Reading books in the water

"Abuso?" Conner asked with interest. Abuse was something that he understood, even if it didn't come from any adults. In fact, just lifting up his shirt would explain what he thought of abuse. Those dreadful carvings in his stomach done by the children he had once called his family that will never heal. Those terrible words that he will never forget because they were actually in him. He would never show Layla, of course. They just met, and the image would be plain gruesome.

Layla nodded. "Being chained to a wall and whipped when I didn't listen to my mothers boyfriend. " Layla shivered. "I can barely go to the beach in a bikini because of all of my scars. Even the children that I went to school with would throw punches at me but, I probably deserved it in some way." Layla shighed covering her stomach hiding all of the pain and sorrow.

Conner scooted towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder. He knew how she had felt at least completely, having someone you love hurt you. Or having someone you hurt get killed. Basically, Conner was a master at hurt and heart ache.

"Take it easy, it's alright." Conner said quietly. As a side note, he noticed that his accent caused him to run most of his English words together.

Layla smiled. "Yeah I know..." She looked up at him. "I don't have to be scared anymore."

"That's good. Neither do I." Conner smiled and just flat out told her about his time in the adoption center and what all the children had done. Even...he even told her about his little brother being a homicide victim. He did not, however, explain why they called him Judas or how the jail incident was his fault.

Layla looked at him. "Wow." She stood up in the water. "That's alot to handle." She admitted.

Conner nodded grimly, a shadow crossing his face.

"At least I remember my mother a little bit. Hector never saw any picture of her before he died." He said quietly.

Layla held his hand and smiled. "It's okay judas..." She rubbed the back o his hand with her thumb gently and let go. "Wanna come in?" The water feels magnificent."

"I shouldn't. The water looks so...sereno. I don't want to mess that up." Conner smiled at Layla. It stung when she had said his full name, but he brushed it away. He would like to get into the lake. However he feared that if it were to get cold later on then he would be angry. Plus...he didn't want to have to expose his scars.

Layla smiled and nodded. "Then I will come out." She stepped out from the cold refreshing water and gently dabbed her wet skin with a towel. "So what were you doing in the forest?" She slipped on her shorts and t-shirt.

"Boredom brought me out here. That and curiosity." Conner sighed and took off his socks and shoes, kicking them into the creek carefully as to not disturb the water too much.

Layla nodded. "Same here." She sat down and crossed her legs.

"You are so beautiful...surely you can not fight." Conner smirked. He looked down at the bottom of the creek where the water was so clear that he could see every inch of sea life. Creek life? Whatever.

"Why come to the forest with so many monsters?"

Layla blushed. "I don't really fight...I kinda run away from danger but I can Shoot arrows very well." Layla nodded and looked up at him. "Can you fight? I might need somebody to protect me." Layla winked.

Conner's smile grew and he looked at her. This didn't count as flirting, right? Because he would be in big trouble if it did. he still couldn't control his powers very well yet.

"'Course I'll protect you. Nothing will happen as long as I am around." Conner continued.

Layla blushed brighter and looked at the trees. "That's good." She chuckled and played with her red hair.

Conner chuckled and lay back in the grass facing the sky. The sky was so clear and beautiful today. There wasn't a single cloud thanks to whatever camp magic Mr. D did.

Layla laid next to him. "It's beautiful isn't it?" Layla looked up at the sky as the suns rays hit her skin.

"Yes. I haven't seen a sky so clear since...It's been a while." To Conner, everyday was dark and gloomy but masked in a fake ray of sunshine. He was only an optimist because he was forced to be. Without his half-full mentality, Conner would have been dead years ago. It sucked. It sucked to have to rely on yourself most of the time to keep others happy. What he really needed was a real beautiful day, not a generic Camp-brand one. He had a feeling he would never see a real one.

Ooc: Sprained ankle :/

Ooc: ouch...hope you feel better

Bic: Layla smiled. "I was thinking about leaving camp for a week or two..." She looked at Conner. "You know, just to go see a real beach and hang out in the real world." Layla sighed and close her eyes thinking about California.

Conner looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Beach? Oh, praia. All this language did was stress him out, what with all the different roots and rules. The language wasn't even theirs in the first place. Basically, the United States was nothing but a bunch of copycats and thieves. Was not most of its population born elsewhere originally? It had been his distant people who came to claim this land as their own...So why are they not speaking Spanish? Not that Conner was good at Spanish, but still? He shook his head clear and focused back on Layla.

"I've only been to a pra---beach once. It's too crowded. The real world can be a scary place."

Layla nodded. "Yeah it can." She looked at Conner and smiled. "Your really cool...you know that?" She cracked a smile and
Grabbed her notebook sitting up. "Can I draw a picture of you?"

"Of course you can." Conner smiled widely. He always loved art and envied people who were good at it. If Conner so much as touched a crayon or a ball of clay the entire thing would probably spontaneously combust from so much lack of talent. Plus, Conner was always excited to be a part of something.

Layla grabbed a pencil and waited for him to sit up. "Good." She lifted up his chin so the light reflected perfectly on his facial features. She began to draw, making swoops and swirls.

Conner sat still as she drew him but soon became fidgety. He wasn't one to sit still for long. Eventually when he couldn't stand being still, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and froze up almost like a statue. Everything stopped besides the slow and steady movement of his shoulders and chest as he breathed. Otherwise, Conner was marble.