Chapter Six: Trail Talks

(Truth Or Dare, Part 2)

***

The woods were a contrast of light and shadow.

Late afternoon sunlight poured in through the branches of the canopies and the open spaces of the trail winding through the woods and lit everything up in warm tones of gold. Where the sunlight didn't touch, dark shadows pooled, concealing things from sight. Birds sung, invisible in trees that were still and watchful without the wind, rising up against the man-made openness of the trail and the rock walls at the back leading to more woods.

It was a calming, peaceful sight. And despite being busy in finding firewood, Hayden felt herself relaxing as the peace of the woods in the late afternoon sunlight settled over her.

Apparently, the peace wasn't for all.

Beside her, Nick sighed and grumbled, "This would be a lot easier with Mr. H's chainsaw."

"Absolutely," Allison muttered, glowering at the bundle of sticks in her hand. 

"You with a chainsaw is a terrifying image, Nick," Hayden muttered, passing her sticks over to her other hand.

"It's really very pretty out here when there's no kids around," Abi observed.

"Definitely," Hayden agreed, looking around and once more taking in the peace and serenity of the woods around her.

"Yeah, they can get kinda obnoxious, huh?" Nick noted.

"Yeah."

"I'll say. The amount of times I had to bench a kid because they weren't following my instructions or not caring about basic safety..." Allison grumbled, glaring.

"I don't know what you guys are talking about. They were perfectly angelic with me," Hayden said. At the disbelieving looks sent her way, Hayden admitted, "Okay, some of them were devils, but most of them were great. And I love kids anyway, so..."

She shrugged as they kept on walking, thinking over when she taught the kids music. Sure, some of them could be little shits, but most of them had listened to her, had been invested in what she had to say and teach. That had her love of kids and love of teaching kids grow even more, had her feel more encouraged—and hopeful—about being a teacher, and being a good teacher who was loved by the kids. That in itself, to know she was a kid's favourite teacher, would make all the hours of studying and assignments and teacher practice all worth it.

"Yeah, they always seemed to listen to you and Abi when she did painting class than most of us," Allison observed.

"I don't know, I think they listen to you during archery class," Nick countered.

Allison rolled her eyes. "Yeah, after I yell at them when one gets too careless with an arrow."

"Well, yeah, but they still listen to you. I've seen it," Nick told her.

"Wait, you've seen my class?" Allison asked.

At realising what he said, Nick tried to cover by casually saying, "Just walking by." 

"You do know the archery range is really far out and past the cabins, right? I know because you always rush back up the trail so you're not late in helping out in the kitchen with dinner after you see me practice," Allison reminded.

"I know. But there's this shortcut that I take that goes by it. I didn't even mean to see your class, but when I did the first time, I just... always stopped by it. Made it part of my route, both to watch you teaching and you practice and when you taught me how to shoot. I love seeing you teach the kids, being stern as you tell and show them what to do but also... caring. Genuinely caring about their safety and teaching them how to shoot, and correcting them when they make a mistake. And when they get it right, when they hit the target, you smile at them with this proud, happy smile," Nick went on, looking at Allison softly. "That smile has to be one of my favourite smiles of yours."

Allison stared at Nick, taken aback. "Nick..."

Nick, as if realising what he said, looked away as he stammered out, "I-I mean, it's nice. Your smile. All your smiles are. I don't even know why I said that..."

"Still, thank you," Allison murmured, smiling at Nick. He returned it tentatively.

Hayden, watching it, felt giddy at what she was seeing. 

Yes! It's happening! They're getting somewhere at last!

Hayden hid her smile as they came to a stop in front of a signpost, with arrows leading in two directions—the Rocky Road trail or the Shady Glade trail.

"Which way should we go?" Nick questioned.

Hayden shrugged as her answer as Abi turned to Nick and suggested, "Why don't you choose?"

Before Nick could choose, Allison pointed out, "Wait, there's four of us. Why don't we split up and have two of us cover each trail? More sticks to find that way."

"Sure," Abi said, smiling at Allison. "Good call."

Allison smiled back.

