Camp Pinewood ~Book 2~

9

I cleared my throat loudly, breaking Alyssa and Ethan apart. Alyssa crossed her arms across her chest and smirked at me while Ethan shot me a loose smile.

"Sorry you guys didn't get to the bell in time." Alyssa offered.

I laughed dryly. "Are you really?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Alyssa countered. "Are you a sore loser Sydney?"

"I'm not a sore loser but I think that it's a little too convenient that the camp director's team won." I admitted.

"What are you trying to say?" Alyssa gasped, her eyes widening dramatically.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm trying to say that I think that you're a fake bitch."

I heard my campers laugh behind me and it was then that I realized that I was probably setting a bad example for them.

"You better watch who you're talking to like that Sydney; after all you do work for me." Alyssa glared.

"Whatever." I sighed and walked away.

Once we all got out of the maze we found the other teams standing around. Alyssa announced that the yellow team had won the first competition and that the next event would be next week. I was walking back to my cabin when I felt a hand tap me on my shoulder. I turned around expecting to Ethan but was surprised to Jesse.

"What's up?" I asked him blandly.
"You shouldn't let her get to you." Jesse responded. "Alyssa's not worth you getting upset."

I sighed. "I know, but seeing her all over Ethan bothers me. It's also infuriating that Ethan doesn't seem to mind."

Jesse shrugged. "You guys should be able to trust each other. Have you tried to talk to him?"

I nodded. "Yeah and he told me that I was just being jealous and a clingy girlfriend."

Jesse frowned. "He said that?"

"Yup, but he apologized to me today."

"Let me guess, he gave you the teddy bear so that you would forgive him?"

I nodded again.

"Are you sure that you want to be with a guy who always has something to be sorry for?" Jesse asked, standing in front of me. His eyes were serious and his gaze kept flickering all over my body. His eyes left a trail from my eyes, to my lips, all over me, and then back again.

I shifted uncomfortably.

"As opposed to being with a guy who's killed someone?" I retorted.

Jesse growled and ran his hands through his hair angrily.

"Can you stop bringing that up? Jesus Syd, how many times do I have to apologize for that? I'm sorry ok. I'm sorry for killing Brandon. And I'm sorry for lying to you about it. I just didn't want you to look at me the way you do now. It was a mistake. If I had known that I would meet you here then I would have never pushed him in the damn lake. You mean so much to me and I just can't stand you hating me."

"Jesse-" I tried to say.

"No." Jesse cut me off. "Let me finish. You know what I hate Sydney? I hate standing by and watching Ethan touch you. I hate the fact that you're in a relationship with that loser when he doesn't deserve you. That should be me. Hell that was me two years ago. And I would do anything to go back to that time."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Jesse please."

"No, I'm not going to stop talking and I don't care if you don't want to hear it. I love you Sydney. I've never loved anyone before and I know I won't love anyone else after you. You're crazy and hotheaded and perfect to me. You're who I dream of at night and who I wake up thinking about in the morning."

"I"

Jesse started to approach me, I backed up, scared that if he got too close I would lose myself.

"Love."

My back hit a tree and Jesse used my vulnerable position to cage me in with his arms.

"You." He breathed against my lips before lowering them to mine.

Jesse's kiss was frenzied and full of longing. It was like he was trying to communicate just how much he wanted and missed me with his lips. I hadn't even realized that I was kissing him back until I felt his tongue glide across my bottom lip. That cut through the daze that I was in and I opened my eyes. I balled my fists and punched Jesse hard in the chest. When he stumbled back I got my escape.

"I am NOT a cheater!" I yelled at him.

Jesse smiled. "You kissed back babe, I think that means that you kind of are."

"I'm with Ethan, leave me alone Peirce."

Jesse's face became serious again. "Never."

Realizing that this conversation was going nowhere I did the only thing I knew I could. I ran away from him, tearing across the camp trying to get as much distance between us as possible. And I didn't stop running until I was at Ethan's door.

I pounded hard on it until he answered it.

"Hi." I said when he finally opened his door. Ethan was dressed in a pair of sweatpants, he was shirtless (I couldn't even appreciate the view because I was still stuck on Jesse freaking Peirce). His blonde hair was going in all directions.

He must have been taking a nap.

"Sydney?" Ethan was clearly surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I need you." I sniffed, pushing past him into his cabin.

Ethan quickly shut the door and pulled me into a hug.

"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just need to be near you right now." I muttered into his chest.

Ethan laid me down on his bed and then followed. He covered us with his sheets and laid my head on his shoulder. He stroked my hair absentmindedly.

"Where are your campers?" I asked him when I noticed that cabin was empty.

"Um I-I don't know. They're probably out doing whatever boys do at 2:00 in the afternoon. You know, playing football. Eating. Flirting with girls. Normal manly things that guys do when they're not in their cabin. Why do you ask? Ethan rambled.

I shot him a look. "Why are you being so weird?"

Ethan shook his head. "I'm not. Just take a nap baby, you look exhausted."

I agreed softly and fell asleep in no time.

It was while I was asleep that Ethan disposed of hot pink underwear that I hadn't seen on his floor next to his bed.

Underwear that definitely wasn't mine.