The group ran once again, they didn't go for that long since Vinh who was leading them had to carry Marie. That and because Loire was injured and couldn't run for so long, soon enough, the group had to stop and take a break. Loire went to the ground, coughing slightly.
"No more.. damn…" She sighed out, closing her eyes to try and relax herself.
Cameron fell next to her, his body was shaking with adrenaline, he huffed out feeling both excited yet scared. He didn't even realize what he had done. But his friends had no trouble voicing out his actions.
"God damn Cam cam," Kim Seo huffed from above him. Cameron turned up to the taller, feeling both confused and delirious. "I didn't know you had that in you. Both a bit scary, yeah, but still pretty awesome!"
"Awesome..?" Cameron whispered to himself.
"Very awesome..!" Loire said from beside him. Cameron looked over to her, seeing that Vinh was helping to dab the blood away from her nose. Vinh was using her own sleeves, she didn't care about the blood on her clothes, only trying to wipe all the blood off from Loire.
The spunky girl didn't feel the pain much, looking at Cameron with a genuine look of pride and joy.
"I took you for granted, you're stronger than you look." She nudged him weakly with her elbow. It made Cameron smile, his face warming up at the compliments his friend gave him. It made him feel happy, for once with these people.
For once, they actually start to feel like friends.
"Ow ow ow-"
"Stop moving and it will stop hurting." Vinh warned the girl, moving closer to move her sleeve more deeply in the wound. Loire wheezed, trying to hold back a snicker that would cause her pain. Vinh noticed, grumbling to her. "-What's so funny?"
Loire pulled her knees up slightly to get more comfortable. "You're gonna regret using your sleeves. Just use my clothes, not yours."
"Hmp." Vinh moved her hand, pulling her sleeves as far as it could go before ripping it off. Loire looked on in shock as the long haired girl continued to clean up the blood.
"You know, when I first saw you, I thought you were a spoiled pretty girl."
"Hmm." Vinh hummed to herself, listening quietly as Loire continued to speak.
"I mean, if you wore makeup, or dressed 'better' you could definitely pass for a popular girl at school!"
"Why would I?" Vinh mumbled to herself.
Loire looked back to her, it confused her, this girl who stayed quiet but was as smart as a fox. She never dressed up, always looked messy and didn't care for any sort of activities in school. She just stayed next to Kim Seo all day, doing nothing fun.
At first Loire thought she was in a relationship with Kim Seo, but that was thrown out the window the closer Loire got to the relationship. Vinh seemed to dislike everyone, no matter what gender. But her soft spot was children, she grew kinder, less like a mindless robot and more like a human.
She had a backstory, a reason. Loire wanted to know more, out of her or Cameron, and even Kim Seo, she never talked about anything concerning her. Loire took a look to her side, noticing how Kim Seo and Cameron were on their own a few feet away. Kim Seo had dragged him over, forcing the boy to stop moving so he could check up on his injuries, even if he didn't have as much as Loire. Kim Seo took the time to check up on him while Vinh did the same with her.
Marie sat beside Vinh, leaning on her and deciding to take a nap. Loire didn't question how the young child could sleep so easily, she wanted to talk with Vinh. To know the girl.
"Vinh, you never talk about yourself." Loire suddenly said to the girl, the one in question shook her head for an answer. Loire continued with a huff. "Can you share why you like children so much?"
"Excuse me?" Vinh looked up to her, a slight rise of her eyebrow.
Loire stuttered realizing how the question sounded. "Not- not like that!" She giggled, finding hilariousness in herself. "I just don't understand how good you are with kids. How much kids like you back. You're just a lot better with them then with kids your own age."
"I don't see how any of this is your business." The tall girl turned her head.
Only Loire wasn't the type to give up so easily. "It isn't, but I want to know more about you so we're closer." Loire tried to smile to get Vinh to open up, only the taller girl ignored the gesture. "Alright, just tell me about angel then."
"What?" Vinh turned to her now.