Turning to Hayden, Nick asked, "How do you want to decide?"

Hayden grinned. "Rock paper scissors. Best of three."

"You're on," Nick replied with his own grin as he and Hayden dropped the sticks. Hands free, Hayden and Nick pounded their fists on their hands as they yelled, "Rock paper scissors shoot!"

Nick's hand came up as scissor while Hayden's morphed into paper. Accepting her defeat with a determined grin, Hayden and Nick went again, where it drew to a tie with both their fists being rocks. A third round had Hayden victorious with her paper covering Nick's fist. The fourth had Hayden's scissors cutting her paper, and the fifth and final round ensured her defeat when Nick's rock crushed her scissors.

"And the winner is Nick!" Nick crowed, grinning victoriously as Hayden accepted her gracious defeat.

"I accept my defeat. The choice is all yours now, Nick," Hayden said, stepping aside as she picked up her bundle of sticks.

Nick deliberated, before he pointed down Rocky Road as he picked up his sticks as well.

"Good choice. Better sticks this way," Abi complimented.

"Better sticks?" Nick repeated.

"Yeah. For like burning, or whatever," Abi explained.

"Huh."

"Guess that means I'll take Shady Glade," Hayden said.

"Yeah," Nick replied, before looking at Allison. "Allie, do you wanna come with me?"

"Uh, sure," Allison said, walking up to Nick as he went down the trail. Turning to face Hayden and Abi, she said, "See you two in a few minutes."

"See you then," Hayden farewelled as she looked at Abi, smiling. "Come on. Let's find more sticks than them."

She walked down the trail, bending down to pick up some sticks as she heard Abi following behind her, smiling at how perfect this was. Rocky Road had a beautiful view that could be the perfect romantic backdrop for her brother and Allison. And with her and Abi, this could be a good chance to get to know the other girl better.

This team-up was perfect.

***

This team-up was disastrous.

Allison was barely keeping back her turbulent emotions at bay as she and Nick walked down the trail, collecting sticks as Allison felt her heart thumping in her chest, desperate to break free, keenly aware of how close Nick was. That they were now the only two people on the trail, with Hayden and Abi going down the other and depriving Nick and Allison of buffers against any awkward moments. It didn't matter how many times Allison told herself Nick was still her friend, a friend she was immensely relieved by that she got to spend one more night with even though his and Hayden's situation sucked, her traitorous heart was tripping itself over on being alone with Nick and she was left to make sure she didn't accidentally screw anything up.

Because no matter how much this was framed as the perfect way to air out their romantic feelings—especially since Nick chose her instead of Hayden or Abi to come with him—Allison was determined not to do or say anything to ruin things.

She'd much rather lock her love away than let it cause her to lose her friend.

It helped that they were meant to be collecting firewood, stifling attempts at conversation. Though Allison swallowed her fear as she hefted up her bundle—Abi wasn't kidding when she said there were more sticks this way—as she asked, "Do you think this is enough sticks?"

Nick paused in his stick-gathering, weighing up what they had, and said, "Uhh... Not yet."

Allison shrugged. "Okay."

As they kept walking down the trail, Allison glanced around the forest, taking it in. While she'd never been much of a nature person, she could admit these woods were pretty nice, especially without kids like Abi said.

Glancing at Nick, she asked, "Are the woods back home in Australia like this, or are they different?"

"Well, back home, we call it bush instead of woods," Nick corrected, giving her a light grin before it turned fonder as he continued, "And no, it isn't. When I got to the camp... it felt like I stepped into another world. Not just because it's summer here, but the trees are so different. And by different, I mean they all look identical. Back home, the trees don't look the same. Some might be, but most of the time they weren't. Not that I saw a lot of trees. I grew up on the coast. There's trees, especially on the headland, but I'm more used to the ocean surrounding me. Not all of this."

Nick gestured at the woods as emphasis before dropping his hand, still smiling. "It's nice, though. Both here and... back home."

Allison bit her lip, before she murmured, "I've never seen the ocean."

Nick looked at her in surprise. "Wait, really?"

