Expired With Me

Chapter Fifty-Three

Iris

"Splash me," Jonas whispers. I shake my head. "What? Afraid of the Preeminence?"

"You did put a target on my back."

"Just splash me, love." I shake my head again.

"I splash you, you splash me, I splash you again, then you push me into the waterfall over there." The lake off of the campsite is beautiful. The water is a clear, perfect blue, our reflections clearly visible under us. The water is surrounded by trees, the leaves blocking rays of sunlight, which still manages to seep through the cracks. About twenty feet away, a waterfall replaces the soothing sounds of the crackling of a campfire. Aiden and Thea left about an hour ago.

"Push us. Do it," he whispers.

"What's over there?" I ask, pointing to a tire swing. He looks, and I push my hand through the water, wetting his, previously dry, face. Jonas feigns shock and pulls me close.

"You tricked me."

"Did I?" Jonas turns around, causing me to hold onto him piggyback style. Before I can react, he's swimming across the lake, landing us on the underside of the waterfall, away from any prying eyes. Jonas plays with a lock of my hair, before letting his hand brush across my cheek, bringing the lock of hair behind my ear.

"I love you, Iris Blackwood." His eyes flick to my lips. "Remember that." He presses his lips to mine.

***

Jonas and I leave the water, laughing. We slowly walk back to camp, savoring every second we have alone. "Iris," Anna says, holding out a s'more when we arrive. I take it, and sit down on the bench next to her, Jonas next to me. I help him make one with white chocolate. Somehow, the Society men don't understand how to properly toast marshmallows.

"I have a gift for everyone," Bently says, coming out of his and Noah's tent with two cases of the fanciest beer one can acquire. Noah and Aiden's mouths drop, helping to pass it out. Bently hands me a root beer in a matching glass bottle as everyone else.

"Thank you," I mouth to him. He smiles.

"We don't want you turning into an alcoholic... or taking parenting advice from Zeke." I roll my eyes, opening my bottle.

"Drinking game?" Anna suggests after everyone is settled around the fire. The way her friends react suggest that this was the obvious conclusion.

"How about... King's Cup?" Noah asks. The civilians' new reactions suggest that this is a terrible idea. "Hey, it's only bad if everyone is fight... oh. At least it's not us this time?" Anna wacks him upside the head.

"Never Have I?" She asks. This option doesn't seem to faze anyone, besides for Jonas' usual amount a drinking game would cause.

"I'll start," Noah says. "Never have I... been on TV." I and the other Blackwoods glare at him.

"Really?" Jonas asks. Noah shugs.

"I haven't." Jonas rolls his eyes. Jonas, Bently, Colton, I, and Aiden drink.

"My turn?" Colton asks. He takes a second to think. "Never have I had a one night stand." Aiden, Bently, and Noah drink.

"Abella?" Jonas asks. Bently ignores him. "Odette?" I can't stop myself from smiling, knowing something he doesn't. Jonas glares at me. I shake my head.

"Ew. No, cousin." Bently says, disgusted. "Let's keep it at Odette." Jonas lets it go, I'm sure not wanting to know the full answer.

"Mr. Parker," Colton says.

"Mr. Blackwood. Never have I stayed overnight in the hospital." Thea, who just got out of one, glares at Aiden, then drinks, along with Jonas, Noah, and I.

"If you want to play like that:" Thea starts. "Never have I killed someone." Aiden and the Blackwood men drink, the Blackwood sips being long and slow. Bently pours a little on the ground. I cringe, looking down at the fire. Jonas kisses the top of my head.

"Okay, let's do a happy one," Anna says. "Never have I... been engaged."

"That's your version of happy?" Colton asks. Anna shrugs.

"It's not my fault you guys are so dark." Colton rolls his eyes, as he, Jonas, and I drink. The night goes on, asking questions, finishing beers, laughing. After most of us have resorted to our tents, Jonas and I lay by the lake, looking up at the stars. We take turns pointing at ones he's taught me, and he teaches a few more. Eventually, I drift asleep, huddled close to Jonas, to the sound of the waterfall crashing in the distance.