FIVE

The next day, Trip kept to his word. He went with Annaliese to the village. They began their day by visiting the doctor, where Annaliese got the prescription for the round of antibiotics she knew she needed. Then they went to the pharmacy to get the prescription filled. Then to the spa for pedicures.

“Really, Trip, you don’t have to do this with me,” she said, shaking her head wearily at him, but also squelching her laughter as they stretched out at the spa.

“I’m only doing this because it’s so funny for you,” he said with his feet in the whirlpool bath.

He was wearing a T-shirt with a Batman logo on it. No one could have looked more out of place. The sight of him made Annaliese cover her mouth to stop the giggles.

“Do you want polish?” the beauty consultant asked Trip.

He flipped his head toward Annaliese. “Do I want polish?”

“No!” she gasped.

He flipped his head back. “I guess not.”

When they left, he took her out for lunch. Skyer was with them, saying consoling things about how Camilla hadn’t been able to figure out which camper had played the rabbit prank.

“Maybe we should stay at a hotel tonight,” Trip suggested casually. “You know, because we don’t know who did it. The criminal’s still hanging around the camp. Annaliese can’t be expected to return to her bed tonight or to spend another night in the counselor’s lounge.”

Annaliese and Skyler exchanged looks. Clearly, they both thought that suggestion was too demanding, but at that moment, neither of them had a better idea.

When the three of them returned to the camp, it turned out that the situation was more serious than they thought and the camp counselors were considering alternatives.

It seemed that even though they spoke to everyone in the cabins and interviewed everyone, no one knew anything. The rabbit had been hit by a car, so it was probably hit by one of the people coming to the camp, but it had been fresh enough to make a bloody mess. Had whoever hit it stopped their car, got out, put the rabbit in a bag, and then dumped the whole thing out in Annaliese’s bed? That would require an alarming amount of forethought.

None of the campers knew how it happened. No one had any memory of their vehicle hitting a bump or anything.

With no new information, Annaliese was finally encouraged to call her mother, but she knew that if her mother heard what happened, she would be pulled from the camp. She glanced at Trip and worried that if she decided to go home, it would not be the last time she saw him. They were getting older with only two more summers before they graduated from high school. She went to a different school than him. She wasn’t sure how much more time she could spend with him if she bailed.

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“Could I be moved to a different room?” she asked Camilla.

The camp counselor hissed in hesitation. “There aren’t any other beds available in the girls' dormitory. There is an empty cabin for sick campers that we could set you up in until we find the culprit.”

“That sounds perfect,” Annaliese said.

“It’s behind the front office. Do you think you’ll be scared to stay alone? I’d feel better if we could get another camper to stay with you.”

Annaliese shook her head. “As far as I know, the only camper here who couldn’t have pulled the rabbit prank was Trip. You aren’t going to let a boy stay with me, so I’m fine staying alone.”

“What’s your relationship like with Trip? Is he your cousin?” Camilla asked, digging a little deeper.

“He’s not a relative. We’ve been friends since we were little kids.”

“So, he’s like your brother?” she asked, still picking.

Annaliese didn’t know where that line of thought was going, so she answered, “I don’t have a brother. Of the people I know, I guess he’s the closest thing.”

Camilla smiled knowingly and helped Annaliese cart her luggage out to the infirmary cabin and helped her get sorted from there.

Afterward, Annaliese went under the canopy for dinner and saw Trip sitting all alone at a table. She was supposed to be sitting with her roommates, but since she didn’t know if they were the ones who had left the rabbit in her bed, she walked at a measured pace over to Trip. He got up with her and they joined the line to get food.

“Why are you by yourself? Aren’t you supposed to be sitting with your roommates?” she asked in a sly whisper as they moved through the buffet, choosing their dinners.

He leaned over and whispered into her hair, “I was removed from my room this afternoon.”

“Why?”

“They moved me to a room by myself.”

“Huh? So there were no free rooms in the girls' cabins, but there were plenty of free rooms in the boys’ dorms?”

“Something like that.” He gave her a meaningful look.

Annaliese didn’t know what that meant. When she sat at the table, she expected Trip to sit across from her, but he didn’t.

He sat next to her, with his shoulder brushing hers, and whispered, “I’m supposed to sneak out and sleep in your cabin.”

Her face flushed red. “Do they know how inappropriate that is?”

“They said that since I’m like your brother and we have been friends all our lives and since the person you wanted when you found the rabbit was me, I should be there for you. Just until they find out who did this and then you can return to your room.”

“Even though all that is true,” Annaliese hissed back, “we’re not actually that close.”

“I heard Skyler tell them that in the eighteen hours he spent with us he has never witnessed less sexual tension between two teenagers than us.”

“That can’t be true. Half of these kids barely know the difference between their knees and their elbows. How could all of them be raring to go?”

“I agree.”

Annaliese swallowed, but the cool, empty look was on her face. “What do you think about staying in my room with me?”

“We need to make a deal,” he said, trying to match the coolness on her face. If he could look as indifferent as her, it could only serve them both.

“Should we talk about it tonight, when we’re alone in our… cabin?” Annaliese asked in a conspiratorial whisper.

Trip nodded.