Page 105 of Wildfire
The beer run is done in record time, and while I’d normally be the first person to grab a drink and initiate a drinking game, I’m perfectly happy curled up on Russ’s lap in our camping chair, trying to eat the last of the gelatin-free marshmallows without covering us both in graham crackers.
“Are you boring now?” Emilia asks, sipping her beer from the chair beside us. I know she’s joking, but it doesn’t stop me from giving her the finger.
“Forgive me for not wanting to be hungover when I face my dad tomorrow,” I grumble, rolling my eyes. “And what happened to ‘don’t be peer pressured by your friends’? Stop peer pressuring me to be irresponsible with you.”
Russ kisses my shoulder and continues to rub his hand up and down my shin. He doesn’t need to say anything, but I know he’s proud of me because it was fifty-fifty whether I was going to go off the rails today.
Nobody batted an eyelid when I crawled into Russ’s lap earlier and he kissed my forehead. I was a little offended by their lack of surprise, before Emilia pointed out I’m naturally as discreet as a blaring fire alarm. But then I saw Clay’s jaw drop, someone who has spent most days with us for weeks—and my ego got a boost.
Fire alarm, my ass.
He’s stayed away from us this evening, opting to get drunk with Maya and her hometown friends instead. Can’t say I’m mad about it, because I love my little trio and it means I don’t have to turn down Cabo again.
“Should I transfer to Maple Hills for fun?” Xander says, swigginghis beer. “It doesn’t feel right for me to separate the dream team. How will you all get anything done?”
“Who’s the dream team?” Emilia teases.
“We’re the dream team, Emilia. You know what, forget it. I’ll stay at Stanford.”
I lick the chocolate and marshmallow that’s spilled out of my s’more from my fingers, and Russ buries his head into my neck, whispering “stop it.” I ignore him, wiggling a little to pretend to get comfortable, only to feel his fingers dig into my side, making me squirm and giggle. Xander frowns as his eyes flick between us both. “Are you two even listening? Disgusting. God bless the no-fraternization rule. I’d have thrown myself into a septic tank if I had to watch this every night.”
“I’m listening,” Russ says, clearing his throat and wrapping his arms around me. “Doesn’t your dad work at UCMH? Didn’t you tell me that when we first met? You don’t wanna play basketball with your brother, right?”
“Oh, so you do listen to me then. First, he’s my stepdad—let’s not disrespect Big Phil by making him share dad status with that jackass. Dave has an obnoxious fucking job title; I can’t remember what they call him.” Xander snaps his fingers a few times as he tries to remember. “He’s head of athletics, but they don’t call him that.”
Russ sits up so quickly he almost flings me into the fire. “Your stepdad is Skinner? Are you fucking kidding me? We have shared a room for ten weeks and you are just now telling me that your dad—”
“Stepdad.”
“—controls my entire college career?”
“Skinner?” I say again. “Why does that sound fami—Oh my fucking God.” I’m dead. Nobody revive me. It’s over. I almost fall off Russ’s knee. “Is your brother Mason Wright?”
“Stepbrother.” He swigs his beer without a care in the world. “Youtwo are very animated suddenly. I share one snippet of information and suddenly you’re interested in something other than pawing at each other. Interesting.”
“You’re related to my archnemesis!” I can’t process this. “I feel violated.”
“By marriage,” Xander says. Russ tucks me closer to him, wrapping his arms around my waist. Xander shrugs at us both. “I don’t share DNA with them so I can’t be held responsible for their wrongs.”
Emilia can’t stop laughing beside us since she knows how much I hate Mason. “I can’t believe this has been the big reveal of the night and not you two being revoltingly happy together.”
“What a plot twist,” I mutter, leaning back onto Russ, who tucks my head under his chin. I’ve never really done this cuddling thing before Russ. I’ve never stuck around long enough for it, but one thing I’ve learned this summer is I’m a big fan.
The rest of the night goes by without any more bombs being dropped and the heat of the fire is sending me to sleep. I don’t want this night to end for so many reasons, but mainly because it’s been the best summer of my life. Even though I know I’m going to be miserable as soon as I touch down in Palm Springs, I don’t care anymore. I’m going to count down the days until I’m back at college and keep myself out of trouble and off my dad’s radar.
I know why he doesn’t have a relationship with me now, and there’s nothing I can do or stop doing to change that. I don’t have the urge to battle for his attention anymore, or to act out, so I at least get reprimanded, which obviously never happened.
His opinions don’t matter to me anymore and it’s freeing.
My jaw cracks loudly because I yawn so wide, and Russ hears it. “Come on Sleeping Beauty, let me take you to bed.”
“I think she’s more like Sleepy from Snow White than Princess Aurora,” Xander muses, Emilia nodding beside him. I look at him,confused. “You think I’ve been looking after eight-year-olds for two months and don’t know my princesses? Get outta here.”
“Good night, see you in the morning,” I say through another yawn.
Russ and I walk hand in hand along the path toward my cabin and I still haven’t lost that feeling that it’s against the rules. I’m too tired for small talk, so I listen to him talk about how excited he is to go to San Jose to visit JJ tomorrow. I learned Russ has been getting pep talks from JJ and I don’t think I’ve ever been more infatuated with him.
We finally reach my cabin and he audibly gasps when we walk through the door. “It’s so tidy. Is it bad I’m more attracted to you now?”
