Between Two Worlds

CHAPTER 20 - Tensions and Flames

After the kiss between Ava and me, everything seemed to be charged with a new kind of tension. We went back to the group, the warmth of the house still fresh in our heads. Jess, and Jake were parked around the fireplace, laughing in the cozy space, but there was an air of awkwardness in it all.

"Hey, look who's back!" Jess exclaimed, her voice bright as she caught sight of us. "We thought you two got lost in the woods forever!"

Ava shot me a glance, her cheeks slightly flushed. "We were just... exploring," she said, her tone a mix of defiance and embarrassment.

"Exploring, huh?" Jake chimed in with a playful grin on his face. "What were you two really up to?"

Just looking for the perfect spot to take a selfie," I said, trying to sound lighthearted, but Jess raised an eyebrow because, well, she wasn't buying what I was selling.

"Well, hope you took a good one!" she said, her mouth wide in a smile but her eyes narrowing slightly as they flicked between Ava and me.

As Jess made snacks, Ava acted cool, but I could feel the tenseness between us. I was well overwhelmed with uncertainty. I don't want this to be awkward, but I felt that there were some things hanging in the air and weren't spoken about.

Jess leaned over my way just in time. Her voice was low. "You okay? You seemed a little quiet after.everything."

"Yeah, just processing," I said, looking over at Ava, who was now pretending not to care but was really going out of her way to keep this tension going.

Jess picked up on it, looking tougher. "You know what? I think it's time we lay it on the line, don't you?" she said with a goofy grin on her face.

I didn't get to ask her what she meant before Jess sprang to her feet and clapped her hands together. "Okay, everyone! How about a little game to warm things up? Let's see who can roast the best marshmallow! Winner gets a prize!"

I caught the flicker of interest in Ava's eye, and knew what Jess's plan was - the challenge would get Ava to participate, rather than competing over my attention.

Sounds like a plan! " Jake said, very obviously excited.

As we stood around the fireplace, I attempted to savor the moment, but could hardly help but notice how much tension was building. Jess inched closer and closer with every successful marshmallow, playful teasing squarely on Ava.

"Ahh! Look at this technique!" Jess held up her marshmallow perfectly toasted. "Ava, step your game up, honey, if you're gonna impress Mia!

"Or maybe let me demonstrate just how it's done," Ava retorted, with a playful defiance edged in her voice. Her eyes flared out at him as if she were ready to rise to the challenge.

There was an underlying sense of competition between them, but entertaining as this was, it also made my stomach turn. I sure as heck didn't want to get caught in the middle, but Jess was making it pretty clear she was trying to get Ava's attention.
As the game continued, Jess kept on trying to hover around me by playfully bumping shoulders as we took our successive rounds to roast marshmallows.

Looks like I'm winning this round, huh?" Jess teased, grinning broadly as she held up another perfectly toasted treat. "Maybe I should just take Mia on as my marshmallow partner permanently!"

Or perhaps you should let me show you how it's really done," Ava retorted sharply yet playfully.

I could see the competitive fire reaping between them. Jess laughed, but it was laced with an edge of challenge. "Bring it on, Ava! You're going to have to do better than that!"

At last, it was Ava's turn again, and she watched intently at her marshmallow. "Just watch and learn," she said, determination locked well in place.

As she toasted her marshmallow to just the perfect golden color, Jess leaned forward to whisper in my ear, breathing her warm breath onto my skin. "You know, Ava really likes you. I can't believe she's pretending otherwise."

"This isn't a competition," I said, forcing my voice to sound even.

"Of course it is!" She grinned at me with a wicked twinkle in her eye. "And I'm winning.".

Just then, Ava triumphantly waved her marshmallow in the air and smirked at Jess. "Looks like I'm the true marshmallow master here!"

Jess laughed. "Alright, alright, you win this round, but I am not giving up that easily!"

While laughter rippled across their faces, I couldn't help but feel an awkwardness hovering between the three of us. Jess teased Ava, and Ava was full of competitive fire; I wasn't sure which way to move on with them.

The mood shifted ever so slightly as Jake cracked the tension. "Okay, well so ghost stories next? Or are we going to let the marshmallow rivalry be the star of this show?"

Jess was off and running into the fray, her playfulness coming back into full swing. "Definitely ghost stories! But only if Ava promises to tell one!"

Ava rolled her eyes but I caught the hint of a grin on her lips. "Fine, but better be good.".

As we got settled in for ghost stories, that dynamic changed once again. Jess's taunts and Ava's competitiveness were enough to create whirlwinds of emotions within me that I was not quite sure how to navigate.

Somewhere in the middle of it all was when I realized this weekend was about marshmallows or ghost stories, but about figuring out what each of us really wanted. And, hopefully, we could all come out on the other side without losing each other in the process.