He nodded. “You look really happy.”
“I was,” I said before I could stop myself.And I haven’t been that happy in a long time.I cleared my throat. “You can tell because my eyes are crinkling…or so my mom has told me.”
Luke nodded again. “I know. I noticed that.” He motioned to a few other pictures, most of them from summers past. “You’re a cute kid.”
I shifted from one foot to the other.You’re a cute kid.
You’re.
You are.
Present tense.
I released a deep breath. “So it’s almost eight…”
We sat on the couch, a couple of feet between us. Luke dipped a chip in the salsa while I grabbed the remote and turned on CBS. Then I got up to nix the lights after asking him if it was okay.Survivorwas always better in the dark; it was easier to lose yourself in the show.
“Okay,” I said when I was seated again, this time closer. My knee bumped his as I shifted to get comfortable. “This year, it’s in Thailand, and the theme is…”
“Shh,” Luke cut in, right as an island appeared on-screen,familiar music beginning to play. “Stop. This is your show; don’t worry about me. Just watch like you always do, and I’ll ask any necessary questions during a break.”
And with that, he submerged another chip and leaned back, focusing on Jeff Probst hanging out of a helicopter.
I watched him for a moment, and then did the same.
He spoke when a Geico commercial came on, during the first break. “Well, Alyssa’s a complete moron.”
I glanced at him. “Why do you say that?”
“Because,” Luke said, “she found the hidden immunity idol, and literally told the first person she saw.” He shook his head. “I guarantee it spreads around camp, and then all the votes will be put on her tonight so they can flush it out.”
“Their tribe has to lose the immunity challenge, though,” I reminded him.
“Oh, they will. The other one obviously has the physical edge.”
I smirked. “Well, aren’t you just a student of the game?”
“So you agree?”
I nodded.
Luke grinned and shifted so his body was angled toward mine. “And what do you think about—”
Someone was banging on the door again, and it swung open half a second later. “Thompson said you had guac,” Carter Monaghan said as he flipped on the lights. Eddie Brown and Dhiraj were with him. They didn’t waste any time making themselves at home on myfloor, only an arm’s reach away from the food.Thank god for commercial breaks, I thought to myself.
“Hey, Luke,” Dhiraj said, giving him a nod. They knew each other from cross-country.
Luke nodded back and then reached up to adjust his glasses. It had only taken me a couple of meals with Luke to realize he was shy. He was always more of a listener, giving Sage or the girls his undivided attention, and every now and then, he’d unleash a sarcastic comment or two (which was always met with a laugh). But whenever other people stopped by the table to say hi, he took a vow of silence and started to fiddle with the salt and pepper shakers.
“All right, I hate to ask this,” I said, barely moving to knock my knee against his, “but why aren’t you three in your rooms?”
Eddie and Dhiraj stopped chewing and glanced at the door; Carter didn’t. “Why would we be in our rooms?” he asked innocently.
“Oh, Monaghan.” I shook my head. “I expected more from you. You of all people should know that study hall is from eight to ten.” I looked at Eddie. “And what time is it?”
The sophomore swallowed. “8:24.”
“We were just taking a five-minute break,” Dhiraj added, the two of them jumping up and hurrying out of the room. “See you later!”
