Page 15 of The Games We Play

“Well, I mean, I sort of did pity you. You weretotally going to get beat up by Tweedledee and Tweedledum at check in, so I had to do something.” She nudges me back.

“For the record, I would have taken both of them on…easily.” I clear my throat and sit up a little taller.

“Oh, I’m sure of it, Rambo.”

“Rambo, huh?” I chuckle. “He has the best one liner in the history of all action movies, so I’ll take it.”

“Which one is that?” she asks, and I assume she hasn’t actually seen any of the Rambo movies, so I recap the scene.

“The bad guy in the movie, he’s all shocked by John Rambo’s abilities, because he’s killing off all his men and finally asks him through a walkie talkie, “Who are you?” I say with an accent, “and Rambo replies, ‘your worst nightmare.’” She jinxes me with the quote as she says it with a deep voice at the same time I do, and my head snaps in her direction.

She’s got a wide smile, and giggles at my shock.

“My dad is a huge Arnold and Sylvester movie buff. So, he’d probably challenge you to a one liner competition. I’ve seen all of them, and I would say that Arnold holds the record for that.”

My face falls and I stare at her in complete shock. And excuse me while I fall immediately in love with this girl.

There’s an awkward silence, like she knows it, and I have the urge to lean in and kiss her. Before I can, she interrupts. And I’m grateful for it, because I don't want to make things weird on the first day.

“The seniors, the campers who are here for their last year, we’re having a sort of homecoming party at cabin one tomorrow. You should come.”

“Eh, I’m not really coming home,” I air quote with my fingers, “so to speak. I’ll probably pass.” Because nothing sounds worse than spending an entire night reuniting with people I don’t actually know.

“I’ll be there and you can hang with me,” she replies smoothly. I steal a glance at her and I love that she’s so carefreeand easy going. Everything she says is effortless, and kind, and I can’t help but smile. No one has everjustmade me smile.

She holds her fist in her palm and says, “Let’s Roshambo for it?”

I glance down at her hand, then up to her adorable face. Her eyebrows raise and my lip turns up in a lopsided smile. Well, I can’t say no to that.

“Okay,” I concede, holding my fisted hand in the palm of my other, “on three.” We pat our palms and she covers my rock with her paper, and beams a bright smile.

“Ha, I win! Mimi one, Seamus zero. You’re coming.” She rests back on her elbows, staring out onto the lake, and I can’t suppress my stupid smile even though I just lost to her.

“Okay, sunshine, you win.” I’m smiling, even though I lost.

“Sunshine?” she questions.

Yeah, you’re radiant and everything about you screams happiness.At least in how she makes me feel. So yeah, sunshine.

“Yeah, sunshine,” is all I can manage to say.

I peer out at the moon’s reflection shining off the ripples of water in the lake. It’s so clear out here, I can easily spot Orion, my favorite constellation, making its presence known against the night sky. It’s a peace I rarely feel, and I don’t know if it’s the lake, the sky, or the girl next to me. The combination is overwhelming, in the best way, and I’m craving more of it.

A horn sounds, indicating it’s time to get back to our cabins for the night, and I feel disappointed. I want to stay here with her.

“Looks like we have to head back.” I stand up, holding my hand out to help her up.

She places her hand in mine and jumps to her feet at the same time I pull her up, creating more force than needed, and her body falls flush against mine. I freeze for a moment, holding her, and I’m tempted to pull her even closer. I reach up and tuck her hair behind her ear. She looks at me, blinks, then backs awayand I realize I may be reading her all wrong. Maybe, she is just being friendly.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow,” she replies as she steps completely out of my grasp. She turns, skipping toward her cabin, but not before yelling out, “Stay out of trouble, Rambo.”

8

SEAMUS

Present Day

I’ve been dressed and sitting in my living room for well over two hours. I have no idea what time her date is at but, regardless of that, I’ll be ready. I’ve waited a lot longer for less meaningful things.

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