𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃 | 𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐣𝐢

𝐗𝐈𝐕. 𝐎𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐛𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬

Roni led Matt away from the group and stopped in a small clearing covered with a canopy of trees. She'd remained silent and just let him be, but she was tired of the brooding.

She crossed her arms. "You like this girl, right?"

"What?"

"Bethany," Roni clarified, "You like her."

"No..." Matt sighed and nodded his head. "Yeah. Is it obvious?"

"Not really," Roni shook her head, "And that's sort of your problem."

"What do you mean?"

"You're a sweet guy, but you let everyone walk all over you—"

"I'm pretty sure you've already told me that." Matt crossed his arms.

"Look," she glared, "for once in your life, stand up and take what you want."

"I can't—"

"For crying out loud!" Roni exclaimed, "Matthew Bentley, just go ask her out!"

Matt shuddered. "Please don't ever refer to me by my full name again. You sound like my dad."

"Well you deserve it after talking about my dad earlier," Roni remained unapologetic. "I hope you understand that if I knew your middle name, I would've added that in there too."

"Remind me never to tell you my middle name."

"Now I'm determined to find out," Roni retorted and shook her head, "But you're stalling now."

"She's clearly in to everyone but me," Matt replied exasperated.

"You'll never know if you don't try," Roni shrugged, "I mean the worst that could happen is she says no."

"And if I have a crippling fear of rejection?"

"Um, how about you get over yourself," Roni suggested, "Either you ask her out or I do."

"You'd do that for me?"

"No," Roni scoffed, "I'd do it for me. Now seriously, go get her."

Matt gave her a weird look, but nodded his head and walked off to hopefully go find Bethany. Roni dusted off her hands as if she'd just completed a difficult job before her ears caught the sound of something rustling in the undergrowth. She quickly unsheathed her knife and turned toward the source. Fridge immediately lifted his hands into the air defensively.

She rolled her eyes and placed the knife back on her belt. "Where are the others?"

"Collecting supplies or something like that." Fridge shrugged.

"And you?"

"Looking for the statue so we can get the hell out of here," Fridge retorted, "It's like everyone else forgot."

Roni nodded her head in agreement and there was a brief, awkward silence between them.

"Need some help?"

He raised an eyebrow, as if confused that she was offering, but slowly nodded his head. "Sure."

"Okay," she also nodded her head and walked alongside him as they searched. "So... how are you?"

"Huh?" He now looked really confused.

"Well, not everyone walks off being trampled by rhinos." Roni shrugged. "Not to mention the fall from the helicopter."

"It was my fault." Fridge shrugged and looked down at the ground. "Shouldn't have dropped the jewel."

"I mean, everyone makes mistakes," Roni replied, "especially under the influence—"

"Why are you being so nice?" Fridge finally snapped.

Roni shrugged. "Sometimes you just need a friend when the whole world is against you."

Fridge chuckled under his breath. "A few days ago you were threatening to break my knee caps because I bumped into you in the hallway. Now you're saying we're friends."

"A lot's changed over the past few days." Roni chuckled quietly to herself before nudging Fridge. "I mean I wouldn't exactly say you're a pinhead jock anymore. You'd probably be better off singing alongside Snow White."

"Ha ha." Fridge rolled his eyes, but a small smile remained.

"So, why exactly do you go by 'Fridge'?" Roni questioned. "I can't imagine it's what your parents named you."

He shook his head. "Got it from the football team. Stopped an entire offensive line-up and the nickname sort of just stuck."

"So?"

Fridge sighed and looked up toward the sky, knowing he wasn't getting out of the question. "Anthony Johnson."

"Can I call you Anthony?"

"Only if I can call you Veronica."

"You know, hearing it now" she replied with a sly smile, "it doesn't sound too bad."

"You're just saying that because you want to call me Anthony."

"Yeah," Roni gave in and quickly agreed, "Hate the name Veronica with a burning passion... How about Tony?"

"No."

"Ant?"

"No."

"Why not?" Roni asked playfully. "The nickname suits you now."

"You're infuriating."

"And you're annoying."

They faced one another, but Roni froze instead of glaring. Her face lit up and she pointed behind Fridge. He turned and immediately rejoiced alongside her.

"That's the statue!"

"We're going home!" Roni cheered and pumped a fist into the air.

The next thing she knew, Fridge had grabbed her by the edge of her leather jacket and pulled her down to his level. Although initially alarmed, she didn't fight it as his lips pressed against hers. A second passed and she relaxed, finally kissing him back.

However, the moment of bliss lasted only a second as her eyes shot open and she forced herself away from him. The two stared at one another with a pure look of horror drawn across their faces. Roni couldn't stand the sight of him as her eyes frantically dashed anywhere and everywhere to avoid his face. Her emotions ran around in circles, but confusion was at the forefront of her mind. She quickly tried to build her walls back up and mentally blamed Matt for allowing her to let people inside.

Fridge cleared his throat and gestured over his shoulder toward the statue. "We should get the others."

"I'll go this way," Roni quickly pointed one way and Fridge nodded before agreeing to walk in the other direction.

Unfortunately, their plan didn't work as well as they would have hoped as they reunited at the moment that Spencer and Martha looked like they were about to lock lips.

Fridge didn't waste a second to stop them. "Come on. Hey! I don't wanna see that. I don't, not today."

Roni nodded her head in agreement and cleared her throat to try and hide her flushed face. "When you're done here professing your love for each other, we've found the jaguar."

"Let's go," Fridge instructed and turned to walk away shaking his head. "Gosh!"

Roni started to follow after him, but stopped to let Martha and Spencer pass her. She needed to put distance between them until she figured out exactly what that kiss had meant.