by Ruby Vincent
“Ready,” they said together.
Aiden blew his whistle and they were off.
As though we were tethered to them, the Sallys and Sams trailed the first runners of the day, skimming along the course.
It wasn’t a pretty sight. Neither one of them knew what they were doing. Mai slowed down on the first obstacle. It took her three tries to swing her leg over the wall and jump down to the other side. Xavier was already through the tunnel. Mai dropped to the floor and shimmied through, quickening her pace.
Xavier raced to the stepping stone. Six raised platforms that he had to jump across to get to the ditch. He leaped, overshot it, and smacked the dirt.
“Xavier? Xavier, are you okay?” one of the guys shouted.
Leighton and Aiden didn’t move. Their eyes were glued to their clipboard and whatever they were writing.
“I’m fine,” he shouted back. “I can do it.”
Mai sailed over his head.
Xavier looped around and raced across the stepping stones again. He made it through but the fall severely set him back. There were two ropes to swing across the ditch and two ducking lanes, but only one balancing bridge.
Mai climbed over the wall, then ducked beneath the beam, and then climbed over another. She had the hang of it after the third vault, and ducking beneath the low beams did not slow her down. She was first to reach the balancing beam—just a hair before Xavier—but since he couldn’t touch her in any way, he lurched back.
Slowly and carefully, she climbed the beam and inched across. The beam was the width of my hand and about five feet off the ground. The fall wouldn’t kill her, nor would it be pleasant. She took her time and Xavier huffing impatiently at her back didn’t faze her.
She touched down on the ground and ran. Xavier scrambled off the beam and sprinted after her, but quick little Mai was too fast for him. She started whooping a foot from the finish line.
“Mai wins!” Leighton shouted. “First point to the Sallys!”
Keily and Palmer rushed their friend. They scooped her into the air, chanting like she won the Olympics.
“Next up, Colton and Mary.”
The pledge obstacle course race progressed from there. Boy versus girl facing off for a prize most of us would not partake in. Somewhere along the way, people forgot about that and were having actual fun. The groups cheered from the sidelines, making up chants and ribbing the other side.
They were into the competition, but they weren’t taking it nearly as seriously as Aiden and Leighton seemed to.
The presidents followed each pair through the course, jotting things on their clipboard as they did. After each race, they huddled together to consult before calling the next pair.
“What are they doing?” I asked. “It doesn’t look like they’re using a simple point system.”
Sofia and Ezra lounged next to me on the grass. Both had finished their obstacle race and come out the winners. They basked in a much-deserved break, drinking water and nibbling on watermelon I brought out from the main house.
“We’re still pledges,” Sofia said. “We’re probably racking up points for the Sallys and for ourselves.”
“If that’s the case, I pray they take more than winning and losing into account, because I predict a faceplant in my future.”
Ezra bumped me with his damp forehead. “You’re going to do great, Val. You’ll win... but it won’t be enough to save your team.”
“We’re only behind by four points,” Sofia shot back. “Don’t pack your Speedo just yet.”
“Next!” Aiden bellowed. “Valentina and Austin.”
“Win this for us, Val,” Sofia said.
I saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”
Austin and I met at the start line and shook hands. I didn’t know much about the senator’s son except for Ezra’s unfiltered thoughts about him. He told Ezra I might be cheating on him and I wasn’t sure if that made him a good friend or nosy as hell.
I looked him up and down.
One thing I do know is the guy is built. He won’t go down easily.
“Ready?”
“Ready,” we shouted.
The whistle blew. I took off.
Vaulting over the low wall was easy. I made it over first and dropped on my hands and knees for the tunnel. The small, echoey chamber amplified the Sallys’ cheers—Sofia’s loudest of all. I stuck my head through the other side and met Austin’s gaze. He had closed the distance fast.
In front of us was a ladder made up of large, evenly spaced logs going up on a slight incline, and then down at the same angle. It looked simple, but I’d seen three separate pledges slip and bust their ass. Properly planting your feet was more important than speed on this one.
