With one last smile, she nodded and turned to take her place with the other girls.
I took my place beside the first obstacle. The Ninja Wall required a steep run up a ramp where the girls needed to make it onto the ledge at the top. By using the rope hanging down in the center of the ramp or making it far enough on their initial sprint to grab the ledge, they’d pull themselves up and over it.
When Drake D’Arthur shot off the flare gun to begin the race, I waited for their approach.
Quinn watched a few of the other girls attempt the obstacle first. She observed Luna run, miss the ledge, and slide back down. She watched Camille run up the center, grab the rope, and hoist herself over the top.
Then, stepping back a few paces, she took her place in line.
After Morgan made it to the ledge and pulled herself up, it was her turn. Teeth gritted, eyes focused on the obstacle ahead, Quinn ran up the ramp, staying in the center near the rope, but sprinting for the ledge first.
She missed it by an inch, and as she slid down, grabbed onto the rope. Swinging wildly for a second, she got her bearings and planted her feet under her.
When Elaine ran for the ledge on her left side, Quinn nearly got distracted and let go of the rope.
But the sight of Elaine grabbing the ledge and reaching the top fueled her. She dug her feet in and pulled herself the rest of the way to the top.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
She opened the box at the top marked with her name, found her first cypher, and tucked it into her bra.
When she disappeared out of sight, I paced, splitting focus between the rest of the girls as they completed the first obstacle and watching the path where Quinn would reenter the course in my line of sight.
After all the girls made it through the obstacles, I walked down the lawn.
By the cabins closest to Pendragon, she’d complete the Log Carry and Military Crawl. But the Mud Pit, manned by Morty in place of Ben, was by the lake.
He caught sight of me down the shoreline and waved as if this were just another summer morning of normal activities. I didn’t react, still unsure what to make of him.
As the first girl approached his obstacle, I narrowed my gaze and searched for Quinn.
Until a voice came from behind me, interrupting me and sending a chill down my spine.
“Hello, son.” My father drew close, even though I didn’t turn to face him. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
Kingston
I waited beneath the lemon tree, searching out over the lake for a sign of Landon.
It was too far to see him, really.
But having a general idea of where he’d be meant I could watch for a sign of him.
And that was enough, while the distance between us spanned larger than the lake. The lake where, in the spot I stood, his mother had found us. Sparking a chain of events that led to Landon begging me to change what couldn’t be undone. The moment that had started all of this.
A mistake I couldn’t take back.
Pulled from my thoughts by the sound of voices, I turned around as some of the Ladies filed past. Elaine, caked in mud, waved at me. Giving the whole group a tight smile took more effort than I had today.
But then Quinn appeared.
Equally covered in mud, and as coated with sweat as the other girls, she was the most beautiful thing I’d seen all day.
“Holy shit,” she panted, a smile fighting its way through her worn out expression. “The Mud Pit was ridiculous. I don’tknow what I would’ve done if the tire hopping thingy hadn’t been after that. And I’m seriously wondering who designs your advertising, because I don’t remember any of these things being part of our training.”
She paused beside me, leaning against the lemon tree to catch her breath without realizing it. Seeing her beneath it pained my chest as sweat dripped off her brow like raindrops. A few slid down her nose and over her cheek like tears.
I reached out and swiped them away with my thumb.
