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Rosie had been sitting by the lake for almost twenty minutes before she realized she was talking to it.
Not having a conversation, of course.
That would have been weird.
She was mostly just filling the silence.
"You're very green today," she informed the water.
The lake continued being green.
Rosie nodded thoughtfully. "I know. It's probably not your fault."
She picked up a small pebble from the ground beside her and rolled it between her fingers. The afternoon was warm, though the shade from the trees kept the heat from becoming unbearable. Somewhere on the other side of camp, music drifted through the trees in uneven bursts. Someone would start playing, stop halfway through, argue about something Rosie couldn't make out, and then begin again.
Rosie had come out here to get away from all of it.
Not because anything was wrong. Camp was just loud.
Everywhere she went, somebody seemed to be singing, playing an instrument, rehearsing, or yelling across the grounds for a friend. Even in her cabin, there was always somebody talking. Rosie wasn't used to being around this many people all the time, especially people who seemed perfectly comfortable filling every second of silence.
So she'd come to the lake.
And eventually, she'd started talking to it.
"I just think you could've tried a little harder," she continued. "Maybe blue. Blue would've been nice."
"Good to know."
Rosie nearly dropped the pebble.
She spun around so quickly that her hair caught against her cheek.
Desi stood several feet behind her with his hands in his pockets, looking far too pleased with himself. She only knew Desi as Sage’s younger brother, but he had a reputation for not caring about really anything.
Rosie stared at him.
Then she looked toward the lake.
Then back at him.
"How long have you been there?"
Desi's smile grew.
"Long enough."
Her face immediately warmed.
"Oh, no."
He started laughing.
Rosie pointed at him. "Don't."
"I didn't say anything."
"You don't have to. You're already laughing at me."
"I'm sorry."
He wasn't.
Rosie could tell by the way he was struggling to keep his grin under control.
"I just didn't know you were friends with the lake."
Rosie turned back around, hoping that ignoring him might make him leave.
It didn't.
A few seconds later, she heard the grass shifting behind her. Then Desi lowered himself onto the ground beside her.
He left enough space between them that their shoulders didn't touch.
Rosie noticed anyway.
"Don't stop on my account," he said. "I was really interested in hearing what else the lake had to say."
Rosie stared at him.
"I wasn't talking to the lake."
"You literally said, 'You're very green today.'"
"I was making an observation."
"Out loud."
"People are allowed to make observations out loud."
Desi nodded seriously. "Of course."
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"That voice."
"What voice?"
"The one where you're pretending you agree with me."
"I do agree with you."
Rosie narrowed her eyes.
Desi smiled.
"You're impossible."
"I haven't even done anything."
"You came over here and listened to me embarrass myself."
"That wasn't really my choice."
"It could've been."
"How?"
"You could've left."
Desi looked toward the path behind him as if considering it.
Then he turned back to her.
"Nah."
The answer was casual. Almost careless.
Still, Rosie found herself looking at him for a second longer than she meant to.
She turned away before he could notice.
Desi leaned back on his hands and looked out over the water.
"So," he said, "what did the lake think?"
Rosie folded her arms.
"It wasn't a conversation."
"Right."
"I wasn't waiting for it to answer."
"Good. I was worried."
She picked up the pebble again.
Desi's eyes immediately dropped to her hand.
"Don't throw that."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Rosie tossed the pebble into the lake.
It landed several feet away with a quiet plunk.
Desi watched the ripples spread.
"Wow."
"What?"
"You missed me by a lot."
Rosie slowly turned toward him.
"I wasn't aiming for you."
"Then I guess your aim is even worse than I thought."
She laughed despite herself.
"There it is."
"What?"
"That thing you do where you say something stupid and then look proud of yourself."
Desi looked offended.
"I don't say stupid things."
"You just implied I was aiming a pebble at you from over here."
"You picked it up while glaring at me."
"I wasn't glaring."
He gave her a look.
Rosie paused.
"Fine. Maybe a little."
Desi grinned.
