Chapter 7 Confessions

His eyes flew open, but he didn't say anything.

I took that as a sign to go ahead and unfold the edge of the damp cloth, dabbing at the blood on his split lip.

"He hit hard, huh?."

He nodded, still silent as he watched me find another clean spot on the hand towel.

"You're lucky he missed your nose. I would've needed more than this to clean that up."

He ran his tongue over his swollen lip as he watched me inspect the damage to his shoulder. I winced. The wrist sized welt was purple, verging on black with its budding bruise.

"This whole not yelling at me thing is a little unnerving," I whispered, folding up the cloth and putting it back on his shoulder. I stood in front of him a minute longer then sat beside him, giving up on talking.

"What are you doing here?" He finally asked, his voice thick from his fat lip.

"Lills said I needed to apologise to you."

"For what?"

I waved a hand around his room. "For bringing up your mother who I didn't know was dead."

He frowned.

"She wanted to know why you've been avoiding me. I told her I brought up your mother and let her draw her own conclusions."

"You didn't you tell her the truth?"

I shrugged, his gaze unnerving me just as much as his silence had. "And say what? That your feelings for me make you sick? That you kissed me and ran? No thanks."

"You're the one who ran away."

"You ran first," I said, looking away from him. I sighed, forcing myself to look back at him. "I need a favour."

"You can ask."

"Can... Can I stay here tonight?"

"Why?"

"Because Lills said that if I asked, you'd let me."

"Wouldn't you rather somewhere else?"

"You know no one else will have me."

He waited a beat. "Do you want to stay with me?"

"What's with the twenty questions?"

"Do you want to stay with me?" He repeated, his voice quiet.

I could feel his eyes on me, intense, searching. But searching for what? "You know the answer."

"Then stay," he whispered, his warm breath tickling the side of my neck.

His fingers touched my cheek, guiding my face to his. The smell of his damp skin filled my nose and I wanted it against me. My breathing changed to mirror his short, shallow breaths. I felt light headed, dizzied by my pounding heart and the slow, deep ache, spreading through my entire body.

"I'm back," Burney said, striding through the curtain. He froze mid step, his face in shock as the image before him sunk in. He spun and left, shaking his head as he high tailed it out.

"Burney!" I yelled, staring at the billowing curtain. "Damn it!"

Aaron got to his feet and walked over to the bucket of water on the table. Was that his version of putting space between us? Again?

"Any chance he'll keep that to himself?"

Aaron grunted but didn't answer. Of course he didn't answer. What would he say? I glanced back at the empty spot beside me and stood.

"Running already?"

"Just following your lead," I snapped back.

He nodded as he dunked his cloth into the water and rang it out, keeping his back to me.

"So..." I took a deep breath, unsure what I was waiting for. A sign maybe. A reason not to chase after Burney. I waited half a minute more, counting the seconds with fading hope. I reached thirty and left.

The locals gave me a wide birth at the best of times, but with the look on my face as I stormed back to my room, they didn't even make eye contact.

"Fayle!" Lillith said, jumping to her feet, "Burney said -"

"We need to talk."

I didn't know why he'd reacted the way he did but the last thing I wanted was to loose another friend. They were few and hard to come by down here.

Burney folded his arms and set his jaw, the splitting image of his older brother.

"What you saw in there - "

"Was none of my business."

I closed my eyes a moment, forcing myself to calm down. "Nothing happened."

"That's not what I saw."

"Yeah? Then what did you see?"

His eyes flicked to Dave then back again as he squared his shoulders. "You were on his bed with him."

"And?" I demanded, ignoring Lills startled gasp.

"You looked like you were about to kiss."

"But we didn't. And so what if we had? Do you really think you have any right to throw a fit over it? I know I'm not a Scorcher, but you're not three years oldd either!"

"I know," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I'm... I'm sorry Fayle. I just didn't think I'd ever see him and you... Or him and anyone like that."

"Why not?"

He looked like a cat being held over a tub of water. "Because of Sara."

"Sara?"

"His... His girlfriend."

I gripped the wall beside me. "Dave?"

"Fayle... I had no idea."

"About me... or her?"

"You," he said quietly.

"So she's real," I whispered, wishing the ground would open up and swallow me.

He nodded.

"Is she here?"

"No."

"Is she dead?"

"No."

"Then where is she?"

"Taken."

"When?"

"Two years ago."

No wonder he'd been happy to search with us. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"He had a son."

"Had?"

"Had," Dave repeated, his voice quiet.

"She killed him," Burney said, his words too loud for our tiny room. "He was with her when she was Taken. She didn't even hesitate."

I buried my face in my hands. "That explains a lot," I whispered, my voice muffled by my tears.

Lillith moved over to shield me from the boys. "Are you okay?"

I looked up and met her eyes, ignoring my wet cheeks. No wonder he hated how he felt about me.

"I'm fine," I said, my voice cracking on the last word. "Get your stuff Burney, we should go."

"Fayle no, it's okay," she said, touching my arm. "We can do this another time."

I let out a small huff. "It won't change anything."

"But -"

"No buts. Tonight is just you and Dave."

Burney knelt down and rolled up his blankets. "Want me to get yours?"

I shook my head. "He's got a spare in the corner." I turned back and gave my twin a hug. "It's all good Lills. Enjoy your night together, okay?"

She squeezed me back. "If it gets to be too much, you come straight back."

"I will," I promised, not fooling her with my lie. "Come on Burney."

We passed through the caverns in silence, only stopping once we reached Aarons door.

"Why don't you dump your stuff and give us a few minutes?"

"How about I head home for the night and sleep in my own room?"

I swung at him, landing him what was meant to be a playful whack to his stomach. "You're leaving me?"

His goofy smile over the hit disappeared. "I'm sorry if I made things worse. I didn't mean to."

"I know you didn't," I said, trying to give him a half hearted smile. "You got caught off guard and I get why."

"Good luck."

"Thanks," I said, rolling my eyes.

He took a few steps backwards, giving me a lame wave before turning around and sprinting down the hall. I sucked in a deep breath and went in, afraid that if I knocked, Aaron would send me away.

I looked around the room and let out a relieved sigh. It was empty. I sat on the edge of his bed, wondering what to do. Burney was gone and I still wasn't allowed to wander around on my own. I pulled my feet up beside me and lay down, deciding that sleep was my best option. It could be hours before Aaron got back, and I didn't want to face him already exhausted.