We ate lunch and then explored the rest of what the campsite had to offer. And, surprisingly, we didn't see Carmelita at all. I still hadn't told the others about her being there, just because I knew they would be annoyed. We had fallen into such an enjoyable rhythm, laughing and joking and chatting about nonsense. It would hardly do to throw Carmelita into the mix and make everyone spiral with irritation. 

I was currently playing air hockey with Duncan, losing five points to one because he was vicious and hit the puck like a weapon. He cheered as he scored another, taking six years off my live in the process. Luckily, I got my own back when he hit it so hard it whizzed off the table and I demanded he let me take a free shot at his goal as a penalty.

"Are there even penalties in hockey?" He huffed over the pulsing arcade music. He had taken a single step away from the table as I lined up the puck, his brow furrowed and arms crossed. I just grinned and took the shot, watching it shoot straight in and earning me a free point. 

"No idea," I admitted, "but this is air hockey, so anything's possible."

"Is it now?" He retorted, and characteristically didn't hold back as he sent the puck skidding over to me again. 

We hit it back and forward for a while but ultimately, Duncan was the winner, sending the puck towards me at such a speed I didn't have time to react, giving him the winning seventh point and a round of celebratory music from the hockey table itself. 

"Yes!" He exclaimed, pumping the air with his fist. "Take that!"

I gave him a slow, sarcastic clap. "Congratulations, Duncan, you've beaten me at one singular game."

That hit just as intended. I practically saw the cogs working in his brain as his triumph turned to irritation and then finally made its way to smugness. "I'm sure I could beat you at any game in this room," he said matter-of-factly.

"Should we put it to the test?" I said, brandishing the cup of coins we still had left. It probably wouldn't be enough to get us the whole way round the arcade, but it would do. And I was sure that about another hour or so playing games would be just enough to distract me from the thoughts that kept swirling around my head. 

I couldn't stop hearing Violet's words and giving them a million different meanings, which was the sole reason I had invited Duncan to the arcade in the first place. The others had been here before, but had drifted off, gone to do their own things. Duncan was competitive though, and had almost jumped at the opportunity to prove how good he was at arcade games. There was nothing quite like getting your backside handed to you to take your mind off of things. 

It's okay, you know, to just let things happen. 

But was she talking about herself and Quigley? Did she know about Klaus and I's intentions? Did she know that we'd been planning and scheming all summer long, trying to get them together? Were her words a warning telling me that she knew, and that she wanted us to stop?

Or was she talking about me and my ability to overthink just about everything? Had she noticed me stressing and simply wanted to offer some general, nonspecific advice, one friend to another?

Or, I let myself wonder for the first time, had she seen me looking at Klaus and jumped to conclusions?

But would it count as jumping if she wasn't that far from the truth in the first place?

I snapped myself out of it, needing to get out of my own head before I went crazy. Duncan had made his way over to the next machine we would be competing on- a driving game which boasted flaming tires and checkered flags painted up the sides. My brother almost threw himself into the first seat before patting the one beside him, eager to start.

I settled in, put the coins in the slots and then rested my hands on the wheel as the game started up. 

"I'm gonna kick your ass," I told him.

Duncan just laughed, keeping his eyes on the screen so he wouldn't miss the lights going green. Then, as the race started counting down and he readied his feet on the pedals, he said, "I'd like to see you try."

*

The sun was still high in the sky as we headed to the camp centre, although I knew it was getting late just based on how much Duncan and I's stomachs were rumbling. We'd cut our gaming short, still having a sparse amount of coins left for another time, so we could get some dinner as well as meeting back up with the others. I hadn't been sure where we might find them at first, but there was nothing that quite brought people together like the promise of good food. 

The campsite sported a surprisingly tasty looking restaurant- something that had helped Klaus and I to pick this one as our weekend destination of choice- and so I suspected that that was where we would find the others. I just hoped they hadn't started dinner without us. 

Sure enough, I spied them sitting in the corner, at a table with two spare seats for Duncan and I, and Quigley put his hand up in a wave as he saw us approaching. 

