Wait (The Fast Series)

by Ringbloom, Ryan

  He turned her down. Two people offered him sex and he turned them both down. I can’t help but smile.

  “I’m sorry about your shorts.” Cassie looks down at the ruined white cotton. “I’ll pay you back. They may not have worked on Tucker, but they certainly did on Sawyer. Not that I went to the hut or had sex or anything, but we still had fun.”

  “Don’t worry about the shorts, it’s fine.” I could care less about the shorts. “Cassie where was Tucker when you asked him?”

  “By that big rock, where you guys were the first night,” she says walking into the bathroom.

  I hoped she would say that. This was the best news, exactly what I hoped for. Still too early to let my guard down, but at least I can be a little hopeful.

  Cassie comes back wearing an old t-shirt and cut-off sweats. She flicks off the light, turns the fan on letting it oscillate and climbs into her bed.

  “Sharing your fan tonight?” My mood is better and I can’t resist saying it.

  Cassie laughs. The tension between us has lifted. Good timing, with the campers arriving tomorrow, we can’t be fighting.

  “Tessa, I’m sorry, I don’t hate you and I’m sorry I called you a whore. I know you’re not.”

  “It was the first night, it was a weird night. I’m over it.” As long as she never does it again.

  “This summer, I want to have fun and be a little crazy. This thing with Sawyer, it’s just a fling, a good time. I hope you don’t judge me.”

  “I don’t judge you. You can do whatever you want.”

  “I mean everyone else here is doing whatever the hell he wants, why shouldn’t I?”

  He? Who did she mean? That was strange. I don’t say anything and Cassie continues talking into the darkness.

  “Mark and Courtney went to the hut. She stayed in his cabin last night too. Tonight he kissed her right in front of me and then took her back to his cabin again. She’s probably still there right now. I don’t care though. He can do whatever he wants. It’s not like I’m with him.”

  “Your brother?” This is turning into such a creepy conversation. There’s something really weird between Cassie and Mark. Why is she talking like this?

  “Huh? My brother, yes, I meant it like of course I’m not with him, he’s my brother.” She laughs it off.

  Cassie goes quiet and I am freaked out. Do they have some twisted incestuous relationship? It was a strange comment to make. I think I need to keep an eye on Cassie just in case. This potentially could be a very bad situation.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Cassie

  Everything about the weekdays is different at camp. It’s a whole new look and feel once the place is bustling with screaming kids scattered all over the grounds in assorted activities. The days are packed and zoom by leaving everyone exhausted.

  Tessa and I spent the week up to our eyeballs in moody twelve-year-old girls. The last night there the girls were up half the night whispering and giggling. We had to take turns quieting them down. As the buses full of campers drive away on Friday evening we smack hands and cheer.

  The clouds that loomed all day roll in and it starts to pour before we even make it back to our cabin. Two at a time we race up the stairs, drenched by the time we reach the door.

  “This sucks.” I’m freezing. I dry my wet hair with a towel and change my shirt. “We bust our asses all week and now we can’t even go out tonight.”

  “Maybe it will stop,” Tessa says, followed by a big clap of thunder. “Or maybe not,” she jumps away from the door and slams it shut.

  The rain will ruin the whole weekend. Even if it stops, everything will be wet and no one will go out. “If we have to wait another whole week to have fun this is going to suck.”

  “Whatever. I’m going to take a shower.” Tessa grabs her caddy and walks into the bathroom. I know she’ll be in there at least an hour.

  I’m already bored and start wondering what everyone else is doing. I haven’t gone this long without talking to Mark since I met him. How had his first week of camp been? Is he alone tonight? The rain beats down on the roof harder, and I can hear more thunder rolling in the distance. It’s going to be a bad storm. I kneel on Tessa’s bed and look out the front window. It’s too dark to see anything.

  At least tonight I can sleep and tomorrow I can wake up early and get all my errands done. Laundry is piled up, and Tessa offered to take me to the store. I’m low on snacks and new magazines are most definitely needed. We’ve been reading and re-reading the same ones Tessa packed all week. I also want to see if they have Tessa’s passion fruit shampoo and conditioner. I’m obsessed with it and figure it’s time to buy my own.

