Class Clown (The Thornback Society #4)

18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Ruby’s Truth: Ashes, ashes, we all fall down.

The truth is, that sometimes feelings can’t be shoved back into the pond they crawled out of, and after our gun-shooting adventure I was having a terrible time seeing Nico as just a guy I knew. I was trying. I was committed to not becoming a stalker, or flirting outrageously like I always had before, but he was everywhere, and with my new awareness of him it was sort of a sweet torture.

Oh, I’d crushed on my fair share of guys, but Nico was coming at me from a different direction and I didn’t have the tools to handle this shift in the universe. He was thoughtful. He paid attention to the things I said and did. He’d learned my likes and dislikes, my habits and routines. He was making it impossible. All I wanted to do was grab his face and plant a kiss right on his lips.

I was relieved when camp games were announced a few days later. Through some flex in the universe somewhere, the camp had only had older kids sign up for the week. The eight and nine-year-old cabins were empty. Those counselors had doubled up with the others and having a camp of ten to sixteen-year-olds had made things more fun and less rigid for everyone.

That afternoon at lunch, Cole announced that the entire camp would be playing Mission Impossible. According to Kristy, it was a game where the staff wore flag football belts and hid in the forest. The campers, in groups of three or four, had to hunt us down, take the flags from our belts, and bring us in to “jail” until the last staffer was found. The group who found the most staffers won.

Even better – it was played in the dark.

It sounded fun and I was one thousand percent in for a distraction. The campers cheered, and the staff all high-fived around the place, and I immediately began plotting. After dinner, we cleaned up the health center, and Kristy instructed me to dress in dark colors and meet at the campfire ring. Everyone dispersed to get ready.

I hustled back to Funky Bunks and slid to a stop inside the door where Nico, dressed in camouflage with a black beanie pulled low on his head, and some sort of man-bag fanny pack strapped to his waist, startled a scream out of me in the dim light.

“Holy pearls!” I cried, my hands shooting out in front of me.

He turned to fully face me and stuck both of his arms out to the side. “I’m going to win.”

I put a hand to my heart and nodded. “I believe it.” I relaxed my stance and took a deep breath to settle my racing heart. “How did you know to bring camo?”

“I always bring camo.”

“Right.” I made my way past him and into my bunk area, avoiding a second look.

Man in fitted camo uniform? Yummy. I did not need another reason to find him yummy. At this point I was simply grateful that he wasn’t acting awkward around me again after our romantic interlude in the forest.

I didn’t regularly wear dark colors, but I did find a navy tee and those purple zip-away pants. It wasn’t fashion forward, but it would hide me well enough in the darkness. I came out of my curtain area and went into the bathroom. As I passed through the living space there was a knock on the front door of the cabin. Nico and I exchanged a glance. As far as I knew, this was a first. I shrugged and went into the bathroom to change while he answered the door. At least the loud cracking sound when the door opened didn’t come as a surprise this time.

Nico’s low voice, and the higher tones of a woman’s, sounded through the bathroom wall, but I couldn’t understand what they were saying. I took a few minutes to use the bathroom, put on more deodorant, and pull my hair up to keep it out of my way, before leaving the little room .

Nico was still standing in the open front doorway, but he was large enough to block whomever he was speaking to. Curiously, I set the clothes I’d changed out of on my bed and made my way over to the door. I peeked up over Nico’s shoulder, accidentally pressing against him when I did. My traitorous insides immediately cheered, so I went back down onto flat feet and pushed at his shoulder to get him to move over.

Gina was standing on the porch, dressed in dark brown clothes that reminded me of a delivery driver. Her hair was up under a hat, which I thought was smart considering its bright and beautiful red color. She also had black paint swiped under her eyes, which I loved. I wanted black paint under my eyes, like a warrioress.

“Hey, Gina,” I said cheerfully. “What’s up?”

Nico was sort of stiff beside me and when I looked over at him it was to see that decades old stoic expression. He wasn’t happy about whatever was happening.

“Sometimes we partner up in this game, and I was asking Nico if we could form an alliance,” Gina chirped. “I figure with his skills as a Marine I can’t go wrong.” She giggled and pointed at him. “I mean, come on, he opened the door dressed like this.”

I looked him over and nodded, fighting down a wave of jealousy. “You’re not wrong. He’d be a great partner.” The words burned coming out. Why hadn’t I known about partners? I wanted him on my team. “The best,” I mumbled sadly.