"Marie, the little girl Kim Seo keeps calling 'angel'."
"Why would you want to know about her?" Vinh shook her head. "None of that is your concern."
"We're friends, and I want to know more about my friends!" Loire gave a beaming, toothed smile. Blood was still smearing in her teeth, making Vinh feel pity for the injured girl.
So with a small sigh, Vinh turned her head to the small child next to her. "To be honest, I don't know alot about Marie. She is too young to talk about herself or tell me things."
"Well, why is she so attached to you?"
Vinh was silent for a moment, looking at the soft expression on the child's face. "I make her comfortable. I make her feel safe, something that she hasn't seemed to feel before."
"So.. you're like a mother to her?"
"If you want to call it that, sure. She is safe with me, and that is all that matters." Vinh finished with a huff, turning back over to feed the bloody cloth she was using with more blood. Loire didn't seem to drop it, she huffed and puffed with annoyance clear in her eyes.
"Come on, there's more you want to share. I know it."
"So what is there?" She growled with a glare. "I don't feel like sharing everything in my pockets with you."
"So you just want to bubble it up until it explodes?" Loire whined, leaning over with a small audible wince. She ignored it, keeping her voice stern, "it's not a way to live in Vinh."
"You know from experience?" The tall girl looked over to her.
"Hell yeah!" Loire beamed, wiping her bloody nose as if it was snot. "I feel a lot better after telling my story, now it's your turn." She nudged her with her elbow, holding back a wince when she moved her chest.
Vinh noticed it, feeling her chest tightened when the girl held back some painful tears. She sighed back with annoyance, but she silently held out the folded fabric to her nose. It soaked up the blood that ran down almost to her chin. It was silent between them now, Loire took a glance at the now silent girl. She had a soft expression, gently wiping away the blood and wounds like a loving mother would. It made something inside the younger girl grow soft, feeling comforted and loved, something she hasn't felt in forever.
Loire chuckled, staring with fondness. Vinh felt her face heat up, keeping her lips in a line, "what?"
"You're like a loving mother."
For a second, the tall girl cracked a smile. "You're teasing me." She found herself saying, hiding the smile as soon as it came. But Loire saw it, she felt the hope come from the other girl for a split second before it was gone.
While the two felt the calmness overcome them, they heard the annoyed tone and laughter from the boys a few feet from them by another tree. Loire put back on her playful smile while Vinh moved the fabric away with an eye roll.
"Stop moving and it won't hurt." Kim Seo laughed with a sly grin.
"Everytime you touch me it hurts you asshole!" Cameron bit back with a shove to pull himself away. He got away, grounding himself and dusting off dried blood from his busted lip. It seemed to have been the only injury he had, not as bad as Loire who was still smiling after being beaten.
Kim Seo nodded to him, ruffling his head that earned a hiss of anger from the short boy. The taller of the two dropped it, leaning away from him with a huff and a faint smile. Cameron stayed silent, rubbing away the small amount of blood from his busted lip, wincing little from time to time.
It was silent now, only a few painful breaths and the snores of a sleeping child. It was until Loire began to huff, looking around the surrounded area that echoed chips and a few tweets from small critters up in the air.
"Is it just me, or is it darker?" She looked over to the boys, motioned up to the sky with her blue hair swinging.
Kim Seo looked around as well, seeing the forest around them becoming dark. The bright green leaves slowly fade to a pinkish tint from the fading red sky. It wasn't extreme just yet, they could still see the bright sun shining through a few faded clouds. The softness of the atmosphere shifted slightly, the tall boy sat up with a small groan.
"I think we should start making our way back."
The group looked back at him, a few expressions seen through the faces of the others. Loire jumped up, almost tumbling over herself when pain shot from her stomach. She curled up on herself, Vinh soon followed after to help keep her standing.
"Why though? It's fun out here, the group will just punish us."
"They're not gonna know that we left in the first place." Kim Seo smiled, picking up himself and forcing the others to follow after him. "As long as we sneak back in as they are leaving, it's been about what? A few hours?"
