The Journey To An Unknown Destination - Chapter 65

Thankfully for Aiden, he did not fall flat on his face or else his face could have been badly scratched. Instead, he stretched out his arms in front of him and yelled in pain.

Emily and Cyril immediately turned around and rushed towards him. “Aiden! Are you okay?” Emily called out, kneeling in front of him. Aiden gave a faintest nod, but, the color from his face was completely drained. He pulled his left leg in front of him, clutching the ankle tightly.

Cyril looked at him in grief and pain in his eyes. “He’s gotten a sprained ankle.” He said. Emily’s eyes widened as she looked at Cyril in fear, “W-what to do n-now?” She asked.

Cyril rolled up his sleeves as he grabbed Aiden’s ankle. “I just got to fix it.” He said calmly. “I’m warning you, it’s going to be painful.” He did not even complete his sentence when Emily heard another loud, piercing scream from Aiden. As Cyril had quickly twisted back his ankle in its right position.

Emily watched the painful scene unfold with her brows furrowed. “Ow…” She mumbled. Cyril started massaging his ankle quickly as he said, “You shouldn’t have tried to run faster, knowing that the trail is uneven and rocky.” But Aiden paid no attention to his words as he was clenching his teeth and bearing with the pain.

After a few more minutes of massaging Aiden’s ankle, Cyril finally let go and carefully placed his leg on the soft backpack. “Let it rest for a few minutes and you’ll be fine.” Cyril said and sat beside a tree, leaning on the trunk.

The color of Aiden’s face was quite better than what it was the last few seconds. Emily sighed and sat next to Aiden. “Well… We could wait for a few minutes, take some rest and then carry on with out exploration.” Emily said, opening her backpack and pulling out a small thermos, which was filled with fresh cool water.

“Uhm… Give me some too, if you don’t mind.” Aiden asked Emily in a soft tone. Emily smiled at him saying, “Of course not! Here you go.” She said while passing the small cup towards Aiden.

“Do you want some too, Cyril?” Emily looked towards him, who was sitting a bit further away from the two of them. Cyril shook his head as he continued to inspect the map opened in front of him in his hands. His mood seemed to bit off. Better not to disturb him… Emily thought and took the cup from Aiden, placing it back on the thermos.

~Back in the campsite~

“Hurry up, Hazel! Everyone has almost left!” Ivy hissed at Hazel who was quickly applying a thick layer of make-up on her face. “Almost done, almost done!” She squealed meekly. Ivy rollef her eyes in agitation as she continued scolding her, “Who told you to be born ugly? Can’t even show your face without make-up. Pfft.”

Hearing those words, Hazel felt as if a dagger had been stabbed into her back. In reality, she wasn’t ugly at all. She just had average looks and when she would use make-up she would look prettier than before. That is the reason why she would always use make-up where ever she went, it boosted her confidence. She got so used to make-up that she felt incomfortable going anywhere without make-up. Criticizing about her looks was her biggest insecurity.

Hazel bit her lip as she pushed back her tears, controlling herself not to be weak and start crying. She closed the hand mirror and stuffed it back into her bag, turning towards Ivy she said with a straight face, “Okay, let’s go.”

“Watch your attitude.” Ivy snapped before turning around and exiting the campsite with Hazel a walking behing her.

Hazel was shaking with all that anger building up inside her, but she could not say anything. She could never say anything to Ivy. Whenever she gained the confidence to stand up for herself, she would instantly lose it the second she would come face to face with Ivy.

Her arrogantly over bearing personality made it difficult for most the the socially awkward and introverted people to stand against her.

Hazel did not know how she became friends with Ivy. It was unusual and a weird story how they managed to become so-called friends and even surprisingly, how did Hazel manage to follow Ivy around for almost three years, bearing with her attitude.

Since they weren’t talking, Hazel drifted into her old memories.

She met Ivy in their first year at college. Everyone was new and it was different to be in another surrounding. Everyone started to make new friends and hanging out with each other. At that time, Ivy’s confident personality and pretty looks was quite appealing to Hazel. She thought it might be good to be friends with her. So she started reaching out to her.

Helping her, talking with her often, hanging out whenever Ivy would be alone.

Ivy also liked Hazel, someone who would follow her, willing to help her and give her company. She used this oppurtunity and began to show her real personality. The personality which our close friends know about us.

Hazel then came to know the real Ivy as time went by. An arrogant, proud and mean girl, who is always ready to bully others.

By that time, Hazel did not have the heart to leave her and end their friendship. They had been friends for a few months now and she did not want Ivy to think badly of her, as someone who doesn’t care and value their ‘friends’. Unable to put herself first, she put Ivy’s feelings first and did not end friendship with her until this day.