Free Vulnerable by Elise Pehrson Page A

by. “You…It’s crazy,” she threw her hands up in the air and laughed to herself, she continued, looking at him, “I don’t know…haha. Sorry I’m not making much sense...”      
                “Ha… it’s all right.” They exchanged a soft, tender glance. He saw into her eyes past the beauty for the first time and he just saw more beauty: a strong-willed soul hidden behind a beautiful mask of wounded heart.
                “Well, I remember our agreement,” she said with another smile.
                “Why are you bringing that up?” he asked, laughing flirtatiously.
                “Because… I kind of wanted you to ask me… which is why I set up the agreement in the first place.” He looked at her in utter amazement—both impressed and surprised.
                “What do you mean?”
                “Well, you remember how I said that I’d love for you to come with me on the retreat?”
                “Yeah?”
                “Well… I wanted to test to see if you really liked me… and you passed, ha…” she nervously laughed, “I felt guilty not telling you.” She looked up sheepishly, her glittering eyes so clear he swore he could peer into her soul.
                “Don’t worry about it. You’re perfect.” He realized what he had said after the words slipped out of his mouth, “I-I mean I…shoot… I…” There’s no way to get out of this one, he thought. Luckily, she chimed in, blushing and twirling her hair.
                “Don’t worry about it. You seem pr—,” the sentence she couldn’t finish had Michael hanging on every word, but to his dismay, it was indeed cut short and by one of the kids.
                It was a lanky boy, about fourteen years old, with sandy hair that had a trace of copper and matching eyes like light caramel, “We should get back; we want to get to the water fight!” The boy next to him was equally lanky and about the same age, but he had gingery, pale orange hair, freckles, and thin-wired glasses—he was studying some sort of planner or program with a list of activities. Michael thought that it was safe to assume that Millie made it.
                “Water fight?” Michael asked. His eyes showed intriguing interest and his mouth echoed teasing sarcasm—he was never too great at flirting.
                “Yeah, it’s at four!” the orange-haired boy cheeped. Michael’s frustration twisted, but he bit his tongue before telling the kid to take a hint and learn when to read signals.
                Millie grinned to herself before looking back at Michael, “Yeah, it’s going to be great! I bought a bunch of water balloons and squirt guns! It’s gonna be sick!”
                “Sick?” Michael teased.
                “Shut up, haha, I’m trying to be hip with the lingo.”
                “I can tell,” Michael laughed back; Millie punched his arm and stuck out her tongue between smiling lips. It was so easy to talk to her, and the more he did, the more he felt close to her. He had a feeling that he was going to like this camping trip after all.

Chapter Nine
     
     
                When they all finally made it back down the mountain, Michael didn’t even have time to look up and figure out who was where at the camp before being shot square in the face with a burst of water.
                “THE WATER FIGHT OFFICIALLY BEGINS!” shouted the red haired boy, flailing his arms about wildly as he passed his hiking companions. I hope he slows down before he has an asthma attack, Michael thought.
                “Hey! That’s not fair!” The other boy that had been hiking with them squawked, running towards the small mass of flogging body parts and floating water balloons.
                “I’m totally going to get you soaked!”