Ashen turns around slowly. Tanner, Jess, and Kyle stand a few feet away, watching him like they're afraid to snap him out of whatever thought he's in.
Their silence is cautious, almost like they're waiting for him to break, afraid that one wrong word might be too much.
"Wow! I love how much you guys trust me," Ashen says suddenly, his voice light and bright. But the storm behind his eyes tells a different story. "I mean, even with all that worry about me, you still left? Or maybe you didn't care at all, leaving a small child like me with a monster out here?" His tone is playful, with a feigned pout of disappointment.
He says it casually, planting his usual cheerful smile across his face like a mask he's used to wearing.
"What?" Tanner asks, his brow furrowing. "You j..."
All three of them freeze, their faces twisting in disbelief at his words, just as Ashen bursts into laughter.