"3 since we have been out." Vinh answered, waking up Marie who yawned and stretched herself. She held Vinh's hand, glaring at the others for forcing her awake.
"So they should be getting done by now. So, let's start making our way back." Kim Seo walked forward, the others following behind, Loire being the last one with a limp in her step. The tall boy turned around, seeing her struggle with Vinh by her side and the angel holding her hand. Cameron was in between the group, holding his lip. "You gonna be alright Loire?"
"I'm not a baby." She smirked up at him, pain behind her eyes but she didn't show it.
The tall boy nodded to her, turning back and leading the group back in the direction where they had been jumped by Damian. Well, Loire and Cameron got jumped.
They continued on, a small bit of chatter coming from them, soon a comfortable silence would follow after them. Marie held Vinhs hand tightly, leaning her head down with a small whine. The tall girl stroked her head, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. Loire turned her head in their direction, smiling slowly.
"Aww, why is angel so sad~?" Kim Seo said from up front.
Vinh ignored his eyes, stroking her head. "She's just tired."
"Didn't we just rest? -And didn't she sleep while you were helping Loire?" Cameron turned to them while stating.
"She's a child." Vinh growled with low eyes, she turned back to the child with Cameron gulping and turning away.
Kim Seo giggled, rubbing his head with small words. The short boy scowled at him, moving as far as he could from the older boy. Loire was close to Vinh and Marie, having the taller girl flank her and make sure she wasn't left behind. Well, that is what Loire told herself. It made her feel better, like they were looking out for her.
Loire bumped her shoulder gently. Vinh turned to her, a hint of annoyance clear in her eyes. "You never told me anything about you. Remember?"
"What is there to say?" She muttered.
"Come on, you only spoke about Marie. Say something about you for once, why don't you?"
Vinh looked forward, nothing in her emotions changed, but out of the slightest look from Loire, she saw her jaw clenched. Loire was about to speak up when the tall girl finally spoke in a low tone. "My parents weren't the best. But I did have siblings, all younger than me." She sniffed slightly, keeping any emotions from her eyes. "I had to take care of them. I had to hold them close and keep them safe. I had to be the mother."
She sighed, turning back down to stroke Marie's head.
Loire thought for a second, seeing how hidden and guarded the girl was with her emotions. It reminded her of Kim Seo, the boy who never shows fear. Well try not to.
Maybe that's why they get along so well. They both hide things about them, they hide it so well too. But Loire saw something through her, the first hint of a true fear. She was scared, she was sad. Loire wanted to pry more, she wanted to know more and more about her more than anything.
But she knew not to. She turned away, focusing in front of the group, hiding the small smile on her lips. At least she got something out of the quiet girl, she wouldn't pry more than she already has.
Now that they were done speaking, Loire turned to the commotion in front of them. Like it always seemed to be, Cameron and Kim Seo were bickering back and forth.
"You don't seem to know where we are going. Why are you leading the way anyways?" Cameron said, looking up to the boy in front.
"If you're so sure about it, why don't you lead the way?" The tall boy smirked at him from behind, casting a toothed smile. Cameron replied with an eyebrow, ready to start bickering again. Kim Seo chose to ignore him, facing forward and casting his eyes around the surroundings.
For a second, he stopped. He looked around, trying to understand something. He couldn't recognize where they were, he followed after where Damian and his buddies had come from, but he seemed to lose sight of where they had got back to the base. He was following their trail, but it seemed to stop.
When he realized that, he stopped and the whole group followed after. Cameron was the first to speak, looking over to the taller. "Why did we stop?"
"Hmp," Kim Seo mumbled to himself, putting his hands on his hips with confusion. Cameron asked again, irritation leaking from his voice. "I lost the trail on them."
"What?" Loire spoke from behind the pair.
"I mean, we were following Damian and the others' trail to go back to the clearing. But their trail stopped."
