I close my eyes and allow the water to cascade down my body. The showers here were not as warm as I would prefer, but they were refreshing after spending all day outside under the scorching sun.

After rinsing off the shampoo from my hair, I open my eyes and stare blankly at the shower wall. All day long, I've been replaying my moment with Aiden. It was so vulnerable, and I wasn't sure if I played my cards right. I was never good at offering comfort in times like these, so I hoped I helped somewhat.

When he hugged me, it felt like I was holding all of the weight of stress he'd been feeling. It was too much to process, I'm still trying to figure him out. I wish I could understand what he's going through, but I honestly couldn't.

All I could do was be there for him. But we haven't spoken since then, making me wonder if he regretted sharing that part of himself with me. Did he feel uncomfortable to be around me now?

I sigh, resting my head against the wall. I run my hands through my soaking hair. I was frustrated and confused with the fact that Aiden not talking to me was ruining my whole evening. How can I be there for someone who wants nothing to do with me?

Why did you care so much?

Why...? Well, because he's my friend. We spend every day together, and he's really made my experience here better. Why would I not care?

Friend?

"Ugh, shut up." I scold myself under my breath.

I then hear a knock at the bathroom door and shout over the running water, "Yeah?"

"You've been in there for a while, Y/N," Taylor's voice sounds behind the door, "Is everything alright?"

"Uh," I stare at the floor, "Everything's fine!"

"Hurry it up!" Maya yells, "Some of us need to wash off this sweat and grime too, y'know!"

"Right, sorry!"

I shut off the water and step out. The fresh air hits my wet skin like icicles. I am quick to dry myself with a towel and slip into my sleepwear. I scrunch up my hair a few times before stepping out of the bathroom. Maya zooms past me with her fresh towel and clothes, clearly desperate to feel clean again.

I toss my towel on my bed and then plop down with a sigh. I stare up at the ceiling, irritated that my thoughts were completely overtaken by Aiden.

He was so sad. Aiden? Sad? He doesn't deserve the life he was given. God, I wish I could do something! All I want to do is hold him and be there—

"Y/N."

I focus my vision on Ashlyn's head coming into view, blocking the ceiling from my eyesight. She flicks my forehead, making me furrow my brows in annoyance.

I prop myself up on my elbows and look up at her, "What?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"Excuse me?" My tone turns defensive.

She crosses her arms over her chest, not at all fazed by my offended expression, "You've been in a funk, and you didn't ask me to comb your hair when you got out of the shower like you usually do."

"So...?" I try to sound innocent, like nothing was weird about that.

"So..." She moves to lie down on her back next to me, staring up at the ceiling the same way I was, "What's going on?"

I rest my head on the pillow beneath me and shrug my shoulders, "I don't know..."

She nudges my side with her elbow, not turning her head to look at me when she says, "It's him, isn't it?"

"Him?"

"Aiden," A small smile appears on her freckled face, "It always is."

A warmness spreads through my whole body and I am so ashamed of the way I melt just at hearing his damn name. I shove my thoughts away, forcing myself to recall why I came here in the first place—focus on myself, not on my love life.

I bite my inner cheek, trying to think of a way to divert the conversation. I wasn't going to spill Aiden's family drama to her, no matter how close our friendship was.

"Aiden and I had a deep conversation today...and I guess it's just left me with a lot to think about."

She nods her head, turning on her side to watch me, "So deep that you guys can't even talk to each other anymore?"

"Of course not. At least, not for me." I frown, anxiously coiling a wet strand of my hair around my finger.

"So, he's the one that's been doing the avoiding today?" She speculates.

I nod, "Yeah. I don't want to assume it's intentional though—"

"It is, Y/N."

I close my mouth, her comment only making me feel worse than I already was. I wasn't going to get angry with her, knowing she was only telling me how it is.

"It bothers you," She claims, "That he isn't speaking with you. That's why you've been quiet today."

"Of course it bothers me!" I raise my voice and laugh away the pain that's been bugging me all afternoon.

I can't believe what I'm hearing. She's laughing. Ashlyn's laughing. I had no idea she was capable of doing that.

I immediately turn my body to face her and narrow my eyes, "I get why I'm laughing. But why are you?"

She takes a moment to calm down before saying, "You guys are always together, but at the same time it feels like you're constantly walking on eggshells around each other. It's like you're afraid of going where you want to go with him. I mean, look at you, Y/N. You are a wreck after not talking to him for a couple of hours."

"I am not a wreck." I roll my eyes and sit up.

She follows my action, allowing her legs to hang off the edge of my bed, "Yes, you are. And before you say that you don't want this to go anywhere, yes you do. I don't care what you expected to find while at Solstice Summit, but just admit that Aiden's on your list now."

"I'm not going to say that." I rest my hands in my lap, wishing I was literally anywhere else but here having this conversation with Ashlyn right now.

"God, you're hopeless." She groans and gets off my bed to return to hers.

I'm a little offended with how quick she is to give up on me. But she was never the type to give 110%. If I wasn't going to admit the truth, she wasn't going to force it out of me.

And thank God for that, because I was not ready for that conversation.

I don't want Aiden. All I want is for him to be okay. Me showing that I care means nothing.

I click my tongue, deciding it is best for me to put this train of thought on pause for now. It was all too much and I needed to sleep.

I shift over to the head of my bed and fluff up my pillows. I plop down and get cozy under the covers. Most of the lights in the cabin were still on because Taylor was painting her nails while blasting music in her headphones.

I toss and turn, blaming my struggle to sleep on the lights and not on the swarming thoughts of Aiden invading my mind. Why was he in there all the damn time?!

It was like I had some strange hyper fixation! This was not good. I can't let my heart win this one, no matter how much I want it to. What good will a stupid summer fling do for me?

And clearly, Aiden was not in the right headspace to even consider such a thing. I'm horrible for thinking about it when I should be focused on trying to help him feel better.

I let out a frustrated groan and toss my pillow across the room, "Ugh!"

Ashlyn lifts her head from her phone, blinking very slowly in an attempt to communicate her 'You should have just listened to me' look. Taylor lifts one muff of her headphones, giving me a quizzical look before staring at the pillow on the floor by her bed.

"Um...do I want to know—"

"NO!"