"She totally ditched us." These are the first words I hear in the morning outside the door to the showers. My hand hovers over the door handle, but I stop.

"Brianna, I'm sure she – "

"You can't deny it. She promised. And now?"

"Now, she'll ditch us again," Mia says. "So what?"

I back away from the door – from the entire gray building – and try to catch my breath.

You should have texted her when you got back to the site. Now, it's too late.

I pace in the direction of the other showers. It's a longer walk but at least it'll give me time to think. Then, I decide to turn back on my phone. Maybe she texted me. Maybe some context will calm me down.

I scroll through my notifications.

[https://em.wattpad.com/58b0f49dc319e06de5aec78478a3e08671e45985/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f6f66356941664459705a666e77673d3d2d38333030353538342e313466383932366531323163636132313631313331343533353133312e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

Braydon texted me?

But I'm already onto the next texts.

[https://em.wattpad.com/cd4fbb603d5bad4f9c72ab42de360dda789313ce/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f674f2d35724232454e486a4c61513d3d2d38333030353538342e313466383932633237306632666566613236313635333439383831372e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

And that's it for me. I don't read the rest. Tears well up in my eyes. I forget where I'm going. My only concern is to –

"Alison – "

I gasp and lose my footing. Hands quickly grip my forearms, and rather than falling onto my knees, I fall into some guy's chest.

"Hey, hey, hey," he says. "Calm down. Calm down. It's me."

Oh, God! Philip! Why does he have to see me like this?

"What's wrong?" He says. "What happened?"

"Nothing. It's nothing. I need to shower."

The pain doesn't come from his eyes this time but from his hands. It travels up my arms and spreads the calm throughout me as he sets me back on my feet.

I look up into his eyes with shock, and the black tendrils in his eyes rush away.

"Alison?"

"I'm fine," I say, breathlessly. "I'm fine. It – it's nothing."

His grip eases on my forearms, and then I realize I'm in my summer Pjs, and the material is . . . Well, the shorts have cartoon dragons on them, and the top is just as childish. I readjust my bag on my arm as I blush and look away.

"This has nothing to do with me, does it?" he says.

I snap to him. "What?"

"Nevermind," he says quickly. "I just thought maybe you were upset, but I guess –"

"Wait," I say. "Yes, I am! You disappeared."

He takes step back and breathes in deeply, like he regrets saying something.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"I mean, I don't even know how you left. You were in the tent one minute and the next you were gone."

He crosses his arms and laughs. "What are you suggesting? I just evaporated and popped somewhere else?"

"Well, no. But –"

"What can I say? I left. I'm sorry."

I consider him a moment. It does sound crazy to suggest he literally disappeared, but then so does the idea that he's controlling my anxieties.

At least he's back. You can deal with your potential insanity later. Right now, just don't scare him away.

"But why? Why did you leave?"

His smile turns soft, but then he says, "Do you want to tell me why you were crying just a minute ago?"

"I – no." How can I tell him? If I put it into words, I'll just sound melodramatic.

"Well, then," he says. "I guess we're both in a position to speculate."

"But – "

"So." He looks down briefly and grins. "I thought maybe you and I could go hiking up the East Bluff today."

"Huh?"

"We could have lunch up top. We'll have to leave no later than 11, but I know a pretty scenic spot, one that doesn't get cluttered with tourists. Would you join me?"

"I – "

But he invades my space, and my heart jitters. I'm aware of how thin my pajama's top is and feel exposed.

"Just say yes," he says. "It'll be quicker."

I swallow. "Uh . . . Yeah. Sure. Sounds like fun."

His smile widens.

"Okay then. We'll call it a date."

A date. I'm going on a date? Oh my God!

"So, I'll let you shower – " But then he's peering over my shoulder. "Or maybe not. Looks like someone wants to talk to you. But we'll meet up later." And then he starts to walk backward away from me. "11:00. Just outside the Learning Center."

And then he takes off running and disappears behind a camper before someone else is tapping me on the shoulder. I turn around with a startle.

"Oh! Sorry, Alison," Sophie says. "But Brianna wants to talk with you."

The girls and I sit at the picnic table at our campsite, the two younger ones on either side of Brianna.

"So you want to go to the waterpark," I say. It means they won't meet Philip with me this afternoon, but that's fine. He did call it a date.

"What I'm saying is the guys' have two extra passes," Brianna says. "We thought we'd pool our money for the other two."

"Why two?"

Brianna looks at me like I'm stupid. "Because there are four of us? Why do you think?"

"But I can't, Bri. You know I can't. Noah's Ark doesn't have a dry park, and anyway – "

Brianna lowers her head and sighs. "You said you wouldn't do this."

"Do what?"

"You realize we had plans this weekend, plans we canceled for you. I thought confronting your fears was important to you."

"Yeah, well, I sorta agreed to go hiking with someone today."

"You're going hiking with someone."

"Yeah."

"With who?"

I open my mouth, but somehow can't find my voice. Finally, I just say, "A guy."

"Oh, give me a break, Alison. A guy? Really? You do realize we've shared the same room since – "

"Wait. You met a guy?" Mia says.

I feel myself blush and shyly say, "Um. Yeah. I guess."

"Way to go, Alison! " Mia starts.

But Brianna interrupts and says, "Does this guy have a name?"

I open my mouth. I can't say it. Why can't I say it?

"Yeah," I say.

"Invite him to dinner," Mia says. "The guys are making tacos, but there should be enough."

But Brianna gets impatient. "Okay. What is it?"

"Um . . . Philip," I finally force out, but now that I've said it, it feels easier. "Philip Dussault. We were actually childhood friends."

Brianna folds her arms. "Oh, I remember him."

"You – you do?"

She raises an eyebrow. "Do you have a problem with that, Alison?"

"No, I just . . . I was sort of taking his word on it, because I can't seem to remember him at all."

"Well, you know what?" she says. "I think I like Mia's suggestion. Invite him to dinner. Do you think he'll come?"

"I can ask."

"You do that."