I look in the mirror, trying to adjust the counselor's t-shirt I put on. Emery ordered each of us several versions so we have enough to mix and match as we please. We had a variety of colors and styles to choose from.

Everyone somehow agreed to all wear the black one for our hike. Emery was overjoyed when she heard about our plans. She was all about team bonding, and the fact that the guys arranged this themselves really did numbers on her.

Once I finish getting ready, I sling the backpack Aiden packed for us over our shoulder and head out of the cabin. I spot Devon, Aiden, and Tyler waiting by the wooden gates, talking amongst one another—or over each other, I couldn't tell.

I then jump in surprise when an arm slings around my shoulder. I get a whiff of vanilla and turn to see Maya beaming by my side.  She tied her hair into two French braids, which only reached her shoulders due to her hair length. In her other arm, she cradled several bottles of water and her phone.

"Do you need help with those?" I ask, eyeing the way the bottles threaten to roll right out of her hold.

"Tch, I got it—"

Just as she's about to boast, one of the bottles falls over. I reach for it but another hand swoops right in quickly and scoops it up. Tyler straightens up, narrowing his eyes at the ravenette and tossing the bottle in between his hands.

"What're you trying to prove, Hino?" He snatches two more bottles from her, "Last thing we need is your dumbass spilling our only source of water."

"Shut up, the water didn't even come out." She pouts her lip, though a hint of an embarrassed blush paints her fair skin.

He mutters something under his breath and walks back over to the gate. I follow right behind and lean against one of the wooden posts. I spot Ashlyn and Taylor approaching from the cabins, with Taylor talking Ashlyn's ear off.

"Who has the map?" Taylor asks once she's close enough.

We all look around, and it's clear no one thought to pick one up from the recreation cabin. I'm about to offer to get one, but Aiden shrugs his shoulder and says,

"Who needs a map? We'll just stay on the trail, yeah?"

"The trail's really old and hard to follow." Tyler says from where he was kneeling on the ground, shoving the bottles in his pack.

Taylor nods, "Yeah, and we don't want to be out there after dark."

I hear Maya chuckle as she perches herself atop the wooden fence right beside me, "Yeah, and for two good reasons. One, we don't want to run into any wolves. And two, breaking curfew and getting on Emery's bad side before camp's even officially started is not something we want to happen."

From what I've gathered so far, Maya and the Hernandez twins are the only ones in this year's group who've been counselors in the past. They know the layout of the place like the back of their hand, but also how to avoid any trouble.

Devon, Ashlyn, Aiden and I are the rookies this year, so we hardly get a say in anything that happens around here. But Maya's been the most welcoming face thus far. She's managed to worm her way into my bubble in just a couple of hours, but I'm not complaining.

"Screw it!" The blonde grins and swings the gate wide open. He strides right out toward the trail without another word.

"Uh—are we just gonna let him—" Devon asks, looking between us and Aiden.

"I swear, I'm gonna kill him." Tyler groans, heading out as he says it.

Taylor follows her brother instantly, like a moth to a flame, dragging Ashlyn with her.

Maya hops off the fence, "The guy's something else, that's for sure. C'mon, newbies."

She pulls mine and Devon's arm, forcing us to catch up to the rest.

---

My legs feel like they weigh a thousand tons. We've been walking uphill for the past twenty minutes, and I was this close to dropping dead. This is the most exercise I've done in years and no one prepared me for how rigorous it was.

Luckily, Maya called for a water break, so that gave me a few minutes to recollect myself. I immediately let my backpack slide off my shoulders and I plop down on the ground.

Tyler tosses me a water bottle and I put it against my forehead, taking advantage of the last of its coolness.

I look up at Taylor standing in front of me, having to shield my eyes from the setting sun, "How much farther?"

She takes one look at my disheveled state and can't help but chuckle, "Not too far. You think you can manage? If not, I can send someone down with you."

I honestly do consider the offer, but it'll be so embarrassing if I'm the only one willing to quit when we've made it this far.

With a stubborn shake of my head, I reply, "I'll be fine, thanks."

I close the cap of my bottle and toss it in my bag. I throw it over my shoulders and am about to get up on my own when a hand extends outward to me. I tilt my head up at Aiden grinning down at me.

I don't hesitate to accept the help. I latch onto his hand with my own, and the contact causes a wave of bundled nerves to shoot up my spine. His hand was oddly soft, even after the numerous rocks and sticks he's picked up and thrown along the way.

My legs shake a bit as I stand on them, but I hold my own.

"Thanks," I nod my head at him, though he makes no move to let me go immediately.

"You sure you're good? I can take you back down, if you want. These mosquitos are killing me."

"We've only got a short way left, right? I can do it." I assure both him and myself.

His hold on my hand loosens the slightest bit, eventually letting go completely, "Alright then. Race you to the top?"

I laugh, "Seriously? I can barely walk!"

"Last I checked, you said you were fine, remember?"

I click my tongue at the way he strategically used my own words against me, "Touché."