"So I'm like, what the hell is wrong with you? You're my boyfriend, of course you call." Marina's ranting, and were all listening eagerly. "And you know what he says?" We all mouth the word what without saying it, eyes wide. "He says, 'Wait since when are we boyfriend and girlfriend?'"
I groan, Acacia laughs, Ava just shakes her head.
"I told you he was a jerk," Ava giggled, elbowing Marina playfully.
"Yeah and you would know," Marina says. Ava's jaw drops, playing mock disbelief. "She's dated like five guys in the past school year."
"I don't even think a single guy liked me in the past school year!" I say. Really?! Five guys?!
"Scott did." Acacia says, her voice chilly. I blink, and look at her. Everyone's gone quiet.
"He didn't, I swear," I say, a nasty blush creeping onto my face. "He liked you. Likes you."
She takes a deep breath. Scott was this guy who she liked, but somehow she managed to convince herself that he liked me when he asked for my number. Which he only did because he wanted my advice on how to pull her. "Whatever. I'm not mad, it's not even your fault. Besides," she says, blushing and biting her lip. "I kinda like someone else right now."
I gasp, grinning. "Who?!" Everyone says simultaneously.
Acacia blushes even more and smiles before saying his name. "Cooper."
There's the typical squeal from all of us, and Acacia just looks down and smiles. "I don't want to sound cocky but I think he likes me, too. During the bus he kept laughing at my lame jokes and I laughed at his, and he would touch me-"
"Excuse me?" I say. The nerve of that boy! And on public transit! When I see him next I swear-
"Like on the arm and stuff. He- he also brushed some hair behind my ear once. We stopped talking a little after, but I thought it was cute."
"Damn, he totally likes you!" Ava says, grinning at her and running her fingers through her hair. "The guys I dated were all assholes. They didn't do anything like that to me, they just wanted sex. I obviously didn't give it to them, though."
The whole topic of sex just sounds so mature to me. I'm the same age as Ava and already she has to deal with pushing horny guys away when the farthest I've gone was kissing Ethan Patterson in the 8th grade at a baseball game.
"What about you, Aubrey?" Marina says, looking at me.
"Yeah, you haven't talked about anyone." Acacia says, squinting her eyes a little.
I bite my lip and look down at my legs before muttering, "Eli Odair, alright? I think Eli Odair is the funniest and hottest and sweetest and most amazing guy I've ever met and he makes me feel happy and he makes me blush and all the other guys I've liked have made me feel like that too but not once have they made me feel any more special than anyone else and Eli does and I really hope he likes me back because I've never had a bigger crush on anyone, okay? That's who."
Everyone is silent. "Wow." Marina says. "Wow," and everyone starts laughing and it feels good to tell all these girls about Eli.
"Hey," Cooper says, grinning at our group, and then giving a small, blushy smile to Acacia. "You look pretty." He whispers to her.
"So these are our cabin mates," says Eli in his smooth voice. God, just hearing him sends shivers down my spine. "Acacia and Aubrey, meet Carter and Tyler. And you guys are...?"
He asks, looking at Marina and Ava.
"Marina," Marina says, smiling at the whole group and winking at Carter. I have to admit, he's pretty hot. Light and not-too-red auburn hair, a light tan and a couple freckles. Tyler's pretty cute, too, with dark hair and green eyes, similar to Eli's but more blue. Obviously I'm not interested in them, though.
"Ava," she says with a sexy smile playing on her lips. My jaw clenches. She's staring right at Eli. He just gives her an uncomfortable half smile and looks at me. I shrug, anger coursing through my veins. She knows I like him! What the hell is up with her?
Ava pulls me aside. "That's good!" She whispers excitedly.
"What's good about that?" I ask, furious with her. Why would she do that?
"He isn't interested in me, and he was staring right at you! I got you, girlfriend, you ever have boy problems just come to me alright?" She says, comforting me.
I nod, feeling relieved to have a good friend in her.
When we go back to the main group of people, I catch Eli staring at me. Feeling courageous, I give him a small smile. My shoulders feel like a weight has been lifted, maybe he really does like me!
