Agent Goldfinch

Smarter

After everyone makes their way through the lasers Melodie turns them off and we are led back through winding corridors until we reach rope ladders. Tate waves his arm up the ladder.

"Up you go. Get changed, showered all of that, then meet up at the main flag pole."

All of the campers scurried up the ladders, but as I set my foot on the lowest rung, I saw Melodie make her way towards Tate.

She gets really close, and an odd feeling creeps through me.

"Hi Tate," she fiddles with her hair. "Wanna eat lunch with me and some other staff?"

The odd feeling spreads through me.

"Sure! Thanks for being a great friend Mel, I was scared I'd have to eat alone!" They both laughed and Melodie shoved one of his buff shoulders.

What is this feeling I'm feeling?

I pull myself up and find myself in the complex we entered yesterday. With minimal difficulty I find cabin four and go in.

"Hey!" Gigi bounds in front of me. "Did you find the showers?"

"Ummm no."'

"Grab your backpack and some clothes, they have towels there!"

There's a backpack sitting on my bed, gray with block lettering "CAMP EGRETS". I open it to see a water bottle and snacks as well as athletic tape.

I grab my camp egrets shirt and some leggings, then follow Gigi to a pretty standard looking camp building. But, like everything here, nothing is 'standard'. The building looks normal, but behind the curtains, no ugly cement stalls await, instead sleek glass tubes await. Hesitantly, I slowly climbed in.

Whoosh.
I'm shot up into a treehouse-like structure with clean glass showers surrounded by bamboo planks.

Damn.
Fluffy white towels sit on a tall, swiveling shelf in the centre of the platform with seven of the showers.

Where do these people get their funding?

"Come onnnnn!" Gigi's voice pierces through my bubble of zen like the six piercings in her ears.
"We only have an hour before training starts again."
I nodded slowly then peel off my sweaty clothes and stand under the warm water, hearing the birds chirp and the beautiful green foliage above me.

I have to get out, but I can't. Everything is perfect. With a lot of reluctance, I towel off and pull on my clothes. I'd shoved my phone into my backpack so I took the opportunity to check the time as I braid my hair and slide Tate's ring into the bag. 9:32, that's it?

I've been more productive since I woke up than I've been for the past two weeks. By the time I climb out of the cozy bamboo shower cubby, Gigi's curly hair is already in a poofy ponytail and she's wearing a black T-shirt tied at her midriff and black bike shorts.

"Ready?"

"Yep." I shoulder my backpack and throw the towel into a woven basket, then climb back into the glass chute.

"That was..." I try to find words. "Unreal."

"Yeah," Gigi shrugs, practically unfazed, "but training starts soon so we should get going."

We reconvene underground and are told we will be rock climbing. Tate and Melodie lead us to an enormous wall, easily five times any wall I've seen at playgrounds or gyms. After we are secured into harnesses we begin to climb. I start to lose my grip and hear a voice in my ear.

"Remember, smarter."

My sweaty fingers slip on the handles.
"You'll never climb a skyscraper like that," Tate chides.

"Have any suggestions?" I grit out through my teeth.

His voice sing songs "What's in your bag?"

Athletic tape.

"Athletic tape."

"Good girl." He smiles, and a warm, radiant feeling spreads through me.

"Well, do you mind handing it to me?"

"Not a problem." His hand reaches into my bag and I feel his fingers on my back. "Here." He holds out the tape.

I expertly tape it onto my knuckles.
"Hey," his voice is husky. "You're good at that."

"Thanks. I kickbox, though you probably know that."

"That's right. I do." His hair folds loosely over his face, accentuating his perfect cheekbones. "Oh look what it is." He holds up m̶y̶ his ring.

"Hey, you said I could keep it." I gave him back the tape.

"Guess I did." He smiles as he places it back in my bag. "Guess I did."

It's easier to climb with the tape and I secured fourth place, which, considering my slow start, is great.
"Good job."
Can't I go anywhere without Tate's low voice in my ear?

Not that I don't enjoy it. A little more than I should, if I'm being honest.

We take a water break and I see something else in my bag.
Another origami falcon.
I unfolded it slowly.

Smarter. 10pm.
-T

I look up and meet his deep sea green eyes.

He winks.

He freaking winks.

Goddamn, I'm down bad.

That night, everyone sleeps at ten. Maybe they know what's coming and want a good night's sleep or maybe they're secretly on their phones under the covers. Probably the latter, as I could see dull white light leaking through some of the comforters.

I pull on my sweatshirt and crawl out of bed, onto the porch where Tate waits for me.

"You came."

I shrug. "Well, I- "

I didn't know what to say. He presses a finger to my lips. "You don't have to justify wanting to be better."
My lips burn from his touch.

"Oh," he realizes where his hands are "sorry. I should have asked."

"It's- it's," Ok? Good? Nice? "Fine. You didn't need to apologize."

His eyes bore into mine. "Yes I did."

Awkward but somehow comfortable silence fills the air.

"Let me start by saying I don't want to hurt you V."

"Did you call me V?"

"Yeah." The moon glints off his eyelashes "it fits you."

I smile. Usually, I can't stand nicknames. But V is sweet and tough at the same time. It makes me feel real.

"I liked it."

He smiles, "I think I could tell."

I smile back. "Continue what you were saying. About not hurting me."

"I don't want to hurt you. I want to make you smarter and stronger. Not that you aren't both those things already. But, it never hurts to be... well, better."

"Why me?" I gaze up at him like the moon.

"I believe in you. I see something." He looks down at me like a beautiful, fascinating creature.

No one has ever believed in me like that.
Not in my whole life. Not my picture perfect parents. Not my kickboxing coach. Not my friends or teachers. But this disastrously handsome eighteen year old I've spent around two days with, would almost die for and who is way out of my league looks at me like I could be something. Anything.

"When do we start?"

A.N.: istg guys I'll be back in the uk on Monday so my next update will actually come in on time next week lol. Hope you had an amazing Christmas (if you celebrate) and have a fabulous week!
<3!
Sky(lar)