“Call it a vibe. You insisted on taking your vehicle.”
“So?”
“Why not go with the flow and do what everyone else is doing?”
“The cars are too crowded. I don’t like being crowded.”
“But that’s not true. The blending of team players didn’t affect numbers. It would have been the same distribution as always. Besides, crowding is normal for a chase, isn’t it?”
“I’m not a storm chaser. I don’t want to be here, and I hate crowding. If I have to go on runs, then I’m doing it in a way that isn’t compromising my mental health. Hence, taking my own vehicle so I don’t have to be crammed in a tin can like a sardine.”
Hugh raised an inquiring brow. “What do you mean you don’t want to be here?”
“I signed the contract for my sister. Dennis and Charles wanted five people on a team. Why that continued to matter when the rules changed, I have no idea. Olivia needed me, and I don’t like to upset her, so here I am. The end.”
“Against your will?”
“Against my preference.”
Hugh rubbed his stubbled chin, his smile more devious than before. “But instead of going on your own, you agreed to ride with Ozrik, isn’t that right?”
“Yes.” The word cracked, and I coughed to cover it up. I glanced toward his room, where he, Elliott, and Vern stood outside chatting.
“But doesn’t that defeat the lone rider demand?”
“I never said I wanted to be a lone rider. I said I didn’t want to be crowded. The Jeep isn’t a safe chase vehicle. Ozrik provided a reasonable alternative.”
“So you willingly joined forces with an opponent.”
I rolled my eyes. “Charles has made it clear that we aren’t two teams anymore. Hence, we aren’t opponents. The end goal is for the audience to vote for the official members of Stormz Rising. Technically, it’s an individual competition, and I would gladly like to be among those voted off. I’m not trying to win a spot. If I break the rules, so be it.”
“Fair enough. Would you agree that there’s animosity between your two teams? That there’s still a definite divide?”
“I think that’s obvious.”
“And siding with the enemy is frowned upon?”
I didn’t respond. He was fishing. He wanted there to be hot tempers and gossip.
“Yet,” Hugh continued, “despite a team divide, you happily agreed to ride with Ozrik in his car. Do you two get along?”
“I-I don’t know. Sure.”
“You don’t sound sure.”
“We’re adults. We get along fine.”
“Would you consider Ozrik afriend?”
Did he emphasize the wordfriend, or was it my imagination?
“I…” Schooling my features, I prayed the previous night wasn’t written all over my face. “No. I barely know him.”
“Interesting.”
“Why is it interesting?”
Acting as if I hadn’t spoken, Hugh asked, “Is Ozrik friends with your sister?”
