Skylar's Guide to Stop a Marriage

{Chapter 12}

Dylan seemed to know exactly where he was going. He walked confidently, his hands in his pockets, lightly whistling as he walked. I studied his appearance, just because I have already seen enough of the forest to last me a life time.

Dylan's dark brown hair was messy and definitely not tamed, which seems to be the hair trend for boys of this century. Honestly, I don't seem to get it. Do they not know how to use a brush? Or are they allergic to brushes and grooming?

Real boys are weird, but that's something I already knew.

Well, I guess if I wasn't fictophile (look that up if you must, and I'm only half joking anyways) than I might find that attractive on him. Possibly.

Anyway, he also had stormy grey eyes, which I think is a rare eye color. I've never been so close to his eyes before, nor never really getting a good look at them. I've always thought that they were a light shade of blue.

I found myself genuinely smiling as I walked alongside him. He stared straight ahead, my eyes staring at the eye that I could see, and was quite close to. I may be short, but he's not even that much taller than me. I think I'll tease him later.

"What's with that weird look on your face?" Dylan questioned, side eyeing me with his grey eyes. I blinked, quickly glancing away, my cheeks flaming up.

"What look?" I said, playing dumb. It was surprisingly easy, considering I was hella smart, and I know it, not to brag or anything... except yeah, I do mean to brag.

"You were grinning at me," Dylan said. "Considering that you have a resting bitch face all the damn time, it was kind of creeping me out. Please never do that again."

Now I'm offended.

"I don't even know what you're talking about," I said, keeping up the 'playing dumb' act. "You must be seeing things. I don't grin. Ever."

"Which is why it was creepy," Dylan pointed out.

"Skylar!"

Before I could respond to Dylan, I heard my name called by a boy who has yet to hit puberty. I turned my head away from Dylan just in time for my younger brother to run up and hug me, which was revolting.

Where did he even come from? I wondered, quickly grabbing Jack by the shoulders and yanking him off of me. God, I hate hugs. Dylan looked amused, and then Jack noticed him there. He stared suspiciously between Dylan and me.

"Who's that? That one right there?" Jack questioned, pointing at Dylan with his index finger. He clearly didn't get the memo that it's rude to point.

Dylan grinned. "Hey, little Man. I'm Dylan O'Neal," he said. "What's your name, kid?"

Is he a man or a kid? I don't understand Dylan one bit.

"Jack," he answered. "I'm Skylar's brother. Are you two dating?"

Dylan snorted. Well, that's rude. To aliens from space, I'm probably a catch.

"We're hardly even friends," I told Jack, rolling my eyes.

"Ah, I see," Dylan mused, rubbing his imaginary beard. "You just don't want to friend zone me, huh? Well, Hart—"

"Don't say whatever you're about to say," I said with a frown.

Dylan grew more amused.

"Friend zoning?" Jack questioned.

I sighed heavily. "What are you doing out here by yourself?" I questioned. "Where are..." I glanced sideways at Dylan. "...the others," I finished. For some reason, I really didn't want Dylan to know about my situation.

"we were looking for you," Jack said. "I'll yell for them — they're around, you see. I broke off when I spotted you. It's cool, though. I'll call them. G—"

"Don't," I said, since Jack was gearing up to scream, and I seriously don't want Dylan to find out. No one should know. In two months, hopefully, this will be as if it never happened, so why should anyone else know?

"But—"

"Don't," I repeated.

I'm not joking. I don't want Dylan, much less anyone (but especially my only friend) to know that I am with jerks and could potentially be related to them in the future (It's horrifying to think that we might not succeed, but I'm just being realistic).

Jack rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said.

Dylan grinned. "Embarrassed of them, Hart?" he asked. "More siblings of yours?"

Hopefully not.

"I suppose I can take it from here," I told Dylan. "Good bye."

"Are you sure?" Dylan asked with a raised eyebrow. I'm still incredibly jealous that I can not do that, but I pretended not to be bothered by it, as usual.

I nodded.

"Well, alright." Dylan patter my head before I could object, did a peace out symbol, and than ran in the opposite direction. I blinked. Well, that just happened.

"Skylar!" Jack said in, for some strange reason, a scolding tone. "You can't just run off by yourself! You could have been hurt! You had us — well, just me — worried sick! If Mom found out, you would be in big trouble!"

I thought I was the older sibling, I thought with a slight pout.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever you say, boss. So, um, where are the others?" I asked my younger brother.

"HEY, GUYS, I FOUND SKYLARRRR!" Jack suddenly screamed with no warning whatsoever.

I heard footsteps and, oh great, Blake, Tyler, and Lucas came into view and they look quite pissed. Oh, well, what else is new? Lucas was scowling, Tyler's arms were crossed rather angrily, and Blake was clenching and unclenching his fists. It was quite a funny sight if I didn't feel like they were about to kill me and feed me to a wild animal, which I still have had yet to see, thankfully.

"You are way to sensitive, you know that?" Blake said.

"Yes, I'm aware," I said calmly.

"Your mom would kill us if you died out here!" Tyler said.

"Probably." I smiled with a slight shrug. I think my smile was more of an evil grin though...

Lucas sighed heavily. "Okay, whatever, it's over now," he said. "Let's just g—"

But then we heard growling, and all of us tended up, Jack clutching onto my arm.

Ever so slowly, I turned around, everyone else doing the same, and I almost wet my pants by what I saw.

A brown grizzly bear was growling right at us, it being so close I can smell it's breath. Oh my god, how did we not notice? I thought with absolute horror.

Looks like we're all going to die out here after all.