"You're annoying."
"That's better."
Rosie frowned. "What's better?"
"Now you're talking to me instead of the lake."
She looked away so he wouldn't see her smile.
For a little while, they sat quietly.
Desi didn't seem bothered by the silence. Rosie appreciated that more than she wanted to admit. Some people treated quiet like something needed to be fixed. They immediately started asking questions or telling stories just to fill the empty space.
Desi just sat beside her.
The wind moved gently through the trees overhead. Across the lake, the water shifted against the shore.
Eventually, Desi spoke.
"Why'd you come out here?"
Rosie shrugged.
"I wanted a break."
"From what?"
She gestured vaguely toward camp.
"Everything."
Desi glanced back toward the cabins.
"That's a lot of things."
"Exactly."
He laughed softly.
Rosie pulled her knees closer to herself.
"I like it here," she admitted. "At camp, I mean. It's just different."
"Different bad?"
"No." She thought about it. "Just different."
Desi waited.
Rosie glanced at him.
"At home, everything's planned. I know what I'm doing, where I'm going, what I'm supposed to practice. There's usually a schedule. Here, people just decide things."
Desi smiled.
"That's your problem with camp? People deciding things?"
"It's not a problem."
He didn't say anything.
Rosie looked at him.
"Stop looking at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like you know what I'm going to say."
"I do."
"No, you don't."
"You're going to say it's not a problem."
Rosie crossed her arms.
"It isn't."
Desi waited.
She sighed.
"It's a little bit of a problem."
"I knew it."
Rosie bumped her shoulder against his.
"Don't look so happy about it."
Desi's mouth twitched.
"I'm not."
Rosie gave him a flat look.
"You're terrible at lying."
"I'm trying to be respectful."
"By laughing at me?"
"I'm not laughing at you."
"You were about to."
"That's different."
"How?"
"I hadn't actually done it yet."
Rosie stared at him.
Desi started laughing.
"Okay, fine. That was bad."
"Thank you."
She turned back toward the lake, resting her hands against the grass behind her.
For a moment, Desi was quiet.
Then he said, "You know, you're a lot funnier than I thought you'd be."
Rosie slowly turned her head.
"What?"
Desi's expression changed immediately.
"That came out wrong."
"Very."
"I didn't mean I thought you weren't funny."
"That's exactly what you said."
"No, I meant..." He paused. "Okay. I didn't know you very well."
"That isn't helping."
"It was supposed to."
Rosie watched him struggle for another second.
Desi finally laughed at himself.
"I'm doing a terrible job here."
"You really are."
"What I meant was that you're different when you're actually comfortable."
Rosie raised an eyebrow.
"How did you expect me to be?"
Desi looked at her for a moment, thinking.
"Quiet."
"I am quiet."
"Yeah, but not like this."
She waited.
Desi gestured vaguely between them.
"You actually talk when you get going. And you argue a lot."
Rosie frowned.
"That is usually how talking works."
He smiled.
"You know what I mean."
"I don't."
"Rosie."
"What?"
"You don't have to make everything difficult."
"I don't make everything difficult."
Desi's eyebrows lifted.
Rosie considered it.
"Okay, I make some things difficult."
"Thank you."
"But only when people deserve it."
He laughed.
"And what did I do?"
"You interrupted my conversation."
"With the lake."
Rosie immediately looked away.
"You're never letting that go, are you?"
"Not a chance."
She shoved his shoulder.
Desi caught himself on one hand, making a bigger deal of it than necessary.
Rosie rolled her eyes.
"I didn't push you that hard."
"I know."
"Then why are you acting like that?"
"Because I want you to feel bad."
"I don't."
Desi looked at her.
Rosie smiled.
"You're mean."
"That's interesting coming from you."
"What have I done?"
"You've insulted me at least four times since I got here."
"I haven't insulted you."
"You told me to leave."
"Because you snuck up on me."
"See?"
Rosie laughed.
Desi shook his head, but he was smiling too.
