25
Score-Keeping Men, Powerful Bananas, and Hemorrhoid Cream
Arabella
I waketo the sound of sloshing water and a cool breeze across my skin. The sun is up already, and it takes me a second to realize we’re traveling downstream on the raft. I have to crane my neck to see Will, who is sitting slightly behind me with his hand on the rudder. He has dark circles under his eyes, and he looks exhausted. I want to reach up and touch him, but the thought of lifting my arm seems unrealistically difficult.
My stomach growls loudly and I realize I'm ravenously hungry. “Will, I'm so sorry about all of this.”
He looks down, relief, filling his face. “Belle, you're awake.”
I sit up slowly and smile at him.
“I was so worried. Are you okay?”
I nod. “Yeah. I’m a bit weak, but I think I'm over the worst of it. I just need some water and something to eat. We can still make it.”
He shakes his head, keeping his eyes on the river. “No, we can’t. I'm taking you to the hospital in Wasapi.”
“What? No. We can't do that. Wehaveto finish this,” I say, moving closer to him.
He winces, and I know it must be from my horrendous dragon breath.
“It's over, Arabella. There’s no possible way to get to Mbambole in time. We've gone too far in the wrong direction to make it now.”
“What are you talking about?”
“We’ve been heading north for a couple of hours already.”
Oh, bollocks. I shake my head vigorously. “No. Why would you do that? I told you I just needed a few hours to recover.”
“Did you really think I'd risk your life for a TV show and some cash?” he asks, his voice shaking with anger. “Do you even know how sick you've been? You've been passed out and feverish since yesterday afternoon, Arabella. You're weak and dehydrated, and you need medical attention.”
“No, I don’t. I’ll have some water and bananas, and I’ll be right as rain.”
He scoffs. “You must be delirious if you think that would work. There’s no possible way you can do an eighteen-hour hike through the jungle like this. Or are you expecting me to throw you over my shoulder and sprint to the finish line, hoping you survive along the way?”
I set my jaw, defiance simmering in my empty tummy. “I'm going to be fine. We can still do this.”
“You don’t get it. You think this is a game, but it’s life and death out here. Why can’t you seem to understand that?”
“I made a mistake, okay, but there’s no need to be an arse about it.”
“Oh no?” he asks, his eyes wild with anger. “No need? I’ve been awake all night trying to keep you alive and keep this raft from hitting a rock or bottoming out, all the while watching for hungry crocodiles who might just decide to pop their heads over the top and take a bite out of you. And you know what? It wasn’t just the one mistake. By my count, it’s three giant screw-ups that totally fucked us both. First you ate the berries, then you lied to me, then you smashed the phone for reasons I cannot even begin to understand.”
“I did it because I knew you’d call for help.”
“Yeah, I would have, because help is exactly what we need right now!”
“I'm not going to lose you that money and ruin your career,” I say, picking up the bunch of bananas and ripping one off.
“Oh, please don’t act like you care about me. You wanted to have your own version of a fantasy spring break.” He changes his voice to imitate me. “Will, let's stay here for a few days, please. Just the two of us. I need this, Will.”
I fight back tears and keep my voice as steady as I can. “I didn'tmakeyou stay out in the jungle having sex with me. You were every bit as on board with that idea as I was.”
“Well, that's what happens when a guy thinks with his second brain.”
“Oh, sonone of thisis your fault? It's all my fault, and your penis’s fault, but you had absolutely no say in any of it?”
