Chapter22
“No way, really?” one guy said. “Which department is she in? You gotta introduce us sometime.”
“Totally. Worst-case scenario, get Rowan and Sierra to help. They know everyone.”
“Right! You’ll be the first guy in our group to get a girlfriend. You’re setting the bar, man!”
The guys kept going, their banter growing louder.
Chase, though, had eyes only for Sierra.
Finally, he spoke.
“Sierra, would you help me?”
She didn’t answer directly. Instead, she tapped the back of her seat and addressed the group.
“You guys do realize we’re heading out for a field research trip, right? Not a middle school picnic?”
“This isn’t social hour. I sent you all the theory packets last night-you can start reviewing now. You’ll need it for the on-site experiments. They count toward your final grade.”
The car went dead quiet.
Everyone scrambled to pull out their notes.
Chase was still staring at her.
Through the rearview mirror, their eyes met.
Sierra spoke evenly. “Chase, review the material.”
He got the message loud and clear.
No more pushing.
He sighed, opened his folder, and joined the others in studying.
The rest of the ride was quiet, broken only by the occasional exchange between Sierra and Rowan-discussing equipment specs, data models, or field logistics.
Their academic banter was so precise that it made the freshmen sit up straighter and stay laser-focused.
By the time they reached the site, the sun had already set.
But instead of pulling up to a hotel, Rowan drove them straight into the woods.
Everyone looked around in confusion.
Rowan clapped his hands together. “Alright, this is Field Lesson One.”
“When you’re doing outdoor research, accommodations aren’t a guarantee. You’ll need to get used to that.”
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He divided the group into three teams-one to pitch tents, one to find water, and one to gather firewood.
“I’m with Sierra,” Chase volunteered immediately.
Rowan, aware of their messy history, was quick to intervene. “You can help set up camp. Or come with me to collect
water.”
Firewood duty would go to someone else.
But Chase didn’t budge.
Sierra stepped in. “It’s fine. Temperature’s dropping fast. Let’s just get moving. We need a fire going ASAP.”
So Rowan led one group toward the stream, while Sierra and Chase headed off into the woods.
As they walked, Chase broke the silence.
“Sierra… do you like Rowan?”
“That’s none of your business,” she replied flatly, brushing aside a patch of dry leaves to grab some twigs.
Chase stared at her, his heart in his throat.
“I looked for you for so long. How could you fall for someone else? We promised each other we’d be each other’s only
one.”
“You said it yourself,” she shot back. “That was back then.”
She shoved a branch into his arms. “Focus. It’s getting colder. People are waiting for that fire.”
Chase bit his tongue and said nothing more, but his eyes never left her.
Sierra ignored him and went on gathering wood.
Suddenly-“Shhh!”
Her senses went on high alert.
She turned quickly-and froze.
A snake was coiled on a branch near Chase, its tongue flicking menacingly toward him.
“Watch out!” she shouted, lunging forward.
With one quick motion, she pulled the blade from her belt and sliced down hard.
The snake’s head hit the ground with a thud.
But in her rush, a thorny bush raked across her hand, leaving a deep gash.
She ripped a cloth from her bag and wrapped it around the wound.
Her tone was icy.
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“This isn’t campus. There’s no one here to protect you.”
“You screw up in the wild, you die.”
“Poisonous snakes and insects aren’t rare out here. Stay alert.”
But as soon as she finished speaking, another snake poked its head out nearby.
She reacted instantly-blade flashing, severing it before it could strike.
This time, though, her balance tipped.
And she tumbled, headfirst-
Down the hillside.
