, dangerously close to coming completely undone. I just don’t know what to do anymore. All my brain is giving me are new and horrific ideas on what could have happened to her. I’m getting eaten alive by despair.
It’s the sound of the staircase creaking that gets me to go silent. I rub at my eyes and take a deep breath before looking up at whoever’s come up to join me.
It’s Camila. Her posture is meek and tense, her expression hesitant. Her dark eyes meet mine, and she sighs as she walks over.
“Oh, Aiden…” she says quietly, “I’m so sorry. You must be so stressed out…”
I stiffen as she approaches, but I let her hug me. She sits down on top of the armrest right next to me and wraps her arms around my neck. I take in the little comfort I can get from this, silently letting it happen. I don’t feel motivated enough to fight it.
That is, until she slips down onto the couch proper after a minute, so that she’s sitting right at my side. She extends the supportive embrace by taking my arm in hers and leaning her head onto my shoulder. Something about it makes me naturally recoil - it feels too much like last night when she got drunk. And when I glance at her face and notice her expression looking far too serene, a spark of anger flashes inside me. Her advances suddenly don’t feel like they come from someone who’s just trying to comfort a friend… but rather someone who’s trying to take advantage of the situation.
I pull my arm away from her and give her a dark look. “Seriously, Camila? Seriously?”
Her jaw clenches and she stutters, “I-I’m just trying to–”
“Save it,” I snap, getting to my feet. “I can’t deal with you right now. In fact…”
I pause and go still as I glare at her. My exhausted mind starts working. I’ve been desperate and confused ever since my partner’s disappearance. But maybe this should have been obvious from the start. Maybe all of the answers are staring me in the face.
Option six. Someone else is responsible for Evie’s absence.
There’s hardly any emotion in my voice at all as I lock eyes with Camila and confront her. “You were up here, right? Just before she disappeared.”
She holds my gaze for several long seconds and extrapolates from my accusatory look. “You’re implying I have something to do with this?” she asks, eyes narrowing. “You seriously think I would do that?”
I speak quietly, tensely. “You’ve had it out for her from day one. You’ve said things I didn’t know you were capable of saying. I don’t know what you’re capable of anymore.”
She’s the one who ups the volume as she abruptly gets to her feet. “Aiden, that’s ridiculous! I would never do anything to hurt someone.”
“You already have. Can’t you see that?” I say with growing agitation. “How can you not realize how shitty you’ve been to Evie? You can’t blame me for getting suspicious at this point!"
Her shoulders move up and down with her breath as she gets more and more riled up. She’s glaring at me with intensity as a thousand thoughts seem to pass through her mind. Finally she snarls, “I don’t know what she told you, but I didn’t lay a hand on her in the kitchen. I didn’t do anything!”
I fall into stunned silence for a second. “The kitchen?” I ask, “What are you talking about?”
Camila stiffens and doesn’t respond, looking down at her boots. My heart is racing. Did something happen that Evie didn’t tell me about? What the hell is going on?
“What happened, Camila?” I insist, taking a step towards her. “When was this? What did you do?!”
“Nothing!” she protests, “We just… we just had an argument. I didn’t say anything I hadn’t already said.”
I throw my arm out, my voice edging towards unhinged. “Oh, you mean about how you think she’s a freak? A charity case? That I’m better off without her? All of that is ‘nothing’?!”
“See, this is exactly what–” she stops herself, shutting her mouth forcefully. I can see it in her eyes, I know what she was about to get at. The fact that Evie is missing is proving Camila’s point from earlier about my relationship causing me stress. But she has enough wisdom not to say it out loud right now.
“Aiden, I don’t think it was her,” a soft voice interjects. I whip around to see Moira reaching the top of the stairs, looking weary. “She was with us all evening, aside from grabbing something from her room. Star had eyes on Camila the whole time they were up here.”
Star’s coming up behind her, nodding forlornly in confirmation. Diego’s there too, and he doesn’t say anything, looking conflicted about the way I was just accusing his cousin. Moira herself seems uncomfortable in coming to Camila’s defense, but she’s looking at me with pleading eyes.
“Then where is she?!” I exclaim desperately. “For fuck’s sake, she could be dead right now!”
Moira flinches at that, tears springing up from the suggestion. Subconsciously I know I’m just making things worse. I’m too distraught to think properly. Suddenly Diego steps around the two girls, marching right up to me. I reflexively recoil, but he grabs my shoulders.
“Bro. Look at me.” He leans down to make firm eye contact as he turns me to face him, fingers digging into my arms. “We’re gonna find her. Okay?”
I waver on the spot, and he pulls me into a tight hug. At first I’m still incredibly tense. But as I try to catch my breath and the despair seeps back in to replace the anger, I end up letting my head hang, leaning it against his chest. For a moment it’s like I’m seven years old again, crying and being held by my best friend on the school playground after I’d just found out my family dog died. No matter how many years have passed, Diego’s still the same supportive guy.
And the embrace is helping me come back to my senses. Because unlike when I was seven, I’m not surrounded by the other kids from the military base, sniggering and pointing as they tossed out homophobic slurs. Instead I’m with people who care about me. And they care about Evie too. I’m still not completely convinced of Camila’s innocence, but I definitely shouldn’t be lashing out at my friends. I need to pull myself together.
I look up at Diego and give him a grateful nod when he lets go of me. I take one long, shuddering breath in as Moira steps forward too.
“Could she have gotten outside?” she suggests quietly.
I manage to make my tone calmer this time. “I’ve thought about that… God, I hope not, but I guess anything’s possible at this point. But why? And how? All of the doors are locked shut. The only open window is the broken one in Camila’s room. And even if she wanted to, Evie would have had no way to get up to that windowsill.”
Diego’s eyes sweep the room. “Show us exactly where she was when you left.”
With a sigh I walk over to the couch by the wall and point. “Here. Right here. She was sitting on the armrest.”
From my new vantage point, I notice Camila reacting subtly. She had stepped off to the side in brooding silence when the other three showed up, hugging her arms around herself as she stared at the floor. But she looks up towards me now, suddenly frowning and growing a shade paler.
“Wait,” she says softly. “That’s the couch you guys were at? By… by that window?”
“Yeah,” I respond, keeping my eyes fixed now as I try to get a read on her. “But again, these windows are shut…”
“Actually… um.” Camila stutters. She’s now locking eyes with Star, who has also gone wide-eyed in sudden realization. “About that…”