He turned, his long brown bangs falling in front of his expressive eyes. “Problem is that you meant it with Seth too.”
I opened my mouth and closed it. He was right. I’d come to camp thinking I wanted Seth but was obligated to Matt. Now my feelings had grown for both.
“I also meant it when I said I needed time to work things out. I didn’t appreciate the pressure you put on me last night.”
Matt shrugged, broad shoulders bunching. “I’m only human. How long am I supposed to wait?”
“No one asked you to wait. Do what you want,” I stormed off. It was wrong to expect him to put his life on hold while I figured out mine. But I couldn’t help wishing he would.
Matt gripped the porch rail and leaned over. “Fine. I will. Starting tonight at the D&O.”
A vision of Hannah and Matt snuggled in the corner of the backwoods bar gripped me.
“Fine. I’ll see you there,” I spat.
Matt’s hair slid across his cut cheekbones as he tilted his head and studied me, a knowing grin playing on his full lips. My breath rushed out. I’d fallen neatly into his little trap.
Matt turned. “Yo! Cam. You got something for Lauren or what? She’s going with us tonight.”
“Relax, Bro!” Cameron came through the door. He held up a spray bottle that read “Skunk-Off.” “It’s my last one, so it’s going to cost you.”
“I’ve got it.” Matt grabbed the can and tossed it to me.
“Matt. No. Kayla will be back in a minutes and—” I made as if to throw it back, but he and Cameron ducked inside the cabin.
“Are you going to be at the volleyball game?” Matt’s eyes weren’t any less green through the screen door. I nodded before I could think. Wait. Was today the day they played Seth’s cabin? Crap.
“Good. Cheer me on.” With a wink he disappeared in the darkened interior.
I turned at the sound of Kayla panting up the path. She jogged to a halt, her eyebrows knitting when she looked at my face.
“What’s wrong? Did you get what we needed?”
I held up the bottle. “And then some.”
* * *
Since our odorous condition meant we were excused from regular activities, Kayla and I spent the day at the beach. Between the fresh air, sun, swimming and spraying each other with Skunk-Off, we were finally odor-free. By the time the afternoon shadows had chased us halfway down the sand, the players arrived at the volleyball net on the beach.
Rob and his Warriors jogged onto the court. All were shirtless and had painted giant blue “W”s on their backs. Behind them sauntered Hannah, wearing little more than wedge heels, a sheer cover-up and a scarlet bikini. The rest of Divas’ Den set up beach chairs. My heart lifted to see the two extra seats Rachel had set up beside her and Brittany. I’d forgotten how good it felt to be included.
When we reached Brittany, her face nearly matched her violet one-piece swimsuit. “What’s up with her?” Kayla flopped in one of the chairs and took the Diet Coke Rachel passed her under the chair.
Rachel lowered her dark sunglasses and leaned forward. “Smell’s gone, Brit.”
Brittany’s chest heaved as she sucked in air. “
Ohmigod
. Was that smell disgusting or what?” She passed another soda to me, hidden in a towel. I nodded thanks to Rachel and snuck a peek to see if Rob or any counselors were looking. Campers were only allowed juice, milk, and water. I took a quick sip and sighed, loving the icy feel of the fizzy drink running down the back of my throat.
A soft hand landed on my elbow. I glanced up and met Brittany’s eyes through her star-shaped sunglasses. “So sorry about the diary, Lauren. I never thought—I mean, I didn’t think that—well, Hannah
promised
and I owed her a favor and—oh God. I’m so sorry.” She spoke fast, her embarrassment palpable. She hadn’t meant any harm.
I tried to smile, but failed. That prank had really, really hurt my friends.
“Maybe it all worked out for the best,” I murmured as Seth’s team wandered onto the court, Breyanna tagging along. Behind them were Alex, Jackie, Piper and Trinity. I supposed Siobhan must have stayed behind to do some paper on Shakespeare or work out the mathematical variations of calculus—something I would have helped her finish in time for the match, I thought with a pang.
“Go Seth,” cheered Breyanna. Her polka-dot headband flashed as she twirled, arms wide. Seth ducked his head in that boyish way that made my heart leap and smiled at her. Emptiness gutted my heart. That smile belonged to someone else now.
“Are you cold? You’re shaking.” Brittany draped her towel across my shoulders.
My lips curled in gratitude. “Thanks. Have you guys heard what happened to Madison?”
Brittany leaned close. “They found her in a Motel 6 with some guy whose ID said he was thirty. So gross. And I know he told Madison he was only twenty-one.”
