Outward Bound

Toru

The sound of life coming back into the camp hit her ears. Wikitoria sighed as she lay on her bunk, letting life return back to normal. Well, camp normal anyway. She turned over, looking down at Maia’s empty bunk. She was out walking, getting her ankle used to moving again.
Footsteps hit the doorway. “Yo yo, we’re back!”
She rolled over, seeing Jazz dropping her bag on her bed. “Hey, mate.” She flicked her eyebrows, acknowledging her. Jazz stopped by her bunk, looking around.
“Where’s limpy?”
“Somewhere. Giving her foot a stretch. She’s all good now.”
“I bet.” Jazz smirked.
Wikitoria's eyebrows knitted. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Jazz looked up at her. She shrugged. “I don’t know, really. There’s this thing between you, too. Do you know each other or something?” Wikitoria looked at her a moment. What was she supposed to say? She shrugged her shoulders.
“We went to school together.”
“Oh.” Jazz nodded. “Well, I’m going for a shower. Catch cha after.”
“All goodz.” Wikitoria wet her lip, watching her go. Shaking her head, she couldn’t believe Jazz picked that up. That meant she probably wasn’t the only one. She sighed, rolling over onto her back. They really needed to stay away from each other now. But was that going to be easier than said?

Maia could see her sitting over on the steps to the kitchen, playing around on the guitar while chatting with Naydeen. Wiktoria had more of an athletic physique and could dress feminine if she needed to but was more comfortable like this in her shorts or trackies.
“So, what did you guys get up to while we were away?” Millie asked, noticing the far-away look. Maia sat back, stretching her legs out and pulling her toes back up.
“Nothing much. There wasn’t much to do except eat and sit around.” She shrugged. “I wasn’t that much fun.”
Millie nodded, catching the little glance over from Wikitoria. “You two get up to anything?”
Maia turned her head.
“What do you mean?” Millie gave her a look. She shrugged. “Well, Wiki is…” She paused, checking Maia’s reaction. “She’s a lesbian, right?”
Maia leaned forward, scratching her knee. She glimpsed over at the more masculine girl.
“I didn’t ask.” She sat back a moment, noticing Millie watching her flatmate. “Are you?” She asked, trying to find where this was coming from. A slight twinkle came to Millie’s eyes as she smiled back at Wikitoria watching them.
“I wouldn’t say no to being alone with her for a night.” She laughed to herself. “I’d let her nurse me back to health, that’s for sure.” She flicked her eyebrows, getting up and seeing Marco was calling them. Maia stayed there a moment. Did Wiki say something? They hadn’t talked about what they would say when the others returned. If Millie was thinking what she was thinking, then maybe she wasn’t the only one.

