Camp Red Lake

Chapter 28. Cave

Another month passed and I sat on my cot with my knees to my chest during free period. "Haze, you okay?" Myra asked from the door. I didn't reply, instead I hid my face in my knees. "Don't tell me you're thinking about it again..." she trailed off as she took a seat next to me.

"How could I have been so stupid Mai? How could I have missed it?" I asked, my heart pounding. She shrugged.

"You didn't know it was him, he was wearing a costume! Anyone can make a mistake," she reassured. I shook my head.

"Not this kind of mistake. I kissed the boy I like without even realizing it! What kind of moron does something like that!?" Myra smiled.

"You'd be surprised how blind people can be." I bit into a strand of my hair.

"Do you think he knows?" I asked warily.

"Have you asked him?" I shook my head.

"I'm afraid he'll hate me for not saying something sooner..." I admitted.

"Look girl, you've been avoiding Croy since the night of the dance. That was over a month ago. I'm really surprised he hasn't said anything to you, but I can tell he's at his limit. You guys have to talk about this!" She scolded.

"But what if he hated it. What if he doesn't want to be my friend anymore," I squeaked.

"You'll never know unless you try!" She enthused. "I think you should take the chance and ask him." After a few minutes of consideration, I nodded.

"You're right Mai. I'll ask him! The next time we meet, I'll tell him everything!" A large smile framed Myra's face.

"That's the spirit! Now that you're full of energy, get up, we have to go wash!" she urged before tossing a bar of soap at me. I rolled my eyes with a smile.

"Fine, let me just gather my things."

It was already mid-December and the sun had begun to set earlier. A chill ran up my spine as a cool breeze blew past us. Myra had less clothes to wash than me, so she ended up finishing before I did.

"Hey, I'm gonna head back," she said when she finished.

"Okay, I'll catch up with you later!" I said as I continued to scrub my clothes. An hour later, I finished. As I packed up my wet clothes, I thought about everything I had learned over the past 6 months. It really hadn't taken long for me to fall for my partner. In fact, it had taken longer for me to admit I had feelings for him. Myra had managed to squeeze it out of me the very same night I found out he was the Prince.

Because of this realization, the relationship between us had gotten even more complicated. I hadn't breathed a word to him since that day in the music room. We used to be inseparable and now, I couldn't even look at him without getting all tongue-tied. "Having a crush sucks..." I muttered to myself as I swung the bag over my shoulder and began making my way back to camp. My heart raced when I caught a glimpse of someone sitting on the grass just near the edge of the trees. It was Croy.

After an entire minute of debating, I took in a deep breath and made my way over to where he sat. "Hey, what are you doing out here? Is everything okay?" I managed to ask before taking a seat. Another breeze blew past us making me shiver. My cheeks flared red when he took off his hoodie and draped it around my shoulders, my mind flashing back to that night at the dance. "T-thanks..." I muttered, my cheeks pink. A sad smile crossed his face as he played with the grass.

"10 days from now, it'll be the anniversary of my mother's death." He whispered. "The day after my birthday, on the twenty-seventh..." he trailed off.

"That's right." I thought to myself. "Croy's birthday is in a few days and I've been so busy moping, I forgot to make him something. Some friend you are!" I scolded myself.