...
"BUILDING A FIRE IS bullshit. Let's just freeze to death."
"Great idea," Ella replied," let's just die in the middle of the woods."
"I feel like you've gotten more sarcastic over the last hour, babe," Alex said as he leaned over the dry twigs they had gathered," or is that just me?"
"I think she's sweet," Will said," El helped us with the tent."
"I think she's annoying," Levi said from his position seated just outside the tent, one arm resting on his pulled up leg.
"I think you're arrogant," Ella said," but I keep that in as well."
"No, you don't," Levi frowned.
"Oh, yeah, you're right actually."
Their day had passed faster than Ella would've thought and to her surprise she had actually laughed out loud multiple times already. When her mother had sent her here she had expected it to be more of a punishment, though she supposed having to hold her true identity back was one in itself. Alex gave up on his sixth attempt to get the fire started then, sighing exasperatedly as he let himself fall down on the grass.
"I'm done with this," he said, before glancing her way," you know, we could just keep each other warm tonight, babe."
"I'm sure Will is more useful instead," Ella said," he's a ray of sunshine."
Will beamed at her and she couldn't help but smile back. She hadn't wanted to become friends with anyone here really, but damn, Will made it hard. The guy was considerate and sweet to boot; honestly, she found it hard to imagine someone could dislike him at all.
"I have a feeling you like Will more than me," Alex pouted," it breaks my heart."
Ella rose in a fluid move, walking towards the tent as she spoke. She had been sitting opposite Alex until now, watching the chaos unfold with great amusement as he tried to get the fire to burn.
"I don't think it does," she said amusedly.
Surprise flashed in Alex' eyes, but he immediately concealed the emotion again. Before he could say anything though, Ella threw something at him from the tent.
"Here. This is probably faster."
Alex caught it in the air, before looking at the silver lighter in his hand.
"I forgot about this," he exclaimed.
"Yeah," Ella said," I thought you did, seeing as you tried to do this manually just then."
"You knew this," Alex said indignantly," and you just watched me struggle?"
"You were a scout once," Ella shrugged," I had high hopes for you."
Alex chuckled, before he held the lighter towards the twigs. A flame flickered until it consumed the wood, scorching it's way towards the sky. He let out a cry of victory and jumped to his feet, raising his arms to the sky in triumph.
A moment later it started to storm.
"What the fuck," Alex hissed as he ran towards the tent," what the fu -"
"There's the storm you predicted, Alex," Will said bubbly, not caring for the rain that was soaking him.
"Great job, Alex," Levi drawled from his spot by the tent.
Alex ducked under the safety of the tent, Ella following closely behind. What used to be Alex' fire was just a heap of sizzled out twigs now, the rain pouring down. Though she and Alex had sprinted towards the tent as soon as it started, Will and Levi stayed outside just a moment longer. Will lifted his head to the cloudy sky, closing his eyes for a moment as he smiled. Only when Levi pulled at his arm did he come along, though he didn't seem to be in any hurry.
"You're going to get sick," Ella said," get in here."
"I like the rain," Will said.
"You're crazy," Alex said.
When they were all inside, they closed the entrance, the fabric of the tent just barely protecting them from the rain.
"I didn't sign up for this," Alex said.
"For rain?" Ella said," well, I don't think you have a choice in that."
"Don't be so negative, Alex," Will said," your fire was n -"
The chatter died down and all of them suddenly looked at her. In reply she raised her eyebrows, confused at their sudden silence.
"What?" she said.
Will blushed furiously and averted his gaze, but Alex just seemed to look impressed as he smirked. Levi was the only one who looked normal, until he turned around and threw a sweater at her.
"Wear this," he said.
"What?" Ella frowned," why?"
"You can stay like this too," Alex drawled," I don't mind."
"Your shirt is see-through, El," Will said.
Ella looked down at her white shirt, the fabric clinging to her bra. Her bra, which she now could completely see.
"Red, huh?" Alex said," would've guessed you more the black type."
"I have black ones too," Ella said.
When Alex blinked in surprise, she continued.
"What?" she said," you think we girls only have one bra?"
"Not that," Alex said slowly, amusement seeping through his voice," believe me, I know the types of bras girls have well enough. Your reaction, it's just surprising."
"It's just a piece of clothing," Ella shrugged.
Alex smirked, a reply on the tip of his tongue when Levi cut him off.
"Look the other way, Alex," he said, his voice a threat in itself.
Alex opened his mouth to say something, but the look in Levi's eyes was enough for him to turn his head. Levi looked her in the eyes then, gesturing at the sweater.
"Put it on," he said.
"I was planning to," Ella said," but since you're telling me to, now I really don't want to."
"Don't be stubborn," he said.
"Or what?" Ella said, annoyance lacing her tongue," you're going to force me in it?"
He closed the distance so fast she couldn't react, his arms on either side of her body, his lips inches from hers. So close up, he still was handsome, that defined jaw, the clear eyes, the messy, dark hair.
"Yes," he whispered against her skin," that's exactly what I'm going to do."
Ella leaned in closer, closing the small distance between them until she only had to move to kiss him, making sure to never break eye contact.
"Do it then," she challenged.
"You -" Levi scowled, before grabbing his sweater and beginning to move towards her.
Before he could even let the sweater touch her though, he was suddenly pulled back. Will and Alex had both grabbed his arms, Levi glaring at them as he attempted to break free.
"Let me go," he sneered.
"No can do, amigo," Alex said.
"She's a girl, Levi," Will said, his cheeks still red," you can't just change her clothes."
"That's right," Alex added," if anyone is going to taint a girl's chastity tonight, it's going to be me."
"She said I should do it," Levi said," so that's exactly what I'm going to do."
Ella rolled her eyes as Levi thrashed against Will and Alex. Just when he managed to get free, she had already turned around, her wet shirt over her head before he could even move towards her. She threw it at his head without looking, the sound it made proof it had hit him. But no one said anything while she pulled his sweater over her head.
She almost drowned in the fabric, the sweater functioning almost as a dress with how big it was. The scent of cologne and pine clung to her and she had to resist breathing it in.
"There," she said as she turned around," happy now?"
Will was red to his ears, Alex' mouth had fallen open and Levi just blinked.
"Well," Alex whistled," you keep surprising me tonight, babe."
"You saw the back of my bra," Ella said," it's not that special."
"I said to wear it," Levi said, his eyes unreadable," not to take off your clothing."
"You want me to wear it on top of my wet clothing?" she said, before adding when he didn't reply," and besides, what do you care?"
Levi opened his mouth, before closing it again as he scowled at her. "I don't."
"I think you've tainted our innocent Will's eyes," Alex said as he slung an arm over Will's shoulders.
"N-no," Will stammered as he hid his faintly red cheeks behind his hands," I'm just -"
"You forget we're guys," Levi suddenly said," you shouldn't just change around us."
"What's the problem?" Ella said," we're in a small tent without a changing room and my shirt was soaking wet. Where else did you have in mind?"
"The problem is," Levi said as he came closer," that we could have seen -"
"What? My bra?" Ella said," boo hoo."
"You shouldn't do that," Levi gritted out.
"You seem like decent guys," she shrugged," I see no reason to feel unsafe."
Honestly, she didn't care much about changing her clothes when she was with friends. Whether they were guys or girls didn't matter, especially when it just came to her pulling off a shirt. It was just her brother who was against it and he scared most of her male friends so much they didn't even dare look anyway.
Thunder lit up the tent and Ella smiled at the three distraught guys in front of her. If this was enough to distress them, she was sure the following week would be enough to give them a heart attack.
"Looks like this is going to be a long night."