A pounding in my head woke me up the next morning. My tongue felt thick and hairy, and my olfactory senses were assaulted by the smell of stale campfire. I lay awake for several minutes but refused to open my eyes, instinctively knowing that would make my head hurt worse. The sunlight streaming through the window made the back of my eyelids a reddish-orange. I moaned and covered my face with a pillow.

“Drink the water, Natalia,” Erik demanded from across the room. He sounded irritated.

“Water?” I croaked.

“The water I left next to your bed last night. Remember?”

No, I didn’t remember, but I reached blindly towards my nightstand anyway. My hand closed around a glass, warm from sitting out all night. I grabbed it and, without opening my eyes, sat up just enough to drink the entire glass, spilling a minimal amount down my shirt. I replaced the glass on the nightstand and fell back onto my bed. The springs on Erik’s bed squeaked loudly as he got up. I groaned. Erik’s bare footsteps sounded louder than normal as he padded across the room. He took the glass and trudged in the direction of the bathroom. The water ran for several seconds and then Erik turned it off and made his way back to me. He set the glass down heavily. I cringed.

“Drink it,” he ordered.

I opened my eyes for the first time and immediately regretted it. I squinted up at Erik and took in his disheveled bed head and naked torso. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen him shirtless—he normally slept in just his boxers—but for some reason this was the first time I appreciated exactly how great he looked without his shirt. Snippets from last night’s conversation about Erik danced through my head, and I blushed. He gave me an odd look.

When I didn’t reach for the water, Erik picked it up and handed it to me. “Drink it,” he repeated.

I took it and gulped down my second glass of the day. The liquid sloshed in my stomach, making me queasy. I lay back down.

“Oh no, you don’t. You’re getting up and getting dressed so I can take you to medical.”

“Why?” I whined. “I’m not sick.”

“Because you’re dehydrated. That’s what’s giving you the splitting headache. The medics can give you fluids to rehydrate you. You’ll feel better in no time.”

“Why do you care how I feel? You don’t think I should suffer for my sins?” I asked suspiciously.

“I do think you should suffer, but I don’t think I should have to.”

I stared at him blankly.

“Have you ever been drunk before, Talia?”

“No,” I answered grudgingly. I didn’t know why, but I was embarrassed to admit to him that I was a hangover virgin.

“Well, for the sake of those around you, don’t make a habit of it. You’re projecting your hangover onto me.”

I knew that I could force my will onto others, but I’d never accidentally transferred my thoughts or feelings to another person. I briefly wondered if I could do it to anybody or if Erik was unique because I spent so much time communicating with him mentally. Or maybe it was because he could mimic my talents, making a connection easier.

“You’re killing me, Tals,” he said tiredly.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled. “I’m not doing it on purpose.”

“I know.” His voice softened. “But I can’t seem to block you. I didn’t have the pleasure of getting drunk last night, so I’m not really up to paying the consequences this morning.”

“I’m sorry,” I said again. I clamored out of bed and trudged to the bathroom. I peeled off my sweater from the night before and suppressed the urge to vomit as the smell of campfire overwhelmed me again. I quickly changed into clean clothes and wound my tangled curls in a bun away from my face.

“Tal, we’re just going to the medical building. You don’t need to impress anybody,” Erik called from the main room, sounding quite annoyed.

I opened the door and smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry.”

“So you’ve said. Come on,” he ordered, gesturing for me to follow him.

“Where’s Henri?” I asked, noticing for the first time he wasn’t there.

“He spent the night in the city,” Erik replied shortly, ushering me out of the cabin.

“Henri met a girl?” I did nothing to hide my shock. Henri was so responsible and controlled. I couldn’t imagine he was the type to pick up a girl at a bar and go home with her.

“Not exactly.” Erik didn’t elaborate.

“Did he meet a boy?” I joked.

Erik abruptly stopped walking and turned to face me.

“How did you know that?” he demanded.

“I didn’t,” I stammered. “I just figured if he didn’t meet a girl, then maybe he met a boy.”

Erik gave me a hard look.

“I don’t see what the big deal is,” I continued.

“It’s not a big deal,” Erik sighed. “He’s just a really private person and doesn’t want everyone discussing his personal life.”

“I won’t say anything,” I promised quickly.

“I know. He’ll probably tell you, anyway. And he didn’t meet a boy at a bar. His boyfriend, Frederick, lives in D.C. They’ve been together for a few years now. He usually spends a couple of nights a week down there with him. With you here though, he wanted to seem available and be around at curfew, so he hasn’t been staying the night.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I didn’t.