I pulled the towel edges closed and shivered. “Glad they found her.”
“I bet she’s even happier.” Brittany nodded solemnly. “Except now she’s got to go home to her step-monster. Oh look. The game’s starting.”
“Let’s go, ladies,” Rob boomed. His team lined up, Matt in the front.
Bam-Bam jerked his thumb at the court. “Move ‘em out, grunts.” The Wander Inn gang took their places. My heart stopped as Seth stopped in front of Matt across the net. Matt leaned forward at the waist, his knees slightly bent. Seth stood with his legs wide apart, arms across his chest, death in his eyes. I couldn’t see Matt’s expression, but I was sure it wasn’t any better. They looked ready for pistols at dawn rather than a volleyball match.
Emily sprang from a piece of driftwood and wrapped her legs around Bam-Bam’s waist. “Kill ‘em!” she shouted, then kissed him long and hard.
Gollum’s whistle blast startled Rob, who’d stared at the spectacle with the rest of us.
“Yuck. Like, what does she see in him? Rob is way hotter.” Brittany’s gold bangles slid along her forearms as she lathered on tanning lotion.
“Totally. And Bam-Bam’s worn the same shirt since we got here. Like, get a wardrobe.” Hannah pulled her cover-up over her head, immediately gaining lots of male attention. Matt, I noticed with some satisfaction, kept his focus on his competition instead.
“I think that’s his army gear. You know, from Iraq,” I murmured, my focus still on Seth and Matt. If looks could kill… I couldn’t finish the thought.
“Hello, the war is over. Read a paper once in a while. No offense,” Hannah shot back.
“Sorry, I don’t subscribe to
Popstar!
magazine. What does Justin Bieber have to say about world affairs?” I enjoyed the telltale red blossoming in her cheeks. Guess I hadn’t ditched my inner bitch after all.
Kayla, Rachel, and Brittany’s heads swiveled back and forth between Hannah and me. I sank back in my seat and took another sip of soda. Point, game, match. Lauren. Why was it easier to fit in with the queen bees than my former quirky friends? The possible answer frightened me.
A sharp whistle started the action. The Wander Inn, winners of the coin toss, served first. Vijay’s overhand hit landed in the far left corner with a sand spray and a loud whoop from Alex. But his second serve initiated an intense, minute-long volley. It ended when Devon, a world-class flirt from the Warriors’ Warden, got distracted by Emily’s thong-baring sneaker tie. He completely lost track of the ball. When the guys in his cabin chided him, he shrugged it off and winked at Emily, earning a growl from Bam-Bam.
The next three points went to the Warriors and then another to the Wander Inn guys when Seth ate sand for a diving save. He set up an over-sized teammate for a hard spike that sent the Warriors scrambling.
After that, things seemed to settle in with both sides scoring in equal amounts. Before we knew it, the dinner bell rang and we were down to match point. Seth and Matt were facing off once more at the net, with Eli serving.
He smacked the ball to the far right where Garrett locked his forearms and crouched for a deep dig that sent the ball spinning into the stratosphere. When it finally remembered the laws of gravity and returned to earth, the ball came down toward the net, right between Seth and Matt. Both leaped at the net, Seth for the spike, Matt for the block. I half-rose out of my chair as their bodies collided. The ball fell between them, though it happened so fast I couldn’t tell which team won the point and game.
“Yes!” Matt punched the air, lowered his arm, and pointed at Seth’s red face. “Win!”
“No freaking way!” Seth hollered back. “The ball was over the net.”
My knuckles grew tight around the arms of my beach chair.
Matt’s jaw jutted. “It was on your side.”
Seth crossed his arms, biceps tensing. “Then why’s the ball over there?” He nodded to Matt’s side of the court.
“’Cause that’s where it landed after it hit your foot,” Matt growled, his fist clutching the net and lifting it.
“That’s bullsh—”
The whistle screeched.
“Enough!” Gollum’s square body waded into the fray. “As the official, I make the calls.”
“So make it already, Drama Queen,” Hannah whispered, making Brittany giggle. I glared at her, knowing that, whatever the outcome, there’d be consequences. This wasn’t a moment for jokes.
“Point and,” Gollum drawled, “game go to…” All right. I had to give it to Hannah, he was enjoying the suspense. “The Wander Inn,” he intoned. “Now everyone get to dinner.”
