Stranded

Chapter 12

"We need to you help with the Bonfire set up. Which means we have to go get fire wood," Max said.

"And you have to have me?"

"Yes," Syria chimed in. "We need another pair of hands to carry wood. So go get some fire wood with us, or are you afraid you are going to get dirty?" She said mockingly.

Maddison cringed at her comment. "No! I'll help. I actually do enjoy the Bonfires. They remind me of home."

"Well let's get going then," Max said. "We need big logs to keep it burning, and small ones to get it started. Syria, Josh, and Maddison, would you like to go as a group? And Sam, go with me?" Max suggested. The other three nodded at the idea and headed off into the woods, leaving me alone with Max.

"If you expect me to grab giant logs, I can't do that."

"No, not at all," he said. "I just wanted to spend time with you, since we haven't got to for a while now."

We started to walk to the woods, but instead of turning left, we went right towards the Northeast Beach.

"So...." Max started.

"So...what?"

"Did you do something to your hair?"

I felt my hair, to check if for some reason it changed without my knowledge. But it felt the same: long and tangly because my hair was wavy. "I don't think so. Does it look different?"

Max stared at me. It reminded me of how he looked at me when we first met: with wonder and admiration in his eyes. "No it doesn't look very different. Just prettier. Actually, you in a whole just look very pretty right now."

I could feel myself blushing. And apparently he saw that I was, as he smiled his goofy smile.

We walked for about ten minutes before stumbling across some fallen down trees.

"This is what we are going to carry," Max said, gesturing towards the twigs and logs. "You can take the small logs and some twigs if you would like. I'll carry the larger ones."

I grabbed all that I could carry and waited for Max to finish grabbing his load. He finally got his load and we headed back to the Village.

"Sam?"

I looked at him. "Yeah?"

"I just had a question for you."

"Okay, shoot."

"Did you...did you enjoy the kiss?"

I didn't say anything too soon, but I did really like the kiss. Of course it was my first kiss and I had nothing to compare it to, but it was amazing to me. "Yes, Max. I thought it was beyond perfect." I shot him a smile.

He let out a huge breath. "Good! That's great. I was hoping you would. I mean, I had never actually kissed a girl before, I mean a really pretty one. So I was hoping it was great. I mean, I was hoping I didn't scare you off." He was speaking do fast I could barely understand it.

I giggled. "No, Max. Don't worry. You did fine."

"Okay good. That's good." He turned to look straight ahead and smiled to himself, seeming very pleased.

"So, I'm guessing you like me then, huh?"

Max turned back to me. "What?"

"I mean you kissed me," I explained. "So you must like me, am I right."

"You're wrong."

I was confused. "Wait, what?"

"You're wrong. I don't like you." Max paused, smiled, and then continued. "I really like you."