Chapter 4 Austin We stood there awkwardly, waiting for her to recover. However, when Mom put her foot down, she frowned, gasped in pain, and let out a pained whimper. She reached out, placing her hand over Travis's palm for support, but it was no use. Travis watched her with concern, clenching his teeth to keep from yelping. "Alright, you're fine, obviously." I said, bending down and lifting her into my arms. "Put your arm around my neck and hold on." "No, Austin, put me down. I'm too heavy for you to carry." "Stop talking nonsense. You're not heavy. Now, hold on tight-we'll be back at the campsite soon." I began carrying her back, hiking carefully to avoid jostling her injured ankle. Travis and Beth followed closely behind me. I didn't dare run, afraid of making things worse for her. When we arrived at the campsite, I gently set Mom down while Travis crouched beside her, removing her shoe. Her ankle was already looking swollen. "This looks bad," Beth murmured, placing her hands on my shoulders, biting her lip anxiously. "We have to stop camping and take her to a doctor," Travis said, grabbing his backpack, frustration evident in his tone. I nodded. "Agreed. But it's getting dark. There's no way we can pack everything up in time unless you want to leave all our stuff here for thieves or wild animals. Here's the plan-I'll carry Mom to the car, and you drive her to the hospital in town. Tomorrow, you can come back to pick us up." Travis thought for a moment before setting down the tent pole he had just picked up. "Alright, that makes sense. You stay here and watch our stuff. Beth, you'll come with us," he said, turning to her. Beth frowned, her lips instinctively pouting. "Dad, we can't leave Austin alone. That doesn't sound safe. Maybe I can stay here with him?" she pleaded. "Austin has plenty of outdoor experience. He can handle it." "I'm staying, Dad," she insisted. "You guys better hurry. It's getting dark." "Alright," Mom sighed, finally giving in. "I really hate this. You two be careful, okay?" "Of course," I nodded. "I'll keep Beth safe. Now, let's get you to the car." Elizabeth "Any news?" I glanced at Austin worriedly as I curled my arms around my waist. It had been three hours since my dad and Grace had left for town, but there was still no word from them. Austin was watching the crackling flames in the campfire as night fell. Two tender fish were roasting on top of the fire. Seeing my movements, Austin added two more logs to the fire and handed me a roasted fish. "They're fine, Bookworm, don't worry." I nodded and took the fish. After finishing it, I still felt cold. I went back to the tent and grabbed a hoodie. It was one of Austin's favorites, and I had secretly brought it along for this camping trip. I liked it; it made me feel closer to Austin. Besides, the sleeves were big enough to completely wrap around my arms and fists with some extra room. When he saw me wearing it, he smiled but didn't say anything. I sat back down by the fire, warming myself. "When do you think they'll be back?" "I don't know. Maybe we can take a nap, and when they come back, they'll call us." He yawned, stretched, and stood up. "Honestly, it's hard to sleep under these circumstances. Also, I should've brought an air mattress." "What? Afraid the rough ground will scratch your delicate skin?" He grinned. "Exactly." If we had a blanket, I thought, we'd be much more comfortable. "Luckily, it's not raining, or that would be really bad." I smiled at him. Just then, cold and wet droplets landed straight on my cheek and then the tip of my nose. I glanced at him wide-eyed, the raindrops sliding down my face. "Or yes," he said, just as the sky opened up and a cascade of rain poured onto us.The heavy rain drenched our campfire, extinguishing it in seconds. I jumped, quickly grabbed everything I could. Austin's arm slipped from my grasp, and before I could react, he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward his tent. "Wait, my tent is over there." I could barely see it, but a flash of lightning illuminated the area for a brief moment. "Forget it, mine is closer." He didn't let go of me. "Thanks, but I really should-" "Stop arguing." Austin opened up his tent in a hurry, and then pushing me inside. I wiped my face with my hand as Austin climbed in after me, kneeling to pull the tent closed. My clothes clung to my skin tightly, as Austin lit up a electric torch. It barely provided any light but it was enough to highlight his wet form. Just like me. Austin pulled his t-shirt over his head, revealing his muscled body to me, and then he stripped off his shoes and pants next. "What are you doing?" I took two steps back, trying not to let my eyes linger on him, avoiding the sight of his toned muscles. "It's cold, and we're both soaked."Take your clothes off and get into the sleeping bag," He said, and my heart nearly stopped to hear those words from him. "Wait, what?" Was I dreaming? Because I had only ever encountered a scene like this in my dreams. Of course, he hadn't just asked me to take off my clothes-we had done far more than that. However, the alarm clock had always ruined everything in the end. He didn't even seem the least bit bothered as he grabbed one of his clean shirts and used it to dry out his hair. He sent me a patient look. "You'll get hypothermia if you stay in those wet clothes. We need to get into the sleeping bag together and use body heat to stay warm." "Oh," I muttered, then turning red as I repeated it, "Okay." No matter how embarrassed I was, I knew there wasn't a choice in this matter. He was right. I took off my clothes. First the hoodie I loved so much and then my shirt, jeans and socks followed until I was left only in my bra and panties. This looked a lot like the scene from my dreams, but it wasn't. I couldn't strip down completely with my stepbrother while our parents aren't there. Then, I slipped into the sleeping bag first. It was a large sleeping bag, made for a grown adult to feel comfortable, but two inside? It made me tense. I tried to bury myself in the fabric, especially as I felt his hot skin slide in behind me. I shivered, my heartbeat quickens, every inch of us almost stuck together in such a small space. He's right. My body temperature is rising fast-I feel like a boiled shrimp. Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!