Chapter 3

We set off toward the entrance.

Bertha put on her sweet, helpless voice. "This mountain's so tall. The sun up there's going to be brutal, right? What if we get thirsty?"

Bernice smiled, pleased with herself. "What's there to worry about? We came prepared, didn't we?"

I looked up at them.

"Prepared with what? I thought we agreed no one could bring anything."

Bernice took on a lecturing tone.

"What we brought is none of your business. Outdoor sports are about survival of the fittest. Everyone looks out for themselves. You rely on yourself, understand?"

Ezra added, "Right. Today's about each of us pushing our own limits. No helping each other."

"Renee, whatever happens today, I won't be looking after you. Don't use the fact that you're my girlfriend to guilt-trip me into it."

In my last life, he'd said the same thing, and he'd done exactly that.

I collapsed on the trail from dehydration, and he walked right past me with a bottle of water in his hand.

"Quit the act. Your acting is terrible."

"I already told you, I'm not giving you water. This is helping you toughen up!"

I pulled myself out of the memory and nodded, all seriousness.

"Ezra, I won't be helping you either."

"Whatever happens, don't use the fact that you're my boyfriend to guilt-trip me into it."

Ezra clutched his stomach, doubling over with laughter.

"Me, needing your help? You'd better just worry about yourself!"

Bernice, Desmond, and the rest laughed until they had tears in their eyes.

"Don't worry. We'd never come begging to you."

As we climbed, the sun overhead grew fiercer.

The roof of my mouth felt like it was splitting all the way down my throat, and even swallowing my own spit hurt like gulping down razor blades.

Ezra walked at the front and pointed ahead.

"Look, the supply store!"

Bertha and the others perked up.

"We're saved, we're saved. My throat's about to dry out completely."

I gave them a baffled look.

"So there's a supply store. Weren't we supposed to be doing this whole hike without eating or drinking?"

Desmond gave a contemptuous little laugh. "Renee, is something wrong with your ears?"

"What we said was that we wouldn't bring our own food or drinks. We never said we couldn't buy from the supply store."

My tone grew even more puzzled.

"But our phones are all locked up at the base. With no money, what are you going to buy anything with?"

Bertha pressed her lips into a smile. "True enough. People with no money can only sit there dreaming about water."

The few of them exchanged a look and smiled, letting it drag out.

Ezra was the first up the steps. "Come on, let's go stock up at the supply station!"

By the time I stepped into the supply store, they were already picking out water and bread by the shelves.

I stood there in the shop, watching them.

"What are you doing? You didn't bring your phones. How are you going to pay for anything?"

Ezra raised an eyebrow.

"What does not bringing my phone have to do with buying things? You've never heard of this thing called cash?"