“Hey,”
“Hey.” Maia found her washing the mud out of her shoes; she leaned over the tub with her clothes in her hand. Wikitoria noticed her looking around. “What’s up?”
Maia sighed, looking down at her. She started hand washing her stuff. “You haven’t said anything, have you?”
Wikitoria stopped for a moment. “Not a topic I’m just so casually going to talk about, Mai.”
“I know.” Maia watched her get up, placing her shoes up in the sun. Wikitoria continued her washing. “Still, I can’t shake the feeling that some wonder if we did.” Her eyes met Maia’s.
“I think so, too.” WIkitoria leaned over the sink, exhaling. It would be no big deal if they were at home, but here?
“Kia Ora, Wiki.” Wikitoria looked over her shoulder, seeing Tia approaching. “Kia Ora, Whaia.” She spun around, grabbing the keys Tia had given her the day before.
“Did you guys survive your night, ok?”
“Ah yeah,” Wikitoria handed them over. “Couldn’t do much but….” She took a look at Maia beside her. “Maia’s ankle seems to have settled down.”
Maia caught her eyes on her. “Yeah, I can put some pressure on it, but maybe I’ll wait till tomorrow to go for a run.” Tia nodded, her eyes falling on the Maori girl in front of her again.
“Wiki, if I may ask, what brings you here to Outward Bound?”
Wikitoria's mouth opened. “Umm.” Her eyes diverted, conscious Maia was behind her. She then sighed. “Well, I feel like I have a piece of me missing, and I need to find it to move on with my life.” Tia noticed Maia’s head tilt as she ears dropped. She brought her attention back onto the girl who seemed confident and sure of herself but wasn’t. Tia tilted her head. “Kei hea to Mana?”
Wikitoria paused, hearing her native language.
“kare koe e Maia?”
Maia looked up; hearing her name, Wikitoria wet her lip and nodded.
“Ie, he aha ahau I konei. (That’s why I’m here).”
“Hmm.” Tia picked up the slight acknowledgment to the girl behind her. She smiled. She’d been a leader at this camp long enough to almost identify what guidance these ‘students’ were looking for. Wikitoria lacked some confidence in herself.
“Tomorrow,” Tia continued. “Is a chance to find that Mauri, that lifeforce, to get in touch with your wairua, your spirit, and find mana, power in yourself. Kia Kaha babe, that’s why we are here.”
Wikitoria watched her walk off, hearing Maia beside her. She turned to finish up her washing. Maia looked up at her.
“She said my name.”
“Hmm.” Wikitoria laughed to herself. “Confidence. Maia in Maori is confidence.”
“Haa.” Maia bounced on her toes a little, absorbing this new information. Pausing a moment, she turned, meeting Wikitoria's eyes on her. She leaned in. “I just got it.”
“What.”
“You do need me.”
“No, I need more Maia… nah no…”
The grin spread across Maia’s cheeks as she hung up her washing.
“Confidence Maia, no….” Wikitoria shook her hands in front of her. “I need more confidence, to be brave, not more...”
“Of me. You need more of me…. told you.” Maia’s eyebrow rose, her smile getting bigger, enjoying this moment as Wikitoria bit her lip, standing there with her hands on her hips. She shook her head as Maia stepped closer, quietly satisfied with herself, leaning into her. “And yet you wanna let me go.”

~~~

Wikitoria could see her writing away in her journal. She looked around the rest of the group, all confessing their insecurities in the written exercise of the morning. Taking a breath, she waved her pencil over her blank page again.
She’d made a nice doodle the day before. She didn’t get up and read out her ‘feelings’ yesterday either, or it looked like she wouldn’t be doing the same again today.
The tapping of her pencil made Maia look up at her. She quickly diverted her eyes back to her page, making herself look like she was deep in words.
The pencil quickly wrote, ‘I am proud to...’ she paused. Be gay? Her pencil ghost wrote the word. –Lessbiann? - She ghostwrote again. ‘Dirty dyke’, Hearing the phrase in her head, a memory of seeing her Aunty go off at her cousin for being in love with a girl.
Her eyes fell on Maia again. Nobody knew about her sexuality except for her flatmate, and that was only after they had gotten a little too friendly a few weeks back during the party at theirs. She put her pencil down, but she couldn’t do it. It wasn’t that easy.
“All right, anyone willing to share?” She felt Ruby’s laser beam glare scan over her, waiting for the slightest movement. “Jazz.”
She relaxed, putting her journal down; she had got herself another day.

