As an hour passed, the cabin had gone quiet.
Moonlight slipped through the thin curtains, casting soft shadows across the wooden walls. The air was still, carrying the faint scent of lake water, damp clothes, and alcohol.
Ray was still fast asleep, his breathing slow and steady, one arm resting loosely across his chest.
Kate was still in the kitchen, but she wasn't crying anymore. The sadness she felt had, just a few minutes ago, turned into anger, her fingers tapping restlessly against the counter.
She was smoking a cigarette inside, against her better judgment, the faint trail of smoke curling lazily toward the ceiling.
Trying with all her might not to go into the bedroom and do something stupid, her jaw tightened every few seconds.
She kept explaining it to herself—he was still thinking about his actions, maybe even rehearsing some kind of apology.
Kate decided it was enough. She stubbed out her cigarette and quickly fixed her hair, running her fingers through it before heading straight for the bedroom door.
As she opened it, ready to speak her mind—
Her eyes went straight to the bed.
"He's… sleeping?" she whispered, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Something in her snapped again, her expression tightening as the frustration came rushing back all at once.
She went straight to the kitchen and grabbed the small bucket they used to clean around the cabin.
Setting it on the counter, she turned on the sink, the water running loudly as it started to fill up.
Once it was full, she walked back toward the bed, careful not to spill, her steps slow and deliberate.
She stopped right next to him, looking down at his sleeping face.
SPLASH.
Ray shot upright, choking as the cold water hit him all at once, his body jerking forward as he gasped for air.
"What the—?!"
"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Kate snapped, standing over him, breathing hard, the empty bucket still in her hand.
He blinked, completely disoriented, water dripping down his face and shirt. "Kate, I—what—?"
"You seriously thought you could just pass out after that?"
"I said I was sorry—"
"Yeah?" she stepped closer, her eyes sharp, her grip tightening slightly around the bucket. "That's supposed to fix it?"
He frowned, still wiping water from his face, his brows pulling together. "What do you want me to do?"
A beat.
Her expression shifted.
That was the wrong answer.
THUD.
"FUCK—!"
Ray folded instantly, his hands dropping as his whole body locked up, a sharp breath escaping him.
She stood there for a second, staring down at him, her chest rising and falling.
"Idiot."
Then she turned and picked up the pack of smokes that lay on the nightstand.
Outside, she stood still for a moment, her hands slightly shaking as she pulled out a cigarette.
She exhaled sharply, annoyed at herself, her jaw tightening as she leaned against the wall.
The emotions were still there, sitting heavy in her chest, refusing to go away.
She stood there for a while, trying to calm down, her back resting against the wall.
From time to time, she heard his quiet groans of pain through the door, and each time, she rolled her eyes, taking a slow drag from her cigarette.
As she couldn't hear him anymore, she flicked the cigarette away and stepped back inside the cabin, pushing the door open.
"Could you stop—"
She froze.
He was still on the ground.
Kate put her hands on her hips, staring at him, her brows knitting together in disbelief, like—really? I didn't hit you that hard…
"You're… a monster," he said through watery eyes as he looked at her, his voice tight.
She grinned, looking a little too pleased with herself.
"When you're a dick…" she looked straight at him, her expression not softening, arms still crossed.
"You get hit in the dick."
"Come on, just get up," she said, still standing over him, impatience creeping into her voice as she waited.
After a moment, she stepped closer, crouching slightly.
"I… I can't," he muttered.
She rolled her eyes, exhaling through her nose. "It can't hurt that much…"
"Fine, if you're really dying from pain…" she said, rolling her eyes as she straightened up.
"I'm gonna get Julia so she can check up on you."
Kate was sure that would do it—that he'd suddenly jump up, prove he was fine, say something stupid.
But he didn't.
He was still lying there, curled slightly, barely moving.
"Yes, please," he muttered.
Kate hissed under her breath as she stepped outside, walking quickly toward the cabins where the counselors slept, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"He's fine… he's probably just messing with me to make a point. He deserved that kick," she muttered to herself as she approached Julia's cabin, her pace slowing just a little.
She stopped in front of the door, hesitating for a second.
After a deep breath—
knock, knock.
It only took a few seconds before she heard footsteps approaching from inside.
The door opened, and Julia looked at her, clearly confused, her hair slightly messy.
