Daring the Bad Boy (Endless Summer)(36)

A jar of markers stood nearby, and I grabbed a black pen, uncapped it, and wrote a quick note, pausing as I pondered each word I wanted to say. For once, I cared. I didn’t want to screw this up.

Putting the pen away, I folded the paper into an airplane, taking my time as I carefully pressed each fold into the paper so the thing would fly properly.

If it didn’t, I’d feel like a jackass.

Once I’d deemed it good enough, I strode back across the room, closer to Annie’s table, and held the paper airplane between my fingers, practicing my throw. Working up the courage. I glanced around, saw that a few other girls from Annie’s cabin were blatantly watching me, and I knew this story would definitely be around the camp by the end of the night. Uncle Bob would probably know all about it, too.

But screw it. I might look bad, doing this. I should walk away and forget about the brief time I spent with Annie, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t think about breaking the rules, about forbidden relationships. The minute I saw her, saw how hurt and angry she was, I had to get back into her good graces. I wanted to spend more time with her. Tomorrow, I would. Tonight, I had to help lead the hike. Tomorrow night would be about Annie. Helping her. Making her smile.

I aimed the airplane toward her pretty blond head and let it sail through the air. It landed on top of the table, right beside her elbow, and she glanced down at it before she turned in her chair and looked back at me, surprise lighting her eyes.

Flicking my chin at her, I turned and left the room.

Now it was on her.

…

ANNIE

I stared at the carefully folded paper airplane, tilted on its side where it rested on the table, right on top of my lame Popsicle stick picture frame.

It was from Jake.

I couldn’t believe he’d come into the building like he did, like some sort of determined hero straight out of a romance novel, demanding that I talk to him. I’d been so embarrassed, I couldn’t even look at him, and once I finally did, he flat out took my breath away, which was so confusing, I didn’t know how to react or what to say.

He was wearing a white T-shirt with bold red lettering across the chest that said “lifeguard,” and he had on the red shorts. He was somehow tanner than the last time I’d seen him, and he’d had his sunglasses shoved on top of his head, something he seemed to do a lot.

That I knew this tiny detail about him was…weird. Right? I shouldn’t pay attention to those tiny details. I didn’t like Jake. Not like that.

I was supposed to like Kyle. I mean, everyone was trying to put us together—even Jake!—and I appreciated their matchmaking efforts. I’d spent an hour with Kyle yesterday. We hung out during free time, and he was trying to make me laugh with his—yep, Jake had been right—really bad, super-dirty jokes, but I hadn’t found them funny. He even tried to get me to help him play some pranks on the counselors, and at first I was game. Until he wanted me to sneak into Dane’s cabin and steal his underwear. I don’t mind playing harmless pranks, but stealing a grown man’s underwear?

Um, no thanks.

Gwen had finally rescued me, muttering something about guys who were totally beneath me, and how I was wasting my time. She was probably right, but I’d been determined to focus on Kyle, especially since Jake was ignoring me.

I’d even hung out at the pool, staying in the shallow end and practicing my kicking. I’d been with the younger kids so no one really said anything. I’d pretended I was helping the kids out, and we kicked up such a huge splash I had all of them laughing and demanding more.

So I’d stayed with them for more than an hour. Even doggy-paddled around the shallow end. I couldn’t believe it.

Jake would’ve been so proud of me.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, I reached for the paper airplane, my entire body tingling with anticipation. Was there a message inside? Or did he just throw it at me to be a pain? No, there had to be a message…yep, one of the wings had the words “open me” scrawled across it in black marker.

So I opened it.

He’d constructed the plane out of multiple complicated folds, and I had to admit, I was impressed, not that I knew much about the art of folding a paper airplane. Jake sure did, though. The guy was a complete mystery. One I told myself I didn’t need to figure out. There was no point, considering we couldn’t be involved anyway. Counselors weren’t allowed to fraternize with campers, and I didn’t want to get in trouble. Bobbee told me a story about a camper who got caught with a counselor a few years ago and they sent her home.

My parents would be so disappointed in me if that happened.

Maybe that was why Jake had ignored me the last two days. Because he knew we shouldn’t be around each other, which hurt, but what could I do? The rules were the rules.

Though rules were always meant to be broken…

When I realized Jake was ignoring me, I stayed away because I thought it was best to keep my distance. It had proved so hard, though. I found myself staring at him every time he was nearby, always sure to look away when I thought he might catch me. He seemed to be spending a lot of time alone, which I thought was weird.

For some reason, it was like I couldn’t resist Jake. It was so strange. This whole thing started because of Kyle, but I was pretty sure I didn’t like him anymore.

But Jake…oh crap, I was pretty sure I liked him.

I opened the paper and smoothed my hand over the wrinkles, not letting myself read the note yet. I wanted to draw this moment out. Instead I studied his handwriting. It was scrawled across the page, all sharp slashes and angles. I liked it. His handwriting fit him.