“I’m fine,” I huff, pushing past him. “Fucking nature.”
“Yeah, blamenature,” Cliff mutters as we head back to the cabins.
In the corner of my eye, I see three bodies rushing toward us. “Cliff! Ollie!” Maxine exclaims, giggling. “Come play drinking games with us!”
“Hey, Max,” Cliff smiles, his eyes softening as Maxine, Felicity, and Leon come to light. “Sure, I’m down.”
“Yay!” Max claps her hands. “We’re going to Leon’s cabin ‘cause someone—” she rolls her eyes, “wants tostudy.”
“Kennedy?” I clear my throat. “She’s uh—in her cabin?”
“Sure is,” Max smirks, side-eying her friends who stifle laughs. Dickheads. All of them. “Maybe she needs some company? Why don’t you go check on herlover-boy?”
“I hate you,” I mutter, flicking Maxine’s forehead as I sidestep the group.
“Don’t hate the playa,” Maxine calls out.
Ugh, does everyone know? Is the whole school looking at me like I’m a chump? Like I’m some lovestruck fool? Fuck, that’s annoying. Whatever. In a few weeks, high school will be over, and I will never see these people again. Well...hopefully except for one. Only one. No one else matters. No one else is relevant. No one else. No one.
I got this.
Sucking in a deep, steadying breath, I knock on the door of Kennedy’s cabin. “Ken? Are you there?”
“Ollie?” Shuffling from inside fills my ears before the door slowly creaks open, Kennedy’s head popping out. “Hi.”
“Hi.” I clear my throat. Be cool. “I uh—” Cooler than that, please. “I want to um...” Dear Lord. Kennedy tilts her head, confused, as I scram to relearn the English language. Fuck it. “I need you to come with me right now.”
Kenny blinks. “Right now? I was just about to stu—”
“Right now,” I repeat myself, nodding my head. “It is of great importance.”
“Is something wrong?” she asks, opening the door a little more. “Are you okay?”
“Just come with me,” I state, holding out my hand. She hesitates, biting her pink lip. “Please?”
Kennedy looks over her shoulder, sighing before she says, “Fine, just let me get my phone and purse.”
“What do you need a purse for?” I ask as she collects her stuff. “I don’t think trees take Visa.”
“Funny,” she mutters, slipping on her shoes. “I actually have a mini first aid kit in here.”
“First aid?” I nod, grinning. “I suppose it is important to always be prepared, you little girl scout.”
Kennedy rolls her eyes as she closes the door, looping the bag over her shoulder. “Did you know that there are dozens of bugs and poisonous insects out here?” She pats her purse. “You’re gonna want what’s in this bad boy when your face is swelling up to twice its size.”
“Right, because alcohol wipes and Hello Kitty plasters are going to save my life when my bloodstream is riddled with toxins,” I tease. “Brilliant.”
Kennedy crosses her arms, cocking her head to the side. “Tell me why I’m blindly following you again?”
I perk up. Be nicer, you jackass.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend your portable nursing station,” I say, gesturing in front of me. “This way please.”
Kennedy sighs. “This better be something important.”
“Oh,” I hum, leading her to Clifford’s Love Nest. “It is.”
Okay, so all I need to do is tell her the truth. And what’s the truth? That I can’t stop thinking about her? That every day I replay that night in my head and kick myself for being so moronic? That I can’t remember the last time I was happy until I met her? That she makes me want to be better? Strive for larger? Accomplish... something.Besomeone. Someone worthy of her.
