Alla Kar - Stroke Of Fear

   “She had an accident,” Jake says.

   A snort. “Yeah the fuck right. Whose fault is it, big boy?”

   “Shut the fuck up, country. Or I’ll fuck your face up.”

   “Boys. Language. Put her down in this chair. Hold on.” More scrapping against the tile then I feel the hardness of a medal chair against me.

   My eyes flutter open. Ms. Jones is crouched down in front of me. Her short, gray hair is chopped off around her ears, and her big brown eyes are full of worry. She’s our supervisor for the summer. “Sweetie, are you okay?”

   Can I nod? Shit, it sounds like so much work. “Yes,” I mumble out. “I just…fell into the water. I can’t swim.”

   She gasps and throws a dirty look over her shoulder. “How did you get out? Do you think you need medical attention?”

   Glancing around, I see all of the camp counselors have made a group around me. I groan. Great. My side is hurting badly, but I don’t want any fuss over me. I just want to get the hell out of this drafty building and into my bed. “No, I’m just…tired. It took a lot out of me.”

   A small hand slides against my hair. “Okay. Just relax. We’ll get you back to your cabin after the meeting. It shouldn’t take long. Would you like some water?”

   I give her a soft yes.

   With a glass of water in my hand, Ms. Jones turns to the rest of the group. “Welcome to our first official camp meeting. Go Camp Awesome.” Oh, the agony. “Today we’re going to go over the activities for the week. I’ll pair you with a different partner for different events. I want all of our counselors to have spent time with each other. I’m passing around the schedules now.”

   The papers go around, and I nearly snatch mine from the person beside me. I scroll down until I see my section on the calendar for the week.

   Monday – Cassie Miller and Aubrey Depp – soccer practice.

   Tuesday – Jake Rem and Aubrey Depp – canoeing.

   Wednesday – Tanner Young and Aubrey Depp – hiking.

   Thursday – Heath Long and Aubrey Depp – horseback riding.

   Friday – Cassie Miller and Aubrey Depp – movie night.

   Saturday – Tanner Young and Aubrey Depp – campout.

   Holy shit. I glance up over my calendar, my fingers shakily holding the paper below my eyes. Not only do I have to work with Jake, who tossed me over the cliff—literally—but I have to work two days with Tanner. In the woods. Alone. A pair of dark gray eyes flutter toward mine and hold. Warmth starts to build in my belly but I push it away. Not. Going. To. Happen.

   Who the hell did I kill in a past life?

Tanner

She’s lying. I can see it in her eyes. That fear on her face is an emotion you can’t hide. Her big, hazel eyes were wide. A sense of acceptance was there, too. I’m not sure why. Maybe she was okay with dying. Well, I wasn’t about to let her die. It’d be a shame for someone that fucking gorgeous to die without having the chance to taste her.

   Her round, plump lips had been opened with a silent plea. The water was lapping at her, hard. She hung on, but with loose arms. She was accepting her fate. That water would take her life.

   “Dude, wake the fuck up. It’s dinner time.” A pillow slams into my face. I sit up and chunk it back over at Eric. He looks fucking ridiculous in his camp uniform. I guess I do too. These stupid ass khaki shorts and blue polos. I’d rather wear anything else. Mrs. Jones insisted we go change right after our meeting. It’s good to get in the hang of things, she said. Whatever helps her sleep at night.

   “I’m up. Stop throwing shit.” I grab my cell phone and shove it into my pocket before we head out of the door.

   I took this job because I need the money. Desperately. My own father had fired me from the lumber yard back in Arkansas. Our deal was if he gave me a job, I’d continue to go to college. Well, turns out, college isn’t for me. So, I quit, causing me to be jobless. I was barely making rent each month, so I moved in with my brother here in California. Pathetic, I fuckin’ know. He fits in here. He was never cut out for hard, manual labor. He just wasn’t built for it. Me? I love it. More than anything. To know you earned the calluses on your hands from a hard day’s work, there isn’t another feeling like that in the world.

   A humid breeze rakes through the air, sending leaves scattering around our path. It isn’t Arkansas, but I love the woodsy environment. It’s the only reason I applied here. “This place is fucking hot,” Eric says.

   I roll my eyes. Obviously, Eric is from Cali. He hasn’t seen hot, not until you grow up below the St. Louise line. “It’s not that bad.”

   Eric scoffs. “What the hell was up with that girl today? She fell off the cliff?”

   “No, her jackass boyfriend pushed her.” I swear I wanted to rip his head off. “Who the fuck pushes a girl off of an edge into water?”

   Eric snorts. “What an ass. They come by the dozens around here, though. Where you from anyway?”

   “Arkansas.”

   “Is your sister your cousin?”

   “Shut up.”

   He laughs and slaps my back. “Dude, I’m joking. Calm down. I’m sure the girls will love that accent. Girls love accents.”

   I try not to smile. It’s so damn hard not to like Eric. I tried, believe me. I don’t normally hang out while I’m working. Eric looks like a kid that would get you into trouble. Yesterday when we first got here I ignored him, but he followed me around talking. The entire day. So, I gave up.

   The cafeteria is like a mess hall. There are rows of tables with benches along each side, a line for the food like in high school, snack machines and outside sitting. The actual building is wood, like the cabins. It’s nice. Homey almost.

   We get our food and take a table toward the front of the building. The food isn’t as bad as I had planned. The cheese burger isn’t the worst I’ve had either.

   “Oh, cripple at three o clock.”

