SEREIN 。NICK GOODE

5: cherry bomb

Nick closed the door to the Science and Nature cabin with a harsh slam. His laughter was dying down as he began to speak to the girl.

"Did you hear her?" Nick asked, a bright smile right across his face as he looked at the smiley girl. He liked that look on her compared to her timid half smile she'd cast at him awkwardly.

"Who didn't? You'd think she was getting chopped up or something," Tammy laughed, but soon came to a stop at the realisation of how dark what she said was. "Oh ... was that too far?" She asked when she noticed Nick's expression falter upon hearing her statement.

"No, no ... maybe a little," He grinned, wincing slightly with a hiss.

Tammy nodded as the pair continued their trek into the building. They released awkward chuckles as Tammy glanced around the room, fully taking in the surroundings that she didn't get to admire before between the panicked bucket collecting and the shouting.

It was gorgeously decorated with green plants that Tammy would've taken the time to sketch if they weren't in the middle of camp. She would have happily taken time out of her day to draw the critters living inside of the cabin too if she weren't so creeped out by them.

Tammy didn't realise she was still laughing until she turned to look at Nick, teeth still heavily exposed and mouth sore from laughing.

"Who are you?" Tammy asked half sarcastically, as though this fun Nick was not the person she was talking to a few hours ago.

"Nick Goode," He replied with a sly grin, holding out his hand for Tammy to shake. "Nice to meet you."

Tammy slipped her hand into Nick's and shook it curtly once but then hesitated to remove it.

Nick just looked down into the girl's warm eyes and looked as though he were leaning in when really it was Tammy. She stopped herself immediately, trying to play it off as if she'd lost her balance, where he then wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her.

"Woah there," He chuckled, grounding her.

Tammy didn't know what to say now and almost wanted to leave but she enjoyed the boy's company.

Nick noticed the girl's awkwardness and sat himself down on the bench, it creaking under his weight. Tammy looked down at the nearest tank, which happened to contain a frog — an amphibian Tammy had tried to sketch many times and had read about over and over again. She found them fascinating and extremely cute, which is why she was so glad it was the closest creature to her.

Nick looked up at the blonde girl tapping on the tank where the frog resided on a rock.

"You sure don't talk much, do you?" Nick remarked without harmful intent.

Tammy felt her chest grow tight as she began to think her shy nature would drive away the one boy that had ever shown even the tiniest bit of interest in her.

"There's not really much to say. Why? Does it make you uncomfortable?" Tammy asked, turning around to look at the boy, who had to act as if he hadn't been staring at her a moment too long.

"Oh- No! Quite the opposite actually, it makes me curious."

"About what?" Tammy asked, suddenly beginning to heat up in her cheeks. Her palms became sweaty as she wiped them onto her blood-covered denim shorts.

Nick licked his lips for a moment and looked to the ground and back at her.

"What's going on in that beautiful mind of yours, Tamsin?" He sighed, bending and leaning both of his arms onto the table behind him.

Tammy swallowed heavily, her eyes darting around the decorative room.

She wanted to scream it.

'You, Nick Goode. YOU!'