Page 39 of Losing Sleep
“It’s not that hard,” Kylie chimed in, quickly ticking off five popular songs on her fingers.
“We’ll examine later why all of your favorite songs are by Taylor Swift,” Grey joked, coming to my rescue. I breathed a silent sigh of relief at having someone else redirect the attention. “I agree with Audrey. That’s no different than asking me to pick only five favorite fast food restaurants. Girl is a classic rock junkie!”
This caught Trent’s interest, and he faced me fully, arms crossed over his chest in challenge. “Classic rock? Can you even name five classic rock artists?”
I could hear the disbelief in his tone, and my hackles rose. I’d heard this reaction many times, though it typically came from older men who couldn’t believe a girl my age could possibly care about music beyond current hits.
I squared my shoulders, refusing to back down. “Do you want five artists from the 60s, 70s, or 80s?”
Trent smirked, clearly thinking he had me beat. “The 60s.”
I pursed my lips and tapped my finger on my chin, pretending to think. “Let’s see, the 60s would be the Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Temptations, and Pink Floyd.”
Trent’s smug smile vanished, and he stepped back, pretending disinterest. “That was too easy. Everyone knows those groups.”
“I didn’t know all of them,” Alex said, raising his hand and looking around the group. The others shook their heads, and I felt bolstered by their reaction.
“I can keep going,” I said, giving a shrug while also refusing to back down. I could feel hints of anxiety at all the attention, but this was one of my passions, and I was going to make sure everyone here knew it. “Fleetwood Mac, the Bee Gees, Black Sabbath, though all of those groups sort of bridge the sixties and seventies—”
“Dang, girl! You really do know your stuff,” Brad said, respect lighting his eyes as he stepped between me and Trent, putting an end to our exchange. “Next time I play music trivia, you’re on my team.”
Trent turned without a word, his posture stiff as he resumed hiking. I ignored him, blushing at the praise and appreciation from everyone else as we continued down the trail. My fears of feeling like an outsider with this group dissipated after that. While I remained quiet for most of the hike, I joined in the game and participated in conversation when I had something to add. Mostly I observed everyone, curious about this mix of humans I found myself sharing a cabin with.
Alex was the quiet, steady presence, though he also knew when to give the others, Brad especially, a hard time. Kylie was the follower, jumping into whatever the group did with enthusiasm and class. Tory was the ringleader and the connector, bringingthe group together. Brad and Grey alternated between being the joker and butt of the jokes, but they both seemed to roll with the teasing, hamming it up for a good laugh. The only one who didn’t seem to fit was Trent, and I couldn’t figure out why. Tory clearly wanted him to be part of the group, but he seemed to hold himself back, unwilling to join in fully. He answered questions when asked directly, not volunteering more than the bare minimum. His challenge of my music expertise was the one exception, and he spent ten minutes after sulking and refusing to answer any questions. I didn’t understand what Tory saw in him but wanted to trust my friend and her instincts.
We walked for about a mile and a half before turning back. The trail stretched for miles without a particular destination at the end. Instead, it gave us beautiful views of the river and the chance to exercise and soak in nature. When we weren’t talking and comparing our favorite rom-coms or vacation spots, I could hear birds and squirrels chattering and the calming sound of rushing water.
If someone had asked for a definition of my perfect day, this would be close to my answer: enjoying the outdoors with a group of friends. No worries or stress about work or general life concerns. Maybe I could open my heart enough to claim this group as mine. Outside of my roommates and Tory, I didn’t have many people I counted as friends. Funny what happened when your best friend and your boyfriend betrayed you. Although, neither Lyle nor Emily would have enjoyed this moment that was filling me with joy, seeing it as a waste of time or an inconvenience.
“You’ve been quiet,” Grey said, hanging back to chat as we neared the parking lot.
When we’d started hiking, he’d been wearing another flannel, this one green. But over the course of the hike, he’d tied itaround his waist, revealing a worn t-shirt that hugged his arms in wonderful ways.
“I answered my questions,” I said, looping my fingers through my bag straps to give my hands something to do. “And I’m guessing Trent wished I’d been even quieter.”
Grey snorted a laugh. “That was awesome. I’d pay good money for a repeat performance.” He trailed off, thinking for a moment. “I guess I mean you didn’t talk much outside of the expected moments.” Grey held a branch out of my way, and I walked past, close enough to feel his warmth.
I shrugged. “I was listening, watching.”
“And what did you see?” Grey’s voice was inviting, reminding me of our conversations on the drive up.
“Alex is a lot more athletic than you’d think.” I picked the least risky option. While he wasn’t as muscular as his brother, Alex had spent most of the hike leading the group, setting a steady clip as we hiked. Part of why I’d hung back was because I wanted to soak in the scenery, not rush through it.
Grey nudged my shoulder. “Come on, anyone could tell you that. Despite the video game t-shirts and glasses, I think he might spend more time actually exercising than Brad. He doesn’t do it in the gym, but dude loves his mountain bike. And I swear he’s telling me about a new hike every time I see him.”
“Fine. Tory insists that she and Brad are just friends, but I think Brad wouldn’t mind something more.” Tory had similar feelings, but I kept that thought to myself, recognizing the sensitivity of our conversation from that morning.
Grey nodded, surprise fliting across his face. “I could see that. Trent presents a bit of a problem with that possibility, though.”
I ducked beneath another branch and kept my gaze focused on the trail, not wanting to twist an ankle on a protruding root. “If you watch Trent, he’s aware of the threat. There’s a reasonwhy he pushed to the front of the group, and it’s not because he enjoys hiking like Alex.”
Throughout the hike, Trent had regularly stepped in front of Tory, working to create a buffer between her and Brad.
“You’ve got some solid observations there. Anything else you noticed?”
I paused mid-step, biting my lip.
“There is something. You have to tell me.” Grey stopped too. The parking lot was in sight, but we stood several feet away, just outside of hearing range of the rest of the group.
