CHAPTER 5

I groaned as I tried to get up from the hard ground. Or at least what I thought was hard ground. Somebody groaned right by my ear. I was jolted and tried to scramble up when I realized the upper half of my body was sprawled across Wes'. But it was easier said than done. As I struggled to get up, I accidentally pushed against Wes' chest and stomach, earning a groan from him.

"Oh, God! Get off, get off!" Wes yelled as he pushed me off by the shoulders.

"Ok, ok, I'm off!" I yelled back at Wes. I got on my knees and fell back on my ass. I looked around the darkening ravine. I saw Wes sitting up and felt him glaring at me. I stood up, ignoring Wes. I went to the hill and tried to climb up. It was too steep and high, and the grass was too slippery. I stumbled on my knees after attempting to climb up the hill. Just then I heard Wes cursed and groaned in pain. I looked over at him. He better not be dying. I didn't think I could carry that body out of here.

"Hey, you ok?" I asked as I moved closer to Wes. He was sitting on the ground, his forehead wrinkled in pain.

"It's my ankle. I think it's sprained." Wes said as he gritted his teeth. He tried to get up, but fell back onto the ground with a thud.

"Shit,I can't get up. Great, just great!" Wes cursed and groaned. I went closer to Wes uncertainly and crouched down. Tentatively, I went closer to Wes. I reached over to his foot and grasped his ankle. Wes jerked his foot away but suddenly cried out in pain.

"Damnit Addy, stop touching it!" Wes cried out.

"Look, I play soccer and I had sprained my ankles countless of times. Let me look at it." I told Wes. I was telling the truth. I knew how to deal with sprains.

Wes stared at me. I went closer to his leg. I pulled back the hem of his pants. He didn't say anything. I took it as permission and slowly slid off his hiking boots. He winced as I pulled at the boot. I stopped and loosen the laces, and then slowly slid off the boot from his foot. I pulled off his socks as well. Wes was leaning against a big rock. He sighed and then looked at me. I saw his ankle was starting to swell and was getting redder by the minute. It's slowly swelling up. Slowly, I sat on the ground and put his foot on my thigh, elevating it to help slow the swelling. I touched the reddening tender ankle. He needs a cold compress. I took off my bagpack and looked through it. Yes! I found it. I took out the tube of analgesic cream and a small towel.

I unscrewed the cap and squirt some of the cream out onto my palm. I put some cream on Wes' ankle and foot. When the cream touched his skin, Wes jumped and then groaned in pain at his own sudden movement.

" Damnit! It's cold! What the hell is that!?" Wes cried incredulously.

"It's a deep heat rub. It'll help, I promise. Now just sit still!" I said pleadingly. Wes looked at me disbelieving. But in the end, he just sighed and leaned back, letting me help him.

I got to work. I applied the cream generously all over Wes' ankle and foot. I was gentle and careful about it, as I heard hisses and winces of pain coming out of Wes' determined mouth. Then, I carefully wrapped his ankle and foot with my towel snuggly to help reduce swelling. I left Wes' foot resting on my thigh for elevation as I fluffed up my bagpack and put his foot to rest on it. Then I got up and walked around. Wes looked at around as well, determined to find a way out.

"Wes, can you call Josh? I'll call Daisy." I said as I took out my phone. Aw, crap! No service. I closed my eyes momentarily, frustrated. I sighed and walked around the wooded area, suddenly realizing it's getting dark and everything is quiet. I gulped, feeling the fear started to rise in my throat.

"Damnit. We can't sit here all night." Wes said worriedly. I agreed with him. It was eeriely quiet.

"I know. Look, you stay here, while I look for help. I mean,you hurt your ankle. I don't want it to get worse." I said as I stood up, already dreading walking all alone,looking for help.

"No!" Wes cried suddenly. I turned to him, my brows furrowed. Suddenly, a thought came to me and I grinned slyly. Wes did not meet my eyes. He ignored me. He's scared. Aww..that's cute.I thought I'd have some fun, seeing that he's helpless and all. And if I piss him off, it's not like he can do anything about it...heh heh.