I gripped the log with that thought in mind.
Hand, foot, hand, foot, hand, foot. I crawled up the ladder.
Austin bounded up, jumping from log to log—
—and mis-stepped.
His foot went through the gap and he landed hard, smacking his head with an audible crack that made me gasp.
I stopped. “Austin, are you okay?”
He blinked dazedly at me, body tangled up in the logs. “Wha...?”
I crawled back down.
“Val, what are you going?!” Blair shrieked. “Keep going!”
Ignoring her, I grabbed his arm and helped him out. “You hit your head pretty hard. Can you keep going?”
He nodded. “I’m okay. Thank you.”
“It’s a ladder,” I said. “Climb it like one.”
Carefully, he adopted my position. I didn’t move until he had it—much to my team’s chagrin. They screamed louder than ever for me to keep going. Only Leighton stood silent, writing—what I would never know—on her clipboard.
I reached the top and quickly scrambled down. Recovering fast, Austin was right on my heels. We hit that rope at the same time. Sofia was in my ear as I swung over the mud and raced to the ducking lane.
“You got this, Val! Go, go, go!”
Over, under, over, under, I passed through the lane.
This is actually kind of fun.
Our final obstacle loomed. The balancing bridge.
Austin and I jumped over the last wall to the beam. This was make or break. If I wasn’t the first one across, the chances of me winning were slim. Austin huffed next to me, pumping his arms. We were neck and neck... and then Austin pulled ahead.
That’s it. I lost.
We reached the balancing beam and out of nowhere, Austin slowed down.
Surprise rattled me but I didn’t have time to think as I set foot on the beam. Arms out on either side, I made my way to the other end and jumped down.
“Yes, Val!” Ezra shouted, uncaring of his teammate. “You got this!”
I heard the thump from Austin behind me. Putting on a burst of speed, I raced over the finish line to raucous cheering.
Sofia and Ezra ran at me. I looped back and ran to Austin instead.
Austin was doubled over, sucking in deep lungfuls. Sweat clung to his forehead and the reddish bruise that was beginning to show. Otherwise, he looked fine.
“Why did you do that?” I asked. “You let me win.”
Austin peered at me through the curtain of his hair. “You would have anyway. My stupid self slipped on the ladder and you came back for me. The win went to the right person.”
“But—”
He shook my hand. “Good match, Val. Thanks again.”
Austin loped off just as my friends got their hands on me.
EZRA
I rescued Val from the crowd of girls and planted a kiss on her that earned catcalls.
“You were amazing.”
She beamed. “Thank you, but...” Val glanced behind her. “I know he didn’t make a great first impression, but Austin’s a decent guy. You should give him another chance.”
“Should I?”
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
“Yes, you should.” She nuzzled my cheek. “Listen to yo
ur girlfriend.”
I hummed. “I’ll do whatever my girlfriend wants if she’ll find a spot with me and make up for last night.”
“Well,” she drew out. “I could do with a shower... and some company.”
“Let’s go.”
We hurried across the field. There were more people needing to go through the course which made this the perfect time to steal away.
Val went into the bunkhouse to get our stuff. I hung back to check my phone.
Mike: Call me as soon as you can.
Visions of sudsy showers and bending Val over in the spray vanished.
“Val, go in without me,” I called. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
I wandered off to the fire pit, dialing Mike on the way. He answered after one ring.
“Mike, what did you find?”
“It’s good you got back to me right away.” He didn’t seem put out by the lack of hello. “Ezra, what exactly is going on here?”
“That’s what you’re supposed to find out. Did you contact Sawyer’s parents? And what did you find out about Aiden?” I looked across the field where the Sams and Sallys battled it out. “The guy is fucking shady. My chat with him yesterday proved it.”
“Chat?” His tone sharpened. “What did he say to you?”
