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Summer, oblivious to the darkness that weighed heavy about her, charged into the forest, hands angrily brushing at branches that blocked her path. She ignored the feeling of the foliage as it swiped against her legs, leaving small scratches dotted about the skin of her calves. Nothing mattered apart from putting as much distance as possible between herself and the camp. If she saw Dakotas stupid little face again...well, she didn't know what she'd do. 

Eventually though, the cold, that was creeping in to rest uncomfortably against her exposed skin, caused her to stop in her tracks, arms coming up to wrap around her chest as she realised how inappropriately she was dressed for her current predicament. Her summer dress had been a pretty choice for the garden party but for a traipse in a forest containing who knows what, it was possibly the worst thing she could be wearing.  

[color=f6989d]“Shit...fuck...I hate this bullshit!”[/color] Summer raged as she kicked at a tree trunk in frustration, biting her lip at the pain that shot through her foot. As agitation ran through her body like wildfire, she brushed icy-cold fingers through her hair, trying to release a few of the knots that had tangled there. If her mother could see her in this state...well, she’d probably disown her. If her [i]father[/i] could see her like this...well, he’d probably just laugh and tell her to stop being a dumbass. Just the mere thought of her father was enough to improve her mood, or at least to calm her enough that she could think sort of rationally. Smiling lightly at the memory of him, her attention was suddenly brought back to the present by the voice of another shouting out from amidst the darkness. 

[color=DarkMagenta]"I have a bracelet...I have [i]your[/i] bracelet.”[/color]

Summer paused, her whole body still as she listened to his words. It took her a few moments but eventually she was able to recognise the voice as Jean-Lucs. A small bloom of gratefulness began to gather in her chest. Was he actually being kind to her? It was more than anyone else had done. Or it had been...until he mentioned [i]pity[/i]. Who did he think he was? The last thing she wanted was anyone feeling sorry for her. To be hated, despised, envied. All of that would be preferable to pity. [color=f6989d]“You can take your pity and shove it up your ass!”[/color] The teen yelled back as a new wave of frustration overcame her, voice penetrating like a knife through the heavy silence. 

After a moment of standing there, Summer, despite her words, began to look for her bracelet. She expected it to be on the ground and had been wholly unprepared for it to suddenly land in front of her, as if god himself had tossed it from the heavens. Crouching down to retrieve it, she looked up just in time to see an owl flying past, wings gliding silently through the cool air. [color=f6989d]“Weird...”[/color] She commented as she squinted her eyes to look at the delicate piece of jewellery. She couldn’t see very well in the near pitch-black but it didn’t look too damaged...or at least not so bad that she wouldn’t be able to fix. Clutching it to her chest, Summer released a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. She had it back and she was [i]never[/i] letting go of it again. 

Still standing there clutching the bracelet, Summer had to bite back a scream as three figures suddenly appeared from amidst the trees, at first being unable to recognise their dimly lit forms. She’d been so caught up in her own thoughts that she hadn’t taken notice of their approaching footsteps. Her eyes glanced over them impassively as they spoke, offering what anyone else would take as words of comfort. Charlie she could understand being there, maybe. But Jeremy she’d only just met and Kate...well, they’d never exactly seen eye-to-eye. It seemed strange to her that they would seek her out, just so they could make sure she was okay. Afterall, that’s not something she would’ve done.

[color=f6989d]“Fuck off...”[/color] Summer muttered halfheartedly, arms moving to fold against her chest. [color=f6989d]“I don’t need your help, or your [i]pity[/i].”[/color]  Deep brown eyes rolled at the last word, a small bitter laugh escaping from her throat. [color=f6989d]“I’m perfectly fine on my own, thank you very much. Now if you don't mind...I’m off to find a tree to sleep in.”[/color]

Internally Summer cringed at the idea of having to sleep in a tree. Not only would it be incredibly uncomfortable but it was also likely to ruin her clothes even further. It was still better than returning to the camp though, so she promptly turned on her heel, striding off in the opposite direction to the trio. She didn’t get far though, before she had walked into a very large and very annoying rock. Letting out a yelp of pain, she crouched down to clutch her foot, which was now aching for the second time that night. [color=f6989d]“Damn it...”[/color] Summer muttered as she moved to sit herself down on the offending rock, no longer caring that she was getting both herself and her clothes extremely dirty. [color=f6989d]"Stupid wilderness..."[/color]

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