Cheers erupted from the opposite side of the net. Bam-Bam crushed Emily in a bear hug. Rob drop-kicked his gym bag into the woods and stormed after it.
Alex kissed Vijay in a way that was more NC-17 than PG-13, while Breyanna wrapped her arms around a sweaty Seth. My eyes met his over her shoulder, his pained expression reflecting my feelings.
“Lauren,” Matt called to my left. I broke eye contact and looked his way. He was bright red, chest heaving. “Can I have some of that soda?”
“How about Gatorade?” I hurried over to the team cooler and poured some into a plastic cup. As a cheerleader, I’d always done this for him, an old habit that died hard. Funny. It hadn’t occurred to me to ask him to do the same at my volleyball game.
I met Seth’s eyes as I handed over the cup. He looked from the cup to me and frowned. After giving the clinging girl a squeeze, he backed away.
“What an ass,” Matt muttered when Seth led his team in a rousing rendition of “We Are the Champions” on their way to the showers. Since losers washed up last, some of Matt’s teammates had jumped in the lake. The Divas’ Den girls followed.
“You want to go in?” Matt nodded to the water.
I shook my head and looked down. “Sorry I wasn’t your lucky charm today.”
Matt lifted my face, eyes searching mine. “You being here was the lucky part.”
My heart somersaulted at his sweet words.
Sand kicked at my ankles as he raced for the splashing group and plunged in. Mouth open, I watched the raucous crowd. I always thought Matt saw me as an accessory to his glory- filled life, the adoring cheerleader girlfriend straight out of a movie cliché. I’d never known he thought of me as the star.
Chapter Seventeen
Six hours later, I was wedged between Hannah and Matt in the back of a pickup headed to the D&O, the only bar around that was so backwoods that IDs were optional…possibly even discouraged, since most of the customers lived off the grid.
Cameron had arranged for one of the groundskeepers to pick us up at the edge of camp, a much longer walk when wearing a black micromini dress and a pair of four-inch platform heels, both borrowed from Kayla. Hannah kept leaning around me, chatting up Matt. Little did she know that his thumb was surreptitiously stroking the side of my bare thigh, sending shivers of excitement that had little to do with the air flowing over the cab.
“Your skin is so soft.” His husky voice filled my ear.
“Stop it.”
“Excuse me?” Hannah recoiled, her lips pursed tight enough to spit nails.
I widened my eyes innocently. “Nothing.”
Hannah crossed her arms and flounced back. “Yeah, right,” she whispered.
I leaned over her toward Kayla, the wind whipping my hair in Hannah’s pouting face. “You look nice, Kayla.” And she did. In a white lace tank top and low-slung jeans, the tan she’d acquired from our marathon beach time today glowed to perfection.
“You too,” she shouted over the roaring engine. She turned toward Brittany, who was busy making out with Eli, then turned back. “How much longer?”
The truck swerved hard enough to make us tumble like bowling pins. I was a nauseous bundle of nerves at the thought of going to my first bar, and this roller-coaster drive was not helping.
“Looks like we’re here.” I spit hair out my mouth and accepted Matt’s hand up. I pulled up the dress’s plunging neckline, otherwise loving my sophisticated new look and the way it hugged my new curves.
Devon caught me around the waist, helped me off the flatbed, and whirled me around the gravel parking lot to a thumping country tune. A couple of plaid-shirted men leaning against the a truck whistled, their cowboy hats shadowing their faces.
“Girl, you are hotter than a shot of Tabasco sauce,” Devon laughed. “Ooooh
weee
.” He shook his hands like I’d burnt them, making me giggle with him. He might be a world-class flirt, but he was harmless. Not that Matt seemed to feel that way. The storm cloud hovering over his head had the other boy backing away fast.
“Guys! Come on.” Cameron held the door of a one-story building that could have fit in my grandparents’ pool house. A neon light in the single window glowed “Redneck Approved.” Looking around the parking lot, I realized it was packed with pick-ups. Any cars that dared show their grills were American.
I hitched up my top again and followed the group, wondering if the jukebox would stop the minute we entered—a bunch of privileged camp kids out for a lark amongst hardworking adults. But the honky-tonk tune kept blaring as we closed the door. Guess we all needed an escape. That much, at least, we had in common.
“Want to dance?” Matt asked low and fast in my ear.
“Matt. Please,” I protested, admiring the handsome picture he made in a brown suede cowboy hat that set off his eyes, a fitted plaid shirt, jeans, and scuffed cowboy boots.
He swung me in his strong arms.