  Without any warning the cabin door bursts open, a gust of wind pushing someone inside. I scream until I see the blue eyes peek out from under a hood. “It’s just me.”

  “Mark!” I leap up from my bed ready to throw myself into his arms. “I’m so happy you’re here!”

  The hood comes off. “It’s me,” Sawyer repeats, laughing.

  I’m stunned for a second. “Even better,” I try and sound convincing.

  He scoops me up, soaking my dry clothes with his wet ones and gives me a kiss. “I could not stay in the cabin all night. I’d lose my mind. I thought you might like some company.” He looks around. “Where’s your friend?”

  “Tessa’s in the shower. What was Mark doing?”

  “Courtney,” he chuckles at his dirty reference.

  I force a smile trying not to think about it.

  “I would love company tonight. I’ll be right back.” I go in to the bathroom to give Tessa a heads up.

  “Mark’s here, we’re going to hang out. Is that okay with you?” I ask her.

  “Yeah, of course.” Tessa looks perfect as always in her cutesy pajamas ready to go to bed. She follows me out and squeals, jumping back a few steps.

  Her squeal scares the hell out of me. “What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing.” Tessa shakes her head. “You said Mark was here, but it’s Sawyer and it just surprised me is all.”

  My face scrunches thinking about it. “I’m pretty sure I said Sawyer and not Mark.”

  Tessa’s eyes are still wide, she shrugs. “I probably misheard you.” She points back at the bathroom. “I’m going to do a face mask tonight. So, I’ll be in there for a while.” She walks back into the bathroom and doesn’t even say hello to Sawyer. Now she’s acting all weird. I didn’t say Mark. I said Sawyer. I’m like ninety percent sure.

  “Let’s take advantage while she’s in there. Turn off the light.” Sawyer suggests in a voice I’m sure he thinks is sexy.

  I turn off the light and we climb into my bed. I need to let it go but it still bugs me, I said Sawyer not Mark. I’m like fifty percent sure.

  Sawyer kisses me in the dark. I know nothing about him. This is what I wanted, a hot summer fling. His hands roam under my clothes and I try to enjoy it. We stop when we hear Tessa’s footsteps. She doesn’t turn the light on. Her bed crinkles and the sound of her covers being jostled around informs us she’s in bed.

  “I think she’s asleep,” Sawyer whispers after only a few minutes.

  I’m sure she isn’t. “Be extra quiet,” I whisper back. Sawyer’s lips find mine again, so do his hands. The room fills with lightning followed by a crack of thunder. The storm is close now. It’s good to have Sawyer here. He pushes my legs apart and through the thin fabric of my shorts he rubs himself against me and groans. He does it again pushing into me harder. “Do you like this?” he asks, a deep whisper in my ear.

  Oh good, we’re talking because I want to ask him something. “Are Courtney and Mark together or just hooking up?”

  Tessa

  Kill me. I hear every whisper, every kiss, and every groan. I’m not asleep and they are not being as quiet as they think they are. If Sawyer’s here, then maybe I can go to his cabin and Mark will let me sleep in Sawyer’s bed. Not a great solution, but it has to be better than this. Anything is better tha
n this. The rain slows down, but the lightning starts. It’s too dangerous to go outside now. Great. It looks like I’m stuck here.

  Another passionate groan comes from Cassie’s bed. Gross. Forget it. I’ll take my chances and make a run for Mark’s before the storm gets any worse.

  On my tip toes I creep across the room, grab a jacket and slip on flip-flops. I open and shut the door very carefully, not disturbing the disgusting groan fest under Cassie’s covers. The flip-flops are too big. I must have slipped on Cassie’s by accident. The stairs are wet and the moss growing through the cracks in the wood is making them extra slippery. I hold firmly onto the rail for dear life making my way down. Safely at the bottom, the rain starts back up. I raise my hood, the flip flops making it impossible to run.

  “Tessa, what are you doing out here?” The throaty voice booms over the rain.

  I squint up through the rain droplets to see Tucker. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to make sure you were okay. Good thing I did, why are you out here?”

  “Sawyer and Cassie are in there and I figured I would go to Mark’s.” The plan seems completely ridiculous now.

