I find Wreck napping beside an impressive pile of dry wood.
“Hey,” I say when I’m a few yards off.
He wakes with a start, sitting up and clutching an open switchblade, ready to stab someone. His eyes are blank, and for a moment I feel scared, because I realize he hasn’t recognized me. His normal expression slowly returns to his face.
“Dang it, Kora!” He laughs, lowering his knife. “Stop being so creepy. How was your swim?”
“It was good,” I say, sitting down. “Thanks for not trying to spy on me or steal my clothes.”
He remains quiet, just staring, then says, “I get the impression that you think I’m some sort of sick creep. Please tell me I’m wrong.”
“I just met you,” I shrug.
“Oh, come on,” he groans. “Do I really look like a creep to you?”
I don’t reply because with his painted face, creepy is exactly how he looks.
“Okay, don’t answer that one,” he adds. “Let’s go catch some breakfast.”
He rises to his feet and picks up the sharpened stick.
Back at the lake, Wreck wades knee deep into the water and stands unmoving, holding his self-made spear ready. I sit on the wet sand, watching him with curiosity. A few minutes later a good-sized fish swims past and he stabs it. He pulls the still squirming fish out of water, and we walk back into the woods.
Wreck builds a campfire, cleans the fish and then we sit on the ground side by side, watching it cook on the fire.
“You weren’t born in the roamer’s village, were you?” I ask.
“What makes you think not?”
“Ace called you an outsider.”
Wreck nods. “Good catch. Nah, I’m not from our village. I was born in Central Settlement.”
“Were you a slave?”
“I’ve never been a slave. I’m from a family of merchants. I ran off when I was much younger.”
“Why?”
Wreck shrugs, “I never like being told what to do.”
“Don’t you miss your parents?” I ask. “Wouldn’t you like to return?”
“Nah, being a ranger is much more fun.”
I can’t tell whether he’s putting on an act or not.
He turns to face me, smiling slightly. There’s something different in his gaze, something that makes me uneasy.
“I’m really glad we met, Kora,” he says, slowly leaning in and looking into my eyes.
My hands go numb. I realize that he intends to kiss me, and don’t know how to act. Should I push him away? Should I say something? My thoughts are racing. I want to scream or jump to my feet, but some compliant part in me doesn’t allow me to do so. I’m afraid I’ll make him frustrated and angry. Just letting him kiss me seems so much easier, although I worry he won’t stop after only one kiss. I also realize he isn’t the type of a guy who would listen or be respectful, but one who takes whatever he wants. So I just freeze, panicking, my heart pounding in my chest. His smile fades and he freezes too, our faces separated only by a couple of inches. I feel his hot breath on my lips and recognize uncertainty now in his eyes. He knows I’m scared and don’t want to kiss him.
For a long moment we both remain motionless, just looking at one another, and then Wreck squints, saying, “There’s something in your eye.”
“Oh,” I breathe out. “Are you just checking my eye?”
“Yeah, sure,” he lies, shuffling away from me.
“Thanks,” I say, playing along by rubbing at my eye.
“You’re always welcome,” Wreck grins but his voice sounds a little nervous. “That’s what friends are for, right?”
“Right,” I say, feeling relieved and grateful. I’m not sure why he backed off. I know he can be extremely forceful and cruel when he chooses.
He doesn’t say anything more and I can’t think of another topic either. We fall into an uncomfortable silence. I start feeling anxious again, but Wreck rescues us from the awkward situation.
“The fish is ready,” he announces. “Are you hungry? Let’s see how much you can eat today.”
After breakfast we continue walking toward the caverns where the chimeras can be found. Wreck whistles, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary happened earlier.
“Who’s Trent by the way?” he asks.
I feel the blood rushing to my face. “How do you know about him?”
“You spoke his name in your sleep last night.”
Damn. I should really try to stop talking in my sleep, otherwise he’ll learn my whole life story.
“He’s just another racer,” I answer. “We’re from the same village.”
“I see,” Wreck chuckles. “So he’s your boyfriend.”
“No!” I exclaim, a little too loudly.
“Ooh… Kora is in love,” he teases.
“Stop it,” I snap, wondering why I’m getting so angry. Maybe because I do wish Trent was my boyfriend. “Don’t you have a girlfriend?” I ask, remembering that offense is the best defense.
“Nah,” he answers. “I’m currently free and available. But that’s only because it’s just so hard for me to choose a girl. I mean, all the girls in our village are in love with me. So how am I supposed to choose only one?”
“I bet you’ve never even had a girlfriend,” I say spitefully, still irritated that he now knows about Trent. My personal life isn’t his business.
“Come on,” he groans. “I’ve had plenty of girlfriends. So many I’ve lost count.”
“You haven’t lived long enough to have had so many girlfriends,” I say, bringing him back to reality.
“I admit it’s hard to believe,” Wreck says. “But I’m a very special guy.”
A moment later he bursts out laughing.
I sigh, offering no further comment. There’s something clownish about him at times.
The air is getting hot so I take off my
