[b]Lacie[/b]

It took Jace a while to calm down. After he punched Zaiden and Zaiden didn’t punch back, he seemed twice as pissed and just stomped off into the woods. I tried not to worry at first but then it occurred to me that there might be more people lurking around and I decided to follow suit. (Hah. Did you get that? It was unintentional though.) After all, I didn’t want him killing anyone. 

So we went quite a distance off the camp, up to the beautiful purple river that Jace decided to dirty with his naked body. I’m not sure if he knew I was lurking behind him or not, but even if he did, he didn’t show it and didn’t seem to care. He immersed himself in the water and after the 5th minute I had already given up on my shame and was staring at the river intently, waiting for it to start boiling. It didn’t usually take him that long to chill out. The lack of sleep was getting to him, I reckoned. Wish the lab people would wake him up soon, torture him a bit, let him sleep and then give him back. That should set his priorities straight. Remind him who the real enemies were. Still, a person who can bring a river to the boil would be quite awesome. I kept staring at the river intently, waiting to see smoke start rising from either the water, or at least from Jace’s head. I was concentrating so hard that when Jace finally stood up with his ever-so-swift movements I almost jumped out of my skin. I squeaked and so did Jace, and, apparently, he didn’t know I was there after all. He stepped back, and slipped, and he fell back, and there was a splash, and a yell and some bibbles… 

I laughed. I couldn’t help but laugh and I laughed so hard that I think I almost started chocking on my own rugged breath. Jace was still yelling something and I didn’t pay attention for the longest while because I simply couldn’t hear him over my own hysterical voice. It must have been a few minutes before I managed to take a proper breath and hold it down long enough for the oxygen to reach my brain. And Jace’s voice. 

“--The fuck you were doing here, Freak!? This is SO not the way to hit on anyone, you wicked--!” and some other insults I didn’t listen closely to. What did catch my attention was the next thing he said. 

“Come here already, I think I twisted my ankle!”

My subsiding giggles died out. Suddenly. I also think my smile was turned on its head. 

“Pardon?”

“I twisted my ankle, I can’t get up, how dense are you?!” Jace was screaming. His face was red.

Oh my God! 

My eyes widened and I felt my face get just as red. Jace was quiet all of a sudden and that only made me panic further. I would have stuttered if I could, but instead I just gulped and my eyes glanced at his pile of clothes frantically. I could see his under-

“NO!”

I said firmly and turned on my heel and started running as fast as I would be if there was a Hellhound hot on my tail.

“Lacie!! Lacie, I’M SERIOUS!!! [b]HEY[/b]!!!!” 

“CRAWLIFYOUMUST!!!” I shouted back and ran faster. It wasn’t even a minute before I reached the camp, and I think it turned out to be closer than I remember it being. My face was burning and so were my lungs and I was wheezing as if my throat was pierced. I think a tear was rolling down my eye and that made me smile like a crazy person – this whole situation was equal measures terrifying and hilarious. I let out a small chuckle and only then realized there was yet ANOTHER new person at our camp. And he was in a full-on formal attire as well. That only made me blush further… and chuckle too. 

“I.. There’s a loose suit back at the river." I wheezed at the new guy, smiling, blushing and crying, all at once. "If you need another one… And its previous owner might be drowning as we speak.. I recommend waiting another minute and then you can obtain it without a fight.”