After a few seconds, Rosie asked, "What else did you expect me to be like?"
Desi looked over.
"You already asked me that."
"And you gave me a bad answer."
"I said quiet."
"Exactly."
"Fine." He thought for a moment. "A little intimidating."
Rosie immediately turned toward him.
"Me?"
Desi nodded.
She laughed.
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"That's not an answer."
"You always look like you're judging everything."
Rosie's mouth fell open.
"I do not."
Desi grinned.
"You do."
"When?"
"Right now, for one."
"I'm not judging you."
"You are."
"I'm deciding whether I should push you into the lake."
Desi glanced toward the water.
Then back at her.
"See? Intimidating."
Rosie laughed.
"I don't understand how you could possibly be intimidated by me."
Desi shrugged.
"You don't talk much around people you don't know. So I never know what you're thinking."
Rosie considered that.
"And that bothers you?"
"No."
His answer came too quickly.
Rosie turned toward him.
Desi looked back.
"Does it?"
"No."
Her mouth curved slightly.
Desi pointed at her.
"Don't start."
"I didn't say anything."
"You have that look."
"What look?"
"That one."
Rosie laughed softly.
"You're not very good at this."
"At what?"
"Not caring."
For a second, Desi just looked at her.
Rosie hadn't meant for the words to sound as pointed as they did. She'd meant them as teasing, but something in his expression made her wonder if she'd gotten closer to the truth than she'd intended.
Then he looked away toward the lake.
"Maybe I don't like being judged."
Rosie immediately shook her head.
"I wasn't judging you."
"I know."
"Then why'd you say that?"
Desi picked at a piece of grass beside him.
"Because you were right."
Rosie looked at him.
He was still facing the water.
"I care more than I act like I do."
She didn't answer right away.
There was something about the way he said it that didn't feel like a joke. Not entirely.
Desi glanced over.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You have a thought."
"I don't."
"Rosie."
She looked down, trying not to smile.
"I just thought you were more confident than that."
Desi laughed under his breath.
"That's disappointing."
"No." Rosie looked up at him. "Not disappointing."
He waited.
Rosie suddenly felt very aware that he was watching her.
"Just different."
Desi's expression softened a little.
"Different good or different bad?"
Rosie turned back toward the lake.
"I'm still deciding."
"Wow."
"What?"
"You can't even give me one answer."
"You said you like not knowing what happens."
Desi laughed.
"Okay. That's fair."
Rosie smiled.
The silence that followed wasn't awkward.
She found herself wondering when that had happened. At some point during the conversation, she'd stopped feeling like she needed to prepare the next thing to say. She could just sit there.
With Desi.
It was strange how quickly that had become easy.
Then Desi said, "So what about me?"
Rosie turned toward him.
"What about you?"
"What did you expect?"
She hesitated.
Desi immediately smiled.
"Oh, this is going to be good."
"I don't know if I should tell you."
"Now you have to."
"Why?"
"Because you hesitated."
Rosie laughed.
"That's not how that works."
"It does today."
She looked him over.
Desi waited, looking far too interested in her answer.
Rosie decided she was going to make him regret asking.
"I thought you were annoying."
His expression dropped.
"Wow."
Rosie smiled.
"You asked."
"I thought we were bonding."
"We are."
"By insulting me?"
"You're the one who called me intimidating."
"That's different."
"How?"
Desi opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Rosie smiled wider.
"Exactly."
He pointed at her.
"You enjoyed that too much."
"A little."
Desi shook his head.
"Okay. What else?"
Rosie blinked.
"What?"
"What else did you think?"
"I'm not telling you."
"Come on."
"No."
"You can't just say I was annoying and stop there."
"I absolutely can."
Desi leaned a little closer.
Rosie looked at him.
"Rosie."
She smiled.
"Desi."
His expression made her laugh.
"Fine," she said. "I thought you were annoying."
Desi groaned.
"But?"
He immediately looked at her.
Rosie paused.
She hadn't meant to say that part.
Desi noticed.
