Chapter 287
WILLA
"I heard you," Lucian said, planting his hand on his hips.
"We were just um- talking," one of the girls said.
Lucian scoffed. "Talking? Gossiping is more like it."
Lucian shifted his weight from one foot to another and even from where I hid, I could feel the anger, his anger, directed at them.
The girls must have felt it too because they suddenly looked even more uncomfortable.
"I'm only going to say this once," Lucian continued. "Don't you ever dare talk about Willa like that again. If I hear one more word against her, you'll be answering to me."
"Lucian, we were just-"
"That's enough!" Lucian said shortly. He jerked his head in the direction of the camp. "We still have lots of samples to collect today, so why don't you three get back to work?"
The girls didn't need to be told twice. They hurried off, leaving Lucian staring after them with a scowl on his face.
I remained where I was, waiting for him to leave, and wondering why he had bothered to defend me at all.
***********
That night was fine one with a slight breeze coming from the east. We had all just finished dinner and were seating around a bonfire when someone suggested a game of truth or dare.
"That will be fun!" someone cried.
"Yeah! Let's do it."
The guy sitting next to me nudged me gently. "What do you say, Willa? You in."
I bent to poke at some twigs in the fire.
"I don't know," I murmured, not really caring about the game.
I didn't really care about anything then. Not really. I felt hollow inside and really really confused.
I didn't want to go back to my tent and lie there all alone. I would just end up thinking too much.
"Lucian says yes," the boy said excitedly, bringing me out of my thoughts.
I stole a glance at Lucian. Like me he was staring into the fire, his legs stretched out in front of him, apparently deep in thought.
But when the bottle was spun and it's neck pointed at him, he took his turn well enough.
"Let's see who's next," said the girl who had asked Lucian his truth question. With her fingers on the bottle she paused and looked around.
"Just spin the bottle, for Pete's sake!" Talia said with a groan.
The game went on. I was just beginning to enjoy myself, laughing a little at the increasingly ridiculous dares when it got to my turn.
"Truth or dare, Willa?" the guy next to me asked.
"Pick dare! Pick dare!" another guy chanted.
"Truth," I said.
The guy groaned. "And I had just the perfect dare for you."
He leaned over to whisper in Riven's ear. They both chuckled and leered. Whatever dare they had in mind, I was thankful I hadn't picked it.
Riven would have thought of something nasty for sure. The boy sitting next to me cleared his throat.
"Alright, Willa," he said. "Tell us-"
"No."
Everyone turned to stare at Naomi. As usual she was at Lucian's side. Her body almost glued to his. Now she had gotten everyone's attention, she kept stroking his arm.
"I'll ask the question," she said. No one moved to contradict her. A smile I didn't like one bit played around her lips. "Tell us, Willa, the real reason why you're dating Theron."
The whole place went quiet. A pine knot exploded in the fire with a sound like a small bomb.
Still no one stirred. All eyes were on me. Now I understood why Naomi had been smiling.
She had put me on the spot with her question. Or at least that was what she thought.
I forced a smile I hoped looked convincing enough.
"There are so many reasons," I said. "Theron is quite handsome but I'm sure you all know that." I batted my lashes. A girl giggled and stopped almost immediately. "What else? Yes. He's kind, caring. He treats me well. And oh! He's such a romantic. The kind that sweeps a girl right off her feet."
I shot a glance at Lucian. His jaw was tight.
Now he wasn't just staring into the fire. He was glaring at it.
"Fine then!" Naomi said loudly, breaking the spell. "Who's next?"
Two turns later, it was Lucian's turn.
"Truth or dare," someone asked him.
"Dare," he said with hardly a pause.
"I dare you to kiss any girl here."
Lucian nodded, got up and came straight to me. I stared up at him like an idiot, not believing that we would dare...
But he did. He kissed me. Hard.
I pressed a shaky hand to my lips when he was done.
"Tell me, Willa," Lucian murmured in my ear. "Does Theron kiss you that good?"
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