"Are you scared to be all alone in this big bad jungle??" I said in a baby voice. Wes' head snapped at my direction and he narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth.

"No." Wes answered quietly as he glared at me. I hid a smile.

"Okaaayy...then you'll just wait here, since you're not scared and all... I mean, it's just the forest." I said as I pretended to leave. I'm scared shitless,too. But I'm not about to admit that. Why should I when this is too much fun.

"Wait, um, it might be too dangerous for you to go walking all alone in the dark forest. I mean, I'm just looking out for you since you're a..girl and all.." Wes said, trying to sound concerned. Please, he was scared. But come to think of it, I was too. But I wasn't about to admit it. I took advantage of the situation. At least I won't be walking around in the dark all alone. So, I went closer to Wes and crouched down in front of him. He looked at me, somewhat arrogantly, but I could detect a smidgen of anxiety at being left alone lurking in his eyes.

"You know, you're right. But how are you gonna walk?....Um, here, take my hands." I offered. He looked at my hands and surprisingly took them. He grasped them tightly as I helped pull him to his feet. When he put his weight on his hurt ankle, he cried out in pain, but remained standing. Although he was leaning heavily against me, trying to remain upright and to put his weight on his unhurt ankle. To help him, I put my arm around his waist as he put one arm around my shoulders, gripping my right shoulder as he gasped and winced at the pain. I rolled my eyes. Well, he's a big baby..it's just a sprain.

"Ok, we're gonna walk now. Are you ready?" I asked as I looked up at his face. He closed his eyes momentarily and took a deep breath. Then, he nodded his head as he looked ahead.

"Ok, let's walk..slowly." I said as I felt Wes took a painful step and tightened his grip on my shoulder. I winced a little. Man, if he does that with each step he takes, I'm gonna be black and blue in the morning.

Quietly, we hobbled along the hill, hoping we reach an area low enough to climb. I felt each time Wes winced softly as he pushed on and limped around.I gotta admire him for not whining about the pain. I stole a look at the side of his face. Even under the moonlight, he looked crazy gorgeous. How in hell does a guy get this good-looking while I look like a train wreck, most days. I guess he got good genes and ate well. In spite of the sweat beading on his forehead and running down the side of his face, Wes was still the best looking guy I've ever met. And he smelled heavenly. I probably smell like a damp dish rag. Darn it, life is so unfair.

"Okay, I need to stop, right now." Wes gasped suddenly after about half an hour. He was breathing raggedly and his steps have become erratic. I gripped his waist as I looked around for Wes to sit and lean on.

"Come on, let's sit there. Just a bit more, come on." I urged him. Wes saw the huge tree and limped towards it. He was strangely obedient and he stopped glaring at me, which was a miracle, really.

When we reached the tree, Wes fell heavily on the ground. He groaned as he struggled to sit up and lean against the huge tree trunk. When he was somewhat seated, he was a little breathless. I dropped beside him and rooted around in my bagpack for some water. I found my water bottle and unscrewed the cap. I took a swig and felt refreshed. Just then I felt someone watching me. I turned and saw Wes looking at me. Or to be more precise, my water.

"Hey, you want a sip? Or, you got your water with you?" I asked as I danggled my almost full bottle of water.

He swallowed hard and shook his head. Then he looked away. He shook off his bagpack and rooted around inside it. After a while, he cursed under his breath and leaned back against the tree.

"I forgot my water. Just great." Wes said under his breath. I looked at him and offered him mine. He looked at it and then at me, his face expression-less. He didn't exactly reach out to take it. Suddenly, I felt awkward offering my water to the mighty Wesley Grayson. He's probably grossed out at the thought of drinking from my bottle. I felt strangely hurt and ashamed. Of course he would rather die from dehydration than drink my water that had touched my lowly lips and covered with my inferior spit. I swallowed hard and my voice wobbled as I pulled my hand back.

