I fucking hate it.
Still, what is she doing out there?
Surely, she’s not going to like…jump in.
“That would be really fucking stupid,” I mumble under my breath, unable to take my eyes off her. Besides, she’s parked at the festival, which is nearly a mile from here.
She’s lost her mind.
And I hate the fact I’m actually a little worried.
I don’t want her to die by falling into the lake. Not until I least talk to her, which I continue to consciously avoid, because I’m too intrigued by this fucked up woman. I thought she wasthriving, but the longer I watch, the more I realize she’s… not okay.
Which she deserves,my head rationalizes.
But it still feels all wrong.
Maybe it’s time to talk to her.I take a step forward, and then hesitate, as Rue stands to her feet. I remain in the shadows, as she adjusts the hood on her coat, and then starts back down the dock. The tear stains shimmer on her porcelain cheeks, and it’s strangely moving to see her so…broken.
She sniffles as she walks, her movements stiff and cold.
I run my tongue over my lower lip as I wait for her to decide which direction she’s going. She pauses, her eyes jumping to the trail head, which is a few feet to my right, and then the treacherous path back to the festival—the one I followed her to here.
Rue breathes out, causing a little condensation puff in the night. I imagine she’s weighing her options. My jaw stays set in place until she answers.
She heads back toward the festival.
You brave, stupid girl. It’s too cold.
Now, I have to follow her back. So much for bedding down in the ravine with a nice campfire. It’s going to be a long night.
I brush the fatigue away, and carefully follow her, keeping enough distance that I can time my steps with the north wind, covering the noise of the dead leaves. Though, her sniffles and crunching footsteps are much louder than any sound I might make from behind her.
She doesn’t even care that the whole word can hear her coming.
Why are you being so reckless, Rue?
“I’m so sorry,” she mutters, barely audible in front of me. “I’m so sorry, Noah.”
I freeze.What the hell did she just say?I fight the urge to grab her fucking hood and rip her backward, forcing her to repeat what she just said.
But then it wouldn’t be organic.
“How did I not know?” she just keeps manically rambling into the night, and I have no fucking clue what it is that she’s trying to say. “Fuck me. Fuck me.”
I would not be against that.
In fact, the thought of tears streaming down Rue Iverson’s face because I’m choking her with my cock actually sounds pretty fucking appealing. That’s one way to get my vengeance and force her to see me.
And my stupid imagination causes me to step down on a branch in the silence, suddenly piercing the night.
Whoops.
Rue stops, and whips around, but not quick enough. I slip behind a tree and hold my breath as long as I possibly can. I wait for a few beats, and then finally let it out when she starts moving again.
But now, she’s moving fast, her steps uncoordinated and clumsy.
The cold will get you, Little Rabbit.
