Ever since the truth or dare incident, I've been staying alone at the hotel room. I wake up before anyone else since I've been going to bed before the sun even sets, but I pretend to be asleep and no one bothers to wake me up. Once everyone leaves for whatever they planned for the day, I would walk outside to get some food, maybe go to some souvenir shops to stare at keychains and coffee mugs before going back and falling asleep to a movie. How I ended up spending half of my vacation alone when I came with a group of people, the world may never know. I must have a special skill that gives me the ability to be an outcast in every situation. Not a very fun or cool superpower to have if you ask me, but practical since I'm so introverted.

After spending six nights, we packed up on Saturday to drive back. Ironically, during the whole trip in the mountains, we never went to hike any. So, Carson, who's driving this time, makes a stop at a trail so we can hike it before we have to drive back home. I was planning to sit in the car, but it was hot and sitting in a vehicle would be the equivalent of baking yourself. Reluctantly, I joined the group on the trail, but I kept my distance, walking far behind. Sometimes, they would leave my line of sight since the path was winding with large trees and wild plants growing off to the side.m

My stomach was empty, since I didn't get the chance to eat. Plus, sitting in bed for most of the past three days wasn't exactly training me for the extreme trek up the incline of the mountains. In all honesty, I didn't have to make the effort to trail behind the others, since my lack of physical athleticism was doing all the work for me.

My lack of care and exhaustion causes my foot to slide from a loose rock. My shin starts to graze against the gravel of the path, but two arms swoop around waist and stops my fall. I didn't have to look up to know it's Vincent. His arms were starting to feel so distinct and familiar at this point.

"Of course you would trip over a pebble," he sighs. I'm more so relieved that Vincent isn't mad about the other day than that my legs weren't scraped.

"Thanks." I break from his hold and his arms fall gently to his sides. We start to walk again, but Vincent stays at my pace, while the others slowly disappear from our line of sight.

I take a quick glance at Vincent before talking. "I'm sorry about what happened during truth or dare," I apologize, my breath slightly shaky.

"It's fine. Whatever Evelyn made didn't actually taste that bad."

"Is Vivian upset with you?"

"Why do we always talk about Vivian in every conversation we have?" Vincent asks in an annoyed and irritated tone. He must've saw that I was taken back, and softened his voice. "It's okay for you to be selfish sometimes."

"What does Vivian have to do with me being selfish?"

"All you ever care about are grades and whatever Vivian wants, what she feels, what she does."

"I care about her. That's what friends do."

"Friends care about each other. Your friendship seems one-sided."

"That's not true!" Tears well up in my eyes a bit and I stare down. "Vivian could be friends with anyone. She didn't care about if people made fun of her for being friends with a loser like me."

"She takes you for granted. You do that to yourself too."

"She's nice to me. As a friend, I do the same and I care about her."

"Did you ever consider how you would feel?"

"Yeah. If my friends are happy, so am I."

"That's a lie."

"What do you mean?"

The sound of Vincent's footsteps stop and I turn around to face him. He slowly approaches me and looks intently at me.

"Have you ever thought about how I felt?"

"I know. I'm sorry I tried to make you date Vivian. It's not her fault though."

"Wendy, why are you so dense?" Vincent's arms cross around my waist and across my back, pulling me against his body. My arms fold up and my fists rest and push slightly against his chest to out some space between us. "Have you ever thought how I felt about you?"

I'm speechless and I'm trying to read his expression. I try to find detections of a joke, a tease, but he looks so sincere with his dilated, green orbs for eyes. His eyebrows are knit slightly together, and his lips a bit pursed. With his head head slightly tilted down to compensate for my short height, he waits patiently for a response.

"I can't think about how you feel about me because I have to think about how Vivian feels about you." Tears start rising from my eyes and spilling over my lower lids. I don't know why, but I can't stop them. "I feel like a horrible friend, because I'm supposed to be happy for Vivian when she's with you, but my heart aches. Every time you're around me I tell you go to Vivian, but deep down I want you to stay. Vivian's a great friend to me and I betray her when I'm around you. I make this worse by forcing you into awkward situations with her. I can't have the slightest thought about why you're friends with me because I have to think about Vivian," I say with deep breaths between sentences and a shaky voice.

Vincent brings his hands or my face and places his index under my chin. He slightly lifts up my face and traces his thumb under my eyes to wipe them dry.

"Wendy. I wasn't nervous the first time I sat with you because of Vivian. I didn't leave homecoming and go to your house with fries because I was bored and hungry. I didn't go to your house with a motorcycle because I didn't feel like using a car that day. I didn't sit at lunch with you everyday since for no reason. I didn't ask you to wait for me during track practice because I needed you to tutor me afterwards."

There's a pause for an inhale and exhale before Vincent continues, "I don't see you as a friend. You're more than that to me. I have feelings for you that I don't have for any other person."

