Episode 19 – The Almost Kiss
1959 Words
The second day of the field trip began with chaos.
Of course it did.
Mia stepped out of the cabin feeling almost peaceful.
Almost.
The air was fresh. The lake shimmered under the morning sun. Birds chirped like everything in the world was calm.
Which meant something dramatic was coming.
Carla walked beside her, suspiciously quiet.
“You’re thinking,” Carla said.
“I’m always thinking.”
“No. You’re thinking deeply. That’s dangerous.”
Mia sighed.
She was thinking.
About the forest yesterday.
About Daniel’s hands steady and careful as he cleaned her knee.
About Ethan’s hand warm and firm holding hers.
Her heart didn’t feel frantic anymore.
It felt… torn.
---
The Announcement
All students gathered near the dock.
Their teacher clapped excitedly.
“Today’s main event is the Team Challenge!”
Students cheered.
Mia did not.
The teacher continued, “Each group will compete in three activities: canoe race, puzzle relay, and final flag capture!”
Carla slowly turned to Mia.
“We are Group 7.”
Mia inhaled slowly.
Ethan stood on one side of her.
Daniel on the other.
Both looking determined.
This was not safe.
---
Round One: Canoe Chaos
The lake sparkled beautifully.
The canoes floated gently near the dock.
Each group had to split into pairs.
Carla immediately raised her hand.
“I volunteer to steer.”
Daniel looked at Ethan.
Ethan looked at Daniel.
Silence.
Mia felt it.
The decision.
Daniel spoke first.
“I’ll go with Mia.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“I can steer too.”
Carla blinked.
“Oh wow. Testosterone rising.”
Mia stepped in quickly.
“Daniel, you steer with Carla. Ethan, I’ll paddle with you.”
Both boys paused.
Daniel nodded slowly.
“Fine.”
The teams split.
Mia and Ethan climbed into their canoe.
The water rocked slightly.
She felt nervous.
“Relax,” Ethan said softly. “Just follow my rhythm.”
He started paddling smoothly.
She tried to match him.
It was awkward at first.
They splashed water everywhere.
Carla laughed loudly from the other canoe.
Daniel was paddling efficiently.
Focused.
Competitive.
Ethan noticed.
“We can catch up,” he said quietly.
“I’m not trying to win,” Mia replied.
He glanced at her.
“I know.”
Something in his tone felt deeper.
Gentler.
Halfway across the lake—
Another canoe bumped into theirs.
Mia lost balance slightly.
Ethan instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her.
The world slowed.
Their faces were close.
Too close.
Her heart skipped violently.
For one second—
Everything disappeared except his eyes.
Then—
Carla screamed from behind them.
“FOCUS OR WE’LL LOSE!”
The moment broke.
Mia pulled back quickly.
They continued paddling.
But the air between them had changed.
---
Daniel’s Reaction
Back on shore, Daniel stepped out of the canoe.
His eyes immediately found Mia.
Then Ethan.
Then their proximity.
He didn’t say anything.
But she saw it.
Jealousy.
Sharp and quiet.
And something about that made her chest tighten.
Not because she liked the jealousy.
But because she realized—
She cared if he was hurt.
That realization scared her.
---
Round Two: Puzzle Relay
The next challenge required solving a giant floor puzzle as a team.
Four minds.
One goal.
They gathered around the scattered pieces.
Daniel immediately took control.
“Sort the corners first.”
Ethan crossed his arms.
“We should divide by color.”
Mia exhaled.
Here we go.
“Both ideas work,” she said quickly. “Let’s combine them.”
They worked together.
But tension lingered.
At one point, Daniel leaned over Mia to grab a piece.
Ethan’s hand brushed hers at the same time.
All three froze.
Carla whispered, “I can feel the electricity.”
“Stop narrating,” Mia muttered.
They continued.
Focused.
Competitive.
And somehow—
They won the puzzle round.
For the first time—
All four of them laughed together.
Not awkward.
Not tense.
Just happy.
It felt nice.
Too nice.
