Chapter 21 - Challenge 3 - Getting to Know Each Other
The Moles were still celebrating their victory while the Bass were still frustrated by their second loss. Tensions were rising within the team, and everyone was trying to formulate a better strategy for the next game.
"We can't keep losing like this!" Courtney said, crossing her arms irritably.
While the Bass were waking Duncan up with unorthodox methods, on the other side of the camp, the Moles were having problems of their own.
Justin was flatly refusing to play, and his attitude was already starting to infuriate his teammates.
"I'm not risking my face in another game," Justin said with absolute certainty.
Heather closed her eyes for a second, trying not to lose her patience.
"So what? You're just going to sit there while everyone else does all the work?" Heather said coldly.
Justin nodded without hesitation.
"Exactly. My image is important," Justin said, not understanding the issue.
Leshawna shook her head, clearly fed up.
"Oh, come on! We're not here to take care of your ego!" Leshawna said.
"This is a game, not a photoshoot," Trent added, annoyed.
"Well, you guys play. I prefer to keep my perfection intact," Justin said, unfazed.
Heather crossed her arms, with a look that indicated she wouldn't forget this moment.
Cody, who was resting for this game, decided to take advantage of the time to relax a little.
Together with Lindsay, they left the gym in search of ice, laughing among themselves as they walked towards the dining room.
"You know, it's nice not to be dodging balls for a while," Cody said, stretching.
"Yeah, but I like it when you play. You're really good!" Lindsay said, smiling brightly.
Cody winked at her before making a dramatic face, pretending to be exhausted from his efforts in the game.
"Ahhh, just what I need after being the hero of the game," Cody said, exaggerating his tone.
Lindsay let out a light laugh, enjoying their company.
Joking around, they continued walking toward the mess hall, ready to find some ice.
Cody and Lindsay left the mess hall together, their hands still cold from the ice they had collected. Instead of heading back right away, they decided to walk around a bit, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of camp.
"After all that running and dodging balls, some fresh air sounds perfect," Cody said, stretching his arms.
Lindsay nodded vigorously, maintaining her radiant smile.
"Yeah! Plus, this way we get a rest before the next game. Although I think I should practice more... I still can't remember many names," Lindsay said with a small laugh.
Cody looked at her with amusement, noticing her genuine difficulty with names.
"We can fix that. But first, tell me something, what do you like to do in your free time?" Cody asked, interested in getting to know her better.
Lindsay seemed excited by the question, not hesitating to answer.
"Fashion! I love fashion, reading magazines, watching trend shows, trying out new styles. I always check out each season's collections," Lindsay said enthusiastically.
Cody nodded with a smile, finding an opportunity to connect with her.
"That's great. You know, I don't follow fashion to the letter, but I like to stay stylish. The details matter," Cody said, making his own point.
Lindsay looked at her outfit for a moment, noticing that it did, indeed, have a certain amount of style.
"That makes sense! Not everyone does," Lindsay said.
As they walked, they came to the dock, where the water reflected the sunlight in small, calm ripples. They sat on the edge, letting their feet dangle over the water.
Cody looked at Lindsay with a smile, remembering her difficulty with the camper names.
The cool air gently stirred the water, creating small golden reflections on the surface.
Cody and Lindsay sat together on the edge of the dock, their legs dangling over the wood, enjoying a moment of rest before returning to the games.
"Whew, the games are intense," Cody said, shaking his arms slightly to release tension.
Lindsay nodded quickly, wiggling her feet in the water.
"Yeah! And the Bass are super motivated," Lindsay said, pouting slightly.
Cody smiled at her, noticing that even when Lindsay was frustrated, she still looked adorably carefree.
"Well, at least we're not losing," Cody said.
Lindsay turned her head to him, tilting her head curiously.
"What are we going to do, Cole?" Lindsay asked, with absolute confidence.
Cody froze for a second, before letting out a small laugh.
"It's... Cody, Lindsay," Cody said, amusement in his tone.
Lindsay blinked a few times, before bringing a hand to her mouth.
"Ohhh! Sorry, Cole, I mean... Cody," Lindsay said, laughing nervously.
Cody shook his head with a smile, before lifting his backpack and taking something out from inside.
"Look, I think this is going to help you," Cody said,taking a photo of the group of campers.
Lindsay's eyes widened in excitement, leaning closer to the picture.
"Ohhh, everyone looks so good here!" Lindsay said.
Cody pointed at the photo, ready to begin the memory exercise.
"Let's do this: I'll tell you the names, and you tell me what's most memorable about them. You'll remember faster. Ready?" Cody said.
Lindsay nodded vigorously, leaning even closer to Cody, not noticing how close he was.
"Okay, we'll start with Eva. What makes you remember her?" Cody asked.