Allison nodded. "Yeah. I live in a land-locked state, and the closest thing I ever got to see is a lake. Growing up next to the ocean, hearing yours and Hayden's stories about it... it sounds like a dream."

Nick was quiet, before he offered, "Allison, if you ever want to come visit me... I'll show you the ocean. And I'll teach you how to surf."

Allison stared at him. "Wait, really?"

"Yeah. I mean, you taught me archery. I'd love to teach you how to surf—though, expect to be wiped out a few hundred times," Nick elaborated, a shy grin on his face. "And the ocean... that's just something you need to see in real life."

Allison looked at him, her own shy smile on her face. "I'd love that, Nick."

That had Nick's grin grow a little wider as they smiled each other, before Allison noticed something over Nick's shoulder.

"Hey, what's that?" she questioned as she and Nick trekked up to it—a sign with faded writing and showing a reddish mineral, the name "Quartzite" next to it.

As she stared at it, Allison blinked in shock as she questioned out loud, "Wait, this place was an actual quarry?"

"Uh, yeah. Apparently some of the caves run pretty deep. It's like a honeycomb under there," Nick explained.

"That's pretty cool," Allison confessed, taking in the new knowledge. If this place was a quarry before it shut down, that would probably explain the island in the middle of the lake. Turning to Nick, she said, "You seem to know a lot about it."

"I may have done some research about it before Hayden and I got here. And I asked Sarah about it as well," Nick admitted, glancing away as he put his hand on the back of his neck.

Allison smiled teasingly. "Gathering intel, huh?"

"If you want to call it that," Nick replied, a joking smile given back to Allison.

They smiled at each other before continuing on. As they did, Allison asked, "I know this might be a personal question, and you can tell me if you don't want to answer, but... can I ask you about your family?"

Nick looked at her, the look on his face easing Allison's concerns. "No, it's fine. What do you want to know?"

"Is it just you, Hayden and your parents?" Allison asked.

Nick shook his head. "No, we have an older brother. Danny. He's doing an apprenticeship right now—carpenter. He's three years older than us, and he's every bit the annoying big brother you're probably imagining right now."

A fond smile stretched over Nick's face as he revealed, "He's actually the one who told us about Hackett's Quarry, to get us to have a break and do something as crazy as be camp counsellors here. I don't think if he had, we wouldn't have come here. He told us to thank him. We're planning not to."

At that, Nick laughed and Allison smiled, the smile widening as Nick talked about his parents—and given the emotion in his voice, it sounded like he and Hayden loved their parents and Danny, that they were a close, loving family.

If only we could all have that.

"What about you? What's your family like? You have any siblings?" Nick asked.

Allison looked down. "I'm an only child. My parents... I was close with my dad. He was a doctor. He taught me how to shoot, and encouraged both it and me wanting to follow in his footsteps. He... he died a few years back. Brain cancer."

"Oh," Nick murmured, giving her a sympathetic look.

"My mom and I... we never really got along, but when my dad died, it absolutely wrecked her. She didn't cope with it well, and I was left to pick up the pieces. We clashed, often, our relationship getting worse, and it..." Allison paused, jaw clenching, before she released it. "When I graduated and got accepted into med school, I moved into a dorm and never looked back. And I just... I just try hard to make my dad proud, to focus on achieving my dream, to never become my mom. Because if I fail... I might as well have failed my dad."

Allison stopped then, breath halting in her chest, suddenly thick. She just kept breathing until she felt Nick walk up to her, heard him drop his stick bundle, before pulling her into his arms.

"I'm sorry, Allison," he murmured, holding her stiff body. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Allison's stiff body relaxed then, sinking into the comfort of Nick's arms as she mumbled, "I don't even know why I said all that. I never talk that much about my folks. Sorry."

"Hey, don't be, I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me," Nick said as he pulled away, smile soft and gentle and full of such kindness and empathy, it made the hard, guarded edges inside Allison soften. To consider being so... vulnerable with Nick.

Swallowing, Allison said, "We should get some, uh, more sticks."

"Yeah, we, uh, probably should," Nick agreed, picking up his bundle.

