Cresswell: The Lunar Chronicles

Chapter Ninety-Eight

 Cress wanted to try the belay wall a few more times, determined to get the hang of jumping on her own. After that first time it became increasingly easier, though Carswell begged her to try the wall without the ropes.

"What if you fall?"

"You fall on the padded ground, it'll be fine. Come on," Carswell added, pulling her toward one of the shorter walls.

Cress worried that once she got to the top she wouldn't be able to climb back down but much to her surprise she found there to be a little lounge area on a top loft just over the wall that was easy to climb into.

After that she wanted to try the taller walls and she only fell once, but it was only half-way up. It was kinda fun though to see how Carswell reacted--rushing to her side and making sure she was okay and hadn't broken any bones.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she repeated. "A little shaken, but fine."

"Be careful," Carswell said again.

Cress nodded. She tried it again, managing to get all the way to the top and haul her leg over the wall into the lounge area where she collapsed to the ground.

Carswell swung himself over a minute later. "Phew, this is hard work. I'm gonna be sore tomorrow."

"Think of all those muscles you'll be getting."

Carswell laughed. "I know how much you like the muscles." 

Cress nodded. She exhaled shortly and then pushed herself up. "Okay come on, let's keep going."

Carswell nodded. "Lead the way, which wall do you wanna try next?"

Cress paused at the stairs, glancing around. "Any of them except that one," she said, pointing to the tallest wall.

"What? Oh come on, it'll be fun."

"I couldn't even climb down the one with the ropes!"

"Well if you get stuck I'll rescue you."

Cress still hesitated. She finally shook her head. "No, maybe later."

Carswell didn't insist, though he did try the highest wall and managed to get up and down several times with no problem while Cress explored the rest of the free climbing walls. She ran into Kai and Cinder a few times but she couldn't figure out their pattern, if they had any.

When lunchtime rolled around everyone was starving from working so hard. Carswell suggested they get some take out and head back to the apartment, which was met with approval.

"I'm starving," Cinder murmured around a bite of burger.

"Same." 

"Is anyone gonna want dessert?" Cress asked.

"Probably," Carswell replied.

Cress nodded, standing out and taking out a tube of cookie dough from the fridge. "We gotta get rid of this anyway before Scarlet and Wolf get here."

"Why? Cause Wolf'll eat it?" Cinder laughed.

"No, Scarlet will kill me. She made me swear not to buy the premade stuff but I couldn't help it! It's so good."

Carswell laughed. "Well good thing we've got four starving people ready to devour anything eatable."

Cress grinned, sliding back into her seat and finishing off the rest of her lunch.

"Do you guys care if I shower first? Sorry, I think I took more of that powder stuff on my clothes than you're supposed to," Cinder added with a smirk.

"No you're not allowed to shower here," Carswell said at the same time Cress said,

"Yeah, there's a shower in the guest room."

Cinder smiled at Cress, glared at Carswell, and kissed Kai on the side of his face as she stood up and started back into their room.

"I think I'm actually gonna shower too," Carswell said.

Cress nodded. "Kai there's a shower on the Rampion if you wanna jump on the shower bandwagon."

"Kai you take ours, I'll go on the Rampion," Carswell said. He gathered up the rest of the trash and tossed it in the waste basket.

"Well I don't want to be left out," Cress added, hurrying upstairs to grab her shower stuff. There were two showers on the Rampion, may as well shower while everyone else is.

"Let one out has to make dinner tonight!" Carswell said, yanking open the front door and darting down the corridor.

"Hey! Your legs are way longer!" Cress protested, taking off after him.

Carswell didn't slow, but he did wait for her at the door. 

"Why doesn't Scarlet want you to get the store bought cookie dough?" Carswell asked as they started down the corridor.

"She said the homemade stuff is better," Cress shrugged. "I don't know though, I kinda like the store bought stuff."

"It's all good so I don't care." Carswell paused at the branch of corridors to give her a kiss and then disappeared up to his room.

Cress wasn't sure if they were still supposed to be racing or not but she took a fast shower just in case and beat Carswell by all of 30 seconds.

Much to Cress's relief, between the four of them they managed to polish off the entire tube of cookie dough.

"Ugh, now I feel sick," Kai groaned as he dropped onto the sofa. 

Cinder sank onto the ground beneath him. "Same. But man  was it worth it."