Wim invites us all back to his place that evening after our day on the reservoir, not being too keen on spending any more one-on-one time with Gen today. As ever-oblivious as Genevieve is about being the butt of our jokes behind her back, I tend to feel a bit guilty the more it progresses. I keep getting the urge to make Wim just send her off, and put her out of her unknown misery.
Though, I think Roman likes how she keeps Wim preoccupied and away from me. His gratitude towards Wim is slowly but surely regressing, he and I are pretty friendly toward one another. I keep telling Rome he has nothing to worry about, in the same joking way that he suggests Wim’s a bit too friendly with me, and claims even though he saved my ass, he still wants in my pants.
While at Wim’s, we sat around his living room and socialized in front of a movie, after we had a cookout with his parents. Upon seeing the size and quality of Wim’s timeshare, Kait demanded to know what horrible character flaw or hidden physical defect Wim had to have, to balance out his utter perfection. I told her she was exaggerating. He really did seem a tad too good to be true sometimes, and even I wondered if he had a bad side, or if there was a downfall to his picture-perfect existence. I’m sure they’re there somewhere, but rarely does the thought cross my mind.
Back at the upper cabin where we are now, Kait and I lie sprawled on my bed. My hair is still warm from blow-drying it after my nightly shower, which I was doing while Kait took hers. Her hair is gathered up into a towel.
“Ugh, I finally get a steady boyfriend, and Sir Perfect, King of Scotland rears his gorgeous, foreign head,” she groans, referring to Mr. Mcknight. I chuckle.
“Fate doesn’t want you to be content.”
“No kidding! Christ, I should’ve just weaseled my way here from the beginning,” she teases as she sits up to pull the towel off her damp hair. She works at rubbing it as dry as she can for a moment, before I speak up to break the silence.
“So, when are you thinking you have to go back to Worthing?” I ask, “Do you still work at King’s?” She gets up to hang her towel on one of the hooks on the back of the door, next to mine.
“Yeah, I even picked up another job at the gas station, now that you mention it. But I took the week off from both of them. Sage said he has to go back home again next week to finish up his physics project, and can take me with him.”
“I have one whole week with you?” I exclaim, clasping my hands over my chest to emphasize my exaggeration. Propping her hand on her hip, Kait makes a dismissive gesture.
“Allie, baby, you gon’ be sick ‘a me!” she says in a southern accent. I laugh as she sits back down.
“So, you have two jobs, huh? Workin’ girl.”
“Yeah. Pretty much all of it is going towards my car payments. By the time summer’s over, it’ll be all paid off.” Kait’s been working like a mule ever since she turned sixteen, first to save up for that old ‘stang, and now to fulfill all payments as quickly as she can. She’s pretty economically wired, and I praise her work ethic when it comes to employment. She shares those types of traits with Roman, and they remind me of him. He told me once that he has an awesome job working for a bed and breakfast at home during the school year, and that the owners make sure to hire him again every year after summer because he’s so well-acquainted with them. When the weather’s warm enough, he also works for construction companies. That always makes me think back to when I saw him working the stop/slow sign before school got out, and he had stopped me just to talk. I’ve never really had a job before... but I feel like this year’s the year, and that I should really start earning some cash for college. Roman told me he can probably get me hired at the bed and breakfast once we all go back home.
Kaitlin shares my bed while she stays with us, and all throughout the week we make sure to show her the full and grand Alpine Mine experience. We take her to the Dunes, the expansive area for quad riding, and she meets Mazie and Bennen there. We also take her to the Emerald Lakes, a group of the smaller bodies to avoid the place where my incident occurred.
Near the middle of the week we take an all-day hike up one of the mountains, and have a picnic at the top. Another swim at the reservoir topped that day off, and one of Roman’s uncles took us out on his speed boat. I never realized exactly how much I’ve missed her, until she was with us, doing all the things the boys and I have been doing all summer.
The end of the week nears, and with it, the final rounds of the Tournament. I’ve been telling Kaitlin everything about the momentous event, getting her as excited and pumped up for it as I am. It’s not that hard, the first mention of shirtless, fighting guys is enough to peak her interest. Roman won’t be participating in any more rounds after his hospitalization, and Sage was eliminated last week in a glorious finale against one of the lasting contenders. Wim and Bennen will be fighting tonight, which I’m extremely excited about.