“Not much of anything. But the way he stood there, grinning like he knew I couldn’t touch him.”
“You can’t.”
“Excuse me?”
“You can’t touch him, Ezra. You shouldn’t be involved in this at all. Does your mother know you’re looking into this?”
His scolding blew me back. “My mom? Yes, of course. I told her about Aiden and Sawyer.”
“Really?” Mike didn’t sound like he believed me. “She knows that you, nineteen years old and a freshman journalism major, are digging into this story?”
I seized on one word. “So, there is a story. Tell me what you found out, Mike. It’s not like you haven’t before.”
“Sliding you some background info on a woman your mother wants to impress at a banquet is a lot different than this. Let it go.”
“What’s the story, Mike?” I asked through clenched teeth. “This is serious. Sawyer could be in trouble.”
“He’s not,” Mike replied without hesitation. “He’s fine and so is Elizabeth Kainer. There is no story. Hit me up the next time you need research on a socialite. Bye.”
“Mike—”
He hung up.
Chapter Seven
Ezra
Jaxson turned on our street.
“He’s not calling or texting you back?” he asked.
“No,” I replied. “And if he thinks I’m not seeing that as suspicious, he’s a fudging idiot.”
A sharp thump to the back of my seat drew my attention. Adam was deep in his tale, relaying everything Val missed over the weekend. He couldn’t have heard what I said, but it didn’t stop her from giving me the evil eye.
“Sorry,” I said. “But I know he found something, and it must be bad if he’s acting like this.”
“It must be,” Jaxson agreed. “Mike might be trying to protect you. Maybe you should do what he says and leave it alone.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“You can’t be serious,” I said. “Two people are missing.”
“It’s messed up, but I don’t see what else you can do. Aiden’s on to you and it’s looking like this is getting dangerous.” Jaxson glanced up at the mirror. “You agree with me, don’t you, baby?”
“Let’s talk about this when we’re alone,” she said simply.
“Whatever you say. Want me to drop you both home?”
“Drop them home?” I repeated. “Why? Where are you going?”
“We,” he corrected. “Your mom asked me to bring you by the house.”
I checked my phone. “She didn’t call me.”
He shrugged.
“Yes,” Val said. “Drop us home. It’s almost time for our nap.”
“I don’t want a nap,” Adam cried immediately.
“Then Mommy will take a nap. You can cuddle with me and keep me company.”
“Okay.”
I stifled a laugh at Adam’s instant agreement. He fell for that every time. Once she got him in bed, he’d be out in ten minutes flat.
Jaxson drove home and got out to kiss Valentina and Adam bye. I climbed out of the car too.
“I’ll drive myself,” I told him. “Chill out with Val.”
“Normally I’d jump on that,” he said, “but Amelia asked me to come too.”
“Why?”
“Again, I don’t know.”
I gave in and slid inside. I didn’t mind that much.
Jaxson’s car was even more impressive than mine—and that was saying something.
His dad hooked him up with a bright red Ferrari whose doors opened like bat wings. The horsepower on this thing was insane. Zero to sixty in three seconds flat and an engine that purred all the way. Jaxson fitted it with tricked-out speakers and unbeknownst to the love of our lives, he and I liked to race on the back roads with the music blasting.
I once said no one would ever find dirt on me even if they whipped out the Hubble telescope. That wasn’t technically true. There was some dirt, and if anyone looked, they’d see Jaxson right next to me creating it.
“Let’s give this girl a workout after we visit Mom,” I said.
“Read my mind.” Jaxson groped for the glove compartment. “I’ve got the perfect soundtrack. Worship me now or later, but I’ll take my praise.”
He flung a disc on my lap. My eyes bugged.
“Cosplay Meltdown,” I said. “Is this—”
“Songs from their soon-to-be-released album,” he finished. “On second thought, I’ll have my praise now.”
I gaped at him. “Your dad will go fucking mental if he finds out you have this.”
