an inconvenient flame, n. goode

Chapter Twelve

Song - "Back To You : Twin Forks"

Kenna's POV:

I had handed the note off to one of the campers to give to Nick. Tonight was the night. I was gonna tell Nick about my feelings towards him. I had been hiding them for years and just couldn't hold it in anymore. I also saw the way Ziggy Berman was staring at him today. I wanted to tell him before anything could happen between the two. That is...if something hasn't already happened.

I spent my day running around with the little kids. I knew that I was still a camper like them, but they saw me as a counselor at times -- their favorite counselor. We played mini games instead of playing color war.

"Miss Kenna..." One of the little girls tugged on my shirt.

I turned to face little Corinne. "It's just Kenna, Corinne."

"My little sister doesn't want to play this game anymore." She explained as her little sister, Jamie, emerged from behind her back. "She's not fast enough for tag."

I pondered for a moment before a lightbulb went off in my mind. I took her hand and explained, "I can run for both of us."

She nodded her head with a smile and I lifted her onto my back. We continued on with the game, her and I together, as she giggled on my back.

Soon, Nick's brother, Will, approached me. "What do we have going on over here?"

"Just a friendly game of tag." I joked, knowing I was busted.

"Shouldn't you campers be off playing color war?" He just had to reinforce that I was a camper.

"Relax, buzzkill. We'll get there."

"Let me rephrase, get to your color station, Kenna."

I rolled my eyes before letting Jamie down to the ground. "Go tell the other's to get to their spots for color war."

She nodded her head before running back to the others, leaving me with thee asshole Goode.

"You're good with the kids."

"I know."

"Now go get ready for color war." He ordered. I sighed and made my way back to my cabin. "Don't worry, Princess. You'll get your chance next summer!" He called out before I flipped him off.

On my way back, I called out to my brother to tell him the plan for tonight. Hopefully he'd be my wingman through all of this since he'd known Nick longer than I. The two were more siblings than him and I.

Dylan emerged from his cabin and I caught a glimpse of Nick reading on his bed. I could feel my smile growing just by looking at him. Dylan snapped me out of my trance. "What do you want, dingus?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm gonna tell Nick tonight." I said as we started to walk.

"And I care because?"

"Because you are going to make sure that he actually shows up tonight. I don't want to be left alone around that tree at night."

"Then why'd you suggest meeting there?"

"Because it's the only place I won't get pestered by Shelia." I explained as I held my wrists behind my back. Dylan caught onto this movement and took my wrists into his hands to inspect Shelia's handiwork. She had grabbed me earlier today when I tried to run away. Her grip was obviously a little too tight by the sight of my bracelet bruises. Dylan and I may not have been the best of siblings, but he was really protective when it came to me and my safety.