I scan Vincent's eyes in a panic to process his words. Am I understanding him wrong? Am I mistaken? Is he saying what I'm thinking?

My train of thoughts is halted when Vincent pulls me in closer to him, our toes pointed together and torsos compressed against one another. I can feel his chest rise and sink from deep breaths. The hammers against my chest are back, but I can't tell if they're coming from Vincent or me. Does Vincent feel the same hammering I do?

"Tell me you don't feel the same way I do, and I'll stop," Vincent says while slowing lowering his head towards mine.

My lips slightly open, but nothing come out. Say it, Wendy. You can't. Think about Vivian. She'll hate you forever. You can't keep having these feelings. I gently bite my lips in fusteration.

Almost as if it was a switch, it's triggers Vincent's lips toward mine, locking together like two magnets. My mind is blank. My flow of oxygen seems like it stopped, but my heart is beating more wildly than ever. My fingers uncurl from a fist before curling back to clutch onto Vincent's shirt. His large palms cups one of side of my face to bring it up towards his, while his other arm stays tightly around me. I feel the pull of our lips, but mine are burning to the point of numbness. Time is lost and I can't tell how long until we hesitantly pull apart. Vincent's hold on me stays and my fists are still stuffed with the fabric of his shirt. We gaze at each other in a blissful silence. The sensation still lingers.

The lock of our eyes is broken when we hear Carson calling for us.

Vincent doesn't flinch, keeping his eyes and grip on me. I try to wiggle out, but Vincent makes sure to hold me tightly.

"Vincent, Carson's coming!" I warn him hushly.

"I don't care."

"Please." I widen my eyes to look at him and plead.

Vincent loosens his arms around me and I slide out of them.

"What were you guys doing? We've been looking for you," Carson complains.

"I tripped, so Vincent was just checking if I twisted something." I dust off my jeans and start to walk down. "I'm tired so I'll wait for you guys."

"The girls are taking pictures, so I don't know when we're going down."

"It's fine. They'll probably take a while though just so you know," I laugh.

"Damn it," Carson groans as he walks away and further down the trail.

Vincent doesn't follow Carson. Instead, he walks behind me. There's a thick air around us that makes me want to turn around to look at him. The reminder of our kiss flusters me, so that I'm too embarrassed to talk to him. What does this mean? Are we still friends? Were we ever friends? Can I change things back to the way they were before this trip? Do I want to?

"Wendy," Vincent calls. I don't stop and I keep walking. I try to avoid whatever he might bring up with small talk.

"Ugh, I'm so hungry. Do you think we are stopping to get food?"

"Wendy."

"I was thinking we could get crepes. I don't like pancakes, but crepes are thinner, so I'm okay with them."

"Wendy." Vincent's voice was closer now. I could almost feel his breath against my ear.

"I want it with cheese and ham though. Fruits with chocolate are too sweet."

Vincent hugs me from behind, not letting me deter whatever he was going to say anymore. I try to pry his arms open, but they're folded and he's much stronger. My stomach wasn't hurting though. Maybe I didn't want to get away.

"Wendy, I'm not going to stop now. That was your only chance to tell me to. I'm not going to be subtle about my feeling towards you anymore."

"Vincent-"

"I'm not going to treat you like a friend. You're not a friend. I don't see you as one."

"Chicken and waffles sound interesting. I never got to try it," is all I utter in response. I hear a soft chuckle from Vincent and he lets me go. We keep walking, but this time, Vincent walks beside me.

We forget that Carson has the car keys, so Vincent and I are locked out. Not that we would go in and sit there anyways, since it must be like a sauna inside. We find a nearby bench and sit there waiting instead.

"About what I said about not needing you to tutor me, I was joking," Vincent says.

"I already knew. I looked in your-" I stop but it's already too late. Vincent knows I snooped. "I look in your backpack. Why didn't you tell me you were passing with A's in math? Plus, you did all of your homework already."

"I wouldn't have an excuse to spend time after school with you otherwise," Vincent responds without hesitation. "You have to keep tutoring me, or my grades will drop."

"I haven't been tutoring you about anything in math and you're still getting A's. I checked like a month ago."

"It doesn't matter. You still have to since you agreed to."

"I have to study for the SAT's too you know. I can't spend two hours watching you run laps."

"I need help with SAT prep too."

I roll my eyes, but Vincent keeps smiling at me. The others start to come out of the trail and I quickly get up. I open my mouth to greet my friends, but I remember they're not talking to me. Not even Olivia, who rarely gets upset. I stop myself and sink back into the bench. I deserve it. Girl code should never be broken.

Vincent looks at me worried, but doesn't say anything. We are the last to file into the car. I spot my friends in the very back, but they are occupied with their own conversation. There's two seats left in the back, and I get the one next to the window. I fall asleep immediately leaning on the side of the car.