"There's a but."
"There isn't."
"There definitely is."
Rosie looked away.
"Maybe you're not as annoying as I thought."
His smile returned immediately.
Rosie rolled her eyes.
"Don't look so happy about it."
"I can't help it."
"Try harder."
"No."
Rosie shook her head, smiling despite herself.
Desi was still watching her.
"So I'm growing on you?"
"Don't push it."
"That means yes."
"It means stop talking."
"Definitely yes."
Rosie picked up another pebble.
Desi's eyes dropped to her hand.
Then back to her face.
"Don't."
Rosie smiled innocently.
"Don't what?"
"You know what."
"I really don't."
Desi shifted a little farther away.
Rosie laughed.
"I wasn't even going to throw it at you."
"Sure."
She tossed the pebble into the lake.
It landed with a quiet splash.
Desi watched the ripples spread.
"Wow."
Rosie sighed.
"What?"
"You missed me by a lot."
"I wasn't aiming for you."
"Then you're admitting your aim is bad."
Rosie looked at him.
"Why do you want me to throw something at you so badly?"
Desi smiled.
"I like winning arguments."
"That isn't an argument."
"Then why are you losing?"
Rosie stared at him.
Then she reached down and dipped her fingers into the lake.
Desi's eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing?"
Rosie looked at her hand.
"Making an observation."
"Rosie."
She flicked water at him.
Desi jerked backward.
A few drops landed across his arm.
For a second, he just stared at the water on his skin.
Rosie tried to keep a straight face.
She failed.
Desi slowly looked back at her.
"Did you just splash me?"
"It was an accident."
"Rosie."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You just flicked water directly at me."
"The lake is unpredictable."
He stared at her.
Rosie smiled sweetly.
Desi leaned toward the water.
Rosie's eyes widened.
"Don't."
"Now you can know how I felt."
"Desi."
He dipped both hands into the lake.
Rosie scrambled backward.
"Desi, don't you dare."
He splashed her.
Rosie shrieked as cold water hit her arms and the front of her shirt.
"Are you kidding me?"
Desi was already laughing.
"You started it."
"That was one tiny splash."
"So was mine."
Rosie looked down at her damp shirt.
Then slowly looked back at him.
Desi's smile faded.
"Oh."
Rosie scooped up another handful of water.
"Don't you dare."
She splashed him straight in the shoulder.
Desi jumped up.
Rosie burst out laughing.
"Okay," he said, looking down at himself. "You've made your choice."
"What choice?"
Desi reached toward the water again.
Rosie stood immediately.
"Desi, no."
He took a step toward her.
Rosie took one back.
"Stay there."
"You've already attacked me twice."
"You attacked me first."
"That was retaliation."
"For something you started."
"We're never going to agree on this."
"No, we're not."
Desi looked at the lake.
Then at Rosie.
"Scared?"
Rosie crossed her arms.
"Of what?"
He pointed toward the water.
Rosie narrowed her eyes.
"You're not putting me in there."
"I never said I was."
"You were thinking it."
Desi's mouth twitched.
Rosie pointed at him.
"See?"
"I wasn't."
"Terrible liar."
"That's rich coming from the girl who called throwing water at me an accident."
Rosie tried not to laugh.
She failed.
Desi took another step toward her.
Rosie backed away.
"Don't."
"I'm not doing anything."
"You're walking toward me."
"That's allowed."
"Not when you're looking at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like you're about to do something."
Desi grinned.
"Now who's judging people?"
Rosie took another step back.
"Desi."
He moved closer.
Rosie turned and ran.
"Hey!"
She heard him laughing behind her almost immediately.
Rosie was laughing too hard to get very far. She had barely made it around the nearest tree when Desi caught up with her. His hand closed around her wrist, gentle but enough to stop her.
Rosie turned around, still laughing.
"Let me go."
"No."
"You can't just grab people because you're losing."
"I'm winning."
"You are not."
"I caught you."
"Because you cheated."
Desi looked genuinely confused.
