“Dude.” Cort turns his head, interpreting the hurt.
“Your mom is awesome,” one of the other boys interjects, and Hudson hangs his head in shame, being chastised by both a coach and a teammate. He kicks at the ground.
“I don’t need to play.” I’d planned on an early shower anyway in the private bathroom between Ford’s office and the guest room in the main building.
“You’re playing,” Cort amends. “Everyone needs a partner, and as Coach Clint is the first to hide, I don’t have one.”
The group is playing Ghost in the Graveyard, a child’s game where one person hides, and everyone collectively searches for him or her. Then, when the ‘ghost’ is found, everyone retreatsto a home-base for safety. If the ghost catches you, you’re the next ghost. The concept is a little disturbing when broken down, and yet, kids love it.
The idea of a partner to help you hunt the ghost is an effort for teamwork. Clint could easily pair up with one of the kids, but with Kennedy no longer present, there is an even match of participants.
I don’t need to play but Cort isn’t letting it go. He steps closer to me, then begins counting loudly while all the kids close their eyes a second and Clint sprints to a hiding spot.
After the count of twelve, and why twelve I don’t know, Cort shouts, “Go.” Kids scatter with their partners while Cort doesn’t move.
“Shouldn’t we be searching?” I laugh.
Cort shakes his head. “I know Clint, he’ll pick some place obvious, like behind a cabin. He’ll chase all the kids back to the home-base.” Cort points to the flagpole just to the left of the dining hall. “And then, I’m up. We don’t really want the kids hiding. They might wander too far and get lost, or we might not find them. Kids are wily like that.” He wiggles his brows.
I love the thoughtfulness for the players’ safety but also the spirit of the game. Cort and Clint just want the kids to have fun.
Sure enough, within minutes, two kids yell, “Ghost in the graveyard.” And all the kids are running toward the flagpole with Clint chasing behind them, arms wide and bent, like he’s a great big scary ghost, when he looks more like a leprechaun.
He over-exaggerates that he didn’t catch anyone and he’s out of breath, bending at the waist, inhaling heavily before standing and pointing at his brother.
“I nominate Coach Cort next.” Clint motions like he’s setting an arrow in a bow and aims it at his brother.
Suddenly, Cort grips my hand. “I’m taking a prisoner.” He starts jogging and I have no choice but to keep up despite my feet initially tangling.
“Cort.” I laugh. “What are you doing?”
He doesn’t answer me, only starts running faster as his brother loudly counts from one to twelve.
Although the coaches previously told the boys the woods are off limits minus the trees between the dining hall and lake, Cort leads us just beyond the edge of the boundary, tugging me behind a tree and then positioning himself in front of me, like he’s shielding me from sight.
With my back to the rough tree trunk, I giggle, all breathy and giddy thanks to the rush.
“Shh,” Cort whispers, covering my mouth with his hand while his other arm is braced over the top of my head. He peeks around the tree before looking back at me.
“Hi,” he whispers, his eyes dancing in the dimming daylight.
“Hi,” I chuckle with my hands behind me, fingers picking at the tree bark.
“Thanks for your help tonight. With dinner. It was delicious.”
I smile extra wide. “It was hot dogs.”
“I had five of them.”
I glance down at his belly, where his abs are tight. “You did not.”
He shushes me again, slipping his hand back over my mouth and peering around the tree once more. But when he looks back at me, his smile is wide. His teeth dig into his lower lip, and he slips his hand around to the side of my neck. With his backward baseball cap and the lean happening, he’s yummy to look at.
“I don’t recall ghosts taking prisoners in this game,” I whisper, while my chest heaves from rushing to keep up with Cort’s longer legs. My heart continues to hammer.
“New rule,” he teases. His eyes dancing once more beforehe focuses on my mouth. “But the truth is, I just wanted to be close to you. Wanted a moment alone with you.”
“Oh.” I swallow thickly but can’t stop my smile. One that expresses how tickled I am.
