Camp Where The Hell Are We? | ✓

18

During the winter of her freshman year, Marley received her first black eye.

It wasn't supposed to turn out that way. They were standing in the kitchen — Marley wearing three layers of socks and curled up in her jacket because of the failing heater — and Bob Hoover had half his body in the fridge as he searched for a beer. She was standing behind him, a field trip form for Chemistry in her hands.

That signature ended up being the very last legitimate one she ever had, in the entirety of her high school career.

She had been bothering him about it, and he was refusing to sign to get to her. It was Sunday night, and the deadline was the next morning; Marley was desperate, and he had her exactly where he wanted her.

So he said no. And she tried to be calm, but something inside of her had already snapped beyond saving.

"It's a field trip form, Dad. It's free. This isn't-"

And that's where it happened. It was less dramatic than it sounds right now; he stood and threw his elbow behind him. Marley knew he didn't mean to hit her in the eye like that, he was off the edge of sobriety and wanted her to stop talking about it.

The cold crept into her so easy in that moment. She let it in, and her teeth chattered for the rest of the night, no matter how many layers she wore.

That was kind of what this moment felt like — being punched in the eye out of nowhere and having to blink a few times while trying to make sense of everything at once.

Time had stopped. Everything around Marley seemed to freeze and break open.

But she didn't have the chance to say anything else. Something small, a flutter, landed on the top of her right cheek. It took her a dumb second to realize it was his lips.

He kissed her on the cheek. Oh, my gods.

Marley felt like every single ounce of her blood had been drained from her face. She shouldn't have been so terrified and upset, but she was.

This is going to bite you in the ass, Marley. And it did.

"Wait a second..." Tristan mused, "you've got to be kidding...you two? Is this why you've been dodging all our questions about guys? Because you've been messing around with him?"

"Not that it's a bad thing!" Sarah inputted quickly, "I mean you're cute so-"

"Wait a second," Conner stumbled backwards, his face pale. Marley realized now that he was so afraid of Aiden. His head was turned towards Conner, but she couldn't see his face.

Her heart was ice. Her body was ice. Everything was cold inside of her.

"He's not being...he was exaggerating all of it, okay? Marley and I-"

"If you touched her I will fuck up your face." Aiden's voice cut into the air for the first time. It sent physical darkness into the room. Goosebumps formed on Marley's arms.

"Woah, Woah Aiden." Leo was quickly stepping in front of his best friend, shoving his shoulders, "Back up. Why don't you let them explain?"

"Explain what?" Aiden's voice was totally flat, blank. When he turned around towards Marley, she was terrified of him for the very first time since they met.

She stumbled backwards. He looked so...menacing. As though he could crush her under his thumb. Nothing like her Aiden, nothing like the person she knew.

"Tell me Jordan's wrong, Marley. Tell me it's all bullshit. I'm giving you a chance to do that. Right now. Tell me he made that up to get under my skin."