The Genetic Code

Chapter 20

Juliette

It's evening when we leave the first aid building. I walk quickly ahead of Sterling, still too ashamed to look him in the eye.

Being alone with him for the past three hours wasn't as bad as I had thought. He stayed on his bed, with a good four feet of space between us, and mostly did his own thing or slept. He didn't try to invade my personal space and didn't bring up the incident that had happened with Ivan too much to make me uncomfortable.

Instead, I was the one who invaded his personal space... with my eyes.

Oh my god, just thinking about it makes blood rush to my cheeks again. I wanted so badly to dig a hole, crawl in it and never come out. I can't believe he caught me staring at... those, for more than a few seconds.

To be fair, I was simply trying to do a comparative evaluation between his and Alex's, which I'd already seen on numerous occasions during his swim meets.

My final verdict: unexpectedly, Sterling's have to be a winner. Sometimes Alex overworks his upper body and his abs get all overly protruding and weird-looking. Sterling's are... just the right amount of abs, if that's even a thing.

Sterling quickly catches up, so that he's walking next to me.

I keep my eyes trained on my feet and quicken my pace to get away from him again, but he simply chuckles and takes wide strides to match up to my pace.

I'm practically jogging, in my attempt to escape, but it's futile. I'm no match for his long legs.

My embarrassment slowly transforms into exasperation, as I whip around to face him and raise my voice,

"Can't you see I'm embarrassed and trying to get away from you to save my last shreds of dignity? Please, just allow me to retain some semblance of my pride!"

He appears surprised at my sudden outburst, because I've never raised my voice in front of him like this before.

I just sigh in defeat. "You know what? Forget it. Pride is overrated. I'll just wallow in my shame until I die. At least then I'll never have to look you in the eye again!"

He grins. I want so badly to slap it right off his handsome face. Why does he have to be so attractive? It annoys me.

"You're cute when you're flustered."

"Don't say things like that, it makes me cringe."

"Then don't be so flustered around me all the time."

"You're the one who keeps trying to make me flustered!"

"I don't try to make you flustered, you get flustered without me even doing anything. My mere existence flusters you. Honestly, I'm flattered."

"Well, don't be. You're so aggravating."

That just makes him smile wider.

"Aggravatingly attractive? With abs that you can't resist gawking at?" Sterling teases, looking down at the area in question and gripping the hem of his shirt. "Do you wanna see them again?"

"No!" I answer, too quickly.

"No." I repeat more calmly this time, with a straight face. Ugh, I'm not even convincing myself.

"Well, tell me anytime you do, ally." He pats my shoulder, and walks off towards the campsite without me. This guy seriously...

I groan in frustration, and rush after him.

***

Everyone is just beginning to pitch their tents when we arrive. A female facilitator in grey calls us over to our group, where girls and guys also in grey are pitching two separate tents.