Page 47 of Wreckage

Elena

Warmth seeped into my bones for the first time in nearly two weeks, and I let myself sink into the feeling.

The fire flickered steadily in its makeshift pit, casting an orange glow through the cabin. The glow reflected off some of the now-exposed metal walls, almost making them seem less cold. The air inside the plane wasn’t tropical by any means, but it was no longer freezing, and that alone was a miracle.

For the first time since the crash, I felt human again.

My face wasn’t as swollen anymore. The bruises had faded from deep purple to lighter shades of yellow and pink, the worst along my cheekbone nearly gone. The soreness still lingered, but it was dull and manageable.

And the guys had figured out the water situation.

Troy and Adrian realized the water tank had survived the crash, which meant the toilet still flushed. It was still nearly full, and Adrian had gone out earlier to refill every empty bottle we had.

It had been enough to sustain us for now. And when the time came, they said we could refill the tank with melted snow if needed.

When they told me that, I joked that I wanted a shower.

Troy had immediately jumped on the idea, saying the waterwouldn’t be warm, but maybe they could heat some of it in the metal bowl he had salvaged from the wreckage.

I hadn’t expected him to take it so seriously.

But the second I said I’d love that, he had grabbed the bowl and gone outside to collect snow, heating it carefully over the fire.

And now here I was—cleaner than I had been in twelve days.

Troy had been the one to help me to the bathroom. He always did. He always offered before Adrian could or would, jumping at the opportunity before his brother even had the chance to argue.

Adrian had scowled as usual.

It was hard to tell if it was because of Troy’s enthusiasm or the way Troy and I had been different from each other lately.

I had washed with my travel soaps, scrubbing away the layers of grime, feeling lighter as I rinsed myself clean with the warmed water. It hadn’t been a real shower, but it was close enough.

I had even managed to wash my hair in the metal bowl, running my fingers through the damp strands as I changed into fresh clothes.

I felt almost normal again when I limped out of the tiny bathroom.

Troy was waiting for me.

He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his green eyes flicking over me. A slow smile curved his lips as he tilted his head slightly.

“You smell nice,” he said, his voice warm.

Heat crawled up my neck.

I was blushing. I never blushed.

Troy took notice. We had a light now. It was just some solar light they’d found in the Dean’s toolbox, but having a little light in the cabin at night was nice. The fact that we could set it outside during the day to recharge made it much better.

Troy’s grin widened slightly before he stepped forward, wrapping an arm around my waist to help me back to the raft. His grip was careful, gentle, but firm—like he had been waiting for an excuse to touch me.

The thought sent another rush of warmth through me, one I didn’t know what to do with. Maybe I was losing my mind, creating a situation that wasn’t happening. I pushed the feelings away and focused on getting back to my seat.

He helped me sit, then picked up my empty bowl. “I’m gonna warmsome water for myself,” he said easily before heading back toward the fire.

I watched him for a moment before finally exhaling, shaking my head at myself.

I wasn’t thinking about Troy. I wasn’t. I was just relieved to be clean. That’s all.

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