Nico didn’t look at me, but I was assuming he was thinking the same thing as his dark eyes looked back and forth between Kristy and Gina.
“I was so happy when Gina told me she was going to invite you to join us,” Kristy said to him. Nico remained quiet. “I wasn’t quite ready yet when she went up to your cabin.” At this Kristy sent a little darting glance Gina’s way and I watched with growing interest. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to ask you myself.”
When it became obvious that both Kristy and Gina were expecting a response from him, he dipped his chin and said, “That’s alright, ma’am.”
I wanted to laugh at the ma’am coming back out. It had been a while. Now that I knew him better, I understood that when he ‘ma’amed’ someone, he was feeling uncomfortable. I was considering joining them to lighten things up when Gina scooted closer to him, shimmied up onto her tiptoes, and whispered something in his ear. His expression remained controlled, but his shoulders stiffened.
Had she said something inappropriate to him? Was she inviting him to sneak off for a kiss? Because if anyone should be sneaking off to kiss Nico, it should be me. Nico’s eyes swung to mine as though he heard my thoughts and I flushed under his scrutiny before looking away.
Oh my gosh, what was I thinking? Unable to bear any more of the wishy-washy thoughts in my head, I stood, catching Gina and Kristy’s attention. Kristy waved and I managed to wave back.
“I’m off to have a private moment with my brain,” I said with forced cheer. “Have to really focus on my solo strategy.”
Kristy and Gina smiled as each of them wrapped their arm around one of Nico’s and shuffled close. Nico looked like he was going to be the only camper hunting me down that night. And, because I prefer to fight fire with fire, I winked and made a kissy face at him before I scurried off to find Cole.
Luckily for me, he happened to be standing with a group of guy counselors. I really didn’t want a partner, but it wouldn’t hurt for me to look like someone was interested in partnering with me. Maybe I felt like being childish in response to Nico’s little giggle-fans over there.
I flirted with the counselors, and laughed loud, and through it all I kept sneaking peeks across the fire pit. But it backfired, giving me a constant front-row view of Gina and Kristy flirting. I grew both despondent and angry. I had decided not to pursue him for myself, but I did not appreciate watching the competition at work.
I wished my girlfriends were here. We’d tease and they’d give me terrible advice, but they’d understand where I was coming from and make me feel about a million times better. Since they weren’t with me, I imagined what they’d say. Meredith would tell me that I was good on my own. Hailey would help me analyze the emotions raging through my system. Lizzie would tell me he was too cute to let go. And Aryn, well, she’d partner up with me and we’d win this whole game, laughing the entire time.
I only half listened to all the rules, and when the whistle blew giving the staffers their five minutes to spread out and hide, I was completely unprepared. I watched where Nico and his duo of gaggling geese were off to, and jogged along in the opposite direction. There was no way they’d win. They were too loud. It made me smile.
A stroke of luck had me stumbling across a rocky hillside where a tree was growing right up against a small hollow in the stone. There was enough space between the tree trunk and rock to slide in and be hidden. I was able to get into position with a little crouching and scooting, one second before I heard the second whistle allowing campers to search. It was growing darker by the minute, and as the sun finished setting the temperatures dipped. I shivered, wishing I’d thought to bring a jacket. It really hadn’t been smart to wear short sleeves and light materials, but I’d been too flustered by Gina’s arrival at the cabin to think through things.
I hugged closer to the stones and leaned back, seeking any leftover heat from the sun-soaked rock, as screaming and cheers echoed. The kids raced through the meadow and into the surrounding forest, calling back and forth to each other. A few staffers were caught early, and I smiled as they called out their names, recognizing some of the cook staff. It made sense that they’d allow themselves to go first as they were preparing some campfire treats for afterwards.
Soon, things grew quieter and I realized that only now had the hunt truly begun. The campers were being quiet, stealthy, and stalking their prey. Excitement tripped along my spine at being a part of it. There was a hush of expectation all around me.
I was too afraid to lean out and see if anyone was close. Instead, I hugged my knees against my chest and daydreamed about warm beaches and sunny mountain meadows. And cake. And Nico holding my hand in that meadow. The air temperature dropped a few more degrees and I huddled even tighter to keep warm. I was not going to let the cold get me out before I heard Gina and Kristy’s names called.
Full darkness had fallen, and from what I could tell there were only about six adults left to find. The kids weren’t lagging at all. They were out to win it.
I was rearranging myself under the tree more fully, trying to find a new comfortable position, when I heard crunching sounds, followed by some giggles, and someone saying ‘shhh’. Figuring it was children, I made myself as small as I could.
“Staying on the move was a great idea,” a voice said, and I realized that it was Kristy.
Please, universe, do not let me have to watch more of their sideshow. At least the darkness made it hard to see them. Even so, I closed my eyes to be safe. Their footsteps were slow and cautious, but I could hear them growing closer.
“This is why we asked Nico to be our partner. I think we’re the only ones left,” Gina added.
“Ruby hasn’t been found. She’s probably freezing,” Kristy said sympathetically. “She didn’t have a jacket with her.”
“I hope her legs don’t turn purple again if her pants get wet.” Gina laughed good-naturedly, and I smiled to myself at the memory. “Nico, did you see them? I mean she lives with you, so . . .”
I mostly liked Gina and hoped that hadn’t been a dig, but I opened my eyes and huffed out an annoyed breath anyhow. I immediately knew that Nico had heard because the group’s movement stopped. The two girls, oblivious, complained.
“What’s up?” they asked. “Why did you stop?”
“Now that it’s just us left, maybe we should split up,” Nico whispered. “Make it harder for them.”
“I don’t know,” Gina whined. “It’s kind of scary out here. And it’s cold too. We should find a place where we can hide and huddle together for warmth.”
Out of nowhere, a flashlight zipped through the trees and young voices cried out in victory.
“Kristy and Gina, we have you,” they cried as they charged through the trees.
“Save yourself, Nico,” Kristy whisper-yelled as her and Gina took off running away from the light.