~~~

Maia was watching Wikitoria looking up at the Rockwall; her native skin was darkening in the exposed sun.
It had been just over a week, and she had yet to see her tanning friend attempt the climb.
“So…” Naydeen ribbed, nudging her in the shoulder. “You ready to shake off this…worried look you have?”
Wikitoria’s brow knitted as she took a sideways glance at her teammate. Naydeen rolled her eyes.
“Oh, come on, you’re scared of something, not just the heights thing.” She looked up at the top of the rockface. Wikitoria followed her glance.
“By looking at you, I would think you would be all over this….” She waved her hand. “Adrenaline rush thing.”
“I am…” She shrugged, scratching her arm. “I’m just not confident that….”
“She won’t do it.” Maia walked past, commenting over her shoulder. Wikitoria turned her head. Naydeen saw her knit her brow. “She gets to you, doesn’t she.”
“No. She just thinks she’s winding me up.” The cheers went up as Clinton stood on top, completing his climb. Adam stepped back, handing her the harness. Her eyes widened. Suddenly, Maia was in front of her, clipping her harness onto the line.
“Wiki has a fear of heights.” Her eyes glistened as she tightened up her harness, taking the rope handed to her. “She just won’t chase it. She can’t even chase me.” She muttered under her breath, challenging her eyes.
Wikitoria wet her lips, conscious of her teammate watching them.
Naydeen smiled as they watched the blonde take to the wall.
“Hmm.” Wikitoria heard her in her ear.
“She likes you.”
“No, she doesn’t.” Wikitoria slipped her legs through the harness.
“She so does.”
Wikitoria tightened her harness, taking the rope handed to her. “Whatever, Maia’s obviously straight.” Her hands tightened around the rope as she looked up at her flatmate, climbing the wall and pulling herself up higher.
“Are you?”
She heard over her shoulder.”What?”
Naydeen tilted her head, her eyebrows questioned. “Straight?”
Wikitoria's brow knitted. “of course I am!” She clipped onto the line, stretching her hands. “I go out with guys. I’ve had boyfriends! Psshh.” She turned to look up at the short shorts on the cute butt above her.
“I know how to chase.” She reached her hand up, interlocking her fingers in the grip. She focused on Maia, blowing out a breath. “I just have to keep going.”
Maia heard the clink of a harness clip beside her. She stopped a moment, looking down to her right. Wikitoria was just behind her, pulling herself up and reaching for the grip just below her foot. Meeting her eyes, Wikitoria grinned up at her. Maia adjusted her foot.
“What took you so long.” She teased, putting her hand out, balancing her as she came up beside her.
Wikitoria exhaled, adjusting her foot. She leaned in. “I had a great view up your shorts.” She quickly reached up, ready to give her a race. Maia saw her features drastically change as Wikitoria accidentally looked down, realizing how far up she was.
“Oh god.”
“Hey.” She touched her side as Wikitoria pressed herself against the rock.
“Just look at me.”
“I did, and then I saw…oh god.” She felt her legs begin to shake. “I’m shaking.”
Maia quickly reached up for a closer grip, and their bodies bumped.
“Hey!” Wikitoria freaked, giving her a nudge back. Maia’s foot suddenly slipped, and her hand lost its grip. She screamed as she swung out. Wikitoria quickly reached out for the band of her shorts, swinging her back against her. Maia wrapped her arm around her shoulder, catching her breath as Wikitoria adjusted her feet, holding her against her.
“You alright?” She breathed as Maia opened her eyes, her leg wrapping around hers.
“You guys alright up there?!”
Maia looked down at Adam, giving him the thumbs up.
“Are you?” She heard Wikitoria ask again against her. She smiled.
“I just wanted an excuse to be this close to you again.”
“I’m sure.” Wikitoria laughed, holding her shirt as Maia reached out, placing herself back against the wall. Wikitoria took a moment, shaking out her arm. Their eyes met a moment before Maia nodded.
“You ready?” She locked herself in, giving Wikitoria a challenging look.
Wikitoria’s lip curled. “You’re on.”



Wikitoria was standing under the shower head, lost in her thoughts about what she had achieved that day. The two of them had stood at the top of the climb, holding hands raised in their success. It had been a special moment.
Maia walked into the women's showers, noticing all the cubicles closed. Rolling her eyes, she was about to go until she heard Jazz ask Wikitoria a question.
“Wiki, you made that climb look easy.”
“Aww, thanks, man!” Wikitoria smiled, soaping up her body sponge. “Yeah, heights get to me, man, but...” She nodded happily to herself. “I conquered that.” She turned around, hearing her door latch; Maia stood there, taking her towel off. “Mai!” She whispered quickly, covering her chest, forgetting below. Seeing Maia's eyes move down, Wikitoria stepped backward, covering herself with her sponge. Her eyebrow tweaked as the naked girl stepped under her shower head.
Biting her lip hard, she let Maia take the sponge out of her hand and start washing. She could hear the others talking, but her eyes trailed over the curves within touch. Maia turned around, exposing herself letting the water wash the soap off. Wikitoria stepped closer, wanting to touch her, only to meet a soapy sponge on her chest. She wined a moment before Maia stepped closer, kissing her on the cheek. As she reached for her towel, Wikitoria reached out to touch her again, only to get her hand slapped.
“No,” Maia whispered. “You made it clear that you don’t want me.”
“Maia...” Wikitoria groaned, stepping closer.
“No.” She wrapped her towel around herself, picking up her stuff. “You made it clear, Wiki.”
Seeing her words in her eyes, Wikitoria let her close the door between them. Wining, she stepped back under the shower head. She closed her eyes, feeling the sponge in her hand. She pressed it to her chest, sensing Maia's touch still on it as it grazed her nipple. She bit her lip, seeing her naked body still in there with her. This sponge trailed over her chest and stomach to the place below. Wikitoria gasped, suddenly conscious of the others in the room. “Shit.”
She turned around, leaning against the wall. Her sensitive nerves were alive.
“Damn you, Maia.” She moaned.