"What's the matter? It's 2 a.m."
"I… we have a small problem?" she said, her voice not as steady as she wanted it to be, her fingers fidgeting slightly at her sides.
"What did you brats do now…" Julia sighed, already sounding tired as she leaned against the doorframe.
"I… Ray… fell on the bed frame and hurt his dick?" she said, wincing slightly as the words left her mouth, like even she didn't fully believe it.
Julia just stared at her for a second, like her brain was still catching up, before letting out a slow breath.
"I swear, I'm gonna make you all run around the lake every morning," she muttered.
Then, without even bothering to properly dress, Julia stepped out of her cabin and pulled the door shut behind her.
"Lead the way to this idiot," Julia said, gesturing forward as she started walking.
Kate turned and led her across the camp, the ground crunching softly under their steps, the night air cooler now. The camp was mostly quiet, only a few distant voices and the faint crackle of the dying campfire breaking the silence.
Julia walked beside her with steady, unbothered steps, arms loosely crossed, while Kate kept glancing ahead, her pace just a bit quicker than before.
They reached the cabin in seconds.
Kate pushed the door open and stepped inside—
Julia followed right behind her.
Her eyes immediately landed on Ray.
Still on the floor.
"So… how would you like to explain everything to me, Ray?" Julia asked, looking down at him, one eyebrow raised, her tone calm—but clearly not amused.
"My balls… my sweet balls…" Ray muttered, his voice strained as he barely lifted his head.
Julia blinked once, then slowly looked over at Kate, her expression going completely flat. "Are you serious?"
Kate crossed her arms, avoiding her gaze. "It wasn't that hard…" she muttered, though her voice had lost most of its earlier confidence.
"I'm… eh…" he groaned, shifting slightly before immediately regretting it.
"What did you do, Ray?" Julia asked, placing a hand on her hip as she looked down at him, unimpressed.
"It's about the fight… I fell asleep when she was crying in the—" he cut himself off with a sharp groan, his face tightening in pain before he managed to finish, "—the kitchen…"
Julia's expression shifted slightly, her eyes flicking toward Kate for a brief second.
Kate froze where she stood, her arms still crossed but her posture stiffening, her gaze dropping to the floor.
"You did deserve it," Julia said, looking at him for a second, her tone matter-of-fact.
Ray looked like he wanted to answer, but another groan of pain cut him off, his hand instinctively pressing against his stomach.
Then she turned back to Kate.
"But that doesn't mean you can kick him in the nuts, young lady!"
"I… he deserved it!" she said, not blinking as she looked straight at Julia, her chin lifting slightly.
Julia couldn't help but smile just a little at how assertive she was, even if the situation was ridiculous.
"So… most of the time, this kind of thing isn't dangerous," Julia said, crouching slightly as she looked at him. "But considering you've been lying here for a while, and the pain isn't going away… we need to take you to the hospital to check you out."
Kate's head snapped up at that, her expression changing instantly. "Wait—what?" she said, the confidence from earlier cracking, her brows pulling together as she looked between them.
"And you." She pointed a finger at Kate. "Are going to help me carry him to the car—and you're coming with us to the hospital."
Kate blinked, caught off guard, her mouth opening slightly before she quickly closed it again. "I—what? I don't—" she hesitated, glancing at Ray on the floor, the tension in her face shifting into something more uneasy.
"Fine!" she snapped, stepping forward and crouching down as she carefully tried to lift Ray, her movements a lot more cautious now.
"But if you die, I'm gonna kick you again!" she muttered under her breath.
Julia paused for a second, staring at her.
"…Let's try to avoid any more kicking," she said dryly, shaking her head as she moved to help lift Ray.
They managed to get him outside, moving slowly across the camp, Ray half-supported between them, his steps uneven and weak. The night air hit colder now, the adrenaline gone, replaced with quiet urgency.
Julia opened the car, and with some effort, they got him into the back seat.
Kate slid in next to him, closing the door quietly behind her. For once, she didn't say anything. She just sat there, her hands resting awkwardly in her lap before she finally glanced at him, her expression softer, guilt creeping in.
Up front, Julia started the engine, the headlights cutting through the dark.
She looked at Kate through the rearview mirror.
"He's gonna be fine. Don't worry."
Kate swallowed, her eyes flicking back to Ray as the car began to move, the silence inside heavier than before.