One Summer, One Goal

t h i r t e e n

"Audrey's waking up..."

A familiar voice startled my slumber. I fidgeted in my sleep as a few voices followed behind her, their breaths ushering towards me.

My eyes fly open to see five heads looking right at me with concerned eyes. I felt my head beating like a bass drum as I processed the surroundings.

Maddy was the one closest to me. She wore a jane cut crop top and denim shorts to match. Her hair was in a messy bun as she stared at me cautiously.

On my right was Erika. She had these careful eyes and a tight dress on. Her hair was perfectly combed to perfection.

At the foot of my bed stood Alex, sporting a white undershirt, his muscles were tight and bulging as a jacket sat on his shoulder.

An alarmed Sam was having a conversation with the nurse. I assumed I was in the camp's clinic.

The last thing I could remember was Kylie's ratchet and crucial betrayal in the sea.

I painfully adjusted on the bed, sitting in an upright position. I seemed to look fine and it appears that my allergies have been cured. I smiled to myself in content.

The nurse piped up, "She's recovering. The contact with seaweed must be pretty intense because she has been sleeping for three days and has missed multiple activities."

"What?" I gasped in disbelief, "I've been out for 72 hours?!"

"Actually, 72 hours plus 2, "Sam corrected, looking down at her clipboard while tapping her pen.

I tried to let the news sink in.

The nurse confirmed everything with a curt nod, "You have to miss two days of activities to check on your mental state everyday."

I looked over at Alex who was chewing on the insides of his cheeks, "What about Alex?" I furrowed my brows, referring to the obstacles we will tackle as partners.

"He has to sit these out too," Sam said after she and nurse exchanged perplexed looks, "It will be unfair. These challenges are a two-person job."

A pang of guilt took over me, "But I-I-I don't want to be the cause of Alex having to skip these. It's not right..." I shook my head in a feeble way.

Maddy suggested, "Maybe as an activity, Alex could look after Audrey as a sign of trust and loyalty as partners for the past two weeks?"

"Great idea!" Sam immediately commented once she had the gears in her head turning and her brain racking, "Love your idea, Madison."

Erika grumbled a little bit in a joking way, cooing into Maddy's ear which caused her to chuckle, "I really want that money, you know? And if it doesn't work out between them, I would have stolen Alex out of her hands."

Luckily, only us trio heard her so there was no conflict done. I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

Sam turned to Alex, "Is that good with you, bro?" She asked, nudging Alex by the shoulder.

Alex nodded in agreement quickly, "But I need to talk to Audrey alone, so we could go through all of this."

The nurse herded everyone out of the room silently but Alex like a farmer and her flock of sheeps rattling out.

Once everyone has filed out, Alex sat at the edge of my bed and the tension between us grew thick as I waited for him to say something.

He pursed his lips, "How are you doing?" We gawked at each other as he waited for my answer.

"I'm doing well, I guess..." I shrugged, quite unsure of what I'm saying.

His lips curled into a tight frown, "You do know you have to tell everything to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson," Those words sharded my heart to pieces.