She walked quickly back into the shared girl's room, conscious of what she had just done.
“You took your sweet time.” Jazz commented as she walked past her.
“I was enjoying myself.” Her eyes met Maia’s as she hung her towel over the bunk rail. A little smile hit the corner of Maia’s mouth as she noticed the glowing look in her eyes. Wikitoria watched her for a moment, knowing what the time was. The room flicked into darkness, and she heard the unappreciated moans.
Maia was just about to pull her cover back when she felt a hand curl around her waist. Wikitoria pressed into pulling her close. She whispered in her ear.
“That was totally inappropriate and totally a turn-on.” She felt Maia laugh against her. “I have never touched myself like that before.” Her lips moved up her neck. “I know what I said, but you drive me crazy.”
Maia quickly turned around, conscious of the moonlight shaping them in the darkness and her being heard. She bit her lip, feeling her still against her.
“You do things to me I can’t explain.”
“Shh, Wiki.” She pushed her back against her bunk. “Go to bed.”
“I will.” She whispered. Seeing her fair skin start to glow in the moonlight, she leaned in, kissing her on the lips. Checking no one noticed, Maia stepped back as Wikitoria jumped up on her bunk. “Night, beautiful.” She whispered.
Maia sighed, still standing there in the middle of the aisle. She could taste her lips, getting a flashback of them naked together in the shower, alone in the leader's cabin. She turned around and climbed into her bed. Wikitoria’s words had hurt, but she knew there was something between them that Wiki couldn’t ignore. She sighed, relaxing back into her mattress, her eyes falling on the body up on the top bunk.
“Hmm.” She laughed to herself, thinking about her reaction in the shower. She rolled over. If Wiki thought she was remotely straight, she definitely wasn’t.

~~~




It was routine now.
Lights
Siren
Running shoes. They had even gotten used to sleeping in their running gear. They found they were keeping pace with each other without intentionally running together. Even on this three-hour hike up through the bush to the overnight camp, they had been not far from each other. Maia had noticed Millie making more effort to get Wikitoria's attention.
She frowned. Ever since the girl had asked her about Wikitoria’s sexuality, she’d just had this feeling that her Mataara teammate was the kind to break the rules and be happy to test the waters with her girlfriend. Girlfriend? She stopped catching the view of the mountains at the side of the campsite. “Wow.”
“Isn’t it crazy...” She heard Frankie drop his backpack on the ground. He smiled at her. “We have to do this bloody kinda stuff just to see how good our country is. Trees, forests, wildlife.” He breathed in, letting his lungs take it all in. “but it's so worth it.” He looked back at her.
“Yes, it is.” Marco stopped beside them, dropping his backpack. He looked out, taking in the same mountain air. “I never tire of it.”
Ruby stood up on the large rock, drawing attention from them all. “Welcome to Mahau Point. You are standing in the heart of the Picton Ranges. First, we will set up the tents and the camp and then start on dinner.”
Wikitoria watched those carrying tent supplies head over to Andy as she and Naydeen headed over to set up kitchen supplies with a couple of others.
Once the tents were up, they all helped set up their beds. Dropping her sleeping bag, Wikitoria looked up to see Millie dropping her sleeping bag next to hers.
“Oh.” She looked over the girl's shoulder. “there's enough room for all of us.”
“Yeah, I know.” Millie waved to her spot. “I get cold at night. Figured you’d keep me warm.” Wikitoria felt her mouth suddenly dry up. A nervous smile immediately came to her face. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
“Haa!” She blushed, clearing her throat. “I ah, actually get pretty hot, sweaty it is yuck, I can't sleep next to….” Her eye caught Maia coming in with her bedding. “Um…”
Maia looked up, catching her eyes on her. She noticed the silly smile on her flushed face; Millie was standing close enough to breathe on her, her sleeping bag thrown down in the spot next to hers. Wikitoria saw her brow knit as her flatmate chucked down her sleeping bag over the other side, heading back out of the tent.
