She nods once, her lower lip sliding back and forth between her teeth before turning and walking off the way we were heading
It shouldn’t take too long to walk the rest of the way, but I’m certain we will arrive close to midnight unless one of the counselors heads up this way and gives us a ride. Though judging from the expressions on their faces when I stomped over and demanded Lyla leave, they would most likely leave me in the dust and take her back alone.
Not that I blame them.
“You know,” she says after a few minutes of awkward silence where I’m very interested in the ground. “Now would be the perfect time to talk. Clear the air.”
“This is the cleanest air you’ll ever breathe in California,” I shoot back.
She laughs and bumps into me with her shoulder. “Be serious.”
“That’s my only setting.” Which is the truth for the most part. I’ve always been way too serious for my own good. But if there ever was someone who could pull me out of my shell, make me act my age, it was Lyla.
“Come on.” Her hand on my shoulder makes me stop. I don’t look at her. I can’t, but I still sense her eyes on me. “You haven’t spoken to me in years and then you kiss me?”
“I…” I scrub a hand down my face. This is not how I thought my night—shit, my summer would go. “It was a mistake, like I said.”
When she’s says nothing, I glance up and am sucked into those big blue eyes of hers as the moonlight glints off them. She watches me, and I swear she sees right through my defenses. But then she nods.
“Okay. Call it a mistake. Chalk it up to adrenaline or whatever.” She throws her hands up in the air and walks away. “Just don’t let it happen again. Jay will kill you if he ever finds out.”
My face pales and for once tonight I’m thankful no one else is around to witness my humiliation. There’s no way she understands how close she struck to home. How Jay had said the same thing all those years ago when I admitted how I felt about Lyla.
You’re not good enough for her. And you never will be.
Those were his exact words after I spilled my heart to him. And at the time he might not have been wrong. I was stupid and childish in high school, bouncing from one girl to the next without ever settling down for too long. I blame it on hormones and the fact that I wasn’t the most attractive kid on the planet until I hit a growth spurt. But it stung like hell to have my best friend say those things. To tell me he would never let it happen so I might as well give up. But I didn’t. I pushed the subject, convinced if he gave the idea a chance he would come around. Instead, it ruined our twelve-year friendship.
Jay was always so protective, but I never thought it would come to that. Never thought it would end up being me versus her. The last day we spoke, Jay saw me talking to Lyla in the hall. In choice words, he told me if I ever went near her again, he would make sure no one ever found my body.
So, I honored the memory of our friendship and kept my distance. Which was difficult when we all attended the same school. It took weeks for Lyla to understand she wouldn’t have to choose. I chose for her, and she was taking her brother’s side. After that, there were no more longing glances in the hall. No sad smiles. I disappeared from her radar.
Then I moved and everything got easier with distance. Not in a million years did I ever think I would be in a car alone with her on some deserted road. Guess my restraint only goes so far.
Now she just gave me an out. I won’t tell her agreeing with me about it being a mistake didn’t sting, ‘cause it did. But she’s letting it slide. Forgiving me for losing my sense back there and moving on.
I can do that. I have to do that. Even if it takes every ounce of restraint I possess. I can keep my distance for these next three weeks. Then all I have to do is avoid her for the next year until she ships off to college.
“Look, I’m sorry you and Jay had a falling-out.” She holds up a hand, expecting my response and squashing it before it can leave my mouth. “You don’t have to tell me what happened, but you can’t go around acting all…brotherly.”
Ha. Being any type of brotherly figure has never crossed my mind, but I sure as hell won’t be telling her that.
“I have one of those and he’s annoying enough. But I would like to be friends again. I know it will be hard because I remind you of Jay, but can we just start with you not being a jackass and go from there?”
I laugh, I can’t help it. Only Lyla can get away with being so damn blunt. She glances up at me and smiles, the moonlight above casting an angel-like glow to her hair. I swallow hard, my throat cramping from the tension still tightening my muscles.
Just friends with Lyla? Is that something I have in me?
Before I answer, a throat clears behind me. I glance over my shoulder into a bright light and my stomach turns to stone, dropping until all the air leaves my lungs. Crap. I didn’t realize we made it back to camp.
Mr. River flicks his gaze between the two of us and nods to his office, heading that way before the shock has time to wear off either of us.
Lyla lets out a stuttered breath and swings her wide eyes my way. “I can’t get sent home,” she whispers. “My mom will kill me. I need this on my college applications. And I need a summer away from her.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out.” But even as I say it my brain is tripping all over itself trying to figure out what I can do to keep her here. There isn’t much. Breaking curfew is one of the biggest sins you could commit in Mr. River’s eyes. His entire job is to make sure everyone is safe, and he can’t very well do that when we’re out running around in the middle of nowhere.
Lyla reaches out and squeezes my hand. I feel it all the way in my chest.
“It will be fine,” I say right as we step into Mr. River’s office.
Even I can hear the lie in my words.
Scarlett stares at me wide-eyed as I shove all my stuff into my blue duffel bag. Everyone else is already at breakfast, but she hung back to help. And by help, I mean apologize over and over for dragging me out.
Last night Shane promised everything would be fine. It wasn’t. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but it wasn’t—isn’t—fine.
One day in and I’ve been banished to the cabin reserved for troublemakers. Usually, those troublemakers are kids like Janice Humble who broke into the kitchen and stole all the ice cream. It’s not meant for counselors. But I guess there needs to be a first for everything. Just wish I wasn’t the one setting the low bar.
“Did I say I was sorry?” Scarlett asks as I swing my bag onto my shoulder with a defeated sigh.
This is still better than a summer at home.
If I repeat it enough times maybe I’ll believe it.
“Only about a thousand times.”
“Well, then I should say it a thousand more. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m—”
“It’s fine, Scar.” It’s not. “At least I didn’t get kicked out, right?” I force a smile, but she’s not buying it. We’ve been friends long enough that she can tell when I’m lying. And this right here is a big ole lie. Nothing about this situation is fine.
“I should have listened to you, and I promise from here on out I’m like a freaking Eagle Scout.”