They kept walking down the trail, coming across the edge of the woods as large rock walls—either naturally formed or a result of the former quarry—jutted up that Allison knew Nora used to teach the kids rock climbing. As they walked down the trail now surrounded by rocks, Nick asked her, "So, you ever think about what's next?"

"Like, after we die or something?" Allison asked back, tentative about where this conversation was leading—especially after what she'd told Nick about her parents.

"No, I mean, like, the future," Nick clarified.

At the clarification, Allison bit her lip as she looked at Nick and admitted, "Sometimes. Mostly about med school and what will happen after that. I try to compartmentalise it because if it focus on it all at once, I feel like I'd be driven insane."

And I think about what a future would be like with you, Allison added in her brain, but she kept that silent.

"I know what you mean," Nick divulged. "Sometimes I just try to like let it happen, y'know?"

Allison frowned. "Huh?"

"Like... whatever happens is what was meant to happen," Nick elaborated.

"Like it's all predetermined. Something like that?" Allison said, now catching on.

Nick shrugged. "I dunno. I'm not sure we're supposed to know."

Allison let out a laugh. "I agree."

"How so?" Nick questioned, frowning.

"Because if it's all predetermined or some shit and you do something terrible, then you can blame it on fate for having you do that thing, or blame fate on all the screwed-up shit you experience in your life. Like all the bad things that happen to you are meant to happen," Allison elaborated, feeling something build and crack within her, flowing freely. "Like, my dad dying and my mom being a horrible person and you and Hayden being stranded here is just something the universe has decided was meant to happen. And I can't believe that. I can't believe that we don't all have free will, that terrible things are just random, horrible, tragic events and terrible people are terrible who have the chance to be good or you can choose your own path and make your own choices and maybe brave the leap and fall in love with—"

Allison halted, realising what she was about to reveal, before she instead said, "... with someone you may have never expected to fall for. Fate can't really determine all of that, right? That maybe there are some things that can't be changed, some events that can't be altered, but you make your own decisions, good or bad. You can be terrible and have the choice to not be terrible and still be. That we all have free will and are in control of our destiny, whether we know it or not."

Allison sucked in a breath after her impassioned rant, looking at Nick as he stared at her like she'd divulged the greatest secrets of the universe and the most rawest parts of her and murmured, "I never really thought about it like that before."

Allison smiled. "Neither did I really until you said it."

They stared at each other, feeling something connect them, deeper than before, until they broke eye contact and continued on down the trail. However, the trail soon ended as they went down some stairs and across a pathway with the right side holding a fence—obviously to keep kids from falling over the edge accidentally—as they picked up sticks. When Allison straightened and looked across, her mouth dropped.

"Oh," she breathed, taking in the view.

"What is it, Allie?" Nick asked.

"The view," she said, as she stared out at the pine trees and the land sloping away into the lake, shimmering golden under the sunlight, and the woods curved around it, tinted a rosy gold from the sun. 

It was absolutely beautiful.

Grabbing Nick's hand, she lead him further up until they came to a log and sat down while Nick remained standing, sticks forgotten as they stared out at the incredible view.

"I've never come this way before. This view, it's just... It's incredible," she breathed, still mesmerised by it. 

It was absolutely magical. 

A second later, Nick joined her, agreeing, "It does look really nice."

"Yeah," Allison murmured, not really taking her eyes off it.

Silence passed as they looked at the view, but it was a comfortable silence, one that didn't need to be filled up with talking as they took in the view, at the appreciation of the natural beauty before them, beauty they rarely saw during their time as counsellors.

But what Allison didn't know was that Nick wasn't looking at the view. Instead, all his eyes had been focused on was Allison, a soft smile on her face, silhouetted by golden sunlight, her brunette hair gleaming, looking like some sort of angel.

Allison, as if feeling Nick's eyes on her, turned to him. "Nick, you okay?"

'Yeah, I'm fine. All good. Just... appreciating the view," Nick said, eyes still trained on her as he said it.