“Nah, we’re cool. Gael slipped me this after the session and asked me to give it a listen. Dad is still shushing and calling me junior. He doesn’t trust me yet, but Gael thinks I have good instincts.”
I shook my head. “I’m the one who is going to graduate from a great university and be the biggest name in news, but you will still have a better life than me. How is that fair?”
He laughed. “We’ll both be with Valentina, so I say our lives will be just fine.”
Jaxson turned onto the winding path leading to the Media Maven’s manor.
We went inside and found her in the living room with Brian. My brother sat in the armchair, messing around with his phone, while Mom watched her segment on TV.
“I believe I was summoned.”
“Ezra, sweetie.” Mom turned off the television and rose to give me a hug. “How was your bonding activity?”
“Less bonding and more boot camp. It was fun though. The Sams won the spring break cruise.”
“How exciting.” She put her arm around me and led me to the couch. “It’ll be good for you to have some fun guy time.”
“I’m not going,” I admitted. “I’d rather take Valentina on a cruise.”
She clapped. “Why don’t we all go? Make it a family trip.”
“Uhh... Like I said, I’d rather take my girlfriend on a romantic cruise.”
Mom knocked my forehead. “Cheeky. You used to love spending time with me.”
“I still do,” I said with a laugh. “So, what’s up? Why did you need me and Jaxson to come over?”
“I needed you to come over, but since Jaxson was picking you up from campus, I figured now was my chance to pass along his father’s birthday present.” She waved him on. “It’s in the kitchen, Jaxxie. Cora made him a yummy coconut cake too.”
“Sweet. Thanks, Mama Melia.”
I shook my head. Maverick and Jaxson insisted on calling her Mama Melia. It didn’t help that my mom loved it.
“Is everything okay?” I asked after he left.
“I was going to ask you the same.” Mom’s charming smil
e melted away. “Sweetie, explain to me why I got a call from Michelangelo telling me you asked him to look into this Sawyer Burn situation.”
Stiffening, I glanced at Brian. His eyes were on his phone, but his fingers were still.
“I had to.” I looked at her full on. “Someone had to.”
“The police have spoken to you, Mr. Burn’s parents, and Mr. Burn himself. He was not kidnapped, Ezra, and sending my employees on wild goose chases—”
“Wild goose chases? Mom, I was there. Sawyer was kidnapped. How can you not believe me?”
She folded her arms. “How can I not believe a college student with no money, connections, gang ties, or criminal record had a man kidnapped and then persuaded his parents to perpetuate a lie? I am a reporter, Ezra. We are reporters. And what is the first rule?”
“Mom—”
“Tell me the rule.”
I gritted my teeth, refusing to answer.
Mom waited.
The air was charged and would ignite under the slightest charge. Brian trained on us, though he wisely did not speak.
Her stare did not waver.
I bit back a curse. I couldn’t win a battle of wills with her when I was five and didn’t want to eat my spinach, I couldn’t win now.
“We report the story as it is,” I ground out. “Not as we want it to be.”
She inclined her head. “Precisely. Multiple sources have confirmed Sawyer is fine, but you refuse to believe it. You’ve made up your mind that this Aiden character is a villain because you’re clinging to part of a whispered conversation and an offhand order to grab a keg.”
I jumped to my feet. “I’m clinging to a hunch. There is something off about him, Mom. I know it as surely as if Aiden confessed. Sawyer was taken that night and Aiden was behind it!”
Mom’s face was hard and unwavering. “The facts do not support your hunch.”
“Yes, they do,” I snapped. “Fucking hell! I was standing ten feet away when it happened!”
“Watch your language, young man.”
Frustrated fury zinged through me. I suddenly felt hot and uncomfortable in my skin, like thousands of fire ants marched beneath my flesh. “Why don’t you believe me? You know me, Mom. I was there. Those were not his parents and it can’t be a coincidence that Aiden spoke about him leaving and then he’s just gone.”