Because it didn’t last.
---
The Misunderstanding
During a short break, Mia walked toward the lake to breathe.
Her thoughts were spinning.
The canoe moment.
Daniel’s expression.
Her own reaction.
Footsteps approached behind her.
Daniel.
“You and Ethan looked close out there,” he said calmly.
She turned.
“It was just balance.”
He nodded once.
“Right.”
But his voice didn’t fully believe it.
She frowned.
“You think I’m playing games?”
“No.”
“Yes, you do.”
Silence stretched between them.
“I don’t like not knowing where I stand,” he admitted quietly.
That surprised her.
Daniel rarely admitted insecurity.
Her heart softened.
“You’re not losing,” she said gently.
His eyes flickered.
“That’s not what this is about.”
She stepped closer without thinking.
“It doesn’t feel like a competition to me anymore.”
He studied her face.
“And what does it feel like?”
Her breath caught.
Dangerous question.
Before she could answer—
She felt a presence behind her.
Ethan.
Of course.
He had heard enough to misinterpret.
He looked at Daniel.
Then at her.
His expression shifted.
“I’ll give you space,” he said quietly.
And walked away.
Her stomach dropped.
That was not what she wanted.
---
The Final Challenge
The last activity was flag capture in the wooded field.
Teams had to protect their flag while stealing others.
Energy was high.
Competition intense.
But Mia’s mind was elsewhere.
Ethan was quieter now.
More distant.
Daniel was focused.
Determined.
The game started.
Students ran everywhere.
Carla screamed dramatically while hiding behind a tree.
Mia ran carefully.
Her knee still slightly sore.
At one point, she got cornered near a fence.
Another team blocked her path.
She froze.
Then—
Ethan appeared suddenly.
“Go!” he shouted, distracting them.
She ran past.
Heart pounding.
Later—
Daniel grabbed the opposing team’s flag with a swift move.
Victory.
Group 7 won overall.
Everyone cheered.
But Mia wasn’t celebrating fully.
She found Ethan standing alone near the lake.
---
The Almost Kiss
She walked toward him slowly.
“You’re quiet,” she said softly.
He shrugged.
“I don’t want to make things harder for you.”
Her chest tightened.
“You’re not.”
He looked at her then.
Really looked.
“Seeing you with him… it’s not easy.”
Honest.
Raw.
Her heart reacted immediately.
Not panic.
Not confusion.
Something warmer.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” she whispered.
“You won’t. Not intentionally.”
The air felt thick.
The lake reflected the late afternoon sun.
Golden.
Soft.
He stepped closer.
Not forcing.
Not demanding.
Just close.
Her breath slowed.
Her heart beat loudly.
She didn’t step back.
His hand brushed gently against hers.
Electric.
Her mind went blank.
Their faces moved closer.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Almost.
Her eyes fluttered shut—
And then—
A loud whistle blew from the dock.
“Students! Line up!”
The moment shattered.
They both stepped back instantly.
Reality rushed in.
Noise.
Voices.
Movement.
Her cheeks burned.
He looked slightly breathless.
“So,” he said quietly.
“So,” she echoed.
Neither finished the sentence.
But something had shifted.
---
Night Thoughts Again
Back in the cabin that evening, Mia sat by the window.
The almost-kiss replayed in her mind.
Her heart hadn’t felt confused.
It had felt clear.
Warm.
Right.
That scared her more than chaos ever had.
Her phone buzzed.
Daniel:
You were amazing today.
Ethan:
About earlier… I don’t regret it.
Her heart jumped.
She typed slowly.
To Daniel:
Thank you. I care about our project too.
She paused.
Then typed to Ethan:
Neither do I.
She stared at the screen.
Breathing softly.
She wasn’t choosing yet.
But she was leaning.
And she knew it.
She lay back in her bunk.
The field trip was ending tomorrow.
But something else was beginning.
Her feelings were no longer equally balanced.
They were tilting.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Toward one side.
And that terrified her.
But also—
Excited her.
- Writer