"Fancy seeing you here," I joked, taking the spare seat next to Klaus and doing my best to ignore the dull feeling of nerves that simmered under the surface. It was fine, I could get through a dinner with my brothers and our friends. And I knew that, when it really came down to it. So why couldn't I shake the awkward feeling?

"God, I'm surprised your eyes haven't turned square from all the games you two played," Violet joked before pouring Duncan and I a glass of water from the jug on the table, which swirled with ice and lemon slices. "Do you even remember what the sun looks like?"

I tutted but was still amused, especially by how much she sounded like my mum. "I'm sure you guys got enough sun for the rest of us. Speaking of, what've you been doing?"

Now Quigley spoke up. "We had a walk around, looked in the shop. Apparently they had over a hundred different types of tea towel."

"Apparently?" I said.

"Well, I wasn't about to start counting."

"We mostly just went in the pool," Klaus said from beside me. "Then I went back to the tent for a bit."

"Oh?" I said, instantly on edge. "And... what?"

"And," Klaus repeated, "we need to talk." Violet must've given him a weird look because he rushed to clarify. "Just quickly. We won't miss dinner."

Then he got up, leaving me no choice but to follow him to the entrance of the restaurant, where an older couple was lingering, looking at board that held the menu for tonight. They didn't spare us a single glance, clearly too focused on picking their entrees before they'd even sat down. But that was fine with me. I definitely didn't want an audience for whatever Klaus was about to tell me. It must've been important if he couldn't even wait until after dinner, and that alone was enough to send my mind reeling- as if it hadn't been doing that all day already. 

Klaus turned to me, his mouth pressed into a grim line, and I prepared myself for the worst. 

"Carmelita is here," he said, cutting straight to the chase. 

"Oh," I replied blankly, "oh, I know already. I saw her before."

Klaus frowned. "Oh," he said as well. "Why didn't you say?"

I shrugged. I couldn't really come up with a good reason, especially when I'd been mentally preparing for a completely different conversation as I followed him through the restaurant. "Why should we worry about her? It's our fun, camping weekend."

Klaus looked at me like I'd sprouted another head. "What's wrong?" 

I blinked at him. "What?"

"Something's wrong," he insisted. "You've been weird basically all day. So what is it?"

"Nothing," I said, and when he continued to stare me down, unconvinced, I continued, "Honestly, there's nothing. Come on, let's get some dinner. I'm starving."

My stomach rumbled, cementing what I was saying, and I gave Klaus a look that said told you. He begrudgingly let it go and we went back into the restaurant and sat down. The others had got some garlic bread for the table and I helped myself to a piece while I looked at the menu.  

After dinner, we all headed back to the tents, tired from the days events. There was a chill in the air now that the sun had officially set, and luckily the paths were all lit up with solar powered lights that had pinged on in time for night falling, otherwise I dreaded to think how we would've made our way back in the dark. 

"What's that?" Duncan said suddenly, making me jump.

"What?" I snapped, assuming he had done it on purpose. He had a habit of doing that when we used to go on family camping trips. He would find it hilarious to scare the living daylights out of Quigley and I, simply for his own amusement. 

"There's music," he insisted, "listen."

And when we all stopped, eliminating the sound of our footsteps on the dirt path, I could hear it too. It was some sort of pop or disco music, echoing in the distance.

"What the hell?" Violet said, reading everyone's minds.

We kept walking, both to get to our tents and out of curiosity as to where the music was coming from. But we needn't have rushed, because as we approached our accommodation the music got louder and, from the looks of it, we were going to be hearing it all night. 

The yurt across from ours was flashing pink and there was a pulsing techno beat erupting from inside. Klaus and I shared a look, his face illuminated in corals and mauves. It was clear now what the cause of the sound was. Carmelita was having a party. 

A/N: I had to google a bunch of stuff about air hockey for this chapter so that was fun. Anyways, random question: do you guys read a lot of actual books as well or just fanfics? If you read books, what's your current/ most recent read? Personally I just finished The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake which was really good!

Thanks for reading this chapter, see you next time! ❤