“Plus, it can kind of be scary out in the woods after dark.” Gina playfully shivered. “I’d feel a lot better not being alone.”

“Totally,” I agreed without any umph.

“I was letting Gina know that I had other plans,” Nico interrupted, surprising me.

I glanced up at him, wondering who on earth, oh. “Cole,” I nodded, looking back at Gina. “Makes sense that him and Cole would pair up.”

Gina shook her head with a smile. “No, Cole is running the game, not hiding. Who are you going to partner up with?” she asked me.

I shook my head. “Oh, no one. I’m a solo player all day long. The woods are my home, you know?” Nico was still looking down at me, but I ignored it. “I’m looking forward to the alone time.” I ever so slightly stepped away from him. “Easier to win if I don’t have to drag deadweight around.”

Gina laughed. “I honestly admire that so much, Ruby,” she said.

I clapped my hands together and retreated into the cabin. “I will see you two on the playing field.”

I hustled back into my curtained off area and bit my lip hard to keep from making a sound as I tamped down on the sickness in my stomach. Jealously had never been something I wanted to experience. Gina and Nico, out in the woods together, after dark. It was so romantic I wanted to cry. Yet, how could I cry when I was the one who’d pushed him away?

“Let’s go, partner,” Gina chirped cheerfully.

“Ruby?” Nico called. “You coming?”

I swallowed hard. “I need another minute. Good luck!”

There was a moment’s hesitation when I almost thought he’d come check on me, he had to have noticed the wobble in my tone, but the front door banged shut and boots clomped heavily across the front porch and down the stairs.

I stood and swallowed down the last of the ugly little green lump in my throat and pushed the curtain aside. I was as ready as I’d ever be, and kind of excited about hiding out for a bit in the wilderness. It matched the feelings flying around inside of me. I wanted to find a cave and huddle up until this feeling washed out of me.

I made my way to the fire area where everyone was gathering. Kids were forming up their groups, and staffers were forming alliances, and I wished so badly I’d known we could partner up. I’d have asked Nico in a heartbeat – platonically. Although there was that bit about him already having plans. Would have been cool if he’d let me in on them.

I found him in the crowd, standing still while Gina chirped at him about her ideas and plans. Watching him made me feel moody, so I turned away and took a seat on a log bench to wait for instructions.

Kristy arrived a few seconds later with a huge smile on her face. She was dressed in head to toe black, an experienced staffer, and also had the dark smudges painted under her eyes. Her head was covered by a blue beanie, her eyes glowing with excitement. I decided I’d ask her to partner with me. We’d have a good time, and neither of us would have to watch the flirting that was bound to happen.

However, before I’d had a chance to greet her and see if she wanted to partner up, she approached Nico’s other side, laid a hand on his arm and turned into a different person all together, fluttering her eyelashes up at him .

“We are definitely going to win this,” she cooed. “I’m sure you're the smartest and staffer.”

My eyes grew large. We? Like, they were forming a trio?

Nico didn’t look at me, but I was assuming he was thinking the same thing as his dark eyes looked back and forth between Kristy and Gina.

“I was so happy when Gina told me she was going to invite you to join us,” Kristy said to him. Nico remained quiet. “I wasn’t quite ready yet when she went up to your cabin.” At this Kristy sent a little darting glance Gina’s way and I watched with growing interest. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to ask you myself.”

When it became obvious that both Kristy and Gina were expecting a response from him, he dipped his chin and said, “That’s alright, ma’am.”

I wanted to laugh at the ma’am coming back out. It had been a while. Now that I knew him better, I understood that when he ‘ma’amed’ someone, he was feeling uncomfortable. I was considering joining them to lighten things up when Gina scooted closer to him, shimmied up onto her tiptoes, and whispered something in his ear. His expression remained controlled, but his shoulders stiffened.

Had she said something inappropriate to him? Was she inviting him to sneak off for a kiss? Because if anyone should be sneaking off to kiss Nico, it should be me. Nico’s eyes swung to mine as though he heard my thoughts and I flushed under his scrutiny before looking away.

Oh my gosh, what was I thinking? Unable to bear any more of the wishy-washy thoughts in my head, I stood, catching Gina and Kristy’s attention. Kristy waved and I managed to wave back.

“I’m off to have a private moment with my brain,” I said with forced cheer. “Have to really focus on my solo strategy.”

Kristy and Gina smiled as each of them wrapped their arm around one of Nico’s and shuffled close. Nico looked like he was going to be the only camper hunting me down that night. And, because I prefer to fight fire with fire, I winked and made a kissy face at him before I scurried off to find Cole.

