5. Gavin
GAVIN
You’re the worst?! I hear myself saying it over and over again in my head. God, what a dick thing to say.
Sure, I was just repeating her words, but she’s earned the right to say shitty things to me.
Being around Violet brings out some primal, barbaric side of me. I want her, but since I can’t have her, I end up acting like a giant asshole.
I followed Tracy and Lori, the girls we met at the top of the mountain, back to their camp. At least being here, I can’t put my foot in my mouth around Violet, but the truth is, I have no desire to hang out with these girls.
They seem nice enough, they’re even kind of hot, but I’m not getting naked with either one (or both) of them.
I stay long enough for them to introduce me to some more of the friends they’re camping with this weekend and to drink the beer they offer me, but as soon as the can is empty, I crush the aluminum in my hand and get to my feet. “Thanks for the beer, but I should get back.”
“What? No way,” Tracy says, and wraps her long, slender fingers around my wrist.
“Sorry. My friends will be expecting me.”
“We should merge our parties, and all hang out together.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Go get them and come back,” she insists.
Smiling, I nod my agreement. I already know my friends aren’t interested in that. They’re all coupled up and just want to spend time with the people they came with instead of a bunch of random strangers.
I knew Violet was going to be here. She’s most of the reason I canceled my date and tagged along with Jenkins and Taylor.
I thought maybe it would be an opportunity for us to hang out and bury the hatchet, so to speak.
We live next to each other; our friends are dating.
I could think of any number of reasons to cease fire with her, but so far, all I’ve done this weekend is give her a million more reasons to keep hating my guts.
When I get back to camp, Jordan is the only one I see. He pulls a water from a cooler by the fire pit and stands tall. “Hey. You’re alive.”
I arch a brow in question.
“With you and Vi spending the morning together, death seemed like a distinct possibility. Did you really have a threesome with some girls you met on the ski lift?”
“What?” I shake my head. “Definitely not. Is that what she said?”
He lets out a soft chuckle. “I’m sure I’m leaving out some details, but that was the gist of it.”
“No. I didn’t hook up with anyone.” I curse under my breath and wonder if I should have. Maybe a threesome is just the thing to obliterate Violet from my brain. “Is she around?”
“She was. I think she might have gone on a hike with Liam and Cole.”
I pull a beer from the cooler, have a seat in one of the chairs around the fire pit, and try to calm the irrational part of me that wants to go find her and clear the air. I’d probably do more damage than good. Nah, I think I’ll just get good and drunk until I’m numb to it all.
Jordan’s still standing, body angled toward the tent, where I imagine his girl is holed up.
“How’s Daisy?”
“Better, but I don’t think she’s going to be drinking tonight.” He lifts the bottle in his hand. “I should get this to her. When everyone gets back, we should have a chill night. Cook, hang out, maybe play some cards?”
I smile. Jordan doting on someone still catches me by surprise. He wasn’t big on relationships until he met Daisy, and now, he’s got this permanent dopey grin, acting like he’s Doctor freaking McDreamy. I’m thrilled for him, but it’s trippy. “Sounds good.”
He still hesitates to leave me.
I jut my chin in that direction. “Go check on your girl, man. I’m gonna drink this and then crash for a bit.”
He walks off, and I take my beer and head toward the hammock behind Liam and Cole’s tent. It’s turned muggy out, making my clothes stick to my skin.
I slept like shit last night. It took me forever to fall asleep, knowing Violet was only a few feet away. I have no idea how I ended up curled up next to her, but her skin is just as soft as I remember. And her hair. How does it always smell so good?
When the hammock comes into sight, I chug the remainder of my beer, toss it on the ground to pick up later, and pull my T-shirt over my head. I’m kicking off my shoes and about half a second from sinking into the hammock, when it sways and Violet’s head pops up. “What are you doing here?”
“I was coming to nap. What are you doing here?”
“Same.” She lies back down and closes her eyes. “Occupied. Sorry.”
She doesn’t look or sound sorry.
“I’m tired, Vi. I don’t want to fight.”
“Who’s fighting?”
God, she’s so frustrating. I push the hammock to get her attention.
“Get out or I’m getting in with you.”
Her eyes open and flash with anger. “You wouldn’t.”
“Wouldn’t I?”
She doesn’t move, and I push the netting down with one arm until she rolls toward me.
“Last warning, Violet.”
She steadies herself. “I was here first.”
“And I’m tired and you already claimed my tent as yours.”
“It’s too hot in the tent.”
There is no graceful way to get into a hammock and I’m six foot six anyway, so grace isn’t really in my repertoire.
I dive in butt first. Violet’s small body rolls under me.
My head is at her feet, and it occurs to me too late that I’m within striking distance.
She doesn’t kick me, but one of her knees gets awfully close to my balls.
“Oh my god, you’re all sweaty.” Her smooth legs tangle with mine as she tries to escape.
“Stop thrashing or you’re going to knock both of us on our asses.”
“Good.”
A crack of thunder has us temporarily freezing but then she’s back to kicking and screaming, trying to get away from me.
“For the love of god, woman, cut it out.”
I glance up at the dark clouds as drops of rain start to fall. “It’s going to rain.”
“It is raining,” she says, just as the pellets of water pick up speed. Her white T-shirt is dotted with water spots and another drop sits on her lashes.
We both make a move to get out at the same time.
Note: there’s also no graceful way to get out of a hammock.
“Just, hold still for a second,” I say.