By the time I'm dropped or at home, the sun had already set. I woke up with Vincent's head on my shoulders, making me hesitate to get out. I get paranoid that Vivian saw him leaning on me, but Carson's the only one who's awake. I lift Vincent's head and position it so it leans on the seat. Once I get my bag from the back, I wave to Carson and he pulls off.

I walk in while Wren and dad are having dinner. Dropping my backpack onto the couch, I go into the kitchen and join them. I haven't had anything all day.

"Hey, Wendy." Dad gets up to get me a plate of the stir-fry they're having. In the meantime, I eat some off of his unguarded plate.

"I'm starving," I say with my mouth full.

"How was the mountains?" Wren asks.

"People up there are nice. They make burritos with broccoli and tortilla chips if you ask."

"Did you go with that one dude who came to our house?" I choke and Dad stops preparing my dinner to join the conversation.

"What? A boy came over?" He looks from Wren to me.

"Yeah, some tall dude like two months ago."

"And you're bringing this up now?" he asks shocked.

"Yeah, Wren. Why are you bringing this up now?" I ask with a threatening tone.

"Wendy," Dad demands for an answer.

"He's my teacher's son. I tutor him so she'll write me a letter of recommendation. We hang out sometimes." I go to get my own plate of food since Dad stopped doing so.

"Does he like you?"

"No, Dad. No! It's not like that."

"Why doesn't he like you? What's wrong with my daughter?" he complains.

This is why Wren and I are doomed to be single. Dad gets mad if people find any interest in us, but is also upset if anyone denies they like us. Usually, the case is that Dad's upset too many boys come over and try to talk to Wren while he usually complains that boys are too dumb to realize how much of a catch I am. Though, a girl did show up once to confess to Wren and Dad was conflicted with trying to show his support for the girl's sexuality while trying to keep his daughter single. He didn't want to make her misunderstand, so he let her confess to Wren, but I don't know what happened from there.

"I want to eat in peace." I shovel food in my mouth to show my dad I had no intentions of continuing the conversation. He reluctantly leaves to watch t.v.

"Wendy, did something happen?" Wren leans over the table to whisper to me.

"What makes you think something happen?"

"You were really defensive when he asked." Wren's eyes light up in amusement while she teases me.

"Can I ask you a question?'

"What?"

"One of my friends is conflicted. She likes this dude."

"So? What's wrong with that?"

"Well, my other friends likes the same dude. But, the dude likes my first friend."

"You're not making any sense, Wendy."

"Should my first friend back off?"

"Why are you so worried about it. Let them deal with it."

"Just answer me!" I insist.

"Well, if your second friend didn't have any prior relationships with the dude, then your first friend shouldn't back off. Her feelings for him are mutual anyways."

"What if my other friend hates her."

"It's not like she stole her man. It was only a crush. If she's a friend, she'll get over it."

I sink back into my chair in deep thought.

"Are you the first or second friend, Wendy?" Wren asks.

"No, this isn't about me."

"Well, it definitely has to do with Vivian then."

"No, it's my other friend."

"That's impossible. You don't have any other friends. besides Vivian, Olivia, and Evelyn."

"How would you know it's Vivian anyways? Olivia and Evelyn are my friends too."

"Well, Evelyn and Olivia are obviously into each other. They wouldn't fight over a boy. That leaves only Vivian. So, the other friend in your story has to be you."

"What do you mean they're into each other?"

"Are you kidding me, Wendy? You're their friend and you didn't even notice?"

Vincent is right. I am dense. Olivia never had interests in any other guys, and Evelyn always driving boys away from her. They're always together, and they're the closest to each other in our group of friends. They always showed each other a lot of affection, but I thought it was how friends usually are. Now that I think about it, they were much more intimate with each other than they were with Vivian or me.

"Earth to Wendy! You can question everything you know later. Now explain what's going on with you and Vivian."

I slam my head against the table and start to whine in frustration. My head's a mess.

"I-I-I...I kissed the guy Vivian likes..."

"Wait what?" Wren exclaims loudly. I quickly hush her, but I know Dad doesn't hear since his snores are so loud the neighbors can probably hear. What did I say? I come from a family of deep sleepers.

"You finally kissed someone? Yes! I bet Dad $10 you would before high school ended."

"Wait, you guys placed a bet on my first kiss? And you can't tell him!"

"But my ten bucks..."

"I should've never told you." I groan while walking away to put my plate into he sink. Wren grabs my arm and holds me back.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Just explain to me what happened," Wren urges me, her teasing voice was no longer existent, and was replaced with a concerned expression. Today is the day I have to ask my 8th grade sister to help me with romance and friendship. If my social skills and awareness were going to plummet like this, I would've asked her long ago.

"Well, I started as his tutor..."