Around sundown we pile in Romans truck, the four of us packed in the front, and bump down the dirt road to the Gazebo. Shoulder-to-shoulder with Rome and Kaitlin, I get a more clear feeling of realization that the end of summer is near.
A pang hits my heart, and I encircle my arms tighter around Roman’s as I close my eyes and take in the fresh, woody smells of camp. It’ll be sad to go back home… Back to school, and classwork, and our last year of high school. The end of summer always sucks, but the closure of this one will take the cake. How can it not, when it’s been the greatest? It’ll suck to not see Roman literally all day, every day. It’ll suck to never see Wim again until who knows when… hopefully next summer. It’ll suck to not have a thousand options of what we’re going to occupy each day with. Yeah, yeah… All good things must come to an end, I know. I’ve always hated that saying.
I’m trying not to let the fact that the end is in sight affect what small amount of vacation we have left, but that’s always hard. It’s never a good thing to focus on the negative aspect of every situation, that’s what makes me an optimist, and such is especially so now. This vacation has been way too amazing to damper any part of it with thoughts of leaving. Roman’s kisses on my forehead help wave away those thoughts, too.
Kaitlin grips my leg and shakes it in excitement as we drive into the clearing where the Gazebo lies, the tiki-torches already lit for the event. We’ve arrived fashionably late, and there’s quite the crowd of kids here. After parking, we climb out of the truck and head to join the masses under the Gazebo, Roman giving me a piggyback ride across the field. I wiggle to get down once we’re under the structure, anonymous in the crowd, but he clamps his arms tightly around my thighs.
“Nope, you stay.”
“Let me doooooown,” I whine, flicking at his ear, “My arms hurt!”
“Sorry, mine.” I’m starting to fall off anyway, but he hikes me back up on his firm back, despite my squirming. I giggle into his neck as I let him have my dead weight.
“Fine, enjoy my fat ass.”
“Oh, I do,” he chimes, reaching back to pinch my butt. Screeching in his ear, I’m back to squirming, with a stoked fury that gets me down successfully.
“Wow, thanks! Glad to know you think I’m fat!” I laugh, punching him in the gut. Maybe a little harder than I meant to, but he deserved it. He gives an oof, before snatching me into his arms, holding mine down as he pecks my nose.
“Shut up, you’re not fat and you know it,” he croons in a cutesy voice, “I love your cute little ass, is all.” In persisting mock-offense, I bite at him everytime he tries to come in for another small kiss to the tip of my nose. “Stop your shit,” he says as he laughs, after going for a kiss on the mouth and receiving a swift chomp to the bottom lip. He probably couldn’t feel it, anyway. In one motion, he grips me and dips me low, capturing me in a big showy dip-kiss. My heart flutters as I smile against his lips, suspended in his arms. He breaks off the deep kiss, grinning down at me as he still holds me in the dip. Placing my hand against his cheek, I chuckle at him.
“I forgive you…”
We get a few coos and whistles, started by the members of our entourage –mostly Kaitlin- and I slither away from Roman in exaggerated embarrassment as he bows. I grab Kait, yelling back at Rome “great kiss, time to indulge in some shirtless, sweaty men!”
I definitely didn’t make it too far in my escape.
Our small group is added to by Bennen and Mazie, and we shuffle our way into a pretty good spot near the fighting ring. Wrapped snug and happy in Roman’s arms, I chat with Mazie and Kait over the din of the crowd as we all wait for the first rounds to begin. Mazie and I point out the warriors we spot, all done up in their war-paint courtesy of their respectful pillars. We know at least the warrior names of the individuals we find with our eyes, and Kait's whole face is alight with excitement as we both describe the system and traditions of the Tournament. Being the last rounds tonight, the remaining contestants are the absolute best. Fortunately, the kid who tore Rome's piercings out weeks ago opted out of the remaining rounds, as he should've. Though I'm sure we'd all enjoy seeing him get thrown around by someone like Bennen or Wim.