Lindsay blinked before smiling.
"Easy! Her giant eyebrow," Lindsay said, her tone completely unashamed.
Cody burst out laughing, imagining Eva's reaction if she heard that.
"If Eva hears that, she might throw you into the water," Cody said, still laughing.
Lindsay covered her mouth, but couldn't help but laugh too.
"Oh no! Well, then I'll remember to say that he has a super intense stare," Lindsay said.
"And here we have Geoff," Cody said, pointing at the photo.
Lindsay studied the picture closely before smiling.
"His hat! He always wears it, doesn't he?" Lindsay asked.
Cody nodded with a smile.
"Yeah, I don't think there's a day when he doesn't have it on," Cody said.
"Now, Gwen. What makes you remember her?" Cody asked.
Lindsay tilted her head before widening her eyes in excitement.
"Ohhh! Her blue locks. It's so cute," Lindsay said.
Cody laughed softly before nodding.
"Yeah, and her sarcastic attitude too. I think she's earned her title as 'the mystery girl,'" Cody said.
"And here we have Izzy," Cody said, pointing at her photo.
Lindsay looked at the picture and quickly smiled.
"Ohhh, she's the crazy one of the group!" Lindsay said, no filter needed.
Cody nearly choked on his own laughter before nodding.
"Well... I can't say you're wrong," Cody said, still laughing.
"What about Trent?" Cody asked.
Lindsay frowned slightly, thoughtful, before smiling.
"He's always with his guitar! I've never seen him without it," Lindsay said.
Cody smiled, seeing that he was really remembering names.
"Yeah! You're doing great, Lindsay," Cody said.
Lindsay turned her head to him with a big smile, excited by his progress.
"Really? Yeeeees!" Lindsay said, wiggling excitedly.
Cody looked down at the picture with a smile, seeing that there was only one person left on the list.
"Well, I think there's one more to go," Cody said,turning to Lindsay with amusement.
Lindsay looked at the photo, before blinking slowly.
"Ohhh... it's Cole," Lindsay said, without thinking too much.
Cody let out a small laugh before shaking his head.
"Are you sure?" Cody asked, his look slightly playful.
Lindsay frowned for a second before looking at him directly.
And then it hit her.
"Oh... It's Cody!" Lindsay said, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
Cody grinned widely, seeing that she'd finally named him correctly.
"Yeah, just like that," Cody said, still laughing a little.
Lindsay put a hand to her mouth, slightly blushing.
"Oh no, sorry!" Lindsay said, gently embarrassed.
Cody laughed again, amused by her reaction.
"No problem, you learned all the names, even mine," Cody said.
Lindsay relaxed before letting out a small laugh.
"Yeah, I did. Thanks, Cody!" Lindsay said, with a genuine smile.
The air felt lighter, the conversation had strengthened their connection, and the pier remained their little refuge before going back to the game.
Lindsay's Confessional
"Now I do remember! Cody... the boy with the confident smile, the one who always moves quickly and helps others. The one who saved my balls the most times. But also... the one with super cute eyes, like they're sparkling when he looks at me. Ohhh, now that I think about it, he looks even cuter when he smiles! How did I not notice before?! Now I'll never forget his name!"
The cool evening air reflected off the water off the dock, creating little golden sparkles in the sunlight. Cody and Lindsay walked leisurely, enjoying the carefree moment.
"This place is super pretty. I love the way the water sparkles," Lindsay said, wiggling her feet as she walked.
"Yeah, although part of me thinks if Owen falls in here, the lake will rise six feet," Cody said playfully.
Lindsay giggled, imagining the scene.
"Aw, that would be funny! Poor Owen, though," Lindsay said, not maliciously.
They reached the edge of the dock and sat together, letting their legs dangle over the water. Lindsay leaned back a little, resting her hands on the wood, while Cody played with a pebble, gently tossing it into the lake.
"You know, it's weird being out here without running or dodging things," Cody said with a smile.
"Yeah! But it's nice to rest a little before the next game," Lindsay said, her tone relaxed.
There were a few seconds of quiet, where only the water could be heard gently moving against the wood of the dock.
Cody decided to seize the moment.
"Okay, we've played the name game, now it's your turn. Tell me more about yourself."" Cody said, turning his body slightly towards her.
Lindsay blinked in surprise before smiling excitedly.
"Ohhh, right! Let's see... well, you know I love fashion, but I also like beauty magazines, style shows, and trying out new looks. I love combining colors, following trends... although sometimes I just choose what looks pretty," Lindsay said energetically.
"Sounds like you have your own twist," Cody said with genuine interest.
"Yes! I like when clothes make people feel amazing," Lindsay said with conviction.
Cody nodded slowly, appreciating her enthusiasm.
