Loser II || WlW

Twenty-Two

     "Frat Boy's dead." I hold Brittany's elbow to steady her as we make our way back to our cabin. "He made a joke this morning about having sex with you and I threatened him and now he's dead."

Brittany stops walking and faces me. "That's a loose connection, J. No one's going to think—"

"You don't get it." I hold her shoulders in my hands. "I told him if he ever talked about you again the others would find his dead body pinned to the shooting targets."

Brittany's eyebrows pull together. "And they found his body on a target, I'm assuming."

I swallow hard, nod. "And when I went up to look for you on that hiking trail there was this..." I pause, remembering the question that's been nagging me ever since I found her. "Wait. Where did you go after we fought?"

Brittany raises an eyebrow at me. "Are you accusing me of murdering Frat Boy?"

"Brittany," I rub my forehead, "No. I'm sorry I asked about Kyle earlier. We have to move past this if we're going to make it down this mountain alive. And if you completely hate me by the end of this trip, that's fine. You can break up with me. We can sleep in different beds. You can stop talking to me. But I'm going to make sure you live through the next week."

She sighs, rests her gloved hands on my chest. "I don't hate you, J." Her lips pull into a frown. "You don't think..."

I hold her chin between my thumb and pointer finger and look into her icy eyes. "Think what?"

"Do you think this was too much for one relationship?" She shrugs. "Like, surviving one traumatic experience together bonded us but another one will tear us apart?"

My eyebrows pull together. She's been feeling it too. I open my mouth to say something, close it again.

"I won't hold it against you if you decide you don't love me after this week," I say, shuffling the snow under my boot, "but I've never felt this way about anyone else." I laugh once and try to swallow but my throat is swollen with emotion. "You could break up with me tomorrow, start dating Kyle from home, and I'd still say yes when you'd ask me to be in the bridal party for your wedding."

She gives my shoulder a solid push. "Jordan." She rolls her eyes.

I take her face in my hands. "I'm serious, Brittany. Whatever makes you happy."

She closes the space between us, presses her body against mine, and wraps her arms around my neck. "You drive me crazy, Jordan Taylor."

"In a good way, right?" I smirk at her.

She stands on her toes and pulls my lips to hers. The moment is fleeting compared to the other kisses we've shared because as she pulls away I'm reminded of what a disaster this trip has become.

"Um." I clear my throat. "I have to meet someone later tonight."

Her forehead wrinkles as she looks at me curiously. "Who?"

"I don't know."

She pulls away from me. "You don't know?"

I shake my head.

"I'm coming with you." She crosses her arms over her chest, daring me to challenge her.

"It's not safe, Britt."

She raises her eyebrows at me.

I take her hand in mine and pull her into our cabin, closing the door behind us.