Allison felt her cheeks heat, catching on to the implication as she turned to look back, hair shielding her face. A second later, she felt fingers brush her hair back behind her ear, and she shivered at the touch as she looked at Nick, at the eyes that had sparks flare within her when she saw them, at his face silhouetted in gold.

Without knowing, she and Nick had moved closer, and—

A rustle came from the bushes.

Instantly Allison and Nick sprung away from each other as Allison whirled to the bush, hissing, "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah," Nick murmured, looking at her. "It's probably nothing."

Allison shook her head. "No. Listen! There's something there."

Nick turned as a grunting now came from the bush, the two of them sliding off the log, eyeing the bush warily... and a striped piglet came trotting out, grunting.

Allison relaxed at seeing it, her heart melting at the baby pig. "Oh my God. It's adorable."

"Oh. It's so tiny..." Nick murmured as he walked away from her, Allison looking at the adorable baby piglet as she let out a little squeal. But as much as she wanted to pet it, something held her back, Nick's comment sparking something in her brain—a warning her father had told her.

"Wait, that's a baby," Allison said.

"Yeah?"

"So... where's the mama pig?"

Nick's eyes widened in realisation, just as the bushes rustled again.

Allison and Nick turned to it, as a low squeal came.

"Nick," she murmured.

"Hold on. Hold on..." he whispered back, creeping closer to the bush...

... Just as a massive boar erupted from it, squealing murder.

Allison didn't have time to scream out Nick's name before he roughly shoved her out of the way of the rampaging boar. Allison landed hard on her side and twisted around, her eyes wide and face paling as she saw Nick on the ground, the boar almost on top of him and ready to gore him.

NICK! her mind screamed, but her throat was stuck as she scrambled to her feet and moved to the opposite side, watching in silent horror and fear as the boar trotted and sniffed around Nick's prone form, her heart stuttering in terror, wishing she had her bow and arrows, because while the arrows wouldn't be sharp and big enough, it could still scare her off. But she didn't, she had nothing, and Nick was lying there, lying still for his life because if he moved, if he so much as breathed...

Allison couldn't think that. She refused to think that.

After seconds that felt like agonisingly long minutes, the boar assessed Nick wasn't a threat to her baby and trotted away to the opposite side, the baby boar following her. Once she was, Nick got to his feet and moved to Allison's side, so close she could feel his body trembling with adrenaline and fear. Without thinking, without hesitating, Allison grabbed his hand, feeling his shaking just as he felt hers shaking as they watched the mother and baby trot away.

Once they were gone, Nick's whole body sagged as he breathed, "Oh, jeez. That was close."

Allison turned to Nick. Then she sharply pulled her hand away and shoved him and screeched, "You idiot!"

Nick stumbled back, mostly from surprise and confusion and the terror of the boar as he stared at Allison as her body trembled not with fear, but with rage. "What?"

"You stupid idiot!" Allison yelled again, fists balled as she marched up to Nick, head tilted back as she glared up at him, something hot and sharp brimming in the backs of her eyes. "You should have leapt out of the way! You were almost gored just now—you were nearly killed! If you had moved, that boar would have killed you and I would have to watch, and you should have moved out of the way after you pushed me away, what were you thinking, you nearly killed and I couldn't stop it and I thought I would lose you and I can't, I can't..."

The last word dissolved into a sob as Allison wrapped her arms around Nick fiercely, holding him as tightly as she could, just needing to hold him to know he was okay, he'd gotten out of that in one piece, that he was still alive. And after a moment, she felt Nick's arms wrap around her, holding her securely, safely.

"It's okay," he said. "I'm okay. I'm still in one piece. It's gonna be okay. We're gonna be okay."

Allison looked at him, eyes still stinging from the tears as she said in a hoarse voice, "Nick, please don't pull any more stunts like that again. I was so terrified just now. I can't..."

The words stuck in her throat, and she swallowed before forcing out, "Promise me you won't do something that gets you hurt or nearly killed again."

"I won't, Allison. I promise," Nick vowed, holding her close. Allison sunk into it, in the comfort of the embrace and the promise. Maybe it was stupid, considering there wouldn't be any more life-threatening events, but the boar being so close to Nick, so close to mauling him to death, had unravelled something in Allison, had her realise if Nick got hurt, or worse, it'd shatter her in a way she couldn't bear to consider.