  “Come with me.” He takes me by the hand and leads me through the mud. One of Cassie’s flip flops gets stuck in the mud and my foot slips out. Instead of stopping, I slip the other foot out. It’ll be easier to walk without them. Cassie’s three dollar flip flops are no big loss. The mud squishes between my toes. I don’t care. Tucker’s fingers are laced through mine. His cabin is far down the big mountain and the mud is splattering all over my legs. This is so exciting. I actually feel tingly sloshing through the rain and mud.

  When we arrive I’m afraid to go in. “I’m covered in mud,” I yell over the rain and point down to my filthy legs. He lifts me up carrying me inside, kicking his shoes off by the door.

  “Where are your shoes?” he asks once we’re inside.

  “I lost them in the mud,” I say quietly.

  He still has me in his arms and carries me into the bathroom. My wet bottom gets placed up on the counter next to the sinks.

  “I’ll be right back,” he says.

  Tucker returns a minute later with a pile of towels and clothes. He guides my feet under the warm water in one of the sinks, gently wiping away the mud with a fluffy blue washcloth. My body trembles at the touches, luckily I’m able to play it off as being cold. His wet hair is curled and his t-shirt clings, displaying his defined chest to me. This makes me think about my own clothes. I look down at my thin pajama top and tug the soaked shirt away from my skin, mortified at how much is revealed. If Tucker noticed, he’s being a gentleman about it.

  “Here are some clothes to change into and some towels. I’m gonna go change too.” He helps me off the counter before exiting to give me some privacy.

  I wait until he’s gone before peeling off my wet clothes. Every article of clothing on me is soaked. My shirt makes a splashy thud when it hits the concrete floor of the bathroom. The clothes he gave me to wear are huge. The gray t-shirt I slip over my head falls to my knees. It’s cozy, warm, clean and even has the faint scent of the beach to it. I wring out my wet pajamas and place them on the counter hoping they’ll be somewhat dry by morning. Being I wasn’t wearing a bra, the only thing left is my pink cotton undies. They’re wet but I can’t take them off. Especially knowing what I know about him. The sweat pants he left me are too big to even consider wearing. What should I do? Closing my eyes I grip the counter and slide the undies off. The shirt’s long enough he’ll never know. The last thing he left me is socks. Super soft and comfy. I pull them all the way up to my knees and slouch them back down neatly. I ignore the mirror, refusing to even look at my hair, there’s nothing I can do about it, so why even look? When it comes to rain, curly hair does whatever the hell it wants.

  I step into the room all set to ask him how I look modeling his oversized shirt when I stop short. Tucker’s wearing a pair of dark wire framed glasses. I’m staring, unable to look away. Stop staring. I don’t. At least close your mouth, my mouth listens and closes swallowing hard.

  “How do I look in my glasses?” he grins.

  No reply from me makes his grin go away. My brain’s too scrambled for words. If I had been able to form a word, the word would most definitely be hot. I need oxygen.

  The thunder rumbles and the light flickers above us. I look around his cabin, noticing his roommate isn’t here.

  “He’s not here,” he volunteers. “Went off visiting, said he’ll be back in the morning. I didn’t plan on bringing you back here. When I went to your cabin, I was just going to check on you. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. I can bring you back if you want.”

  “It’s okay.” Normal breaths return, my lungs are working properly again. I’m spending the night alone with Tucker, my heart thumps in my ears. Is it panic or excitement I’m feeling?

  “You can sleep in my bed and I’ll sleep in his.” He waves his hand at the other bed. It’s sloppy and unmade, very questionable looking.

  “No, you sleep in your bed. His bed is disgusting.”

  He shakes his head. “I’ll be fine. There’s no way I would let you sleep in a bed like that.”

  The light bulb in the ceiling flickers again. We both look up, lightning lights up the room and then it goes dark. Power’s out. A loud clap of thunder shakes the cabin. I rush over to Tucker. “Let’s both sleep in your bed,” I say surprising myself, clinging to his arm for safety. More thunder booms. “Please.”

  “Last week’s test with your roommate was easy, this one is not gonna be,” he grumbles, but walks me over to his bed.

