“God, you’re a nerd, Hutch,” Mick said. Abby raised her roasting stick to hit Mick’s, but she slyly moved it out of the way. “Knew that would get you wound up.”
“Shut up.” Abby blushed.
“I don’t feel anything. I don’t think pot works on me.” Kate ate another marshmallow, her cheeks as plump as a squirrel’s.
T.K. grinned. “I think it’s working.”
“How do you know?” she asked around a mouthful.
“How many of those have you had?”
Kate looked down as she tore another marshmallow in half, prepared to stuff it in her mouth. She shrugged, and they hooted uncontrollably. Kate chuckled along until they reached the point of tears.
“Go to bed!” Coach Whitley yelled from her tent.
While the scolding intensified their wheezing laughter, Kate stiffened. Her eyes stretched wide. “Coach knows.”
Jill looked around. “Knows what?”
“She knows I’m high.” Kate covered her mouth. “What do I do?”
“You’re fine.” T.K. patted her shoulder.
“I think she’s really mad at me,” Kate whispered.
Abby stifled a laugh. “You’re just paranoid. It’s okay.”
“I’m paranoid? I’m not paranoid. Why do you think I’m paranoid?”
Mick snorted and buried her face in her hands. The harder they tried not to, the more they cackled. Except for Kate, who bit her thumb and clutched the marshmallow bag.
“What do we do?” Kate walked around the firepit, stumbling over a log on her way to Abby, who steadied her. “Am I stoned? What do you feel like? Do you know how I feel? You always know.”
“I think maybe we should go to bed,” Abby said. “Everybody.”
“I’m going to watch for UFOs,” Jill said, staring at the treetops.
T.K. raised her eyebrows at Abby. “Cruz, let’s ditch these losers and go skinny-dipping.”
“Jesus, no.” Abby grabbed Kate’s hand. “Come on, you’ll feel better if you sleep it off.”
She used a flashlight to navigate to their small tent, Kate clumsily bumping behind her. It felt strange to not be the one completely plastered. Usually, it was Kate with her wits about, watching over Abby. She didn’t mind the reversal.
“Okay, come on, get in your sleeping bag,” Abby said once in the tent, but Kate just plopped on her sleeping mat.
“No. I’m good.”
Abby shoved the sleeping bag at her. “You’re going to freeze out here.”
“No, it’s like, tight, you know, like a…a…a…bug thing…What am I saying?”
“I don’t know.”
Kate flopped down on her pillow. “Do you still hate camping?”
“No.”
“Are you still afraid?” Kate snorted. “I’ll protect you.”
