A Beautiful Torment

5. Into the Forest

5. Into the Forest

"Alrighty, then!" Sara announced cheerfully, brandishing another one of her clipboards. "When I call your name, please join your team at the designated starting point."

"You can just tell that this whole thing was her idea," Lauren muttered. She was in a horrible mood. I'd never, ever seen her in a tracksuit before; her trainers were brand new and sparkling white, and every time she moved, that new clothes smell assaulted my nose. "What on earth is she trying to accomplish?"

"It promotes teamwork and communication skills," Emma pointed out simply. "I think it'll be fun."

Lauren eyed her dubiously. "Of course you'd think so, Sporty McSportysen!"

I snorted.

It was Freshman Orienteering Day. Every year, Coach Roland and Sara dragged reluctant – and some surprisingly enthusiastic – students out into the Greenbrier State Forest for a day of teamwork, rivalry and sportsmanship. This year, it was our turn.

"Blue Team!" Sara called. "Clayton, Tina!"

Tina flushed pink at being called first and shuffled her way over to the blue cap. Coach Roland passed her a blue scarf, which she tied deftly around her neck.

"Westwood, Lillian!"

I glanced around. Half of the freshman year was missing. There were just over two hundred of us so, in the interest of safety, Mrs. Hathaway had taken the rest of the year to another part of the forest. Most of my friends had managed to squeeze into Sara and Coach Roland's group with me and I crossed my fingers behind my back in the hope that at least one of them would appear on my team.

Three more people joined Tina's blue team before Coach Roland started handing out red scarves. When it was Georgina's turn to knot a red, red scarf around her neck, I found it oddly appropriate, like a scarlet letter.

"Green team!" Sara said. "Tanner, Dylan!"

A tall, shaggy haired boy I'd never noticed before tripped forward. He was the sort of boy that would have been more than just a little bit attractive if he stopped hiding behind his hair. Coach Roland passed him a green scarf, which he tied around his head, plastering the dark strands of his hair to his skull. I could barely see his eyes.

"Alder, Scott!"

Scott looped the scarf around his thin wrist and muttered something to the first boy as he took his place at the green cap.

"Devane, Isabel!"

My heart jolted. Rachael shot me a reassuring look as I ambled forward, accepting the proffered scarf with a brief spasm of panic. Behind me, I heard Ethan's loud, boisterous laugh.

"Hi," I said nervously as I approached the boys. Scott smiled in a friendly way and Dylan ducked his head, his wide mouth pinched shut. This was going to be a long day.

"Bloodsworth, Emma!"

Relief flooded my body as Emma joined our awkward little group, looping her arm through mine with a bright smile. "This is going to be so much fun!" Emma was born for these kind of days. Her body was thin and lean, like a boy's, and she had a competitive personality.

"Blackwell, Wyatt!"

My heart beat a nervous, unsteady staccato in my chest as he emerged from the crowd of freshmen, all messy hair and piercing blue eyes. He was dressed all in black today, like he was coming from a funeral, and the green of his scarf stood out starkly against his pale skin.