My hand hit the top ledge and I jolted out of it, and looked over to see Rafe beside me, sweat dripping down his face, eyes glowing, face glowing, his gaze locked on mine again, lips parting to say something--
A jerk on my harness made me look up sharply as Daniel adjusted the rope, preparing to let me belay down. The look on his face told me who'd won.
"Damn," I said. "Seriously?"
"By a fingertip," Rafe said. "You need to grow longer arms."
Before we'd even hit the ground, the others crowded around, asking who'd won. I waited for Rafe to claim the victory. He didn't. So I told them.
"Because she let you catch up," Sam said. "I wouldn't count that as a win."
"Which is why I didn't say I won," Rafe said, as he undid his harness.
"Still counts," Corey said. "Give the guy some room so he can collect his prize."
Daniel rounded the bend in the path, picking up speed, like he was coming to rescue me from my obligation. When he caught my eye, he slowed.
Rafe shucked his harness and took mine. He set them aside and I braced myself, but he only called over to Daniel, "That's an amazing wall. Sometime I'd love to know how you did it."
Daniel nodded, still watching Rafe warily.
"Um, your prize ..." Corey said. "If you aren't going to take it, I'd be happy to play standin."
"I'll collect it later," Rafe said. "Without an audience."
"Uh-uh," Corey said. "No rain checks."
Rafe only shrugged. "I can ask for one. If Maya doesn't want to honor it, that's her choice."
Daniel grunted and collected the gear. He didn't say anything, but I knew Rafe had scored a point.
Sam strolled over from where she'd been standing at the back of the group, gaze fixed on Rafe like a mugger spotting an easy mark. He stiffened. Being the sort who doesn't find brawls an entertaining addition to her birthday parties, I decided action was needed. Sam wasn't here to help me celebrate my big day. She wanted something, and if she got it, she'd be less likely to pick a fight.
"So, guys," I said. "Since I've been doing the family thing today, I haven't heard what happened with that fake reporter chick. Anyone spoken to her since yesterday?"
"I did," Brendan said. "I was walking home after school, cutting through the forest after I split with Corey, and she just happened to be taking the same path. Following me, I think. Anyway, she wanted to talk. So I did."
"You're not supposed to," Brooke said. "You know that."
Brendan gave her a look. "I'm a big boy."
"And she was kind of cute," Corey said, elbowing him.
"No, but I wanted to get a better handle on her game."
"Good idea," Daniel said. He waved for us to start back to the house and for Brendan to keep talking.
"All she wanted to talk about was us--the high school kids. She kept saying she was working on an article and wanted to slant it that way, what life is like for teens in Salmon Creek. She asked a lot about the extracurricular stuff, which was weird."
"Like what?" I asked.
"Which sports we did. Which clubs we had. Why we had those ones. Who was on each team. She took notes for that part--dividing us up by what activities we were in."
"Looking for cliques," I said. "Trying to make us sound as if we're just like the kids in city schools. You have your choir girls and your wrestling guys ..."
"I guess so. After that, she started asking about the medical stuff."
"I hope you shut your mouth," Brooke said.