Casey and I shrug and set our things in the other room, which has one bed. Casey and I usually share a bed wherever we end up, so it works out. We get settled in just as the boys are bringing up our bags. Anthony groans as he drags Kay's suitcase up the stairs. "Dammit, Kay, what did you pack?" "Essentials, Anthony. Essentials," she claps her hands as she directs him where to put her bag in her room. Dylan is holding my bag and I hesitantly walk up to him to take it. "Thanks," I manage to mumble. I can feel Kay's eyes on me as I throw my bag onto the bed. Delilah jogs up the stairs as the boys go back downstairs. She looks at me and Casey. "The only bathroom up here is in the other bedroom, so you'll have to use the bathroom downstairs. It's a nuisance, but I didn't design the house." There is a moment of peace after she leaves and I stare out the window at our view of the mountains in the distance and the pin trees littering the backyard. It's breathtaking. "I'm so excited," Casey interrupts my thoughts. "John mentioned a trail that starts in the backyard that we could check out here in a bit." "Okay," I nod. Anything to get away from Dylan and Kay. "Are we gossiping already?" Anthony's voice comes from behind us, causing us to look at him. He plops onto the bed and rests his head in his hands. "I wanna be included." "Casey and I are probably going to go walk along the trail outside, if you want to go," I say to him. "Hell yeah," he jumps up from the bed. "Let me tell Reece and Dylan." Casey and I exchange the same annoyed look. Maybe telling Anthony our plan wasn't the best idea. Casey goes downstairs to check out the bathroom. I'm going to follow her when Kay grabs my arm. I yank it back from her and she puts her hands on her hips. "Why are you even here?" she asks me. "Reece is my friend. I'm here to celebrate his birthday," I tell her. She doesn't look convinced. "You better not try anything with Dylan." "Kay, that hasn't even crossed my mind." I'm sick of her and she needs to be put in her place. "And you better remind yourself of who was actually invited and who invited herself." Everyone meets in the kitchen, and Anthony recruits everyone but Dylan and Kay, and Reece's parents, to go on the trail. Everyone has on their snow boots, big coats, beanies, and gloves. Dylan's demeanor has changed and it's like he's keeping his distance from Kay. "Make sure you kids stay on the trail," John advises. We walk out and I can hear Dylan and Kay off to the side bickering about going on the trail. I ignore them and follow Reece and Jared, who know their way around. Casey holds onto my arm and she squeals. "Look how beautiful it looks," she glances around in awe. "I don't want to leave." "It's alright," Reece shrugs. Casey starts asking him questions about the cabin and leaves my side. Derrick drifts from Jared and walk alongside me. "What do you think?" he ask. "About the trail, or about the trip itself?" "Everything." "The trail is nice," I say. "Being in the same car as Kay for two hours was not so nice." Talking to Derrick about Kay makes me wonder what he thinks about her. Does he like her, despite her brother being Xavier, or does he share my feelings towards her? "Wanna switch places on the way back?" He shakes his head. "I can't stand her. I told Dylan not to invite her to our house, ever, because her voice ends up stuck in my head when I hear it." That's pretty accurate. "Dylan let it slip about the trip and she pretty much invited herself. Especially when she heard you might come." "Why does she even care?" "C'mon. You know the answer to that one," he nudges me. "Everyone knows it's you he cares about. She knows it too." That sticks in my mind. Dylan isn't the problem. Kay and Xavier are the problems and I need to remind myself of that anytime I want to blame Dylan or be upset with him. His goal, I think, is to keep Xavier away from me. Kay is just insurance to him. I continue walking and make sure I don't slip on an iced-over rock. Derrick and I have fallen a bit behind the others. I lean closer to him to stay quiet as I speak, "Do you think it was smart of me to come on this trip?" He hesitates and my stomach drop. "I get where the confidence is coming from. Who convinced you?" "Anthony." "I think Anthony wants to be the hero. I'm glad you're here, but I'd still be careful around Kay." "What did I miss?" Dylan's voice asks behind us. The look on Derrick's face when he sees Dylan isn't one that I recognize. "Not much," he shrugs. Derrick stays quiet, but I notice him walking a bit faster, almost wanting to catch up with everyone else and leave me and Dylan behind. Which he does. "Damn, it's cold," Dylan says, hugging himself. I only nod. Irrational as it is, I keep expecting Xavier to pop out of the woods in an 'ah-ha' moment. Or he'll find out about me and Dylan even being this close to one another. "I'm sorry about Kay," Dylan keeps his voice low.