“Wow. Someone’s been a busy beaver,” Crys said, entering the clearing as the kids were leaving. “You’re really popular with the small humans, huh?”
I shrugged. “I started doing summer hikes with the Mini Scouts when Aiden was that age. I wanted to show him the mountain like my dad did with me. And then… I just kept doing it, even after he aged out. There’s something about kids this age that’s special. They’re little sponges.”
“If you say so, boo. I have zero patience.” She turned and surveyed the bushes and plants around us doubtfully. “So… this is your new home away from home? It’s… cute.”
I snickered. “Not here. There are marked areas for camping where you can pitch a tent. Mine’s a little ways up the trail.” I bumped her shoulder and nodded in the direction of the peak. “You wanna come see?”
“Obviously. I didn’t climb five billion miles up this craggy mountain on a mission of mercy just to turn around and head back right away. Besides, I have supplies for you.” She reached around to pat her bulging backpack.
“You’re the best.”
It hadn’t taken me long to realize that storming out without my sleeping bag had been a mistake. The cold front that had blown in over the weekend had decided to stick around, at least at the higher elevation where I was camping. I’d rather have taken my chances with hypothermia than head back to town and deal with my family again, though, so I’d called Crys, who had a huge assortment of outdoor gear shoved in her closet, and asked for a favor.
It took about ten more minutes of hiking to reach the little camping area I’d chosen. It was set back about twenty feet from the trail for privacy and ringed with tall pines.
I swept out an arm. “Home sweet home. For the next little while, at least.”
Crys pushed a clump of sweat-damp pink hair off her forehead and set down her backpack with aclink. “Sleeping bag,” she announced, pulling out a quilted bag and unrolling it inside the tent. “And some other necessities.” She removed two poly bags of dehydrated food, a wickedly sharp-looking knife, a Taser, and…
“Are those night-vision goggles?” I demanded.
“Yep. My ex-girlfriend left a bunch of shit before she moved out of our old place. She was a ten, but she was a prepper, so really she was a six, tops, if you know what I mean. Still, handy stuff, right? Also…”
She opened a different compartment and withdrew a glass bottle of vodka, some orange-pink juice, two plastic cups, and a tiny cooler of crushed ice. “Don’t worry, the bottle and cups are recyclable. Couldn’t exactly toast your protest with Earth-killing stuff.”
After we got settled atop the sleeping bag inside the tent, she bartended us into some killer-looking cocktails, then settled in and began the interrogation I’d known was coming.
“So, boo, I’ve gotta ask… What the fuck was that all about at the diner?”
“It was about me not waiting anymore, obviously.” I lifted my chin stubbornly. “It was about me making changes. Like we talked about. I’ve already gotten a bunch of stuff started on Instagram, and?—”
“Hold up. I don’t recall suggesting that you should announce to the entire town your…” She hesitated. “Freshie status.”
“You can say virgin,” I muttered. “I’ve decided it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’m gonna own it. In fact, I might start a Virgin Club and invite other-Chris from the Bugle to join me. We can both wear grandma-knit sweaters and proudly proclaim that our flowers have never been plucked.”
“I’m not sure other-Chris would qualify for your club.” Crys tapped the lip of the cup against her chin. “He’s got the heart of a marauding Viking hiding beneath those glasses and granny sweaters.”
I snorted. “If you say so.”
“Besides, I’m not sureyouare gonna qualify for your club much longer. Didn’t you agree to consider a date with Simon the Enviro Geek?”
“Welllll,” I hedged. “Sort of. I maybe typed out a message to him earlier, but I was too keyed up to send it.”
“Boo. It’sbecauseyou’re so keyed up that youneedto send it. If you de-escalate the importance of the cherry-popping moment and just let it happen with any decent guy, then maybe you’ll stop stressing about it so much. Things with Jack will have more time to develop naturally… if they’re going to develop.”
I looked up from my drink to stare at her. “You think I’m stressing myself into rejection?”
“No,” she said with a laugh. “It’s just… sex doesn’t have to be such a big deal. It’s fun and powerful and beautifuland transcendental even, but sometimes it’s more like a stress reliever. Like knife throwing… but with penises, in your case.”
I choked on my drink. “Considering how badly I failed at knife throwing, that’s maybe not the best comparison. But… okay, let’s say I agree with you. Simon only asked me to dinner. How would I even go about getting him to agree to no-strings sex?Hello, Simon, I would like you to throw your penis at my target?”
“That would do it.” Crys had a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. “Then let the conversation flow naturally from there.”
I set my cup down and buried my face in my hands to cool my burning cheeks. “I’m being serious. How do you ask a guy for sex?”
“Hawk.” She shook her head. “You are the most precious pearl, and never change, okay? But also… do we really need to revisit the dirty probable meaning of his leaf emojis? He’s already on board, and if he’s gone anywhere in the Hollow today, I can guarantee he’s heard exactly what’s on your mind right now, too. Just let him know you’re interested. He’ll take it from there.”
I nodded to let her know I heard her, but when I tried to picture it—Simon’slips on mine,Simon’shands on my body, the scent ofSimon’scologne in my nose—it felt exciting but wrong.And when the two of us heard the crunch of approaching footsteps coming up the trail to the campsite and I peered out the tent in excited expectation… it wasn’t Simon I was hoping to see.