Luckily for me, he happened to be standing with a group of guy counselors. I really didn’t want a partner, but it wouldn’t hurt for me to look like someone was interested in partnering with me. Maybe I felt like being childish in response to Nico’s little giggle-fans over there .

I flirted with the counselors, and laughed loud, and through it all I kept sneaking peeks across the fire pit. But it backfired, giving me a constant front-row view of Gina and Kristy flirting. I grew both despondent and angry. I had decided not to pursue him for myself, but I did not appreciate watching the competition at work.

I wished my girlfriends were here. We’d tease and they’d give me terrible advice, but they’d understand where I was coming from and make me feel about a million times better. Since they weren’t with me, I imagined what they’d say. Meredith would tell me that I was good on my own. Hailey would help me analyze the emotions raging through my system. Lizzie would tell me he was too cute to let go. And Aryn, well, she’d partner up with me and we’d win this whole game, laughing the entire time.

I only half listened to all the rules, and when the whistle blew giving the staffers their five minutes to spread out and hide, I was completely unprepared. I watched where Nico and his duo of gaggling geese were off to, and jogged along in the opposite direction. There was no way they’d win. They were too loud. It made me smile.

A stroke of luck had me stumbling across a rocky hillside where a tree was growing right up against a small hollow in the stone. There was enough space between the tree trunk and rock to slide in and be hidden. I was able to get into position with a little crouching and scooting, one second before I heard the second whistle allowing campers to search. It was growing darker by the minute, and as the sun finished setting the temperatures dipped. I shivered, wishing I’d thought to bring a jacket. It really hadn’t been smart to wear short sleeves and light materials, but I’d been too flustered by Gina’s arrival at the cabin to think through things.

I hugged closer to the stones and leaned back, seeking any leftover heat from the sun-soaked rock, as screaming and cheers echoed. The kids raced through the meadow and into the surrounding forest, calling back and forth to each other. A few staffers were caught early, and I smiled as they called out their names, recognizing some of the cook staff. It made sense that they’d allow themselves to go first as they were preparing some campfire treats for afterwards.

Soon, things grew quieter and I realized that only now had the hunt truly begun. The campers were being quiet, stealthy, and stalking their prey. Excitement tripped along my spine at being a part of it. There was a hush of expectation all around me .

I was too afraid to lean out and see if anyone was close. Instead, I hugged my knees against my chest and daydreamed about warm beaches and sunny mountain meadows. And cake. And Nico holding my hand in that meadow. The air temperature dropped a few more degrees and I huddled even tighter to keep warm. I was not going to let the cold get me out before I heard Gina and Kristy’s names called.

Full darkness had fallen, and from what I could tell there were only about six adults left to find. The kids weren’t lagging at all. They were out to win it.

I was rearranging myself under the tree more fully, trying to find a new comfortable position, when I heard crunching sounds, followed by some giggles, and someone saying ‘shhh’. Figuring it was children, I made myself as small as I could.

“Staying on the move was a great idea,” a voice said, and I realized that it was Kristy.

Please, universe, do not let me have to watch more of their sideshow. At least the darkness made it hard to see them. Even so, I closed my eyes to be safe. Their footsteps were slow and cautious, but I could hear them growing closer.

“This is why we asked Nico to be our partner. I think we’re the only ones left,” Gina added.

“Ruby hasn’t been found. She’s probably freezing,” Kristy said sympathetically. “She didn’t have a jacket with her.”

“I hope her legs don’t turn purple again if her pants get wet.” Gina laughed good-naturedly, and I smiled to myself at the memory. “Nico, did you see them? I mean she lives with you, so . . .”

I mostly liked Gina and hoped that hadn’t been a dig, but I opened my eyes and huffed out an annoyed breath anyhow. I immediately knew that Nico had heard because the group’s movement stopped. The two girls, oblivious, complained.

“What’s up?” they asked. “Why did you stop?”

“Now that it’s just us left, maybe we should split up,” Nico whispered. “Make it harder for them.”

“I don’t know,” Gina whined. “It’s kind of scary out here. And it’s cold too. We should find a place where we can hide and huddle together for warmth. ”

Out of nowhere, a flashlight zipped through the trees and young voices cried out in victory.

“Kristy and Gina, we have you,” they cried as they charged through the trees.

“Save yourself, Nico,” Kristy whisper-yelled as her and Gina took off running away from the light.

