The Summer Reunion (unedited version)

36| Three Teens And A Creepy Unknown Being Makes Four

Paul, the survival instructor, walked around to the other groups, checking on their progress. We started with setting up a tent. Easy enough, except we weren't given any instructions. I noticed now a tent set up in the middle of the dirt clearing we occupied. The lecture I hadn't paid attention to was actually a demonstration.

Grayson and I spent the first twenty minutes bickering about who does what and who isn't doing what right. 

"No Andie, shove the pole in the corner eyelet," Grayson huffed in annoyance.

"If you don't shut up I'm going to shove the pole in your corner eyelet."

I fumbled around a second more before dropping my head. Currently I was crouched on the ground holding whatever a "corner eyelet" is. Grayson walked over and bent down next to me.

"This," he held the corner of the tent in his hand that had a small hole in it, "is the corner eyelet. All you have to do is put the pole through it." He demonstrated for me so I could do the rest. 

Once I finished the next one he began putting some type of clips on the poles and attached them to another part of the tent. Every other part of this tent I referred to as the "Not Corner Eyelet".

I tried not to let my ego be too wounded when a few of the thirteen-year-olds finished before us. The instructor was at least guiding them through some steps. Soon enough we had almost the entire tent set up. All we needed to do now was take a hammer that looked like the ones in the whack a mole games and hit the stakes into the ground. That term, I knew.

Grayson stood up and wiped his brow. His shirt moved up with the movement, uncovering a patch of skin. The heat was getting to me and I could feel it touching my cheeks. Was this going to be a problem now? Do I have to buy him bigger shirts? I didn't have any money to spend. Let alone on buying stuff for him to cover up.

The muscles in my arms were practically begging me to stop using them as I nailed the last stake into the ground. After I finished I stood up and headed to where Grayson was observing our finished product.

As I took a step forward my foot caught on the wooden steak. "Mother fucker-" I cursed under my breath and propelled face first to the ground.

Grayson stepped forward and caught me by my waist.

Again, my pain seemed to be a source of entertainment for him. At least he made an attempt to hide his smile this time.

His hands were still wrapped around me. If anyone else caught sight of us it would look like we were dancing and he spun me into a dip. I straightened up, thinking it would help ease the tension. It didn't. We were even closer now. My hand was wrapped around his bicep, his still snaked around my torso. 

"Jesus, how long was I out?" a familiar voice startled us apart.

We both jumped back like her words electrocuted us. Although I felt the spark long before I heard her words.

Tosh stood a few feet away, staring at us in disbelief.

I barked out a weird laugh and took another step back for good measure. "I tripped," I nodded and pursed my lips.

Grayson pretended to help the group beside who was having trouble with their last step.

She smiled at me knowingly. "Oh, you fell alright."

"What are you even doing here?" 

I wasn't in the mood for more of her excuses today. She was having fun, she was being a normal teenager, I was overreacting. Well now I wasn't going to react at all. Sure, she told us she went to bed and then held a full-on party that put all our jobs in jeopardy -but who cares? I don't.