   Glancing over my shoulder, I see Aubrey walk through the doors. Regardless that she’s with the asshat, I can’t take my eyes off of her. Her short khaki shorts, are….ridiculously short. Not to mention the tight, blue polo. It’s snug across her chest. Goddamn. My dick gets hard thinking about it. I nonchalantly try to adjust myself. Grumbling, I turn to face my food. From what I could tell, she’s pissed off at me because I called her out on her swimming. The girl can swim. I saw it in her. Those long, tanned legs look like they were made for swimming—or to wrap around my waist.

   “Girls don’t like when you stare. Well, not if they’re crippled.”

   “She’s not crippled, and I’m not staring.” She was limping on her left side. She hit those rocks fucking hard. I take a huge bite of my burger and swallow it slowly.

   Eric shoves half of his in his face and laughs through the food. “I saw you checking her out, even when she was half-unconscious yesterday. Do you not have any shame?”

   “Says the guy inhaling his food.”

   He barks out a laugh. “Well, looks like it’s your lucky day.”

   Frowning, I glance over my shoulder. Aubrey, her friend and Asshat are walking over toward our table. Aubrey barely puts any weight on her left side. It must really be hurting. Her gaze flickers up toward mine, and she stops. She takes her bottom lip between her teeth and pulls. Fuck, she has no idea how sexy that is. But her friend is dragging her along. She hasn’t stopped talking since they left the line.

   “What’s up?” Eric says, tossing his head toward the three of them. Our table squeaks underneath their weight.

   Her friend helps Aubrey down on the other side of her. She waves. “I’m Cassie.”

   Eric offers her his hand. “Eric. Who’s your friends?”

   “This is Aubrey and this is—”

   “I can talk for myself, Cassie,” Asshat snaps. “I’m Jake.” He doesn’t offer a nod, or even a fucking glance. Pretty boy is gonna have to be taken down a fuckin’ notch.

   “Well, obviously you guys know Tanner.”

   Jake snorts and starts to shovel food into his mouth. He’s your stereotypical football player. Big. Muscular. And his personality hits the nail on the damn head.

   Aubrey hasn’t looked up from her food, and I can tell she’s pissed. “Your side okay?”

   Biting her lip—again, fuck—she gives me a little nod. My back molars grind hard against one another. I can’t understand why, but I want her to talk to me.

“She’s fine,” Asshat says.

   I grunt. “She can talk for herself.”

   “She obviously doesn’t want to, Country,” Asshat says, slamming his clenched fists down on the table.

   “Shut up.” Aubrey snaps her jaw tight. “I don’t want to talk to either one of you. So shut the hell up.” She keeps her eyes on the table, but I see the pink underneath her cheeks. Her dirty blonde hair is covering most of it, but I see it.

   Damn. Keeping my composure, I let out an exasperated sigh. “That’s the thank you I get for saving your life?”

   “Maybe I didn’t want to be saved. Ever think of that?” she blurts out.

   The table is quiet. Eerily quiet. Jake reaches across and tries to grab her hand, but she retracts it underneath the table. “You don’t mean that.”

   She shrugs. “Eat your food.”

   I pick up my cheeseburger and eat the rest quickly. Eric picks up conversation with Cassie, dominating the silence. I’m glad, because, I have nothing to say. I can’t think of anything that wouldn’t piss her off. After a few long minutes Aubrey stands up.

   “Don’t get up,” she says as Jake moves from his seat. “I need to be alone.”

   Jake wants to follow. I see that puppy dog look in his eye. Instead, he sits back down and taps his fingers against the wood of our table.

   “Give her time, Jake. She obviously has problems with the water,” Cassie says, tossing back her brown hair.

   “Well, I’ve been dating her for four years—”

   “On and off,” Cassie interrupts.

   He flips her off and continues. “Four years and she’s never said anything about the water. I wish I would have known. I wouldn’t have pushed her off.”

   You shouldn’t have pushed her off, anyway, asshole.

   I pick up my plate after finishing and toss it in the trash. I don’t wait on Eric. I don’t want to. I need silence, and that guy is not silent. I push open the double doors and the humid air blows against my skin. It isn’t a relief of cool air, but the breeze still feels nice. Tugging at my shirt, I unbutton the top few buttons. These damn things are hot as hell. A few campers have arrived early; they’re not supposed to be here until tonight. We’ll be introduced to them tomorrow. Some of the girls are giggling, covering their mouths and pointing at me. I roll my eyes. Both of them are jailbait. I wouldn’t touch ‘em with a damn ten foot pole.

   I’m jogging up the steps to my cabin when I hear a soft cry. It’s gentle, barely there. I stop and listen just to make sure I heard it. Sniffle. Yep, definitely tears. I have an older sister, too. I know what a girl crying sounds like.

   I jump off the porch and ease around the side of the cabin. No one is there. Then I check behind the girls’ building. There she is, sitting down against the wood, her head shoved into her knees.

   Fuck. I hate when girls cry. It makes me…uneasy. I take a few steps toward her and slips down beside her. “Hi.”

   “What the…? Jesus…” she trails off. Realizing she’s been crying, she wipes away her tears. “What do you want? I said I needed some time to myself.”

   I grab a fist full of dirt and let it slip through my fist.  “No one wants to be alone,” I say.

   Her hazel eyes widen. “Well, I do.”

   I shrug and continue to let dirt filter through my fist.

   She groans. “Thank you for saving me yesterday. Is that why you’re here right now? You want a thank you?”

   I have no fucking idea why I’m here right now. “No. Just offering a shoulder.”

   She retracts at the word. Now she thinks I’m a creep. “Well, thanks but I’m good.”

   Her chest starts rising and falling at a quicker pace. My eyes drop to her chest and the hideous blue polo. I want to see her out of it so bad. God, stay focused, Tanner. I scratch my chin and avert my eyes. “Sure. I’m sure you’re grand. You really look put together.”