“Hey, um…” Wikitoria quickly picked up her sleeping bag. “I’m just….” She threw her bag down next to Maia’s, heading out into the open, finding her taking in the view.
“Wiki! Help me with this.”
Maia turned around. Watching her go with Ruby, Maia uncrossed her arms, returning to the mountain view just as Frankie walked between them. “I hope it doesn’t get cold tonight. Don’t exactly want one of the guys hugging into me.” He laughed, trying to lighten the hard look on her normally soft features. He wet his lip. “Or we could just sleep out under the stars; what do you think?” Maia looked up at him. His eyebrow tweaked as he flirted. She gave him a little smile before heading back over to the girls.

It wasn’t long before the sun started to set, and not long after, one by one, they started dropping off to their tents, feeling the temperature drop. Wikitoria walked in, noticing Maia slipping out of her top, leaving only her singlet. “Watch out; it could get cold tonight.” Maia turned around, seeing her bending down next to her for her bag.
“I thought you were camping out with your girlfriend tonight.” She indicated where she’d last seen her with Millie.
“Ha.” Wikitoria looked back at her. “I wouldn't be that quick to jump into someone else's bed, Mai,” she pulled off her jersey, reaching down for her bed shorts.
“How would I know.” Maia shrugged, sitting down and pulling her socks off.
“You may be able to, but I can’t...”
“What's that supposed to mean?” She looked up, noticing Millie standing behind them. Wikitoria quickly looked at Maia, her eyes widening, realizing what the girl was doing. Maia stood up, watching Millie make up her bed next to Wikitorias. Her brow knitted. Knowing it would be lights out any moment, she grabbed Wikitoria's singlet, swung her around, pushing her down onto her bed.
“What are you doing?” Wikitoria whispered, slightly confused. She felt Maia tugging open her sleeping bag.
“You get hot, right, so you should sleep on the end, away from the heat.”
“Away from Millie, you mean.”
Maia heard her slight laugh. She reached out, whacking whatever part of her she found.
“Jealous?”
“No, I’m not.” She slid herself into Wikitoria's sleeping bag. “I just want to sleep.”
“Sure.” Wikitoria felt around for Maia’s sleeping bag, finding the zip and pulling it down. Maia heard it go all the way. She leaned up, trying to figure out what she was doing. She reached out, feeling Wikitoria's naked leg next to her.
. “Are you not even in there?
“No,” Wikitoria stretched out. “It’s too warm.”
“Hmm.”
Feeling her hand still there, Wikitoria rolled over to face her. Maia sighed, conscious of how close she was. She also knew Millie was just the other side of her. She felt Wikitoria slide her hand over the top of her sleeping bag. “You could unzip this and curl up with me. I’ll keep you warm.”
Maia felt her fingers intertwine with hers down between them. She turned her head, feeling her right there. She wet her lips, moving her head closer. “We are in a tent with five other girls.”
“We can be quiet.”
“Wiki!” She rolled over closer to her. Wikitoria laughed silently to herself. Feeling Maia just there, she reached up, touching her face. Maia wet her lips again. She could feel her breath on her, her thumb brushed over her lips.
“Go to sleep.”
“Okay.” Wiki moved into her getting comfortable. “Night, babe.”
Maia sighed, feeling her wrapped around her sleeping bag. “Night.”

During the night, the temperature changed, and Maia woke up sweating. Trying to kick out her feet, she found the zip of the sleeping bag pushing it down. Stretching her foot out, she found Wikitorias beside her. Sitting up a moment, she listened to the quiet and slight snoring of the girls in the tent with them. She looked down at Wikitoria beside her, knowing she was stretched out on her back. She felt around for her open sleeping bag, pulling the end over herself and moving closer to her. Wikitoria wined a moment until she woke to realize what was going on.
“That better be you, Mai.” She felt the body wrapping around her. Her breath was on her shoulder. Feeling her warmth against her, Maia leaned up, grazing her lips against her ear.
“I couldn’t resist.”
“Hmm.” Wikitoria smiled to herself, wrapping her arms around her, feeling her leg and hip draping over hers. Their bodies quickly become conscious of each other.
