witchcraft

“It does,” Sam conceded, a shrug tousling the long waves of dark hair that ran down her back, “but it’s still mine.” Her smile was genuine – a rare sight, if one Rennie saw more than most: Sam felt comfortable around the other girl.

“What’re you reading?”

“Can’t fight facts. It’s fine, I don’t need it anymore. Feel free to take something out of my closet for three weeks and we’ll call it even stevens.” An offer she very rarely extended, as if it weren’t already obvious, she was painfully possessive of her things. “It’s a potions book that Nora let me borrow. There’s nothing too interesting in there, but you can take it if you want.”

“I know human emotion is hard for you, but I’m pretty sure friendship is the opposite of loneliness. But you do you, girl. Keep up this whole ‘too cool to have friends’ vibe you’re astral projecting all over camp.” He gave her a long look. “Really? This from the girl I knew as ‘Ophelia’s Friend’ for the first year and a half of our relationship. I just barely remember your name is Rennie half the time. And that’s more for Ophelia’s sake than yours. You do realize I see you around the three of us almost as much as Ophelia is, right?” He wrinkled his nose at ‘boo.’ “Don’t call me that, it’s weird.”

“Observant. Now who’s paying too much attention. We get it, you guys can’t go anywhere without your little pack, you can tell me all about it when someone starts picking you all off one by one. Too cool, too smart, take your pick.” She shrugged her shoulders haphazardly, “Can we keep it that way? You unabashedly thinking my name is Rennie might just be the only saving grace we’ll find here. The least bit personal we are the better, I think. You can thank your duo of morons for that, I don’t think Thane or Cole are all too happy that there’s someone around here they can’t click their fingers for and screw in a moments notice.” She laughed lightly, not caring in the slightest. “More reason for me to keep it up.”

“Except for you, my hero. That’s what makes toying with them so amusing sometimes, though it tends to lose appeal when your sarcasm goes unnoticed too long. It’s my job to admit your good ideas out loud. See? You keep me around for a good reason too. Those are helpful, but really I already have my own so it’s just superfluous to couple yours on top.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” he smirked with every hint of arrogance in his body coming out full force in the curves of his lips. “So you’d rather find out in the sack than out? That’s different and can be arranged. Clearly you don’t take care of them well enough, which is a real shame. I’m not thieving, just unabashedly curious. I’ll give it back when you tell me what page the entries about me are on.”

“I mean, are we really alone if there’s three of us?” He asked, eyebrows raising as if he’d just turned the tables on her. “We don’t have to scream for attention, have you seen us? We’re babe magnets. I have Ophelia and those two idiots have each other. It’s all good.” For a moment Carter could sense her anger, enjoying the way it thickened the air around them. Good. He’d gotten to her just as she had him. “Why don’t you go get your weird kinks out with someone else’s relationship?”

“The three of you are as alone as any other endangered species. There’s three of you, but you’re still on your own.” She noted in a near bored tone, though she could appreciate that he could give out as well as he could take it. “I have eyes, I’ve seen you, and there’s literally not a single memorable thing about any of you. With the exception of Ophelia, rest her better judgement, none of you attract anything more than idiots.” Anger ran through her too easily, she knew that, most other people knew it; did she care to change it? never. “Please, like I have the patience to pay attention to more than one relationship around here. You’re stuck with me, boo.”

“I always figured this holier than thou attitude was you screaming for attention or something.” He wasn’t ignorant of her mocking of his pose, but he didn’t comment. “Oh I believe that. But I don’t believe you’re as dark as you like to let on.” Carter shrugged again, trying not to roll his eyes. He did feel bad. He felt fucking terrible. But he was not going to admit that to Rennie and see just how smug she could look. “Whelp, I don’t so…”

“I’d rather stick myself in the eye than garner more attention than I already get, I know you and your sidekicks are all for screaming for attention, but you’re alone in that endeavor.” She likely didn’t look as intimidating as he could, he towered over her but she was as little as she was fierce on a good day. “At least I have plenty of room to prove your ass wrong since you’re so doubtful.” It built in her throat, a rage that felt ever so familiar, doubt was what she feared; she’d spent five years here doubting herself. “Be sure to tell me how much that sentiment changes once you’ve spoken to her, you know how much I love a little play by play.”

“And here I thought I was doing a pretty good job. It was enough to scare away other campers, you’re just smarter than most.” Shifting against one of the dock beams, she continued turning over the silver piece of jewelry wrapped around slender digits. “Like I said, you’re smart. That’s why I keep you around.”