The promise was a safety blanket, and Allison clung to it fervently.

When they pulled away, looking in the direction the boar and the piglet had gone, Nick quipped, "Least we gave her a good story to tell her pig-husband."

Allison looked at him, and despite herself, a laugh burst from her.

"That was so bad," she muttered, looking at Nick. "And how did you know it was the mother pig?"

"Well, I did get a pretty good look," Nick said, the implication heavy in his words.

Allison's face contorted. "Ew! Too much information, Nick."

"Hey, you asked."

"And I now regret it."

They grinned at each other, the levity clearing away the fear and relief of the terrifying, heart-stopping moment. For a second, the air felt like that moment before the boars appeared—charged and electric, with a softer undercurrent of rightness—before it faded and Allison and Nick stepped away, the inches of distance ending the moment.

"We should probably head back," Nick said.

"Yeah. Hayden and Abi might be already waiting for us back at camp," Allison agreed as they picked up their sticks and headed down the path to camp.

But as they did, Allison could feel something had changed between them, had shifted in that moment before the piglet and its mother had crashed through the bushes.

And while she'd never push, she was hoping it was what she was hoping it would be.

***

"Think we've got enough?"

Hayden turned to Abi, seeing her arms were full of sticks.

"Yeah, that's plenty. If we add our piles to Nick's and Abi's, we should have heaps of firewood," Hayden answered, jostling her sticks as emphasis.

Abi smiled as together they wandered down the trail of Shady Glade. Despite the name, it was quite well-lit, sunlight coming in through dappled rays and turning everything green and gold, and making it almost seemed enchanted. Like something out of a fairytale.

"It's really beautiful along here," Hayden observed, holding her sticks in a way that ensured she wouldn't get splinters.

"Yeah." Abi agreed, holding her own bundle. "Wish there was a place I could sit down and draw it. It's pretty magical looking."

"I'll say," Hayden said. She turned to Abi, noting the look on the other girl's face. "Everything okay, Abes?"

"Yeah. Everything is all good with me," Abi assured, but as she said it, her eyes darted away.

Hayden frowned and stopped in her tracks. "Abi, I know."

Abi froze, before she tried for a casual smile as she asked, "Know what?"

"You have a crush on my brother," Hayden answered flatly. As the look of denial sprung up on Abi's face, Hayden cut in, "Don't try to deny—I've known for a couple hours now, maybe even since the first day of camp. Which I should have seen coming, if I'm being honest since pretty much every girl and a few boys in our high school and uni have had a crush on Nick at some point."

Abi wilted. "Is it that obvious?"

"Not much. You do a good job at hiding it," Hayden admitted. "I didn't even notice until back earlier with the van, when you looked at Allison and Nick. That's when I knew. It's now very obvious with hindsight."

At her words, Abi moved to Hayden, a pleading look in her eyes. "Hayden, please, don't tell Nick or Allison. I know it's stupid, crushing on a guy who won't like me back, and I do see him as a friend now, but I don't want them to find out and it drives them apart, I don't want to be the reason, I—"

"Abi, relax. I won't tell them," Hayden interrupted, giving the other girl a reassuring smile.

"Oh," she murmured, before giving Hayden a small smile. "Thanks."

"No problem," Hayden replied, smiling at Abi as they kept on walking. As they did, Hayden added, "It probably won't drive them apart. If you did tell Nick you had a crush on him. Like I said, my brother's been the resident heartthrob for years, and while he's always blindsided when people confess they had a crush on him, he's completely cool with it and with wanting to still be friends. As for Allison... I don't really know her that well, but from what I do know, I don't think you crushing on Nick would affect anything. She isn't really the jealous type, anyway. And if she was, I would have steered my brother clear a long time ago—that thing can get possessive  and toxic really fast."

"Is he the jealous type?" Abi asked.

Hayden shook her head. "No. Like I said, he's chill. The few girlfriends he's had in the past, I can assure he was the model of a good boyfriend. And anyway, if he was jealous beyond the point it gets into that toxic territory, I'd pull his head out of his ass and tear him a new one. Believe me."