Speaking of such a fellow, I eye the Scot moving through the crowd toward us, void of paint as usual. Our group greets him as he approaches, wishing him luck for his rounds. He shuffles to stand beside Roman and I among the group, giving Roman his condolences about not advancing in the Tournament before addressing me.
"Allie, I have a pretty big favor to ask of you." His dull green eyes are steady as he hides a smile.
"What's that, Wimsical?"
"I was wondering if you'd honor me in being my surrogate pillar for the night. If it's also alright with you, Roman." I give him a crestfallen look as Rome's arms remain very stiff around my shoulders.
"The Pillarless Knight wants to have a pillar?" I gasp incredulously, "Are you sure about that? You're pretty famous for the lack of one..." He nods once, slowly. Mazie agrees with me as she jabs Wim's unclothed gut, Roman gives a barely audible snort in my ear.
"Better now than never," he laughs. "I think it'll add to my luck. You're pretty good with those paints, too."
The offer is enticing. It's pretty fun to be in that ring, right next to the fight and the action, and it seems like it would be quite the riot to be the pillar of the Pillarless Knight in his final rounds. I really want to... but I have a tugging feeling -besides his stony grip on me- that Roman isn't extremely thrilled by the suggestion. Probably for all the same reasons that I think it would be fun.
"What do you say?" His smile is imploring. I purse my lips in thought as I look from Wim, to the faces of our group, and around to Roman. His foggy-colored eyes hold mine for a beat before I face Wim again.
"You know... I have a lovely noob here who'd probably give you more luck than me," I say slyly as I glance at Kait. Realization smacks her, her eyes growing wide. Wim's gaze lingers on me before he turns his attention to Miss Noob, who is visually struggling to contain her excitement.
"...What?"
"We explained pretty much everything to her... You liked painting in art class the most, right, Kait? Wim, take her to the paint table and see for yourself, she'll be a great pillar." Mazie adds her bit, along with Sage, who both voice that it would properly top off her Alpine Mine experience. Wim agrees genially, hooking his arm around her shoulder and leading her through the crowd. She whips her head back toward me as they go, her open-mouthed grin the picture of elation.
"Ah, you're welcome, Kaitlin Lindsay," I chuckle quietly as I hang my hands on Roman's arms, easing my back against his chest.
"She's so cute," Mazie laughs, and we watch them disappear in the masses. "That was nice of you. Though I think Wim might have some... extended feelings for you, Allie... Watch out, Rome-io!"
"Oh my god, thank you," Roman exclaims, finally moving his arms from around me to throw them in the air, "She thinks I'm just jealous for thinking that, I've been telling her all along!" My face flushes at her corresponding op pinion, my gut still telling me that that's absurd.
"Noooo... That's so not true... He acts they way he does with everyone, give me a break," I laugh, sticking my tongue out at Mazie. "You're all craaazy."
"Whatever... Protecting you or not, I'd love for him to give me an opportunity to beat his ass."
"Rude!" He gives me a hard noogie, keeping me trapped under his arm. Annoyed by Roman's outward persistence, I duck out from under his grip and snort as I push him away from me.
I seriously doubt their suggestions, still holding Wim in high esteem for what he did for me. It doesn't matter, anyway... we won't see him after we go back to Worthing. I'd rather not complicate things like this before we leave. I'm used to having guy friends, and I really think it's mostly Roman's jealous nature. I'm trying to be understanding, since we share that trait... and most would think that it's cute and protective. It's really not. Ah, but I can't forget how selfish I am. I try to be wary of it... but I wonder if I may be enjoying the attention a little too much. I've not had the pleasure of having really close male friends. And I reiterate, we're outta here soon.
As the whistle blasts to signify the beginning of the night, the crowd hushes, and I sidle over to my glowering Roman.
"Hey, butthead," I say softly as I slither my arms around him, under his tightly-crossed arms. "Stop, now." After nuzzling my way against him, his passive resistance wanes. "Let's agree to disagree here, and enjoy our night..." I suggest with big eyes, blinking up at his grumpy face as I pucker my lips. One of his thick brows cranks up slowly as he holds my gaze.
"Not gonna happen, you little shit." His hard composure breaks as he grins, catching me tightly against him before planting a giant kiss on my lips.