Prideful

Five

I press a hand to my mouth to stop myself laughing.

Hope winks at me and smirks as she lifts up the flap of Mason's tent.

I creep into Brian's tent and walk over to his sleeping form.

Giving Hope a thumbs up through the mesh window, she smiles back at me and mouths a countdown.

Three, two, one!

I tip the pitcher of water on his head, Hope doing the same.

The effect is immediate.

Brian sits bolt upright with a yelp, eyes wide and confused as he pushes dripping wet hair away from his forehead.

Hope's musical laugh rings out, and Brian's eyes widen as he focuses on me.

"I didn't think you were serious about that." He states bluntly.

I grin. "You really thought that I'd pass up an opportunity to be this evil?"

He grimaces. "Yeah....no."

"What the fuck?!" I hear Mason yell. And I double over laughing.

He shakes his head. "Why did I bring you two?"

"Well, first of all, this whole thing is for Hope's sixteenth. Second, you know this would be boring as hell without me." I gasp as soon as I can talk again.

"And besides, you love us." Hope says, resting an elbow on my shoulder as she pushes open the flap.

He mutters something under his breath, but a small grin plays on his lips.

I kiss Hope's cheek and step back outside to where Mason is wringing out his shirt. He scowls at me.

I flip him off and saunter back over to our tent.

"Was the ice really necessary?!" Brian hollers at me from his tent. I stifle a laugh.

"Yep!" I call back, and he throws an ice cube at me which I easily dodge.

The boys slip back into their tents. Hope stands by the lake, her flaming hair in a messy bun and a sweater covering her pajamas.

I walk over, wrapping my arms around her from behind and resting my chin on her shoulder. I feel her lips tug up in a smile as she slips her hand into one of mine.

"What do you want to do today?"she asks quietly, and I shrug slightly.

"I figured you or one of the boys would take care of that issue. You know I'm terrible at decision making."

"Yeah...but I figured I'd give it a shot." She starts to trace absentminded circles on the back of my hand.

I sighs quietly and pull away from her. "It's too quiet. I'm gonna go make sure they haven't suffocated in their sleeping bags or something."

I see her smirk.

"Oi! Are you two still alive?" I call as I walk over to the firepit, and Brian gives me a thumbs up from under the flap of his tent. Mason shouts back a gruff, "yeah!"

Idiots. Both of them.

"Dammit." I say, just loud enough that I know they'll both hear me.

"If you want a ride back I suggest you shut up!" Brian advises.

I scowl. He has a point.

I don't think he'd actually leave me here, but I'm not taking any chances.