Secret Admirer | Hosie {finished}

11. Who's on top?

"I don't think it has to do with you."

"Why would you think that?

"Hope is complicated. She probably doesn't even know what she wants at this point."

"She doesn't strike me as indecisive.'

Just then Hope picked up her tray and walked past the boy's table, purposely dropping her apple down on the floor and kneeling down to get it. Again, she purposely poked her ass out making both of them turn and stare.

"Can you two quit being so obvious?"

She said while flashing a playful smile and then walking off. The boys turned to each other and both questioned their action but Rafael soon snapped his hands together making Landon jump out of his fantasies.

"Are you gonna go after her or what?"

"I should probably go.."

Landon stood up and tried to catch up with the auburn who was already on her way to the sports hall.

"Hope! Wait. I was hoping to talk to you before practise begins."

"Yeah, well hurry up I want to go in to stretch before the lesson."

"Did..did I do something wrong? I mean you totally avoided me this morning and I thought.."

"I have a right to chose who I can sit with Landon.."

"Yeah of course, I'm not saying you don't. But it feels like you're avoiding me."

"Well, I'm not. It's just that..I take my time with things."

"Oh, I understand that. I'm really glad you told me that. And the truth this I really enjoyed last night."

"I haven't thought about it much with everything that happend."

Hope gazed away in the distance with coldness in her eyes and Landon sensed that just by looking at her.

"Yeah, I mean it must have been scary seeing that bear and all. You were lucky Rafael found you when he did."

"Pretty lucky."

Landon could also sense a change in Hope's mood when Rafael's name was mentioned but he didn't look much into it. He realized Hope was eager to get to the hall so he let her go hoping he will get more closure on the issue later on. After about twenty minutes all the campers had finished breakfast and gathered in the hall. Josie made an appearance last, looking very tired and had missed breakfast too.

"Good morning campers. As you all know this weekend we are going away on a two day hiking mission like we do every year. On this particular trail you will be required to climb short distance in several occasions so today's class is all about climbing. You can try any of the climbing walls and when you feel familiar enough you can proceed to the more challenging ones. Always strap yourselves on and don't hesitate to ask for help."

In groups of 8 the campers got on different levels of climbing walls and practised climbing to the top and then using the zip line to bring themselves down. As expected Hope was already experienced in this and watched Josie struggle beneath her with a smile. The girl was weak from not eating breakfast and having inadequate sleep so she barely pulled herself up on those rocks, although she wasn't the only one struggling.

"Don't rush, there's plenty of time Jo."

Hope said with a laugh and Josie barely just noticed who was the girl already at the top coming down.

"Shut up you've done this a million times."

"I'm just trying to help, pumpkin."

Just when Josie tried to look up to get back at Hope but she missed a step and found herself falling down a few centimetres, before feeling two hands supporting her back holding her in her place. Hope spoke softly into her ear.

"If you put your left foot on the yellow and give it a good push you'll be able to pull yourself back again."

Josie followed Hope's instructions seeing she had no choice and used her remaining strength to pull her body back up, not wanting to make a fool of herself in front of Hope, who was all too good at this.

"In rock climbing the longer you stay in one position, the harder it gets. Your movements need to be fast and light. That's how you make it to the top."

"Got it, no distractions."

Josie looked up at her choice of rocks and tried a few of them, quickly deciding which was the best one to grip from and pulled herself up again. However, Hope's presence next to her and her proud little smile were getting too hard to ignore at this point.

"I don't think I'll make it all the way up there."

"You have to, Josie. If you want to survive this trip."

"Ugh, brutal."

Both Josie's arms and legs were getting quite sore at this point and she was on edge of giving up. It's been at least thirty minutes she had to hang on to the wall and after trying to pull herself back up her fingertips gave up and her hand slipped off, along with her feet that supported her whole body. Luckily Hope was quick to catch her and ease the scare of the fall as they slowly zipped down the line, brining Josie to the ground and releasing her hands that were wrapped around the girl's waist.

"Well, that was quite an effort. Next time you'll make it to the top."

"Or I can just fake I'm ill and not come to the trip."

"Don't you dare, Josephine Saltzman."

"Cringe. Not even my dad calls me that."

"Well, deal with it."

The girls were giggling at each other while undoing their zip line belts and just then Penelope appeared.

"Are we still on for today at six?"

Josie looked up, she had almost forgotten about her date with everything that went on and being clearly distracted by the attractive auburn.

"Yeah, we are still on. If this whole climbing thing doesn't kill me first."

"I'm sure Hope had been making sure it doesn't."

There was a slightly tone of jealously in Penelope's voice and Hope smirked, obviously enjoying the reaction she was getting out of her.

"I'll be moving to the next wall anyway. This is too easy for me."

"I honestly don't think I can climb up again, without any kind of fuel in my body."

The girls separated and Hope moved on to the next wall where a few boys were battling their way to the top and Josie went to the cafeteria to grab a bite before she could carry on.

When she came back to the sports hall she looked over at the hardest wall and wondered what was the commotion about. She saw how Hope was nearly at the top and a few others were cheering for her while Rafael and Caleb where sweating their asses off to try and catch up with her. It was all a competition to them. Josie approached Landon and nudged him with her elbow.

"Such a show off, isn't she?"

"Yeah, honestly I can't even compete with her. Which is why she will never fall for me."