"Don't worry, I do," Abi assured, smiling at Hayden. She returned it.

A beat of silence passed between them before Hayden looked at Abi and said, "You're handling this pretty well."

"I am? Sometimes I feel like I don't," Abi confessed.

"You are. I just... when did you know it wasn't gonna be anything more than friendship?" Hayden asked.

"You mean when I realised I had a completely one-sided crush on a guy who didn't like me back because he'd been head over heels for the archery counsellor all summer?" Abi asked, the words sarcastic, before she looked aside and continued in a more genuine tone, "It took a while. Like I said, I crushed on Nick pretty much since the first day of summer camp. There was just something about him that was so... genuinely nice. He was a jock like Jacob, sure, but he also sounded pretty nerdy as well. And the way he is around the kids, and that he's just that genuinely good guy without trying... it just had me fall harder for him. Hopelessly fall harder, might I add. Like, it was ridiculous, you know? The butterflies, the skipping heartbeats, thinking about this guy—everything stereotypical of a crush, happened to me. You know?"

"I can only imagine," Hayden dryly quipped, since she couldn't imagine it as she'd never once felt that way about anyone.

"Well, to summarise, it felt pretty serious. And on the Fourth of July..." Abi trailed off, eyes glazing over before she continued. "On the Fourth of July, I decided I would tell him, and just see what would happen. I was waiting all night for the fireworks to go off so I could tell him, and when they did and I was about to say it, I saw it. I saw Nick, looking. Not at me, but at Allison. Like she was the only girl in the world, like everything had ended and yet she still existed. Like she was the fireworks exploding over our heads. No one else existed or mattered—not when she did."

There was a crack in Abi's voice, but she steeled herself as she finished, "That's when I knew. But I only see him as a friend now, the crush's basically gone, but... yeah. That's the story."

Hayden stared at Abi, feeling the urge to comfort her. Sure, she'd been encouraging Nick to go after Allison, having seen their instant connection, but after hearing what Abi said... no matter if it was unintentional and Abi had accepted it was going to be unrequited, her heart had still broken that night when she realised the boy she liked only had eyes on a girl who wasn't her. And while Hayden could never truly understand what that would feel like, she could sympathise, especially as she helped push Nick and Allison closer together.

"I'n sorry, Abi. That must have been really heartbreaking," she consoled, not knowing what to do next—should she pat Abi's shoulder? Wrap her arm around her? Just stand there and offer comfort?

"It's okay. It was, but I've accepted it," Abi assured, smiling. "Thanks, though, Hayden."

"Don't mention," Hayden replied, returning the smile as they continued walking—with having collected enough sticks, all she and Abi needed to do was walk the trail back to the fire pit.

As they walked, the silence companionable between them and broken only by the music of nature, Hayden absentmindedly hummed a song under her breath, the calls of the birds inspiring her. Like surfing and teaching and wolves, music was a passion that felt like it was woven into her very blood, started and encouraged by her mum. Her mum was the reason Hayden loved music, and every time she played the guitar, hummed a song, or listened to music, whether created by humans or by nature, she felt more relaxed, more peaceful inside herself. Singing felt even more calming, given the stress of earlier.

"What're you humming?" Abi asked.

"Oh, just a random song. I do that to destress. Same with playing the guitar or actually listen to music, when I'm not surfing," Hayden explained.

"Oh," Abi said.

"Though, I wish I can draw like you can."

Abi flushed. "Oh, they're not really that great..."

"Are you kidding? I can just draw stick figures. Abi, what you create... it's incredible," Hayden complimented, her face showing the other girl just how serious she was abut it.

Abi smiled, cheeks still red from the praise. "Thanks, Hayden."

"Anytime."

The conversation lapsed into silence as they continued their trek back to the camp. Hayden wondered if they were close. She hoped they were—judging by the position of the sun, it would be getting dark soon. Hayden wanted herself and Abi and Allison and Nick out of these woods before the sun went down, before they had any unfriendly encounters with the local wildlife.

