𝗔𝗦 𝗜 𝗠𝗔𝗗𝗘 𝗠𝗬 𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 to my cabin, a knot tightened in my stomach. What did I expect? I'd only known her for a day, yet here I was, already caught up in feelings I hadn't bargained for. I'd never experienced this kind of attraction before, I usually kept my focus solely on my siblings and my training. But then she appeared. From the moment she arrived, her beauty cast a spell on me, though she seemed oblivious to the effect she had on everyone around her.
"Are you okay, man? You look lost in thought," Chris interrupted.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired," I replied.
I lay down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, my mind consumed by thoughts of her. I replayed our brief encounter over and over in my mind, fixating on her words. What caused me to hold such bitterness towards the word 'friend' solely because Katherine had uttered it? If I continued to dwell on these thoughts, sleep would elude me until morning. Eventually, exhaustion overcame me, but even in slumber, my mind was filled with thoughts of Katherine and her words.
••
I woke up everyone in the cabin, signaling that it was time for breakfast. After gently waking the younger campers, I stepped outside into the crisp morning air. There, amidst the waking camp, I spotted Katherine, her smile radiant even from a distance.
"Luke!" her voice called out, and I waved in acknowledgment.
"Are you going to help me at combat training" she asked as she approached.
"Absolutely, but don't expect any special treatment," I replied, a playful edge to my tone.
"Good, I wouldn't want it any other way," she replied with a grin.
