“Don’t know.” I scan the field to decide where to set up our tent. There’s a spot to the left twenty yards away from all the others. It would be great for privacy.If Korie even shows up.
My stomach knots at the thought, and suddenly I feel like I might throw up. God, things are so fucked up. Would Korie really miss the family campout because of me?
Hattie is still watching me. “What happened?”
“Nothing.”
Her glare screamsliar. “You never answered my texts after the mall, so I just assumed you worked it all out.”
I toss my bags on the ground and get to my knees to dig through the tent pieces, trying to avoid her.
But of course, Hattie kneels beside me.
I drag a hand through my hair, already feeling irritation spark beneath my ribs. Not at her. At myself. At the situation.
At the fact that I suddenly don’t know how to talk about my relationship without feeling like I’m betraying Korie somehow. Would they even want me to say anything? I mean, everyone’s going to know something’s off the second they show up. Wouldn’t it be better if I just… got it over with?
Hattie hesitates, and I can feel her gaze burning into me as strongly as Mom’s did whenever I did something stupid. But she doesn’t get it. This is worse than any of those.
I may have pushed my best friend into something they weren’t ready for.And it could ruin us forever.
I suck in a breath, face pinched. No. God, no. I can’t lose Korie.I can’t.
Hattie notices. “Oh, shit. Is it that bad?”
I force myself to relax. “I’m fine,” I say, trying to sound firm, but my voice betrays me.
“You’re clearly not.”
“I said I’m fine.”
“You can’t even look at me.”
I exhale slowly and finally glance at her. Hattie’s eyes widen, then concern softens her face instantly.
“I can’t talk about it,” I manage. “So, please. Just… can you go let everyone know I’m here? I need time to…” I stop. Now I sound like Korie.I need time.
It just twists the knife a little more.
Hattie eyes me carefully, like she’s torn between giving me space or staying attached at my hip for the rest of the weekend. “Why don’t I help you with this? We can get it done faster.”
I groan. “Fine.”
As Hattie unfolds the main tent piece, I assemble the tent poles. My head is too scattered to really focus, though, scanning the trees with every car that passes.
“Careful. You bent that backward,” my sister says.
“No, I didn’t.”
“You did, actually.”
I look down.
Fuck.
Okay, maybe I did.
Hattie quietly fixes the angle while eyeing me sideways. “So… are they even coming?”