  I get into the bed first and move all the way over to the wall. The bed sink lowers when he climbs under the covers next to me. My heart skips a few beats. I hear the sound of his sexy glasses making a click on the side table by his bed.

  “It wasn’t my idea, the Cassie thing.” The thunder explodes, loudest one so far. “They wanted to know if you were telling the truth about being interested in someone. They wanted to know who it was.”

  Another flash. Another boom.

  “So does everyone know who it is now?”

  “No, no one does.”

  “Not even you?”

  “No.” I gulp, hoping he’ll say it’s me.

  The rain comes down in buckets bouncing hard on the rooftop. Thunder rolls and booms between flashes. We can’t continue our conversation over all the sounds. The storm seems to be getting worse. I snuggle back into Tucker for protection. My body nestles perfectly into his. This is spooning, my first time, and such a comfortable thing.

  Tucker lets me into the curve of his body but doesn’t touch me. Does that mean he isn’t turned on by me? Am I the girl he’s interested in or not? Even as intimate as being curled up like this is, he still hasn’t kissed me. I want to be kissed.

  The thunder slows, drifting away in the distance.

  “What are you thinking about?” A question guys hate, but I’m curious.

  “I am thinking about my sick grandmother, the troops in Iraq, my old dog that died when I was thirteen,” he says through staggered breaths.

  Why is he thinking about those things? All I can think about is him and he’s thinking about horrible things. Maybe it would help if I tell him what I’m thinking.

  “I was thinking about the beach. You smell like coconut suntan lotion, reminds me of the ocean.” I press myself in closer to his body. “I love the way you smell Tucker. I think you’re so hot.”

  Gasp. I feel it. I think that’s a good sign. Now what? Do I roll over to face him? Do we kiss? Will he be okay with just kissing? Will he try for more? Will he be mad if I stop him like Josh used to be? My heart beats wildly in my chest waiting for what comes next. The mattress shifts. Tucker rolls over; his back is now towards me. No more spooning.

  What? My heart sinks. He doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t do anything. All that talk about getting serious this summer and being interested, all that build-up an
d I’m not the girl? My hand curls up into a small fist, I cover my mouth and nose trying to stifle a cry. Stop; don’t do this, not here, not now. But my body heaves trying to suppress the sob building up in my chest and the sad sound sneaks its way out.

  Tucker rolls partially back around. “What are you doing?”

  “Nothing,” I sniff.

  “Please don’t tell me you’re crying.” He sits up resting on his elbows.

  “I’m not.” I bury my face in the pillow.

  “Tessa, what did I do?” He gets up from the bed smashing his palm into his forehead. “I’m being so careful not to do the wrong thing here.”

  “You didn’t do anything wrong.” I wipe away a tear. “You didn’t do anything at all.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You told me if I said you were hot you would kiss me. But you didn’t. So, that means I’m not the girl you’re interested in.”

  “Holy shit, are you kidding me?” Tucker takes a few steps back away from the bed. “You are lying in my bed, in my t-shirt and I’m guessing not a stitch of clothing is on underneath it. You’re wiggling into me, and that’s the moment you choose to tell me I’m hot. I’m doing everything in my power to be a gentleman here. And this makes you cry? This is why I don’t do relationships. I don’t know what I was thinking. I can’t do this. Girls are all fucking nuts.”

  I cover my face letting his words sink in. “I think it’s just me who’s nuts. I don’t know why I’m crying. I don’t know why you won’t kiss me. I just want normal boy meets girl stuff, dating, kissing; see if it builds to something. Everybody always seems to find what they want except me. I guess because what I want isn’t normal.” I get up and walk over to the dirty roommate’s bed. When I sit down an unpleasant odor surrounds me.

  It’s so quiet in the dark cabin, I pray for him to say something. I’d settle for more thunder or rain, anything to fill the silence.

  Tucker’s shadowy figure walks over and reaches for my hand. The feeling of his hand on mine gives me hope, my heart takes off pounding. I smile up at him even though it’s too dark for him to see. He pulls me up to my feet. It’s a perfect kiss moment. But there’s no kiss. He leads me across the room back to his bed.