"How did I cheat?"
"I don't know yet."
He laughed.
"Good argument."
Rosie tried to pull her wrist free.
Desi didn't tighten his grip, but he didn't let go either.
"You're very annoying."
"I thought we'd established that."
Rosie looked down at his hand around her wrist.
Desi followed her gaze.
For a brief second, neither of them said anything.
Then he let go.
Rosie immediately reached for the lake water and splashed him.
Desi stared at her.
Rosie ran.
"Oh, you're done."
"You let me go!"
"I didn't know you were going to attack me again."
Rosie laughed as he followed her.
The whole thing became ridiculous after that.
They chased each other around the edge of the lake, each of them trying to get the other close enough to the water to splash them. Rosie got water in Desi's hair. Desi retaliated by soaking one of her sleeves completely. Rosie accused him of cheating twice more, though when he asked how, she had absolutely no explanation either time.
At one point, she tried to duck behind a tree.
Desi simply walked around the other side.
Rosie stared at him.
"That doesn't count."
"Why?"
"Because I had a plan."
"It was a bad plan."
"You don't know that."
"I walked around the tree, Rosie."
"Exactly. You weren't supposed to think of that."
Desi laughed so hard he nearly dropped the handful of water he'd collected.
Rosie took advantage of the distraction and splashed him again.
He stared at her, hair dripping into his face.
Rosie backed away.
"Don't."
"You've got to stop saying that like it works."
"It might eventually."
"It won't."
She ran again.
Eventually, they both stopped because they were laughing too hard to continue.
Rosie bent forward with her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.
Desi stood a few feet away, his hair damp and messy.
"You are terrible at this," Rosie said between laughs.
Desi looked offended.
"I won."
"You did not."
"I absolutely did."
"You just chased me."
"And caught you."
"That doesn't count."
"How?"
"Because I was laughing."
Desi paused.
"That's your argument?"
"Yes."
"It's a terrible one."
Rosie straightened and pushed her hair away from her face.
"You play guitar. You should have better rhythm."
Desi stared at her.
Rosie smiled.
"What?"
"You play the cello."
"I know."
"Then how are you going to insult my rhythm?"
"I'm not insulting your rhythm."
"You just said I should have better rhythm."
"You were bragging about winning."
"So?"
"So I wanted to annoy you."
Desi nodded slowly.
"At least you're honest."
"I thought you said you liked not knowing what I was thinking."
"I've changed my mind."
Rosie smiled.
Music started playing somewhere across camp before she could answer.
She turned her head toward the sound.
It was far enough away that she couldn't tell who was playing, but the beat carried clearly through the trees.
Without thinking, Rosie's foot began tapping against the ground.
Desi noticed.
Rosie caught him looking.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Why are you looking at my feet?"
"I wasn't."
"You were."
"I noticed you like the song."
Rosie looked away.
"It's got a good beat."
Desi started tapping his fingers against his leg.
"So?"
"So what?"
He looked at her.
"Do you want to dance?"
Rosie stared at him.
Then she laughed.
"No."
Desi smiled.
"Why not?"
"I don't dance."
"Neither do I."
"You don't?"
"No."
Rosie looked doubtful.
Desi held out his hand.
"Come on. It'll be funny."
"It'll be embarrassing."
"Probably."
Rosie laughed again.
"That's supposed to convince me?"
"I'm being honest."
She looked at his hand.
The music continued in the background.
Desi didn't move closer or try to convince her. He just waited.
Rosie looked at him.
"This is a terrible idea."
"Definitely."
She placed her hand in his.
Desi smiled.
Rosie pointed at him with her free hand.
"Don't make that face."
"What face?"
"That one."
He laughed.
"You've already regretted this, haven't you?"
"No."
"You're lying."
"I haven't even moved yet."
"Exactly."
Desi took one step backward.
Rosie followed awkwardly.
He took another.
Rosie nearly stepped on his foot.
Desi looked down.
Rosie looked down too.
"Sorry."
