11 Hours

3 and a half hours after

     Bryson went back inside then came back out with the two dead, skinned squirrels. He sat them on the log on the other side of the firepit. Then he reached down and picked up two sharp sticks and stuck it through the squirrels.
" Mind handing me those rocks?" he asked.
   I looked over to the right of me and noticed two rocks were sitting beside me. I picked them up and tossed them to Bryson. He walked over to the firepit, leaned over the pit and began to rub the two rocks together over the pile of wood in the pit. I suddenly saw a spark. Bryson threw the rocks into the pit, and a small flame slowly rose from the pit.
" And that's how ya do it," he said.
   He looked over at me and smiled.  Bryson went over to the entrance door and grabbed two, large Y-shaped sticks and one large, straight stick. He put the two Y-shaped sticks in the ground on each side of the fire pit. Then he stuck the large, straight stick in between the two squirrels and placed them in between the two Y-shaped sticks.
" I don't know how long it will take, but make sure you turn the squirrels every now and then," he said.
   I nodded my head then smiled. This was a whole new side of Bryson I was seeing. I liked this side of him.
Bryson walked back to the door then turned around.
" I am about to take a shower, don't pop in....unless you want to," he said.
He smiled and winked at me.
   I shook my head and sighed. Bryson walked inside, slamming the door behind him. I began to look around at the forest. I slowly stood up and looked at the forest in awe.
" Beautiful," I whispered to myself.
I leaned over towards the roasting squirrel and turned it over on its back...at least I think it's its back. I looked up at the bathroom window, then back at the forest. I decided that I would look around a bit, I just needed to be back before Bryson finished showering.