Hearing Wikitoria’s quiet snore again, Maia bit her lip, unable to deny her body was beginning to feel alive with being so close to her again. She flexed her fingers that were sitting on her chest, taking the courage to move her hand down. Wikitoria pursed her lips. She was in a light sleep, conscious that Maia was wrapped in her arms. She felt the fingers trailing down her stomach. Feeling them below her tummy button, she turned her head, meeting the mouth not far from her ear. A silent gasp escaped her throat as those fingers slid over the nerves under her shorts. She bit her lip, tilting her hips up to meet them again.
Maia felt her response. Wikitoria quickly reached down, putting her hand on hers. She bit her lip. Maia could hear her breathing heavy.
“You want me to stop?” She whispered into her lips.
“No,” Wikitoria whispered, a slight smile coming to her lips as she grabbed Maia's hand, slipping it into her shorts and sliding her fingers over her clit into her wetness. She kissed her mouth. “I want this.”



The pink-orange sky was just starting to glow over the mountains ahead of them as Wikitoria returned, handing her hot water. As she sat down, she pulled the sleeping bag back over her shoulders.
“Are you warm?” Wikitoria asked, circling her legs with her arm rubbing the back of her thighs.
“mmhmm,” Maia took a sip, holding it in both hands. They had been awake for about an hour, deciding to see if they could catch the sunrise. Everyone else was still asleep. They looked at each other a moment before a smile and laugh crossed their faces.
“Who would have thought.” Wikitoria teased, taking a sip of her water.
“Took you long enough.”
“Hey!” Maia nudged her. “Took you long enough.”
“Yeah.” Wikitoria agreed, looking out ahead of them at the waking sky. “I’ve been hiding from myself…” She sighed. “In like forever.”
Maia turned into her. “Why don’t you just come out? It’s not going to change you.”
Wikitoria looked away a moment. “My cousin Aroha, we were close; we grew up together.” Her eyes met Maia’s. “I kinda always knew she was…you know.” She shrugged. “Anyway, she met this girl when we were about 15. She was so in love.” She laughed. “I’ve never seen her happier.” She wet her lip a moment. “Well, this girl's parents didn’t like the fact that Aroha was Maori, and to top it off, when Aroha brought her home to meet my aunty, well, I’d never seen my cousin get such a hiding before.”
Maia tilted her head. “Because she was white?”
Wikitoria exhaled. “Hmm, white and a girl.”
“Ooh.” Maia sat back. She felt Wikitoria exhale.
“My Aunty raised me just as much as Mum did. New times but still a little old school.” She bowed her head. “I’m just not ready for their disappointment.”
Maia sighed. She knew Wikitoria wasn’t out ‘loud and proud’ of herself yet, but she didn’t realize the trauma she was carrying. She felt her hand on her leg. Linking their fingers, she had to ask. “Your cousin, are they still together, or is she still…”
Wikitoria sipped her cooling water. “Nah, they broke up not long after. Sad cause, like I said, she was happy. She left to go to Uni in Wellington. I haven’t heard from her since.”
“You think she’s still ‘living her best life?’” They laughed.
Wikitoria smiled, wiping her eye. “Living like a slut I bet.” She relaxed, feeling a weight on her shoulders. She looked out the glowing bulb, watching the sky's colours become brighter. Feeling Maia's hand in hers and the time and place they were, she smiled to herself. This couldn’t be more perfect.
She saw the words in her head.
-You make me so happy, Maia; I could honestly fall in love with you. -
She chewed her bottom lip, those words so close to coming out. Maia turned to look at her at that moment. She could see the look in her eye. A smile touched the corner of her mouth as she leaned in. “I so want to kiss you right now.”
Wikitoria exhaled, wetting her lips. She leaned in. “Me too.” She closed her eyes as she heard a tent zip. “Damn.” She moved back, sighing. “Well, they’re awake.” She sipped her water. Maia whispered, seeing Adam stepping out.
“Oh well, at least we had some time alone.”
Wikitoria smiled. “Yeah, we did.”
“Morning.”
“Morning.” They said in unison as Adam walked past.
“You two ready for a run?” They looked at each other before getting up.
“Yes, sir.”