"I didn't feel anything."
"Rude."
"Truthful."
Rosie shook her head.
Desi laughed and loosened his grip on her hand.
"Okay. You lead."
Rosie stared at him.
"I don't know how."
"Neither do I."
"Then why did you ask me to dance?"
"Because we're not trying to win anything. We're just dancing."
Rosie glanced down at their joined hands.
Then back at him.
"Fine."
She stepped to one side.
Desi followed.
Then she stepped back.
He followed that too.
It was simple. Almost embarrassingly simple.
A step one way.
A step the other.
Neither of them really knew what they were doing.
But after a few seconds, Rosie stopped worrying about it.
Desi moved closer so they could hear each other over the music.
"This is it?"
"What?"
"Your dancing?"
Rosie looked offended.
"What do you mean, this is it?"
"I expected more."
"You literally said you can't dance."
"I can still have standards."
Rosie laughed.
"Then you lead."
"Fine."
Desi took two steps.
Rosie followed.
Then he stopped.
Rosie almost walked directly into him.
She grabbed his arm to steady herself.
Desi laughed.
"What was that?"
"I was thinking."
"While dancing?"
"Apparently."
Rosie shook her head.
"You're worse than me."
"That's impossible."
"See? You don't even know how to take a compliment."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"It was honest."
"That's worse."
Desi grinned.
Rosie pulled away from his arm, but he caught her hand again before she could completely step back.
"One more try."
"No."
"You didn't hate that."
"I did."
"You're smiling."
Rosie immediately tried to stop smiling.
Desi laughed.
"You're proving my point."
"Don't look so pleased with yourself."
"I can't help it."
"Try harder."
"No."
Rosie shook her head.
"Fine. One more."
This time, Desi actually managed to move with the beat.
For several seconds.
Then he tried to spin Rosie.
It wasn't graceful.
Rosie stumbled at the end and grabbed both his shoulders to keep herself upright.
Desi froze.
Rosie froze too.
Her hands were still on his shoulders.
His hands had landed lightly at her sides to steady her.
For one second, the music seemed much louder than it had before.
Rosie looked up.
Desi was already looking at her.
Then Rosie started laughing.
"You almost threw me."
Desi blinked.
"What?"
"You spun me badly."
He laughed, the strange moment breaking immediately.
"I spun you."
"Badly."
"You stayed upright."
"Barely."
Rosie stepped back.
Desi let his hands fall away.
"One more?"
Rosie gave him a look.
"You've used that line already."
"And it worked."
"Once."
"Could work again."
She shook her head, but she was still smiling.
"Fine."
The music picked up again.
This time, they didn't bother pretending either of them knew what they were doing. Rosie moved one way, Desi tried to follow, and then he changed direction without warning. Rosie laughed and caught his hand to stop herself from losing her balance.
They were still laughing when a familiar voice behind them said, "Well."
Both of them froze.
Rosie immediately let go of Desi's hand.
She turned around.
Sage stood at the edge of the path.
Fletch was beside her.
For a moment, neither of them said anything.
Rosie could feel her face getting warm.
Sage's eyes moved from Rosie to Desi.
Then to their wet clothes.
Then back to them.
Fletch noticed the same thing.
His eyebrows lifted.
"Did we miss something?"
"No," Rosie said immediately.
At the exact same time, Desi said, "Nothing."
Sage looked between them.
Rosie closed her eyes for half a second.
That had probably made it worse.
Sage's mouth twitched.
"Interesting."
"Don't."
Rosie pointed at her.
Sage held up both hands.
"I didn't say anything."
"You were about to."
"Was I?"
"Yes."
Fletch looked at Desi.
"Why are you wet?"
Desi glanced down at his shirt.
"She attacked me."
Rosie turned toward him.
"You attacked me."
"After you started it."
"I flicked three drops of water at you."
"An act of aggression is an act of aggression."
Rosie stared at him.
Fletch nodded seriously.
"That's fair."
"It's not fair," Rosie said.