We walked the rest of the way in silence. When we entered the medical building, Erik went directly to the receptionist and said something to her in a low voice. I saw her nod and then he turned and waved me over. I followed Erik down a back hallway. We entered a room where a chubby, young medic was sitting with his feet propped up on a desk, playing with his Communicator.

“Hey, Zach,” Erik greeted the guy. “I need a hangover shot.”

Zach smirked. “You got it.”

“Zach and I were friends at school,” Erik explained, turning his attention to me.

“Hey,” I said to Zach.

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He gave me a small nod of acknowledgment, then got up and grabbed a couple of vials from the cabinet. He mixed several serums together and then filled a syringe with his concoction.

“Hop up on the table, big boy,” he said to Erik.

“Not me… her,” Erik replied, pointing to me. I climbed onto the table and turned my head away as Zach injected me with his mixture.

“Thanks,” I mumbled.

“Happy to help,” he grinned.

“Yeah, Zach, I owe you one. I’ll catch up with you later in the week,” Erik thanked him.

“Sounds good. Feel better.” He directed his last statement towards me.

I smiled at Zach and let Erik lead me out of the room.

No sooner had we walked out of the medical building then—

“Talia!” a high-pitched voice squealed.

Erik groaned, rubbing his temples.

“Hey, Penny,” I said, smiling as she ran towards us with her fire-engine-red hair flying behind her.

“Oh my gosh, I feel so crappy this morning!” she exclaimed. “Note to self—sugary drinks hit you hard.”

“Ha ha, yeah,” I agreed.

Erik groaned again.

“Oh, Penny, this is Erik. Erik, this is Penny,” I said, introducing them to each other. Erik just nodded at her.

“Oh my gosh, hi!” Penny extended her hand to Erik. Erik shook it hesitantly. “I’ve heard so much about you. All of the girls in the Crypto unit talk about you all the time!”

Erik wasn’t even fazed. “I seem to have that effect on girls,” he said dryly.

“I was thinking maybe we could do something later?” Penny said, turning to me.

“Um, sure. Why don’t you send me a Comm?” I replied, referring to the messages we sent each other using our Communicators.

“Great! Well then, I’ll talk to you later!” Her excitement was draining what little energy I had. “It was so cool to meet you!” she said to Erik.

“Likewise,” Erik amusingly replied. I wondered if girls normally acted like this around him.

“I see you made a friend,” Erik said, sounding slightly more animated after Penny walked away.

“Yeah, I guess I did.” I smiled.

“Don’t look so surprised. If you gave people a chance, you would have a fan club, too.”

“I give people a chance,” I retorted defensively.

“No, you don’t.” He laughed. “You’re stuck in your own closed-off world with Donavon.” He said Donavon’s name like it was a dirty word.

“I gave you a chance, didn’t I?” I joked.

“You didn’t have a choice,” he pointed out.

I was thinking about what he said as we walked a couple of yards without speaking.

“Tal! I’ve been looking all over for you,” Donavon called, jogging over to us.

“Oh, shit,” Erik muttered. “I’m going back to the cabin.” He started walking away.

“Erik?” I called after him. He stopped walking. “Thanks for everything. And really, I am sorry.”

He smiled, turned back around, and kept walking.

“What happened last night?” Donavon’s mental voice demanded.

“What are you talking about?” I sent back cautiously.

“You were drunk.” It wasn’t a question.

“I had some drinks with friends.” I tried to keep my mental voice even.

“What friends? You haven’t been interested in making friends in the seven years I’ve known you.”

“No,” I corrected. “I haven’t had any interest in being friends with your friends.”

“What’s wrong with my friends?” His mental voice was shouting.

“Nothing is wrong with your friends, except that they’re your friends. Like Laris, since I assume that’s how you know I was drinking last night.”

“Yes, that is, in fact, who told me. Laris was worried, so he left me a Comm. How do you think I felt when I came home last night to find out that my girlfriend was so drunk that she couldn’t walk herself home?” he demanded.

“Oh, Laris was worried? Worried?! No, I doubt he was worried. He just couldn’t wait to call and tell you all about it!” I was so frustrated and angry that I was close to tears.

“Don’t be mad at Laris. I sent you a ton of Comms last night and this morning, and you didn’t return any of them. What were you doing? What happened after you went back to your cabin? And why were you drinking in the first place?”

“What the hell are you talking about? Nothing happened after I went back to my cabin. I passed out. And why is this such a big deal? Weren’t you drinking last night, too?”

“Yes, I was drinking. But I drink. You don’t. And I don’t appreciate you getting drunk for the first time without me.”

“This is ridiculous, Donavon. I don’t understand why you’re so pissed. I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m going back to my cabin. I cannot deal with you right now.” I started walking away.

“Back to your cabin, or back to Erik?” Donavon screamed after me.

