Cleo barely slept that night.
He lay stiffly on his bed in Cabin 4, staring up at the wooden ceiling, listening to the soft rustle of Riz turning over on the other bunk. His lips still tingled.
He kept replaying it in his head-*the kiss*. It wasn't long. It wasn't even deep. But it had shattered something inside him. Not just because Riz had kissed him, but because of what Riz had said afterward.
*"I've wanted to do that since we were fifteen."*
Who says something like that? Who kisses you in front of everyone, like it's no big deal, like it's *normal*, and then drops a bomb like that?
Cleo turned over and shoved his face into the pillow. This was a disaster. It was supposed to be a stupid dare. A joke. A moment to forget.
But now it was stuck in his head like a broken circuit.
---
Morning came, and the retreat resumed with forced enthusiasm.
Breakfast was a blur of eggs, sausages, and coffee in paper cups. Everyone was buzzing about last night's kiss-snickering, whispering, nudging Cleo whenever Riz passed by.
"Damn, Reyes. Didn't know you swung that way," someone teased at the buffet line.
Cleo scowled. "It was a dare. Not a declaration."
But the words tasted like a lie on his tongue.
---
The first group activity of the day was a team challenge-a combination of logic puzzles and physical tasks, designed to "promote cooperation across disciplines."
To Cleo's horror, he and Riz were put on the same team.
Of course.
"Look at that," Riz said as they stood side by side at the starting line. "The universe really wants us to get along."
Cleo refused to look at him. "The universe can go to hell."
"Aw, come on. You're not still mad, are you?"
"I'm not mad," Cleo said tightly. "I'm... confused. And annoyed. And-why did you kiss me?"
Riz tilted his head. "Because I wanted to?"
"That's not a good enough reason."
Riz's expression softened, just a little. "It's the only one I've got."
Before Cleo could respond, the whistle blew. The challenge began.
They climbed ropes, solved riddles, and built a tower out of wooden planks. Surprisingly, they made a good team-Cleo's efficiency and Riz's creative thinking balanced each other like perfect gears in motion.
By the end of the challenge, they were both breathless and sweaty, standing side by side as their team cheered their win.
Cleo tried not to think about how Riz looked in the sunlight, laughing, sweaty hair sticking to his forehead.
*Get it together,* he told himself.
_______
That night, after dinner and another round of group games, Cleo returned to the cabin early, claiming a headache.
He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor, trying to sort through the chaos in his chest.
The door creaked open.
Riz stepped inside, tossing his jacket over a chair.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
Cleo didn't answer right away.
"You kissed me," he finally said.
Riz sat across from him on the other bed. "Yeah. I did."
"Why me?"
"Because it's always been you, Cleo," Riz said simply. "Ever since we were kids. You were always so serious, so focused. And smart. And stubborn. I used to follow you around at family parties just to be near you."
Cleo blinked, stunned.
"You were annoying back then," he mumbled.
"I still am," Riz said with a soft smile. "But you didn't hate it. Not really."
Silence stretched between them. Cleo looked up slowly, meeting Riz's eyes.
"I don't know what this is," Cleo said. "I've never... felt this way. About anyone. Especially not you."
Riz stood and took a step closer.
"I'm not asking you to figure it out right now. I just want to know if you *felt* something too."
Cleo opened his mouth. Closed it.
He did.
He *really* did.
But the words wouldn't come.
Riz didn't push. He nodded once, quietly, and returned to his bed. "Night, Cleo."
Cleo lay back down, heart thudding.
And this time, when he closed his eyes, all he could see was Riz's smile, and the memory of lips that still lingered like a spark waiting to catch fire.
---
End of Chapter Two