But there may be a great opportunity coming up to get closer to the girls, if you're interested?" What is it?" They're going on a trip over the long b...nk holiday weekend, out to Darkmoor Woods. Apparently Nathalie's family own a remote cabin up by the lake. They invited me along. They were just being polite, I think, but I said yes and asked if I could bring my boyfriend. That's you, by the way. They didn't sound too pleased if I'm being honest, but they still said yes." A cabin?" Alex groans.. You know the sort of thing bread, butter, cereal, tea, milk, coffee, and baked beans. Yeah thanks. No, it's no one you know. Friend of a friend, I said I'd look in on her and I discover she's ill with the 'flu. Could you. Thanks, you're a star."With food supplies sorted out, I got back to her flat. She was still asleep. A gentle knock on the door heralded the arrival of Alice. I kept her out of the room for now and we talked in the corridor."Thanks, she's sleeping for now. I think she's passed. You can’t sit with us.You can sit with the jocks.You belong with the stoners.EWW! Nerds!Those girls dressed ... fashionably. If it was “in style” for their age group, one of them was wearing it ... the others were”Autumn.” Russets; latte, caramel. Orange; sienna, persimmon; the yellows; Flax, butter, lemon, mustard, corn, dandelion, fire, butterscotch, honey, tuscan. The reds.I am so glad I didn’t have time ... and I like Carhartts ... and bibs and jeans and wool shirts and boots.The others. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''The next day at school was great. My asshole was pretty sore, but I was ina good mood and so was Becky. Everything seemed normal.I didn't see Ray until later that day at practice and he was already fullypadded up on the field with Coach when I ran out to greet them.The old surly, scowling, taciturn Ray was back and he did such a good jobat being his old self that I got a sinking feeling that yesterday was justan illusion.Practice was intense.