Sage was clearly trying not to laugh.
"So let me get this straight," she said. "Rosie splashed Desi, Desi retaliated, and somehow you ended up dancing?"
Rosie opened her mouth.
Then stopped.
Desi looked at her.
Rosie looked back at him.
Neither of them had an answer.
Fletch grinned.
"Honestly, that makes sense."
"It does not," Rosie said.
Sage tilted her head.
"You know, I leave you two alone for one afternoon..."
"We were already alone when you got here," Rosie said.
Sage smiled.
"That's exactly my point."
Rosie narrowed her eyes.
Fletch looked at Desi.
"Was she good?"
Rosie's head snapped toward him.
"At dancing?"
Fletch shrugged.
"What else?"
"Don't answer that."
Desi smiled.
Rosie gave him a warning look.
He held up his hands.
"I was going to say she wasn't bad."
"That's almost nice."
"It was meant to be nice."
"Almost."
Fletch looked between them.
"Aw. Look at you guys giving compliments."
"Stop," Rosie said.
Sage laughed.
"We came to find you because everyone was wondering where you went."
Rosie glanced toward camp.
She hadn't realized how long they'd been gone.
"Oh."
Fletch nodded toward the path.
"We should probably head back before someone sends out a search party."
"Nobody was going to do that," Sage said.
"I was."
"You were eating fifteen minutes ago."
"I could've searched while eating."
Sage shook her head.
"Come on."
Rosie started toward the path.
Desi fell into step beside her.
Fletch and Sage walked ahead, already talking about something else.
For a minute, Rosie and Desi didn't say anything.
She looked down at her sleeves.
They were still damp.
Desi noticed.
"You're going to be cold later."
"I'll survive."
"That sounds dramatic."
"I'm not the one who dumped half the lake on you."
Desi laughed.
"You really think you didn't start that?"
"Yes."
"Even though you splashed me first?"
Rosie looked at him.
"You told me I had bad aim."
"So?"
"So I was offended."
"That doesn't make the splash an accident."
Rosie opened her mouth.
Then paused.
"I never said the splash was an accident."
Desi stopped walking.
Rosie took another step before noticing.
She turned back.
Desi was staring at her.
"What?"
A slow smile spread across his face.
"You finally admitted it."
Rosie realized what she'd said.
"Oh."
Desi started laughing.
Rosie rolled her eyes and kept walking.
"Don't be annoying about it."
"I've waited a long time for this."
"It happened, like, twenty minutes ago."
"Still counts."
Rosie shook her head, smiling.
They caught up to Sage and Fletch slowly.
The main camp grounds came into view ahead of them. The music was louder here. Someone was singing near one of the cabins, and a group of campers crossed the path in front of them, laughing about something.
An hour ago, Rosie would've probably been looking for another quiet place to sit.
Instead, she stayed beside Desi.
He didn't seem in any hurry to walk ahead either.
After a moment, he said, "You know, you weren't as bad at dancing as you said."
Rosie looked at him.
"That's almost nice."
"It was meant to be nice."
"Almost."
Desi smiled.
"Fine. You were good."
Rosie looked forward again, trying not to let him see how pleased that made her.
"And you weren't horrible either."
Desi gasped.
"Wow."
"That's a compliment."
"You've got a strange way of giving compliments."
"I learned from you."
"Rude."
Rosie laughed.
Desi bumped his shoulder lightly against hers.
This time, she bumped him back.
A few steps ahead, Sage glanced over her shoulder.
Rosie caught the look.
Sage immediately turned back around.
Rosie narrowed her eyes.
"What?"
Sage didn't turn around.
"Nothing."
Rosie looked at Desi.
He looked at her.
They both knew that was a lie.
Rosie smiled anyway.
And when they reached the louder part of camp, she realized she didn't mind the noise nearly as much as she had before.
Maybe because she'd found something quieter inside all of it.
Or maybe because Desi was still walking beside her.
Either way, she didn't feel like going back to the lake alone anymore.