By the time we got back to the cabins that night, I was more exhausted than I expected. The day had been packed with team-building games, awkward small talk, and an embarrassing amount of time trying not to stare at Alex Pierce.
But at least I wasn't stuck with complete strangers in my cabin. I was lucky enough to be grouped with a couple of classmates I actually knew,girls who weren't my closest friends but didn't make me want to pull my hair out either.
I'd just finished brushing my teeth and was climbing into my sleeping bag when the noise started.
Loud, obnoxious laughter carried from the cabin next to ours. At first, I tried to ignore it, pulling my blanket over my head. But the laughter turned into shouting, and the shouting turned into what sounded like a poorly executed rap battle.
I groaned, sitting up. "Seriously?"
My cabin mates laughed, clearly unfazed by the noise. "Boys are the worst," one of them said, rolling over in her sleeping bag.
"They really are," I muttered.
For a few minutes, I tried to let it go. I closed my eyes, took deep breaths, and even considered putting in earbuds. But the racket only got worse.
Finally, I'd had enough.
"I'll be back," I said, slipping on my sneakers.
"Good luck," one of the girls said, already half-asleep.
I marched over to the neighboring cabin, irritation fueling my steps. If they didn't shut up, I was going to lose my mind.
I pushed open the cabin door without knocking, ready to deliver my best angry neighbor speech. "Hey, could you guys maybe—"
The words caught in my throat when I saw who was sitting on one of the bunks, smirking at me like he'd been expecting this all along.
"Lower our voices?" Ben Carter finished for me, leaning back on his elbows.
I stared at him, my frustration boiling over. "Of course it's you," I muttered.
He grinned. "Miss me already?"
"Not even a little," I shot back, crossing my arms.
The other guys in the room, including Ben's loud, obnoxious friends, looked between us with raised eyebrows.
"Wait, you two know each other?" one of them asked, looking amused.
"Barely," I said quickly, for what felt like the millionth time.
Ben shrugged. "Sure, barely. Except for the part where she's been obsessed with me since we were kids."
My jaw dropped. "Are you delusional?"
He laughed, clearly enjoying himself. "Relax, Maddie. We're just having fun."
"Well, could you have fun a little quieter? Some of us are trying to sleep."
"Aw, poor Maddie needs her beauty rest," he teased.
"Yeah, because dealing with you is exhausting."
The other guys burst out laughing, and I realized too late that I'd given them more ammunition.
"Fine," Ben said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "We'll keep it down. Happy?"
"Ecstatic," I said flatly.
As I turned to leave, I heard him call after me.
"Sweet dreams, Maddie!"
I didn't dignify that with a response, slamming the cabin door behind me.
When I got back to my own cabin, my heart was still racing,though whether it was from anger or something else, I wasn't entirely sure. One thing was certain: Ben Carter was determined to make my life as irritating as possible.
And, unfortunately, he was really good at it.