~~~

Wikitoria grabbed ahold of the branch, stopping to catch her breath. She thought climbing up was tough; this tramping and abseiling down was worse.
“I can’t.” she breathed, seeing the cliff they had to abseil down. “I’ll go back down the other way.”
“That’s like an extra hour that way. You might as well stay another night.” Tia shrugged as she walked past. She’d heard this plenty of times.
Jake stopped beside her, leaning over the edge and seeing how far it was. “Woo.” He looked back at her. Her eyes widened.
“Oh great! Well, I better get going then; gotta camp out tonight!”
“Oh, come on!” Millie stopped before her, giving her a comforting brush down the arm. Wikitoria watched her hand touch hers. Her eyes met Maia’s as she walked past, taking a look over the edge.
“Woo.” She turned slightly, seeing the realization on Wikitoria's face. “You can do that.” She nodded, looking down, seeing the guys down the bottom securing the lines. “You had no problem climbing up. This is just in reverse.” She gave her a shrug, dropping her bag next in line. She gave Millie a little nod. “Millz will hold your hand.” She smirked.
“Bitch.” Wikitoria mouthed, shaking her head. Sighing, she decided to sit down. She might as well watch. At least she could pick up some pointers or something.
Adam threw Maia's bag down. “You all good to go?”
“Yip.” She slipped on the harness. As Adam tightened it up and did his safety check, Maia turned to Wikitoria, watching from the safety of the tree. “Hey,” Wikitoria looked up at her. “See you at the bottom.”
Wikitoria watched her plant her feet, tightening up the rope. She leaned back over the edge. “Mai,” It slipped out, Wikitoria's pulse racing a second as she felt her leaning back, the fear of falling hitting her gut. Maia grounded herself, taking a deep breath before she let her eyes flick over to the physically stronger girl watching her. She adjusted her hand. Wikitoria’s eyes met hers, seeing her lock in her wrist comfortably holding her weight. She nodded. “You got this.”
Nodding, Maia started moving down over the side. Wikitoria moved closer to the edge, watching her girlfriend walking down the side. She sat back. Girlfriend?


Taking a sip of her water, Maia returned to the cliff's foot, watching Wikitoria harnessing up. Millie was making it obvious she was holding Wikitoria's shirt, helping her feel safe. Naydeen stepped up beside her. She tutted.
“Now, what is that girl doing?”
Maia’s eye flicked over her before watching them again. “I guess giving her support. I don’t know, but she’s annoying.” Her brow knitted. Naydeen noticed, laughing to herself. “Yeah, I knew it.”
Maia flicked her a look. “What?” They watched Wikitoria start leaning herself out with instructions from Adam.
“You like her.”
Maia’s features dropped. Knitting her brow, she looked up at the abseiling again. “Wiki and I have become friends; of course, I like her.”
“Haa,” Naydeen rocked on her feet a second. She indicated to Millie up there, trying to guide Wiki on her way down. “Yeah, Nah, I like her too, but so does Millie, as we can tell.” They watched Wikitoria getting more confident, making a little jump down. Naydeen leaned into her. “I’m pretty sure she likes you too.”
Maia sighed, dropping her gaze to Wikitoria’s teammate beside her. She moved back. “Look, I don’t know what you're digging for, but Wikitoria is straight. I know she is, so can you back off.”

Reaching the ground, Wikitoria breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to meet Maia’s eyes, except she was gone. Getting handed water, she looked around as Marco took off her harness. “Hey!” She called out to Tia, adding her pack to the waiting boat. She wiped her mouth. “Where are the others?” She came up to the bank, grabbing the last few things.
“The boat was full, so they’ve left for the drop-offs.”
“Drop-offs?” She looked up at Millie, the last to come down from the top. “We’re getting dropped off?”
“Ah ha.” Tia smiled at her. Wikitoria didn’t like the look that came her way. “Come on, grab a seat.” Tia waved her over. “Check your supplies cause you're in for a long few days.”

The boat rocked over to the bank. Ruby reached out and grabbed the pole marker, pulling the boat into shore. “Ok.” She turned around, seeing the last few terrified faces.
“Maia Williams.”
Maia pursed her lips, taking a jagged breath in.
“Home sweet home darling, come on, grab your stuff.”
“Oh god.” She said to herself, getting up and balancing her way up to the head of the boat.
“Now remember.” Ruby started helping her with her bag. “You are safe; you may come across some kiwis, rodents, and birds, but nothing dangerous.” She held the boat as Maia stepped off onto shore. “There will be a clearing just up a bit where you might find it has been used before.” She caught Maia’s deep exhale. “Hey, hun, you will be fine. This is why you are here, to find yourself.” Maia heard the boat creak as Ruby pushed themselves back into the water. “Two nights. See you in a few days.”
Watching them go, Maia bent down, picking up her bag, water, and bucket. “Great.” She turned around, looking at the dense bush, trying to calm her panic. She looked back at the water. She was all alone.

Wikitoria stood there watching the boat disappear up the shoreline. Exhaling, she turned around, seeing the little path etched into the dirt. She reached down for her bag, water, and bucket. “Ok, Wiki.” She sighed. Let's get a fire going before it gets dark.