"We?" Cameron asked loudly, turning the taller boy's attention to him. "I think you mean you. You were following them because you didn't know how to get back."
"Did you know how to get back, smart boy?" Kim Seo mocked, his eyebrows furrowed with irritation. Cameron scoffed, rolling his eyes. "That's what I thought. It was the only thing I could think of since we were kinda running in circles." He chuckled to himself, shaking his head.
"So what now?" Loire said, something hiding in the quietness in her voice.
Kim Seo hesitated for a second, taking another look around himself. He felt something flying in the pit of his stomach, something was wrong, and he was responsible for it.
"We're lost, aren't we?" It was Vinh who spoke next, eyeing Kim Seo like the rest of them.
The latter didn't answer, keeping his head forward. The pit in his stomach grew, he felt his legs slightly shake and his jaw tightening ever so slightly. The group didn't pick up on it, Cameron saw something but he misread the look in his eyes. He was thinking slightly, the anger came rolling back in a heartbeat.
"Answer.."
The boy shook his head, looking up to the leaves falling from the large trees. He didn't know how to respond, and that pissed Cameron off even more.
"Admit it. You got us lost you idiot!"
"Me?" Kim Seo scoffed, turning over to him with a smile on his lips. It wasn't a happy smile, it was anger filled. "You followed me. Didn't once think about anything or trying to make sure we weren't on the wrong path."
"How the hell were we supposed to know!?" Cameron came forward, looking up to him with glaring eyes. "You took the lead! You made us follow after you, don't put the blame on us!"
"Its not fucking blame," Kim Seo couldn't help but laugh to himself, running his hand over his mouth.
"It fucking sounds like it!" Cameron bit back, his voice carried a spur of venom.
"Listen to it anyway you damn want." Kim Seo finally turned fully to the boy behind him. "Just shut up about things you don't know ANYTHING about."
"I know we are fucking lost!"
"Guys-" Vinh started, holding Marie close and tightly to block off the fighting. Loire stood back with a smirk on her lips, seeming to be enjoying this.
"You wanna start this?" Kim Seo came forward, towering over the smaller boy with a menacing glare. "Hm, now? Right fucking now?"
"You don't scare me," Cameron growled back, eyeing him with the same anger leaked from Kim Seo's voice.
"Guys stop it!" Vinh moved a hand forward between the two, she glared at both of them who never moved their vision from one another. "This is getting us nowhere. Your bickering is only gonna stop us from getting back before it's too dark. You're scaring Marie, causing us to lose our focus." She fully turned back Kim Seo, the boy closed his eyes and shook his head. She pushed her hand firmly on his chest, Marie was standing numbly beside Loire while Vinh stopped the two. "So cut it the fuck out."
The tall boy stood quiet, letting in a deep breath to control his anger. He did so, opening back up to peer at the girl in front of him. He let out a small smile. "Fine, fine. But don't just look at me." He motioned to the boy who still glared at him from behind Vinh's shoulder.
Without looking, the girl elbowed him in the chest. The boy buckled over, wheezing slightly at the painful thrust that took the wind out of him for one quick second. Loire burst into little giggles, hunkering over beside Marie who looked unimpressed.
Kim Seo snickered to himself, turning away from the girl and boy. Vinh didn't bother to apologize, walking past Cameron and to Marie who welcomed her in a desperate hug.
That left Cameron in hiccups to catch his breath. He did so, closing his eyes tightly. Vinh must have hit his bruise he had gotten from Damian and the others, it hurt like hell for the second that kept him grounded. He found himself soon after, his attention suddenly pulled from the opposite direction of the group.
Again.. again he was sure someone was there. He had actually caught a glimpse of a figure. It was close, sending shivers down his spine. Pain spiked from his body suddenly turning over on itself.
Did the others not see it? Am I growing crazy? Are Damian and his friends back?
Cameron gulped down the fear that was lumping up in his throat. He tried to tell himself he was seeing things, but he couldn't even believe himself.
He knew that they weren't alone.