The final morning of the leadership retreat dawned with a heavy exhaustion hanging over everyone. The previous night’s bonfire and games had left most students sleepy-eyed and sluggish as they gathered in the main lodge for breakfast. I sat with Mia and Zara, nursing a cup of coffee and trying to shake off the restless sleep I’d had. The image of Lila on Damien’s lap still lingered in my mind, but I pushed it down. Today was the last day. I just needed to survive it and get back to campus without any more drama.
The instructors announced the final challenge after breakfast. “Before we return to campus, each team must complete one last leadership exercise,” one of them said, projecting a map on the screen. “You’ll navigate several stations spread across the campgrounds. Each station tests