I listened, but had no idea where Nico had gotten off to. Huddled and silent, I waited until the kids went zipping past my hiding place. With a smile, I released my legs and stretched my back the tinies bit to alleviate the soreness that was settling in.

A rose from beside me and I sucked in a scream as I pushed myself backwards in the dirt before a hand grabbed my ankle.

“It’s me,” Nico said quietly.

“I was about two breaths away from screaming bloody murder,” I hissed. He moved into the tiny space where I’d been hiding and I slid back to my protected place under the tree. “This is a hiding place for one, Nico. You should find somewhere else. Maybe somewhere with more eager young ladies who can huddle up for warmth.” I leaned back against the trunk and hugged my legs again.

I sounded like a shrew. Hmm. I hadn’t known I had it in me.

“Eager young ladies?” he asked, amused.

“Yeah. Are you sad I decided not to matchmake you with either of them? Because I still can.”

“Ruby.” His voice was low and mellow and I sagged in defeat. “I was trying to say no to partnering with them, but you threw me at them.”

I scoffed. “I did not. I used self-preservation by telling them I wanted to be alone. Besides, you said yourself you’d made other plans, but then you agreed to go with them. Talk about whiplash.”

His leg stretched out alongside mine and I leaned into the warmth as I pressed harder back against the tree trunk.

“ You were the other plan. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to you about it before Gina showed up.”

I let that wash over me, a lovely combination of elation and embarrassment. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” He turned his head toward me. “It’s kind of cold back in here.”

“That’s what happens when you’re a party of one and can’t snuggle up for heat. ”

He scooted closer, until his shoulder was touching mine, and reached into the fanny pack looking thing he’d been wearing to pull out a thin blanket. How on earth that had fit in there was a mystery.

“Here.”

He laid it over me and I nearly moaned from the pleasure of the heat coming off it as he too leaned against the tree.

“This feels like the biggest hug ever.”

“Are you going to be sour over this for long?”

“Maybe I’m grumpy because I didn’t get black stripes painted under my eyes like Gina and Kristy did. They were cool.”

“They also got caught.”

“Because she was talking too loudly about my nasty purple legs. Rookie move meets karma.”

He made a sound of amusement. Part of the blanket was over his torso too, and his warmth radiated into my half. I liked it, but was doing my best to avoid thinking it was romantic. Nope.

“I like the color purple,” he said.

“I’m partial to it myself. A lot of good things are purple. Flowers, popsicles, possibly some octopus species.” He hummed an agreement. “I wasn’t jealous or something, in case you were worried,” I stated. “I’m grumpy because I’m cold.”

“Obviously. Clearly you didn’t need my help hiding, either. You’re a pro.”

“I have to concur.”

“If it makes you feel better, I think Kristy’s nails drew blood in my biceps. I can let you bandage me up,” he offered.

“I do love bandaging wounds.”

“I also tripped and hit my head on a tree branch. That’s possible stitches.”

I smiled. “Stop. You’re making me swoon.”

“Then there’s the sprain . . .”

I pushed against his shoulder with mine. “Now you’ve gone too far. I’m sure you’re in great shape. Don’t patronize me.”

“I’m not.”

“Then don’t use my love of wounds to soothe me. ”

He reached for my hand under the blanket and threaded his strong fingers through mine. My pulse kicked up and the heat under the blanket increased ten-fold.

“Do you need soothing?”

“Sometimes I have an attitude problem. Tonight isn’t one of those times. I am very mature today.”

His thumb brushed along my inner wrist and I wanted to squirm, it felt so good. Lizzie would be jumping for joy, and I wanted to do that too. Huddled together under a blanket in a dark forest, safe and protected, intimate. This stuff was gold and my heart went pitter-patter. For a moment I considered allowing myself to fall into it like I always had. Heart over mind as I rode it out to the end.

I sighed. What was the point, though? This was temporary. Our lives weren’t even in the same state. I wanted a real romance. I wanted what all of my friends had found. I wanted forever.

I took my hand from his and crawled out from under the tree to stand in the clear, star-filled darkness, sad even as the warmth he’d created still clung to me. My body fought me, wanting to sink back into him, but I held firm.

“I think I’m ready to forfeit,” I choked out.

We both knew I wasn’t only talking about the game, and he was on his feet instantly. In the dark I could barely see him, but his eyes reflected what little light there was as he came to stand facing me.

“Don’t,” he said quietly. “Please.”