“What?” I rounded on him. “What does Erik have to do with this?”

“I just find it a little convenient that Erik came home early last night. The first night he has ever left the city bars without a girl on his arm just so happens to be the first night you ever get drunk?”

“Have you lost it? I refuse to dignify that with a response.”

I stomped towards my cabin. My head started throbbing again but this time it was from the blood pounding in my ears and not from my hangover. Donavon called my name, but I didn’t care.

I ran straight through Hunters Village and down the same path I’d led Penny on the night before. I didn’t stop until I reached the water’s edge. A cold sweat was running down my back and my shirt stuck to my skin. My breath was ragged. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get it under control. I fell to my knees on the shore, rocks biting into my skin through my thin pants.

The audacity of Donavon to accuse me of inappropriate behavior infuriated me. I had refused to cry in front of Donavon but now tears of frustration poured hot and angry down my cheeks. I jumped to my feet and began pacing along the bank of the lake. My head was spinning so fast, the world around me blurred into a collage of colors that was made worse by the tears obscuring my vision. For a brief moment, I hated myself for letting Donavon affect me so profoundly. In my rage, I wasn’t paying attention to my feet; I tripped, and because I was caught off guard, my superb reflexes failed me. Unable to get my hands out in time to break my fall, my forehead struck the trunk of a felled tree with a loud crack.

Dazed and disoriented, I laid in the sand. The lake water lapped against my legs until I felt strong arms lift me from the ground. I didn’t have the energy to speak, so I settled for resting my head against the hard chest of my savior. My barely-conscious brain hoped that it was Henri. I couldn’t stand having Erik save me twice in one day.

“She’s soaked,” I heard Henri comment.

“What’s she doing out here?” Erik sounded perplexed.

“Who knows? Let’s just get her back and dry her off,” Henri replied.

I tried to speak but found it difficult to form words over the pain in my head. I tried to focus on the rhythm of Henri’s footsteps, but I passed out before we made it more than a couple of steps.

I woke up in my bed sometime after the sun had set. I was wrapped in several blankets, including Henri’s quilt. Frantically, I flipped the covers back and looked down at myself. I was dressed in dry clothes. I shot up and looked around the room in a panic. Erik chuckled from the corner of the cabin.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, concerned.

“Who dressed me?” I demanded, ignoring his question.

“I did,” Henri said, coming through the door to the cabin.

“I helped.” Penny’s voice came from somewhere behind Henri, but his massive frame blocked her.

“Don’t worry, Tal, I promise I didn’t enjoy it, you’re not really my type,” Henri joked.

“Thanks.” I smiled, feeling more than a little humiliated.

“Penny and I brought dinner, so I hope you’re hungry,” Henri continued, ignoring my discomfort.

“What are you doing here, Penny?” I asked, then immediately felt bad since she’d obviously been helpful earlier.

“She was blowing up your Communicator, so I answered and she insisted on coming over,” Erik answered for her.

“She proved very useful when it came to getting you cleaned up and dressed,” Henri said pointedly.

“Did everybody see me naked?” I asked, completely mortified.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t have the pleasure,” Erik quipped.

“You must be hungry. Take your pick,” Henri said, changing the subject. He held out four wrapped deli sandwiches, and I grabbed one at random. Henri handed one to Penny and took the other two to the table, sitting opposite Erik. Penny sat on the end of my bed and spread out her dinner. We all dug in, the room quiet except for the sound of crinkling paper and chewing.

The four of us spent the night hanging out, playing cards, and talking. I was able to put the fight with Donavon out of my mind and actually enjoy myself. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had so much fun.

Sometime just before curfew, Henri offered to walk Penny back to her apartment.

“Thanks for tonight,” I said to Erik after they’d left.

“No big deal.” He looked uncharacteristically embarrassed.

“Yes, it is. I’m sure you and Henri would have preferred going out in the city, instead of spending the night with me and Penny.”

“Nah, I needed a break. And Penny’s cooler than I would’ve thought; a little hyper, but nice.” He sounded amused when he talked about Penny and a brief jolt of something that I thought might be jealousy hit me. I quickly dismissed it.

“Thanks all the same.”

“Night, Talia,” he called, pulling the covers up and turning to face the wall.

“Night.”

I closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep, but my mind kept replaying the fight with Donavon. I briefly contemplated reaching out to him. He hadn’t left me any Communications, so I figured he was still mad. We never fought. I didn’t know what to expect.

Curiosity finally got the better of me, and I opened my mind. Donavon was in his cabin, and he was definitely still seething. My good mood vanished. I closed my mind and again willed myself to fall asleep. I had never actually attempted to force my will on myself, so I doubted it would work. To my surprise, I was fast asleep before Henri returned.