I Shouldn’t Love Him (Book 2) – Chapter 61
Lake
Something about a dining room full of humans under fourteen amplified everything. The counselors yelled at the kids who were excited to be away from home for a week. Trays banged against tables, silverware banged against plastic dishes. Camp kitchen staff rushed the children into the buffet line. The cooked hamburger meat fought body odor – I was glad I wasn’t eating near the boys.
Cabin nine sat in the middle of the hall with Manning in the center of the picnic table. The boys laughed at what he said, looked at him between mouthfuls of sloppy joes, showed him things from their pockets.
the other end of a long wooden table, eight nine-year-old girls between us. “What’s so funny?” I
.”
sation between boys I’d heard. “Which one is Bobby Newman?”
y all pointed at Manning’s table and Bettina turned bright red. Luckily for her, the only “boy” who noticed was Manning. He sucked his teeth, holding bac
girls? » asked Hannah.
o say he was happy? I had never seen him so relaxed, so quick to laugh and smile, as I had since we arrived at the parking lot this morning. “Horses,” one of the girls shouted.
ctivity I sat down for. Like last year, I planned to wait at the stable while Hannah and the instructors took the girls.
.
dship bracelets?”
ngs to do, so I wrote a drink check. “Has everyone ha
s,” th
nah and I exchanged a look. We had only gone through one pitcher between ten of us. I got up.
ucky, who was packing up the warmers. “Fill it.”
from last year. He pursed his mouth so hard it almost touched his eyebrows. “No seco
e got a lot left and I’m a growin
cky had just served food
onto it.
you still have seconds?”
big?”
n’t quit weightlifting yet if I
ah? Do you want some
f?” he asked as he returned to the tables. “
you?”
nd it’s been a while since. . I mean, they stink like hell, but they keep me on my toes.
discovered deodorant. “Do we have anything together today?” I asked since the same age groups were often paired up for activities. “I’m just asking in case I need to bring a face mask.”
es and such.”
ard.”
come?” I asked.
r my head for a sec
my daughters, my smile must have been as bright as a light bulb. I was sure it took up half my face. “I want dessert too,” one of the girls said. I put my pudding back without protest.
ut-être aller la voir.”
go see her.”
rt worried that only Tiffany or the girls would survive the week, not both.
next to Tiffany. “How are you?”
t been brushed in a week. “Jesus, LAKE. Hell on Earth. That’s how it happens.”
laugh. “It’s the first day. Things are
here.”
enced him. “They will hear you.”
f brats.”
ut up.” Tiffany poi
that.
older than them and she is no help. I bit my thumbnail. “Try to remember what it was like to be twelve years old. There’s a balance
ey go to bed, all the instructors come back here to hang out. We can blow off some steam then.
up. “Don’t leave. Please.”
tonight.”
, including a gossip lecture, they had fallen asleep. Once I was sure they were out for the night, I grabbed Hannah to take her to the dining hall. The walk was short, but we had to pass through the woods to get there, guided only by the moonlight that the trees let through.
his is allowed?” Hannah aske
ke turns throughout the week to walk around camp to check out each cabin. You may need to do that at one po
ll
story to get the girls to give away their candy, right?”
So there are no bears
too. In the cafeteria, the tables had been moved to the perimeter of the room, clearing the area. A boombox sat on the fireplace mantle and a junior advisor rapped to “Nuthin But A ‘G’ Thang.” Some people stood off to the side to talk, while others brought cushions and blankets to sit on the floor in a circle.
on us as we approached.
girl I didn’t recognize had her chair a little too close to Manning’s. Now I not only had to worry about Tiffany, but also the other girls? “Move,” I told him.
She glanced behind me at Manning
ease,” I added.
ded our chairs to the circle.
t more shy.”
ing. “I said please”
h said. “She’s the boss.”
asked.
sed an eyebrow at him. “You look surprised
.”
The song changed and Hannah nodded along with the music. “God, I love LL Cool J.”
iah Carey or something.
tate of mind.
of joke.
but they seemed to know. “What mood?” I asked.
er mind.”
ze.
Now I see where Lake
d. “Gets what? “
ng the boss
t I want?” Her eyes sparkled with everyone looking at her. She looked up at Manning. “Okay, baby? “
u guys dating?” G
ooked at Manning, so we all did too. “No.”
ffany said.
. “Just leave that stuff at
nning patted the outside of Tiffany’s t
’t think I would ever reach out and touch him. I looked at my hands, the dirt in my cuticles from planting trees earlier.
oday?” Manning asked him.
t.”
ht it, but he smiled back. “I’m glad. I was worried about you
nforcement.”
”
She shrugged, “But they’re a little difficult to deal with.
is this?” I asked him.
pefruit punch.”
ked at the pink drink. “With alcohol?
k to Gary. I took the cup from him and sniffed the rim. It didn’t smell like grapefruit. More than once, my dad had come home moaning that “he needed a drink. I never really wanted to get drunk, but Tiffany and her friends and mine all made it so glamorous
now where Tiffany had gotten the alcohol, but it definitely wasn’t allowed.
” he said.
g to.”
whispered. “One sip won’t kill he
arm firmly in his hand. “What are you doing?”
I just want her to have fun.
ell her that underage drinking is okay, she’ll believe you.
so childish when my parents told me were growling. “I’m right here,”
gets caught drinking, do you know what’s going to happen?” he asked Tiffany. “Have you even thought a
He looked at me. “He’s going to call your parents to come and see you. look for it. Tonight.”
ect. My insides churned as I realized the extent of his strength.