As she thought of her brother and Allison, Hayden wondered what they were doing, if they'd grown closer, if Nick or even Allison had taken that leap. She hoped they did, especially with how romantic that view along the trail they'd taken was. Hell, maybe she and Abi would get to camp and they would see Nick and Allison together, holding hands and Hayden would feel triumphant since at last they confessed, and—

"Hey, Hayden, what is that?"

Torn from her thoughts, Hayden looked to where Abi was pointing at—an object sticking out from the undergrowth near the trail.

"Dunno," Hayden said, frowning as she walked over to it. Kneeling down, she brushed from foliage off to reveal a camera on a squat post, angled slightly up.

"Looks like a camera of some sort," she informed Abi.

"Why would there be cameras here? In the woods?" Abi questioned, puzzlement clear in her tone.

"It's probably a trail camera—checking to see if bears or coyotes are getting too close to camp and the kids," Hayden explained. "I wouldn't be surprised if there's one along every trail."

"Oh, okay. That makes sense," Abi muttered.

As Hayden looked at the camera, frowning, she noticed something next to it.

Picking it up, her confusion grew as she saw it was a half-empty bottle, filled with a brownish red liquid.

"What the hell is that?" she muttered, moving to uncork it.

"Wait, Hayden, don't!" Abi exclaimed, rushing up behind her just as Hayden was about to. She turned to meet Abi's eyes as the shorter girl explained, "Nora and I, we found an empty vial of those back near the cabins, and it smelled terrible. If I could forget that smell, I would. Just... don't open it."

Looking at Abi, then at the vial, Hayden decided to listen.

"Okay. I believe you. I'm curious, but not that curious," Hayden said, sliding the vial into her pocket and straightening up, sticks once more in hand. "Shall we get out of these woods at last?"

Abi pushed on down the trail, that an answer within itself. Hayden followed, the vial in her pocket. She was curious to open it, but if what Abi said about the smell was true, then Hayden wasn't keen on seeing if it was. And the liquid... Hayden hoped it was just some spoiled jam or liquefied rust, and not what she was thinking.

What she hoped wasn't what she was thinking.

Even still, despite the disturbing implications and the supposedly weird, horrible smell, it couldn't be that important. And not like it mattered now.

If it ever did.

***

Oh, but it's gonna matter, Hayden.

Yeah, Allison went with Nick while Abi was with Hayden! That was extremely fun, writing them getting closer, and having Allison open up about her family (also, someone give her another hug, please?) because yeah, her mom is Awful while her dad was great. And I loved writing Nick talk about home and promising he'll show Allison the ocean and teach her to surf (especially after she taught him archery)

And the moment with the view!! I loved writing it SO MUCH!! Listen, the "she's looking at the view but she is his view" KILLS me every single time, and I had to do it for them! And that little moment before the boars... >:)

Yeah, while I liked that Abi found humour in it, Allison's response to the boar nearly getting Nick would be TOTALLY different, that she'd be terrified about the boar nearly killing Nick, angry that he didn't also save himself, and massively relieved when he's okay and just hugging him in relief, that he's here and okay and, of course, him immediately assuring her he's okay and that he won't do something that will get him hurt or killed 🥺 (and that will KILL me with what inevitably happens to Nick...) Part of him wants to remain in this part of the fic, but that can't always happen >:)

And Hayden and Abi did have a conversation about Abi's crush on Nick (because, while she'll never experience a crush, Hayden is scarily accurate at picking up when someone has a crush on her brother) and the moment Abi knew Nick only liked Allison and it was just going to be one-sided and accepted they would be just friends. I liked writing it a lot, especially since I hope this crushes any thinking there's gonna be a love triangle here (there won't be and never will be. I don't do love triangles)

And the girls found the cameras and Hayden found some werewolf's blood!! Is that gonna be important? Maybe...

Next chapter should be soon! Also, there's probably only gonna be a few more chapters of "calm" left... then we head into the chaos and the storm that is the hunters and the werewolves >:)

Please read, comment and vote! 

GhostWriterGirl out!