“Last I checked, this shirt was mine.”

Sam quirked a brow at Rennie: she knew all-too-well that the threat was real – she had, after all, been a witness to Rennie’s vendettas more than a few times – but right was right, and the shirt was hers. Besides, if she had to, she’d set Rennie’s hair on fire in return, even if she didn’t inherently want to.

“Even that gets boring after a while. Becomes less impressive,” he said, shrugging broad shoulders. “I honestly doubt you have what it takes to try and rot someone from the inside out. You’re a bitch, but you’re not quite sick enough for that.” He knew what Rennie was hinting at, and he hated it. “Don’t try to make me feel bad for leaving. Ophelia was fine. She’s not a child.”

“Boring is relative, I still get a kick outta’ watching you burn. When have I ever done anything to impress anyone?” Her small stature mimicked his, arms crossing over her chest, her brows pinching tightly in the middle for a single moment as he doubted her. Doubt -- it hung heavy on her shoulders and really, he might have been one of the few people to know that. “We’re all a little darker than we look, Carter.’ Her tone shifted and she backed up casually. “I’m not trying to do anything, you should feel bad with or without my guilting you.”

“Hair grows back,” he chuckled whilst turning her little book over between deceptively cautious palms. “I’m a hands-on learner, this is how I explore my surroundings. Maybe you should take better care not to leave your things lying about where thieves can steal them. You’re lucky it’s just yours truly and not somebody from the Hermes cabin; really this is just the perfect time for you to thank me.”

Sometimes Carter wished he could rip that smile off Rennie’s face. It was always so smug. It was like she knew a secret no one else in the world was privvy to. It bothered the shit out of him. “You’ve already set me on fire like twice, why not come up with something new?” Not that he would, if he could light people on fire. He cringed, “Ugh, don’t call me baby. I just ate and I’d like to keep my food down.” Crossing his arms, Carter scoffed. “I didn’t disappear. Ophelia knew I would be leaving, I told her before I left.”

Bothering Carter was at least in her top ten favorite things to do here, and maybe that mad her a crappy friend -- but well, she was a crappy friend and more often than not she just liked to watch things tick over in his head. “I can literally set people on fire, what else do I need to come up with? I mean, I could rot you from the inside out, that could be fun .--- Maybe I’ll try that next.” She offered, with a sickly sweet smile. “Aw, baby. Please throw up.” Sirenia rolled her eyes slowly, “Oh like that matters.”

“We both know that a sad dick comment is the best you can come up with, Ren Ren. Let’s not try and act otherwise.” He shrugged. “Honestly, I would’ve figured you got together to come up with petty insults for everyone in camp, but we both know you’re obsessed with me, so that makes sense.” He shrugged, shoving one hand into his pocket. “Maybe what I do just isn’t any of your busy, little gremlin?” He asked, eyeing her. 

“It works. I don’t need to improve on it when really ...--- if that didn’t work, I could literally just shrink your dick anyway, so go on, Carter, try me..” The grin that etched it’s way onto her features was unparalleled. “That might be plausible, if I didn’t want to set half the people in camp on fire. You’re top of the list, by the way.’ Her hand pressed to her heart, however cold it might have been and she pouted, “Is it that obvious? I want you, i need you..-- oh baby, oh baby.” She shook her head slowly as she laughed. “Oh but you see.. when you up and just disappear for a week, and leave me to deal with your stir crazy better half, it is my business.”

“A dick comment, very original, Ren Ren. You come up with that yourself, or did a group of you all throw in to think it up?” He took another bite of his apple, wanting to finish the damn thing like he’d planned. “I’ve been around, just doing my best to avoid you.” There was no way he was telling Rennie, of all people, what he’d been up to. She’d be the first to stir up shit between him and Ophelia.

“The only one that said anything about your dick was you, what... was it the first thing that came to mind? How tragic. You caught me, I sit around with a group of girls bi-weekly to come up with petty little insults, just to see you frown some more.” An unlady like sound erupted from her throat, something of a snort turned scoff, “Well that explains why I’ve had the best damn week of my life, huh? Lie through your teeth all you like, you think I wouldn’t find out you were gone by Ophelia’s introverted sulking? But go ahead, keep your secrets --- it’ll be more entertaining when we all find out anyway, and you know how much amusement I get out of your misery.”