Nicole, an ambitious but overlooked student at elite private school, Waterbridge Academy, is ready for her junior year to be all kinds of fun.
While her focus should be classes and homework, they take second string to Highjinks, the epic prank battl...
Kellen and I awoke at 5 a.m. just barely warm enough to ward off frostbite. We stayed huddled in our cocoon for the better part of an hour, till the sky began to lighten to a dull grey. It took us forever to make our way back to camp. We took turns piggybacking each other and stopped several times to huddle together against the icy air slicing like knives through our skin and into our bones. As if talking would allow the cold to suck all the warmth out of us, we barely spoke. Tears came to my eyes more times than I'd be willing to admit.
Our arrival at camp—stoic and frozen—saw us bundled with worry and blankets. Jess, like a fretful mother, tucked socks stuffed with hot rocks around us. We rested, leaning up against each other inside the mound of blankets.
As soon as we warmed up, we went about our jobs as the camp's leaders. Patrolling the length of the Nest, helping wherever it was necessary, sorting out the issues that could be solved immediately and noting the ones that couldn't.
It was early evening by the time I stopped, because of the hunger that rumbled in my stomach. After grabbing a small meal from the squad responsible for cooking, I attempted to join Jess to eat. Instead, I was stopped by Katia, before I reached her.
"So, I keep hearing things about you and my brother... What's that about?" Arms crossed she looked ready to pick a fight.
I raised an eyebrow at her; this was the second time she'd shown interest in Kellen and I, and I didn't understand. Yes, since our last couple nights at the academy, rumors about us had been steadily growing, but they were unfounded. Aside from the previous night we'd spent in the cave, which no one had witnessed, there was no reason for them.
"Listen, I know he's a big boy and he seems like he's tough, but he's not," she sighed. "Whatever you two are doing, be careful. I like you, Nicole. So, I'd hate to have to hurt you if you hurt him."
"Hurt me? That's funny. Haven't you been trying to hurt him for the past four years. What's that about? Besides, you've got nothing to worry about―we're friends at most."
"Yeah, our rivalry is stupid, but, it doesn't mean I don't care or worry about him. Nicole, you're oblivious, and there is no way that boy could be just friends with you. I'm just saying don't lead him on. You'll break him."
"How about you worry about what you do to him, and leave me alone?" I left her there, a little stunned by her words.
Was I really oblivious? Was Kellen into me?I sat heavily beside Jess, resting my head on her shoulder.
"How are you doing, Nic?"
"Good now." I sighed around a mouthful of re-hydrated mashed potatoes that had never been my favourite till that moment. I tried to take my mind off Katia's words, focusing my attention on a piece of paper people were reading and passing around.
"You haven't stopped since you got back. Kellen either..." Jess paused then grinned as she gasped. "What happened last night? It's like you guys are avoiding each other."
Not her too! She wasn't entirely wrong, but it wasn't intentional; we were just busy. While I helped rig booby-traps just outside the boundary of the camp, Kellen was helping to raise platforms up into the trees. While I was up in the trees, helping to secure platforms in place, Kellen was camouflaging blinds.
"Really, Jess? Nothing. We almost froze to death is what happened."
She let it drop, taking the paper as it came to her, though the smirk on her face remained.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