I put a hand on his chest and took a deep breath. It was in my nature to crack a joke and make light of everything, but not this time. “I’m about to be more honest than I usually am. You deserve that. There’s something here, between us. I admit that I feel it. If we stay here, I’ll probably want to kiss you, but I have to stop whatever this is before someone gets hurt. Could be you or Cole, but it will most likely be me. You live in Texas, Nico, and I can’t keep chasing things that never . . .” Choked up, I had to stop before tears came.

I moved away quickly, and I could hear Nico behind me, gathering his things in a rush. I knew he’d come after me, so I hustled in the direction of camp.

I stumbled a few times in the darkness. I rubbed my cold hands over my arms and kept plugging away, but the campfire area seemed to have disappeared. After a few minutes of walking, I wondered if I’d gotten turned around. I stopped and listened. I couldn’t hear shouts, or see flashlights shooting around in the tree line. I’d made a rookie mistake.

“And the heroine was so stupid, she died,” I said aloud.

“That’s not going to happen.” Nico’s voice came from the side of me.

I jumped and barely muffled a shriek. “Are you following me?” I asked shakily.

He emerged. “You seemed to be heading the wrong way.”

“How did I not hear you?”

“That was my job for a long time.”

He came to stand near me, and that blanket came out of his man bag once more. He wrapped it around my shoulders, and while his arms were still open, I walked into them and pressed right up against his hard chest. He tucked the blanket around me and then closed his arms over the top, holding me close.

“This goes directly against the stirring speech I just gave,” I said with a humorless laugh.

“What if I want to be chased?”

I pushed at his stomach with my fisted hands. “That’s because you’ve been victimized by living with me and sleeping in my pheromone soup. It’ll go away. Until then, I’m being a grown up.”

His head tilted, his cheek laying on the top of my head, as his arms tightened around me. “I’ve lived in tight quarters with a lot of people and never heard of pheromone soup.”

I scoffed. “Your first experience is memorable.”

I could hear his heart rate increase with my ear pressed against him. His hold on me shifted and firmed, as though he was expecting me to tear away.

I understood why he was concerned about my reaction when he said, “The other day you told me I should go after the thing that will make me happy.”

I instantly understood what he was saying, and rather than pull away I relaxed my hands and wrapped my arms snugly around his waist, settling in, giving in. It was the best hug of my life, standing there in the frozen forest, my heart beating too hard. Its rhythm synched up with his and in answer to his words I wanted to rise up on my toes and kiss him endlessly. I didn’t want to fight this. It felt different, and right, and I pulled back to look him in the eye. He raised his head from mine to look back down at me .

“You’re it,” he whispered. “In case that wasn’t clear. If where I live is the only thing holding you back, then I think you should stop worrying about it.”

His words stole my breath. “I’m thinking about kissing you,” I replied. I licked my lips and his head dipped toward mine. “I’d like to respectfully ask you not to notify HR.”

“I promise.”

I pressed up as he moved down until our mouths met. His lips were warm and soft, two adjectives I’d never associated with Nico before this summer. The forest sounds disappeared as his mouth moved against mine and I responded. My hands chased up his back until my palms were flat against his shoulder blades and I was pressing him closer. He kissed slowly, like he wanted to savor something sweet and imprint it in his mind, and for the first time in my life I didn’t want to speed my way through it. I wanted to feel it too. Every press of his lips, every time his chest lifted with breath, the way his heart pounded against mine. His hands moved down my back until he was gripping my waist in strong hands. The kiss gained momentum and soon we were breathing heavily, pressing as close as we could, and I wondered why I’d thought I had to leave him alone, why I hadn’t trusted this connection. This man kissed me like he knew me, like he’d been waiting for me, and I sank into it until we both had to come up for air.

I pressed my forehead against his chest and he ran light fingertips along my spine as we both gasped into the stillness. The blanket had fallen to the ground, but I didn’t feel the cold. I smiled, slowly releasing my hold on him inch-by-inch.

I pulled back to search his face right as a flashlight cut across the trees above us. Startled, I yanked back, stepping on the blanket as I jerked my hands from his sides. It wasn’t a moment too soon, because a second flashlight whipped through and went directly across Nico’s face, and then mine.

“Nico and Ruby, we found you!” a chorus of young voices called out. “We win!”

They cheered and came barreling up the hill, but I only had eyes for Nico. He was standing with his arms to his sides, his hands fisted, his expression intense, and I understood that I was no longer going to be the only one calling the shots.