Robbie is laughing. “All you had to do was ask Sky, no need to throw yourself at me.” I am laughing too, but another growl sounds out in the cab, stopping all noise. It didn’t come from Tyler though. It came from Mike who looks even more irritated than earlier. What the hell is up with him?
I right myself and end up sitting half on Robbie and half on Tyler. Although neither make any effort to touch or hold me in place. I keep my hands on the dash since Mike seems to be on a mission to make me bounce as hard as possible and bruise my ass on their knees.
We make it to the bonfire sight in no time. My ass is numb and we have only been driving for twenty or so minutes.
“Well, that was eventful. You okay Mike?” I ask sarcastically, but I’m not about to let whatever bad mood he’s in affect me.
“Fine.” It’s clipped, but he doesn’t look at me. “Let’s just get this done so we can get back and start the run. Janice will be pissed if we make her late.”
This is what confuses me most. What does Janice have to do with anything? I never know who is in charge of this group, but clearly all of them have some type of control, they are just good at keeping the actual leader hidden.
We unload all of the coolers from the back of the truck and set up the firewood. Robbie, for whatever reason, has decided that I am okay to talk to all of a sudden, but that also seems to piss off both Tyler and Mike. But if Tyler is right and someone has laid claim to me, maybe that’s why they are mad. But that doesn’t explain Robbie. Maybe he’s the leader that has laid claim, so he’s just gloating. But his actions don’ feel like gloating, just like he’s trying to be friendly. Who knows. This is the part I truly suck at. Emotions are complicated and kind of ridiculous. There is way too much to keep track of.
We finish the set up and move to get into the truck to leave, but Mike has other ideas.
“I’m going to run back, you guys take the truck, I’ll meet you at the rec center at six.” Then he just turns around and takes off, but not in the direction of the campus. In fact he’s running away from it. “Where’s he going?” I ask, staring at the place where Mike just was.
“He’s irritated, has been for a few days. He’ll get over it soon enough.” Robbie says.
“Easy for you to say. You’re not usually on the receiving end of him being pissed off.” Tyler looks like he might be sick.
“You okay?” I whisper to him.
He leans into my ear. “Yeah, I will be. The last couple of days have been exhausting.” He lowers his voice to barely above a whisper. “She’s been extra busy.” He looks me dead in the eyes and it clicks. He’s in pain from his mate.
My breath catches. “Does she know you’ve been hanging out with me? Is that why?” I whisper back before climbing in the truck.
“Yeah, but I don’t know if it’s her or him that wants to hurt me more.” He looks sad, I wish I could stop it for him. No one deserves that kind of pain. He crawls in the driver’s seat, I slide into the center and Robbie slides in next to me. “Do you really have to provoke him like that?” Tyler doesn’t look at Robbie with the accusation.
“He would do the same if the situation was reversed and you know it. He can suck my d*ck for all I care. Yours too for that matter.”
We drove in silence after that. We have a couple hours to kill before we have to be at the rec center so we go to the coffee shop and grab something small to snack on and an extra large coffee for me and Tyler. Robbie settles with a normal person sized coffee, you know for people who get regular amounts of sleep, and we all avoid the situation that we left at the bonfire sight.