"That's great. So what else? It can't just be fashion," Cody said, encouraging her to continue.
Lindsay thought for a second.
"Hmm... I like sunny days! And smoothies. They're so cute and delicious!" Lindsay said, unfiltered.
Cody let out a small laugh, enjoying her response.
"Smoothies are cute, huh?" Cody said, raising an eyebrow in amusement.
"Yes! They have pretty colors, like the pink of strawberries or the yellow of mangoes," Lindsay said, convinced.
Cody shook his head with a smile, enjoying her way of seeing things.
"Okay, you convinced me. When we get off this show, we'll try a smoothie together," Cody said confidently.
Lindsay lit up with excitement.
"Yes! It'll be fun!" Lindsay said.
The conversation continued with more sharing of tastes, as Cody followed his playful tone and Lindsay her natural sweetness.
It was a lighthearted moment, but one that strengthened the connection between them, showing that they enjoyed each other's company without the need for games or competition.
Lindsay turned her head slightly toward Cody, still wearing a relaxed smile.
"I like talking to you! It's easy and fun," Lindsay said, tapping her feet to a carefree rhythm.
Cody smiled confidently, enjoying the interaction.
"Yes, because you don't need to think too much. I'll make it interesting," Cody said playfully.
Lindsay let out a small laugh, gently shoving him with her shoulder.
"Hey! I say interesting things too," Lindsay said, feigning indignation.
"Duh. Like milkshakes are cute," Cody replied with an amused smile.
Lindsay opened her mouth for a second before laughing.
"Because they are!" Lindsay said, convinced.
Cody turned a little closer to her, resting his arms on his knees.
"So, prove you're interesting. Tell me one fact about you that will make me say 'wow!'" Cody said, challenging her.
Lindsay frowned,thinking seriously about his answer, before lighting up with emotion.
"Oh! I can imitate the sound of a kettle," Lindsay said proudly.
Cody blinked slowly, processing what he had just heard.
"Okay... I didn't expect that," Cody said, amused.
Lindsay smiled excitedly before leaning forward a little and making a high-pitched sound, imitating the whistling of a boiling kettle.
Cody watched the attempt, trying not to laugh.
"Wow. I'm shocked," Cody said, feigning amazement.
"I know! It's a special skill," Lindsay said, delighted with her own talent.
Cody shook his head with a grin before looking at her more closely.
"Well, I have another theory," Cody said, leaning forward a little.
Lindsay blinked curiously.
"About what?" Lindsay asked.
"That you actually make things sound interesting because you have the prettiest smile at camp," Cody said, looking nonchalant.
Lindsay stood still for a second before feeling a slight blush spread across her face.
"Ohhh! Does that count as a trick?! Because if it does, then I'm awesome!" Lindsay said, laughing nervously.
Cody burst out laughing, seeing that his comment had caught her off guard.
"Yeah, that's definitely a special trick. You should use it more often," Cody said, winking at her.
Lindsay covered her face for a second, still giggling, before lowering her hands and looking at him again.
"Then I'll use it forever!" Lindsay said excitedly.
The conversation was still fluid and relaxed, with a playful tone that made them both enjoy every moment.
Cody and Lindsay were still sitting on the dock, the golden light of the sunset reflecting off the water in soft glimmers. The conversation flowed naturally, and even though the game was over, Lindsay was in no hurry to leave.
"You know a lot about stuff!" Lindsay said, looking at him with a smile.
Cody raised an eyebrow in amusement, leaning towards her a little.
"Is that a compliment?" Cody asked playfully.
"Yeah! Because you always have something interesting to say," Lindsay said, casually shuffling her feet.
Cody smirked, enjoying her enthusiasm.
"Well, it's always good to know a little bit about everything. It gives me something to talk about with nice people," Cody said, giving her a quick wink.
Lindsay blinked before giving a light laugh, though the way she said it made her cheeks feel a little warm.
"Oh, Cody! You say some weird things sometimes," Lindsay said playfully.
"Weird? If someone else said that, it would sound normal," Cody said, feigning disbelief.
"But you say that with a funny smile!" Lindsay said, leaning in a little towards him.
Cody laughed softly, resting his arms on his knees.
"Does it make you uncomfortable?" Cody asked nonchalantly.
Lindsay quickly shook her head, though she covered her face for a second.
"No! I'm just not used to people saying nice things like that," Lindsay said with a shy smile.
Cody watched her with interest before pausing.
"That's weird. People are supposed to say nice things to you all the time," Cody said sincerely.
Lindsay blinked before looking down, her smile softening.
"Oh, you're such a jerk!" Lindsay said, laughing a little.
The conversation had gone from playful to a little more relaxed, and in that small moment, they both seemed more comfortable with each other.