  It began to get chilly so I decided to go back to camp. I looked back and saw my squirrel still roasting on the same side I had last turned it on. I began to run back to the house until I tripped on something and fell to the ground. I sat up and felt something wet on my leg. I looked down and noticed it was bleeding. I looked over to the right side of me and noticed I tripped on a log that had fresh blood painted on it. I suddenly heard the front door slam close so I turned around and Bryson was running towards me shirtless....and his hair was still wet.
" God you can never listen," he said angrily.
He looked down at my leg and gasped.
" God Alex, it's worse!" he yelled.
   I looked down at my bleeding leg and sighed.
Bryson looked up at me then down at my leg. He then looked up at the sky and closed his eyes. Bryson got up off the ground and looked down at me longingly.
" When you take a shower, make sure you clean that up good, then either I can wrap it up or you can," he said.
   He walked back over to the fire pit and took my squirrel off the stick and put his on. I sat on the ground and thought about nothing.
" You gonna sit there all day Brown?" Bryson yelled.
   I quickly got off the ground, moaning in pain, and walked over to the firepit and sat across from Bryson. I picked up my squirrel, which was sitting on a leaf still letting off steam, and began to dig in.
" Good?" Bryson asked.
" Needs some flavor, but we are in the wild," I said.
He laughed then continued to eat.
  It only took me a couple of minutes to finish my squirrel. I put my stick back on the leaf my eaten squirrel was lying on and got up off the log.
" Sit down Brown," said Bryson.
" Excuse me?"
   He pointed at my leg while swallowing the food in his mouth.
" What about it," I asked.
" Just lemme carry you."
" I am not a baby, you don't need to take care of me," I said.
  He gave me a deadly stare and put down his stick on the log. He got up and looked at me then walked to the door.
" Fine by me," he said.
Bryson slammed the door behind him. I could hear him stomping to his room and closing the door behind him. I tried to get up from the log, but it hurt too much. So I sat there in pain by the fire.
   Eventually, Bryson came back out with a shirt on his shoulder giving me a devilish grin.
" Why you still out here Brown?" Bryson asked.
" I like the forest," I said.
He shook his head and spit on the ground.
" So now you're a liar?" he asked.
I folded my arms and refused to look at him.
" Like I said Brown, hard to get is not the way to go."
   He walked over to me and crouched down. Bryson put his hand under my chin and turned my head towards his.
" I do like you better this way."
He grinned then did his classic wink.
" As much as I love this game, you need to take a shower," he said.
  He picked me up and carried me upstairs. Bryson gently sat me down on the bed. I looked and noticed there was an old towel and rag nicely folded.
" Where-"
" Linen closet." he interrupted.
  I scooched to the other side of the bed and attempted to get up, but once again it hurt too much. Bryson walked to where I was sitting and stood in front of me.
" Need help Brown?" he asked.
  I looked up at him and nodded my head. He turned his head to the side and covered his cheek with his hand.
" Does that make you blush Beach?" I asked.
   He slowly turned his head towards me and gave me a puzzled look.
" I never told you my last name Brown," he said while grinning.
I looked away from him. He chuckled then picked me up.
" Now....how are you gonna shower Brown?" he asked.
   I didn't know. I but I certainly didn't wanna be showering with him.
" I can take my clothes off," I said.
" But you can't stand," he said.
   I sighed and looked in the mirror above the sink. I noticed Bryson slowly examining my body, up and down. Then he looked me in my eyes through the mirror. He turned me around, picked me up,  and set me on the sink, and grabbed my waist. I felt a wave of heat go through my body. Normally in a movie, this is the part where the two people start making out.
" I will happily join you, for your assistance of course," he said.
   He backed away from me and leaned against the wall while running his fingers through his hair.
" You can just stay in here," I said.
" While you shower?" he asked.
   I nodded my head. He immediately let out a huge grin.
" Ok, I'll tell you when you can come back in," I said.
He nodded his head and left the bathroom.
   I slowly got off the sink and turned towards the mirror. I looked at myself as I took my clothes off. I looked closely at my wounds.
" Can I come in?" Bryson asked.
   I limped to the shower and turned it on. I put my hand under the water and waited for it to get warm enough, then I got in.
" Come on in," I said.
Bryson quickly opened the door. I heard footsteps going towards the toilet.
  I saw the bar of soap on the side but then I realized that I forgot my rag and towel.
" Um...Bryson." I said. " I kinda forgot my rag and towel.
   I heard him laugh and get up off the toilet and head into the room.
" Here you go," he said.
I opened the glass door and held my hand out.
" Wow."
I rolled my eyes and waved my hand.
" You can't even see anything, the glass is translucent," I said.
Bryson chuckled then handed me my rag. I snatched it from his hand and quickly shut the door.
I grabbed the bar of soap and quickly washed up.
  I finally finished my shower, so I turned the water off and cracked the glass door open.
" Towel?" Bryson asked.
" Yep," I said.
  I grabbed the towel from his hand and put it on inside the shower. Then I opened the door and stepped out of the shower still dripping water from my body and hair. I could hear Bryson gasp in my right ear. I slowly turned towards him holding my towel.
" So, you need help?" he asked.
I looked up at the ceiling to think then back at him.
" As much as I enjoy you carrying me around, I think I can limp my way there," I said.
   As I limped towards the bed I felt hands grip my waist.
" Sorry, I couldn't watch you any longer." He said.
Bryson put me on the bed then brushed his hands on his sweatpants. Then I thought to myself,
" Bryson didn't wear sweats to school."
" Where did you get those?" I asked.
" Oh, they had some clothes downstairs." He replied.
   I looked at the dresser then back at Bryson. He rolled his eyes at me then smiled. He walked over to the dresser then opened it.
" Mmmm," Bryson mumbled.
" What?" I asked.
He turned around holding a short, nude, silk dress.
" No," I said.
" C'mon Brown," he whined.
" That's a grown woman dress," I said.
He rolled his eyes and threw the dress at me.
" Put it on, it's not like I'm sleeping in the same bed as you," he said.
He walked out of the room shutting the door behind him. I grabbed the nightgown and put it up to me.
   10 minutes later I heard a faint knock at my door.
" What?" I said.
" Can I come in?" Bryson asked.
" Sure."
   Bryson walked in and immediately lost his breath.
" Y-you. So," he said.
I chuckled and sat up straight. Bryson's eyes suddenly got huge. I looked down and noticed I was showing a lot of cleavage.
" It's the dress,"
Bryson grinned and moved closer to the bed.
" Only if you were mine," he whispered.
" If only," I replied.
   Bryson cleared his throat. " You heard that?"
I nodded my head and smiled. Bryson walked over to the other side of the bed and sat next to me.
" I know you don't wanna talk about it, but I wanna know how you feel Brown," said Bryson.
   I began to twiddle with my fingers until Bryson placed his hand on top of mine.
" Brown," he said softly.
" Just tell me the truth," I responded.
" Don't make me spell it out Brown...you know I want you," he said quietly.
I looked over at him then he looked at me.
" That's not a lie," he said.
I put my hand on his cheek as he gazed into my eyes then at my lips.
" I don't wanna.....do anything," he whispered.
" Neither do I," I replied.
" I just want you, Brown."
Bryson gave me an evil grin then moved closer to my face.
" Wait, I can't be another one of your one-night stands," I said.
He chuckled then looked into my eyes.
" I never even thought about you as one of those girls until you mentioned it," he said.
Bryson sighed, got up from the bed, and left. I sat there wondering if he was telling the truth.