She actually complies for a change, and I pick her up by the waist and set her on the ground in front of me.
Her lips part. Violet has great lips. Full and soft. The bottom one always sticks out in a pout, and I can remember all too well what it felt like to have that mouth all over me.
“You manhandled me,” she says, straightening her clothes.
I step out of the hammock next to her. The rain comes down hard now, silencing everything else as it pelts leaves and structures all around us.
“You’re welcome.”
We take off running toward the tent. I get there first and hold it open for her to step inside. Her T-shirt is see-through at this point, but I don’t let my gaze linger there. I stare out into the campground and can barely see the other tents.
I zip us in and sit down. “I don’t think we’re going anywhere for a while.”
She shivers. I grab my backpack and pull out a shirt. I left mine outside, along with my shoes. I pull it over my head and glance at Violet. She hasn’t moved except to hug her knees against her chest.
“Do you have dry clothes in here?”
She gives her a head a small shake. “I put my bag in Jordan’s vehicle this morning.”
I stare at her while I try to decipher the intent behind that.
“I didn’t want to have any more tent run-ins with you,” she says, without meeting my gaze.
A laugh builds in my chest, breaking free in a rough chuckle. “How’s that working out for you?”
The rain doesn’t last long, but it leaves a chill in the air and the ground is soaked around the campsite. As we emerge from the tent to check on the others, Violet keeps on my hoodie. It comes down past her shorts like a dress. Looks way better on her than me.
Everyone’s made it back, so we pull out everything that’s left of our food for the trip and decide to hang out in my tent. It’s the largest and least crowded with stuff since Violet and I are tiptoeing around each other.
I have a bottle of Jager in one hand and a can of beer in the other.
We’re playing cards, but the mood is different tonight.
We’re all tired, not really interested in getting drunk or partying.
Daisy’s feeling better, but she sits between Jordan’s legs and leans back against his chest. He’s barely touched his beer, and his interest in the cards is only second to kissing his girl.
Jenkins and Taylor are even worse. They’re full-on making out between hands of poker.
“Let’s play something else,” Liam says after I take the pot.
I scan the circle. “Any suggestions?”
Taylor extracts herself from Jenkins long enough to offer up one. “Truth or dare.”
I wait for someone to shoot it down. Looks like I’m gonna have to be the bad guy.
“No.”
“Why not?” Jenkins asks. He pulls back the tent flaps and a gust of cold air blasts through the space. “Nothing else to do.”
“Because you’re gonna dare me to kiss your bare ass or something, and I haven’t had nearly enough to drink.” I lift the bottle and let more of the dark liquid spill down my throat.
“I’ve never?” he counters.
I shake my head.
“Two truths and a lie,” Violet says. She’s sitting across from me, pulling on the strings of my hoodie, wrapping them around her delicate fingers.
Everyone agrees and she goes first. “I’m allergic to blackberries.” She pauses and takes a sip of her beer. “It took me two times to pass my driver’s test.” Another small pause. “I don’t like French fries.”
“The first one is a lie,” Taylor says.
Jenkins nods his agreement. Daisy smiles but doesn’t guess.
“Everyone likes French fries,” Liam says.
“Yeah, that one is the lie.” Cole points a finger at her.
“I’m gonna go with the blackberries.” Jordan watches Daisy’s face for confirmation, but she gives nothing away.
Violet grins and then everyone looks to me. She fidgets under my gaze.
“It didn’t take you two times to pass your driver’s test.”
“Who is right?” Jenkins asks.
Daisy laughs. “It took her three times.”
Violet lets her gaze hold with mine and her brown eyes narrow. We continue around the circle, hitting Taylor, then Jenkins, but before it gets to me, someone suggests we brave the cold and sit by the fire one last time.
In the morning, we’re heading home, and it’ll be back to school, back to practices, back to reality.
“I didn’t tell you the driver’s license story,” Violet says as she comes to stand next to me. We’re huddled close to the fire as Liam gets it going. “Are you stalking me or something?”
I huff a laugh. “No.”
I abandoned the Jager in the tent and now I’m wishing I hadn’t.
“Did Daisy tell you?”
“No one told me.”
“Then how did you know?”
I face her. “I can tell when you’re lying.”
“Bullshit.” She rolls her eyes and brings her hands in front of her body to rub her palms together.
“I’m serious. It’s in the rhythm of your words. You talk faster when you’re nervous or excited, or telling a lie. Your eyes widen too.”
“Mhmm. Sure. I think you just got lucky.”
“You don’t believe me?” It’s more a statement than a question. I can tell she doesn’t. “Fine. Let me try again.”
“And if you get it wrong?”
“I won’t.”
“But if you do, I get the tent tonight and you have to find somewhere else to sleep. And I’m keeping your blanket.”
“And if I win, where are you going to sleep?”
“I’ll crash with Daisy and Jordan.”
“Fine.”
She lifts her chin defiantly. Her first words make me suck in a breath. “I lost my virginity to a jerk who pretended to be super into me.”
I swallow the acid burning my throat.
“A week later I found him in bed with my roommate.”
Every word is a physical blow.
“And finally, the same jerk crashed my weekend camping trip with friends while continuing to hook up with every girl that crosses his path.”
I want to tell her that they’re all lies, or at least not the complete truth. I was super into her. I don’t even remember getting in that bed with her roommate, and I didn’t hook up with those girls today, but I know it won’t matter. I fucked up. Irrevocably.
So, instead of fighting with her, I take a step away. “You can have the tent.”