Anna steals a kiss from an unsuspecting Joe and runs away. He catches her soon and makes her pay. Read how the hopelessly romantic Anna and the strictly casual Joe try to get along.
Everyone's at the inter-camp meeting held by the forest services. I feel Anna's eyes drilling on me from the crowd to my left. My heart is beating like crazy. I shouldn't have come here. I know her class would be here too. I said no at first, and yet here I am.
Unable to ignore her staring anymore, I look at her. She quickly looks away. And when she's not looking at me I take in everything about her. Even though it's been only a month since I last saw her, it feels like eternity. I miss her. I miss talking to her. I miss kissing her. I miss fucking her. I start to get a hard on so I look away before it gets worse. Why is she affecting me even more now?
"Hey, the Rothman guys are asking us for a basketball game. You're up for it?" Peter asks me. "Sure."
At the makeshift court I meet up with the guys from the Rothman Sanders high school. I know most of them from when they came to our school for a basketball match. I'm not much of a basketball guy but I did saw the match where Rothman went against my school's basketball team and I was impressed by the other team, especially their captain, Gary. And Gary seemed to already know about me, too, and said he was a big fan, and just like that we met up after the match and struck a friendship. From time to time my friends and I hang out with him and his friends.
"Joe! It's been a while!" Gary says while giving me a bro hug. "Got busy with family stuff. How are ya man?" I ask him. We catch up briefly before starting the game.
Predictably the Rothman guys, most of whom are in their basketball team, beat us. After three games we take a break.
Milton, one of Gary's friends, says to me, "Hey, by the way, we heard you've a girlfriend now. Is that true?"
Just the mention of her hurts me. "Just a rumor. It kept some of the pesky girls off my back so didn't correct it."
"That's what I thought! There's no way you're settling down with a girl," Milton says.
"Speaking of girls, what about your captain? Has he found anyone yet?" Davis says, referring to Gary. A few years ago Gary's long time girlfriend left him for another guy. He took a big hit. Unlike me and most of the other guys, Gary is more sincere and serious in matters like this.
"Ooh, our captain found his match just a day ago!" Milton says, grinning.
"It's nothing like that. Don't listen to them, David," Gary says. But the smile on his face says he likes the girl. "Who is she?" David asks.
"We don't know yet," Milton says, "She's also camping here. She'll soon come to get her hoodie, we'll find out then."
"Hoodie?" Peter asks.
Milton gives us the full story. We laugh at poor Gary's fat body. "How does she look?" Peter asks. Milton starts to speak but David stops him, "Not you. Gary, you tell us."
Gary laughs. "Come on, guys, it's not like that."
"If it's not like that then just tell us how she looks," Peter says.
Gary rubs the back of his neck. "She's cute," he says shyly. The guys start to pick on him.
In the evening, we wait outside Gary's cabin while playing cards to see if the girl turns up to return his t-shirt. We soon notice a girl walking towards the cabin. Gary leaves to meet her. When I see her face, I immediately recognize Marge, Anna's friend. My friends and I exchange looks.
She gives him the paper bag and then they talk for a few seconds, and then she leaves.
When Gary returns, David asks him, "Is she the girl?"
"No," Gary says, "She's the girl who spilled the coffee on me. I told her I'll only return the hoodie to her friend, so she has gone back to bring her friend."
I feel my stomach twisting. Which friend he's talking about?
"Why don't you guys head for the dinner now. I'll join you after returning the hoodie," Gary says.
"Absolutely not," Milton says, "We've to see this through with you so you don't screw it."
Just then, Marge comes back with her friends. Gary runs into the cabin and comes out with the hoodie. I anxiously watch him approach the girls. When he gives the hoodie to Anna my hand fists.
Her friends leave her. He must've asked to speak with her alone. Anna looks surprised when he tells her something and then she laughs. I can feel my nails digging into my palm.
They talk briefly and then she leaves. While Gary is coming back to us, I can tell from his face it went well. "What happened?" Milton asks.
"I'm taking her out for a coffee tomorrow," he proudly says.
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