Girl on the Run by B. R. Myers Page A

girlfriend…we can keep meeting at night, right?” He squeezed my shoulder and gave me a wink like we’d officially signed a contract to be friends with benefits. Stunned, I watched him saunter out of the main hall, hands in his pockets. He paused at the doorway for a moment, but instead of turning to see if I was still looking, he fixed his shirt sleeve and did a bicep flex.
    â€œI even suck at breaking up,” I whispered. I took usual my place at our table, across from Scotty. My gaze focused over his shoulder—straight across the room, where Kirk was sitting.
    Since the flying eel episode, he’d only said two sentences to me. I guess my soccer shirt wasn’t as cute as I thought. Whatever. Who cares?
    He caught me staring, but neither one of us looked away. My pulse pounded in my ears. Our eyes locked on each other until one of his buddies punched his arm, getting his attention. He didn’t look back after that.
    I let out the breath I’d been holding and studied the pattern of watermelon seeds on my plate, trying to slow down my pulse. God! What was his problem? Was it that I almost took him out with a dead fish?
    Conversation about the upcoming festivities gave me something to think about besides Kirk and my racing pulse.
    I cleared my throat. “Hey, Liam,” I said. “Are you going to be in the talent show tonight?”
    He signed back to me.
    â€œOh, sorry, Duff.”
    He gave me an exasperated look.
    â€œWell, you guys are identical,” I reasoned, “with the same hair. Anyway, you could still be in the show.”
    Liam said, “It’s just going to be a bunch of stupid lip syncing, and bad stand-up comedy.” He nudged Duff and gulped down the last of his chocolate milk.
    I noticed Scotty’s plate. He’d barely made a dent in his tacos. “What about you?” I asked him.
    â€œMe?” he said. “No thanks.”
    I thought his trip in the canoe with the dark-haired cutie would have lightened his mood. “Are you sick too?” I asked.
    â€œNo. Um…I’m just waiting.”
    I was about to ask him about this when I smelled cinnamon. Lewis arrived with a fresh sticky bun.
    I smiled, reaching for the plate. “How did you know they’re my favourite?”
    Lewis sat in Spencer’s vacant spot. “You told me the other night,” he said.
    I closed my eyes and inhaled. “Did you put the tiny crushed pistachios in them?”
    â€œYup, just like your mom does, plus a pinch of cardamom,” he nodded. “Go on, taste it, I’m anxious to get your opinion.”
    It was perfect. Gooey and sweet, with the right amount of cinnamon and caramelized brown sugar on the bottom. I cut the bun into equal pieces and gave one to each of the boys.
    â€œAre you sure?” Scotty asked, his eyes looking glassy.
    â€œGood food always tastes better when you share it,” I said.
    Mom’s mantra.
    â€œThanks, J.J.,” Duff signed.
    The table grew quiet as everyone chewed.
    â€œI thought you might need a treat after you kicked your lover out of bed,” Lewis said. “But really, Jesse, you should know better. Your worlds are too different, you were never meant to be together.”
    Scotty turned an interesting shade of green.
    â€œScotty.” Kirk was standing behind Scotty with a hand on his shoulder. “A word, NOW!” Without looking back, Scotty obeyed and left the main hall with him. The twins exchanged worried looks.
    â€œWhat’s that about?” I asked.
    â€œThat’s what he was waiting for,” Liam said, licking his fingers.
    â€œShould I go after them?” I asked.
    â€œTrust Kirk,” Lewis said. “He’s the head counsellor.”
    The whole episode left me feeling suspicious and a bit pissed. Of the four brats in my cabin that needed a lecture from the jerky head counsellor, Scotty was the least deserving.
    I was going to follow them