Something in the Way(28)

She sighed, her upper body slumping. "I don't like this, Lake. My  co-counselor is only two years older than them and she's not any help."

I bit my thumbnail. "Try to remember what it was like to be twelve.  There's a balance between being their friend and commanding their  respect."

"Can you help me? Please?"

"I have my own cabin to deal with," I said. Since I felt sorry for her, I  added, "Once they're in bed, all the counselors come back here to hang  out. We can vent then."

Tiffany grabbed my arm as I stood. "Don't go. Please."

"I have to. I'll see you tonight."



The girls were in their beds by eight and after some policing, including  a lecture on gossip, they'd fallen asleep soon after. Once I was sure  they were out for the night, I grabbed Hannah to take her to the dining  hall. It was a short walk, but we had to pass through woods to get  there, guided only by the moonlight the trees let through.

"You're sure this is allowed?" Hannah asked.

"Yep. Once the kids are in bed, we all hang out, even Gary. Head  counselors take turns throughout the week walking through camp to check  on each cabin. You might have to at some point."

"By myself?"

"Are you afraid?" I teased. "You know I made up that story about the bear to get the girls to hand over their candy, right?"

"Really? So there aren't bears out here?"

One quick glance around the deadly silent dark made me shiver. "No, there are."

Hannah made a noise. I hurried her along-it actually was a little  scary-but I also wanted to see if Manning would come tonight. I supposed  I should talk Tiffany off the ledge, too.

Inside, the tables had been moved to the room's perimeter, clearing the  area. A boom box sat on the fireplace mantel and a junior counselor  rapped along to "Nuthin But A ‘G' Thang." Some people stood off to the  side talking, while others had brought cushions and blankets to sit on  the floor in a circle.

Manning sat with Gary and some other counselors in plastic chairs they'd  formed into a half circle. Hannah and I walked over, all eyes on us as  we approached.

"What's up?" Gary said. "Grab a chair."

Manning stood. "I'll get some." He walked off to the side and lifted a  seat in each hand. A girl I didn't recognize had her chair a little too  close to Manning's. Now I not only had to worry about Tiffany, but other  girls, too? "Move over," I said to her.

"Um." She glanced behind me at Manning.

"Please," I added.

She scooted aside as Manning added our chairs to the circle.

"When did you get so bossy?" Gary asked me as I sat. "Last year you were much more shy."

Even though my cheeks warmed, his teasing made everyone look at me, even Manning. "I said please."

"You should see her with the girls," Hannah said. "She's the boss."

"That so?" Manning asked.

I arched an eyebrow at him. "You look surprised."

"I didn't say you were shy."

Neither of us smiled, but the energy between us was light. Playful.  Something about today had obviously softened Manning's outer layer and I  couldn't help feeling responsible for that.

The song changed, and Hannah bobbed her head with the music. "God, I love LL Cool J."

Manning shifted his eyes to her. "Yeah? I would've guessed Mariah Carey or something."

She laughed. "I listen to both. LL is good to get in a certain kind of mood."

"Yeah," he said and laughed as if it were some kind of inside joke.

Maybe it was. I didn't know what an "around-the-way girl" was, but they seemed to. "What mood?" I asked.

Manning looked at something behind me. "Never mind."                       
       
           



       

"What are we talking about?" Tiffany asked a second before she fell into  Manning's lap. He oophed, and she put an arm around his neck. "Oh,  please. You're twice my size."

"Now I see where Lake gets it," Gary said.

Tiffany flipped her hair over her shoulder, sending a telling waft of  Herbal Essences in my direction. There was no sign of the dirt I'd seen  earlier, and she had on a full face of makeup. The girl had showered.  "Gets what?"

"Playing the boss."

"I don't play. I'm bossy, and I make no apologies. How else would I get  what I want?" Her eyes twinkled with everyone watching her. She looked  up at Manning. "Right, babe?"

"Are you two dating?" Gary asked.

Tiffany looked at Manning, so we all did, too. "No."

"We're taking it slow," Tiffany said.

"It's cool," Gary said. "Just leave that stuff at home this week."

"You have my word, man." Manning patted Tiffany's outer thigh. "Up."

She kissed his cheek and stood, then motioned for me to let her sit. "Scooch."

I could barely function enough to slide over and share my seat. She just  kissed him when she wanted. Hugged him. Sat on him. She didn't know how  lucky she was. I didn't think I'd ever just reached out and touched  him. I looked at my hands, at the dirt in my cuticles from planting  trees earlier.

"How'd today go?" Manning asked her.

"Great."

Her smile was so fake, I couldn't believe Manning bought it, but he smiled back. "I'm glad. I was worried about you."

"Aw. Next time come check on me," she said. "I missed you, and I could've used some back up."

"Thought you said it was all right?"

"It was . . ." She shrugged. "But they're a little hard to handle."

"Too bad you aren't in charge of boys." Manning stretched his long arm  along the back of our chair, his thumb ghosting over my far shoulder.  "You'd have no trouble getting them to do what you say."

Tiffany actually blushed, which was rare. Meanwhile, my heart dropped a  thousand miles. Why was he worried about her? Why did she miss him? They  didn't even care about each other. She took a sip from a red Solo cup I  hadn't noticed before.

"What is that?" I asked her.

"Special grapefruit punch."

I looked in at the pink drink. "With alcohol?"

"Yep. Want some?"

Manning had turned away to talk to Gary. I took the cup from her and  sniffed the rim. It didn't smell like grapefruit. More than once, my dad  had come home groaning that he needed a drink. I'd never really had the  desire to get drunk, but Tiffany and her friends and mine all made it  sound so glamorous. Like fun in a bottle. Much better than feeling like  this, jealous of my own sister, invisible to the only man who'd ever  seemed to see me.

Still, I wasn't brave enough to drink it. Camp was no place to be  reckless. I wasn't sure where Tiffany had gotten the alcohol, but it  definitely wasn't allowed.

I went to hand it back when Manning's arm flew over my head. He grabbed  my wrist so fast, punch sloshed over the side onto my top. "Don't drink  that," he said.

"I wasn't going to."

"Oh, come on," Tiffany whispered. "One sip won't kill her."

He turned on Tiffany, keeping my arm firmly in his hand. "What are you doing?"

"What?" she asked. "Our parents aren't around for once. I just want her to have some fun."

"That's your little sister. She looks up to you. If you tell her underage drinking is okay, she'll believe you."

My ears burned with embarrassment. I didn't feel this childish when my parents scolded me. "I'm right here," I said.

"If she gets caught drinking, you know what'll happen?" he asked Tiffany. "Did you even think about that?"

She shrunk down. "No."

Manning lowered his voice. "Gary will kick her out faster than she can  apologize." He looked at me. "He'll call your parents to come get you.  Tonight."

Going home was the last thing I wanted. I tried pulling my hand back,  but I couldn't even move him. If he was trying to warn or scare me, his  grip was having the opposite effect. My insides flurried as I realized  the extent of his strength. I wondered if this was why Tiffany sometimes  did things she wasn't supposed to. If she thought this kind of  attention was better than none at all.                       
       
           



       

Tiffany took her drink back. "Sorry, Lake. I'd die if you left me up here by myself for the week."

Finally, Manning let me go to take the cup from Tiffany. "That goes for you, too. Where'd you even get this?"

"I have my ways." She pouted. "What about later, when it's just you and me?"

"No. And don't bring it up again."

I couldn't handle this. If they were making plans to be alone, I wasn't  sure if it was better to know or pretend it wasn't happening.