"Erm, yeah, you don't have to drink it... It's kinda lukewarm and you're probably uncomfortable sharing my water. It's ok. More for me! Yay.." I said softly, feeling the stinging of tears in my eyes. Oh for Christ sake, so what if he didn't want my water. Why the hell am I about to cry?! It's s-

My thought was interrupted when Wes grabbed my bottle and unscrewed the cap. He took a huge swig like he was about to die from thirst. Then he exhaled in satisfaction when he was done swallowing the water. He put the bottle cap on and handed the bottle to me.

"Thanks." He mumbled. I took the bottle wordlessly. It was half empty now.

" Yeah, no problem. Anytime." I said awkwardly, putting the bottle in my bag.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" Wes asked as he turned to me. I looked at his questioning face. I took a deep breath.

"I guess we..we..have to spend the night here in the woods." I said resignedly. I felt fear fluttering in my heart at the thought.

"Guess so..urgh, this camping trip is such a stupid idea! Josh and his lame-ass ideas." Wes groaned as he leaned back. He went quiet. Shoot, he's not asleep is he? I went all panicky. There were so many sounds in the quiet forest..there were shuffling, rustling and tiny shrieks in the deathly quiet forest.

"Err, Wes. How's your ankle?" I asked frantically, not wanting him to sleep and leaving me awake, freaking out like a lunatic. There was no sound coming from Wes' direction . Yep, he was definitely asleep. I looked around me. It was dark and quiet. But there were occasional eerie sound that pierced through the night. Suddenly, there was a loud rustling sound. I jumped and edged closer to Wes. I gripped his arm without realising it, as fear descended on my heart.

"What was that?!" I asked breathlessly, tears threatened to flow down my cheeks. I went even closer to Wes that I was practically sitting on his lap.

"Hey, what the hell as you doing?! Get off!" Wes cried out as he pushed me off him. I guess he was pretty strong as I pratically flew off his lap and landed on the hard ground, a few metres away from him. Suddenly, the rustling sound was heard right in the bush near me. I jumped and flew back to Wes, pawing for his arm.Wes cursed and tried to pull his arm away from me. He pushed me off, glaring at me.

"Look crazy. I know I'm gorgeous as hell, but please stop grabbing me! I'm trying to sleep and you're being annoying!" Wes said angrily. He shoved me away from him. I landed on the ground. Jerk! I glared at him and just leaned against the tree, my eyes wild. I pulled my knees to me and sat there, hugging myself. I felt my body shiver. Then I heard it again, the rustling and the sound of twigs breaking. I squeezed my eyes shut and in my mind I was transported back to 8 years ago when I got lost in the woods. Oh God, is it the homeless man, trying to get me to tell him my name and was pawing at me, telling me how pretty I was. I prayed silently, tears were already flowing down my face. I edged closer to Wes, not caring whether he would get pissed off at me again, as long as the homeless man couldn't get to me. I pressed myself to his side, wanting to feel somebody was with me, that I was not alone. That this was not like the time I got lost 8 years ago. Wes was here. I wasn't alone. I tried calming down my shaking, but it was too hard. Just then, Wes stirred beside me. He exclaimed exasperatedly as he tried to loosen my hold on his arm.

"What the-. Stop grabbing me! What's wrong with you?" Wes said in annoyance. He grabbed my hand and was about to pull away when I whimpered.

"Please, I'm scared...he's here. He's going to hurt me..don't let him hurt me..please.." I pleaded, my voice trembled as I gripped Wes' arm. He looked at me, puzzled.

"Why are you shaking? Who's him? Hey, are you alright?" Wes asked me, looking at me. I stared at him and saw his face looked worried. I just let the tears fall as I continued to grip his arm. Finally, Wes just leaned against the tree and tried to sleep. I edged closer and took a ragged breath, shaking as I heard more rustlibg, rattling sound behind me.

"That's probably just some animal. Nothing else. Just close your eyes and try to sleep....jeez, you're still shaking." Wes said as he touched my arm. His touch made me feel safe. I slowly leaned against the tree, one hand still gripping his arm as I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. Wes leaned back as well and this time let me hold onto his arm. Slowly, I began to calm down and sleep finally claimed me...