Nancy rubbed her legs with lotion and sighed. Her fingers slid over many now-elevated cuts she had procured from all the hiking during this trip to New Zealand. She yawned and a few tired tears escaped the corners of her eyes. She was absolutely exhausted from the trials of this competition- physically and emotionally. It was the final day of competition. The mysteries surrounding Pacific Run had been solved and Nancy looked forward to the tour of New Zealend she and her friends would receive the next day.
Nancy stretched and rolled out her sleeping bag, happy to have extra room to roll about, as she was alone that night. Bess was staying with George in the medical tent, making sure their recovering friend was comfortable and had all she needed.
Snuggling into her bag, she stretched an arm to unzip the mesh window above where she slept. She breathed in the cool, fresh air and lay down, ready to drift into a well-deserved sleep.
"NANCY!" a voice whisper-screamed through the net window.
"WAA!" Nancy screeched and shot up from where she lay. She threw off the top layer of her sleeping bag, hopped onto her haunches, and gripped her flashlight. She shone it into the mesh window, and Sonny Joon cried out. He fell back, hard on his buttocks, onto the gravel surrounding the tent.
"Oh my gosh, Sonny!" she exclaimed worriedly. Nancy quickly unzipped the tent and ran around to the backside where Sonny had been crouching.
"I'm so sorry, are you-" she paused then shone her flashlight into his eyes again, on purpose this time. "WHAT are you doing here?"
"Geez!" He closed his eyes and rubbed them. "I just came by to say goodnight!"
Nancy scoffed. "Well, that's creepy! Send me a text next time or something."
Sonny opened his eyes, squinting. "Not just goodnight." He stood up and dusted off the back of his pants. "I came to say goodbye," he smiled in the bright light.
Nancy lowered her flashlight. "Oh," she said softly.
Sonny stepped closer and said stoically, "I wanted to thank you. My faith has been restored, all because of you."
"I'm glad I could make you feel better," she smiled, not sure if she wanted to accept thanks for restoring a man's belief in what she felt to be fairy tales.
Sonny stepped right up to Nancy, only a few inches between them. In the low light, he admired the curves fitting nicely into her cute plaid pajamas. His eyes explored her face's flawless skin, her bright blue eyes which glinted in the starlight, and the corners of her mouth.
"I…" he started, his eyes lingering on her full, almost enticing lips. "I owe you a lot," he said, stepping into her with one foot. Sonny closed his eyes and turned his head, leaning in to her alluring mouth.
"Sonny Joon!" She slapped him hard across the face, her hand making a prompt smack sound as it flew across his cheek. "I HAVE a boyfriend and you know it!"
"Owww! Geez, woman!" He winced, rubbing his cheek where, even in the dim moonlight, Nancy could see the blood rushing to a handprint-shaped mark.
She crossed her arms, turned away from the mysterious man, and snorted. She rolled her eyes and turned back around sharply, ready to give Sonny an earful of scolding. "I can't belie-" As she spun around, she was ensnared in a firm hug. She blinked and fell silent. "Sorry," he said quietly. "You're right," a defeated, mellow grin on his face.
Nancy sighed through her nose and reciprocated the hug, gingerly placing her hands arms around Sonny. She closed her eyes, shaking her head a few times. "You're a mystery yourself."
He released his hug after a quick squeeze. He held her shoulders. "You know this isn't the last you'll see of me, don't you?"
She chuckled. "I was afraid of that."
"I'm running away now." Sonny smiled with closed lips, eyes sad. He took Nancy's hand and kissed it hard. He looked her in the eyes for half a moment, then turned and ran into the darkness. "Please don't tell anyone which way I went!" he shouted over his shoulder, darting away as fast as his feet would carry him.
Nancy laughed and shook her head. "Goodbye, Sonny, until next time."