I blinked my eyes open, everything was fuzzy and my arms hurt from last night, I had fallen asleep after messing with the tree,  I checked my phone and sat up with surprise so fast my head throbbed for a moment. It was eleven o'clock and I had too many texts. 

Hey, I'm here, where are you? ~ Josh

Umm, Skye? I know I had a few bad ideas but come on! ~ Josh 

Ok, so I may have accidentally told your dad I couldn't find you and he's worried too now. . . Sorry. ~ Josh 

Hello, Skye? Wherever you are, be safe and please come home or text soon! ~ Dad 

Hey Skye, sorry if I and Sean stressed you out yesterday, iv looked everywhere for you to apologize but I couldn't find you, and I found out from your dad that he and Josh cant find you either, be safe wherever you are. Text me when you can. ~ Ben 

Are you ok? ~ Sean

Skye, I'm going to spam text you know, until you text me back. ~Josh 

Skye ~Josh

Skye ~ Josh

Skye ~ Josh 

I put my phone down upon seeing seven other messages from Josh, he stopped after twenty minutes of texting me apparently. I couldn't believe nobody had checked in the tunnels, I guess my dad assumed Josh had already checked here and moved on, same with everyone else. 

I could hear footsteps coming from the tunnel entrance. I stood up and fixed my hair the best I could, though I could still feel it stand out on end slightly from me sleeping on a couch. Ben came into view, I could see worry and confusion written on his face, and then he saw me. He released a stressed breath, relieved, then he smiled and ran over to me. He lifted me off the ground and spun me around gently but tightly at the same time, he was careful to not knock over anything. He put me down but didn't let go for an extra second.

"You had me worried sick. When I went to find you and you weren't anywhere, I just assumed you went in town or somehting, but then everyone else was looking for you and said you were nowhere to be found. I assumed they had already searched here, so I went to the tree and you weren't there, so I came in here just to be safe." Ben explained, I nodded and hugged him again, letting go quickly this time though. 

"Thanks for worrying, wait, you saw the tree?" I asked worriedly. He nodded. 

"Oh, yeah, and I need to show you something. But first, you desperately need to text everyone and tell them you're ok." Ben said, I nodded and pulled by phone out, nearly headbutting with Ben as we were standing close together from the hug. 

To Dad ~ Im fine, was asleep in the tunnels, now Im going for a walk, thanks for worrying, I'll see you soon. ~Skye

To Lodge group chat ~ Hey guys, im fine, thank you all for worrying, everyone meet out by the tree in about thirty minutes, i'll exlplain then. ~ Skye

We all made a group chat called the Lodge Group Chat, my dad was the only staff member that wasnt in it, he said he didnt want to know what all the teenagers were talking about, he said it wouldnt make a bit of sense to him anyways. Ben's phone went off from the message into the chat, I was surprised his phone was on him, he hadnt been carrying it around lately. 

Ben ignored his phone and grabbed my wrist, gently pulling me to the end of the tunnel that led to the tree, I already knew what the tree looked like, Im the one that did it! I dont know what he's bringing me out here for. I put fairy lights all over the tree, and I was going to announce the Lodge Games with Josh when everyone arrived.

I allowed my eyes adjust to the light as me and Ben exited the tunnels, he pulled me to the back side of the tree and pointed at somehting in the bark. 

"Is that?" I paused to take a closer look to see if my suspicions were correct. 

"Yep." Ben confirmed. My name was carved into the tree. 

"Who put it there? Did you?" I asked, backing away from the tree. I felt someone looking at me, but I was guessing that was Ben's eyes. I didnt understand the feeling as I knew he was watching me as he thought. 

"No, Im guessing Sean did." Ben said the first word clearly, then the rest of it was under his breath. I nudged him with my elbow to get him to hush, I didnt want to be the cause of another rivalry between the two, they were too close for that. I was going to respond when my phone buzzed. 

Glad you're ok, we'll see you there, this is pretty much everyone from Sean's phone. ~Sean 

I looked back at Ben, he was frowning and looking down. I put my phone in my pocket. 

"You ok?" I asked, he nodded and faked a smile, I looked at him dully. "You really think you can fake anything with me?" He looked at me and made his smile look slightly more sincere. 

"Im fine." He said cheerily, he looked back at the tree, I put my hand on his jaw and turned him to look at me. 

"You sure?" I asked, I wanted to give him a chance to tell me himself, because too much longer and I was most likely going to push the questions further, knowing me I would at least. 

"Like I said, Im fine Skye." Ben said, the smile fading again, he tried to back away, but I grabbed the other side of his jaw. 

"Ben." I said firmly. He looked between my eyes, his expression almost blank. "You can tell me anything, it's me." I said, his eyes flicked down to my lips for a second, then he closed his eyes and shook his head, escaping from my grasp, he turned around and walked towards the woods. 

I sighed and looked back at the tree. Everyone was here, well, I can tell Ben about the games later, after he cools off. For now, I'll tell everyone else.