"Hurry up girls!" I grumble, hauling a bag of helmets and harnesses along the path leading to the climbing obstacle course. It's fair enough to say that I want to get their as soon as possible; helmets are heavier than they look. At this rate I might actually have to use my gym membership.

"But it's so far!" whines none other than what could be Lianna.

I grimace. "Lianna, we are literally five hundred yards away, I think you'll survive."

"But-" I zone out upon seeing a tall guy approaching me, an alarm going off in my head; I'm nearing the danger zone.

He waves at me, jogging over. "Hey, where you heading? Need any help with that bag?"

I stand still, my mouth agape. Surely this boy in front of me with his captivating, dark, green eyes –with identical hair to match – is not offering me help? Surely this is a mistake, this rugged, orange male can't be acting... civilised... towards me?

"Alexis?" He gives me a toothy grin his dimples poking out and stabbing my heart a thousand times.

Oh, I might just faint– what on earth is happening.

"Um sure... thanks Colton."

In response I get another grin before the bag is literally whipped off me and into his arms, Colton carrying it as if it's as light as a feather. Did I wake up in the upside down?

Together, we trudge along the trail, the girls following, silently until he decides to speak up. "So, the cook out was fun?"

"Yeah. Yeah it was," I manage to splutter out.

"Al's cooking man, it's to die for."

"Sure, sure."

He laughs. "Awful quiet today Alexis, did Natalia's 'creepy' story scare the words out of you?"

I make a face, titling my head to the side. Is he forgetting something, like I don't know, his hatred for me?

"I'll take that as a yes, but don't worry I'll protect you." He smirks and my heart flutters.

Don't get me wrong, I've encountered many of Colton's smirks, usually evil mind you, but this one felt different... flirtatious even.

I've officially lost it. What has the world come too.

I stay quiet, unsure what to say but thankfully we arrive at the station in the forest, Vivian greeting us, quirking her eye, soon after.

"Well, um, thanks?" I say.

Colton passes the equipment over, nodding his head. "Any time."

He stalks off back in the direction we came in, leaving me, the bag, the tree trunks with ropes and various obstacles attached and of course, the children behind.

I turn to Vivian. "What. Just. Happened."

"You tell me?"

"I don't bloody know!" I whisper yell.

Vivian ponders in silence for a moment, conjuring an answer, one I'd trust. But as usual, she doesn't have a chance to say it, one of the monkeys hollering.

"I think I saw a bear!"

"Lianna, we've been over this."

She huffs. "But I saw one!"

I turn to Vivian trying to communicate with her through my eyes. Naturally, I assume I look rather more constipated than a pioneer of the new in lingo. But I digress, basically I'm just hoping for her chuck a life ring at me.

Naturally she saves me like the well-educated person she is. "Oh, don't be silly, bears are the least of your problems. It's the wolves you've got to look out for."

I take that back, she's got less brains than a fish.

"Wolves?" they echo, eyes in the back of their head.

This is going to be a long week.

"For god's sake, stop eating!"

"It's not far ma, it's far Lexi's picnic!"

"Oh, so you didn't just scoff about four sandwiches?"

"It wa' far ma lunch, i hav' ta eat ya know?"

"Oh, right, one question then. Why were you having a bacon roll thirty minutes ago at precisely half twelve?"

"Um, that was ma breakfas'?"

"Oh I'm sure."

I laugh to myself, entering the kitchen to see Gianna scowling, hands on hips, and Al blushing hiding a cookie behind his back.

"Hey," I greet them.

"Lexi! Help ma!" Al mumbles, quickly shoving the treat in his mouth when Gianna's not looking.

"Yes, do help him Lexi, fix that high cholesterol of his."

Al grumbles spitting out chunks of chocolate chips across the wooden floor. "Ma cholesterol ain't that high."

"Oh it sure damn is you greedy pig, deathly even."

"Well clearly a got ta live a lil' then, duh."

Gianna just rolls her eyes, before giving me a smile and placing her hands on the grey table. "What a lovely idea to have a picnic. Are the girls excited?"

"Very." I nod. "I'm just trying to distract them from the 'leak'."

Gianna mouth forms a straight line. "Big leak that was."

I give a small smile. So, she knows then.

"Um, yeah... happen to have any more blankets?"

She brightens. "Sure! Let me go grab them."

Once she's gone, exiting through the large, stainless steel door to the kitchen, Al turns to me. "So, I heard ya gave Colton a nice lil' makeover."

"I did."

"And how do ya feel about that?"

"Confused I guess?" I frown.

"How so?"

"Well, um Colton's reactions have been unexpected."

"What do ya expect from Colton then?"

"I don't know..."

"Well maybe it's time ya found out, huh? Maybe ya need to get ta know him?"

I stare at him. "Huh?"

"Lexi the only side ya know of Colton is his darker side, Tanner and Braden still think highly of him and there must be a reason why. I've always got yar back but maybe it's time ya should find out?" he says, scratching his neck.

I'm mute for a moment, allowing myself to become submerged in the thought. On the one hand, Al is right, Braden never seems overly mad at Colton, especially last night. But on the other? Well, he destroyed my confidence, is the cause of Peyton's demise and is a royal jerk.

However, puzzles need to be solved and the best way to start is with the edges, so maybe I just need to find out why Colton's edges are so sharp. Is he hiding something beneath the spikes?

"There's only one way to find out?"

"That's the spirit." Al beams, patting my back.

What have I gotten myself into?

A/N in chap 12