As the sun had completely set and the last traces of light faded from the sky, the group arrived at the lake.
The water was dark now, reflecting the faint glow of the moon above.
A light breeze moved across the surface, creating small ripples that shimmered in the night.
The familiar shoreline looked different in the dark—quieter, more mysterious.
Somewhere nearby, a few lanterns and flashlights lit up parts of the area, casting soft, uneven light across the ground.
Jake was the first to step forward, already laughing.
"Oh, this is gonna be good!" he shouted, clapping his hands together.
Kate slowed down slightly as she walked, her eyes moving toward the water.
Then, almost without thinking, her gaze shifted to Ray.
Her lips pressed together for a second.
She remembered the bet.
And what was about to happen.
As if Ray had had enough of the tension, he suddenly stepped forward and started undressing.
"Ray, stop!" Kate shouted immediately, her voice sharper than she expected.
But Jake was already losing it.
"DO IT! DO IT!" he screamed, jumping up and down like an idiot, clapping his hands loudly.
A few others started laughing, the energy around the lake quickly turning chaotic again.
Ray didn't even hesitate.
He pulled his shirt off first, tossing it aside carelessly onto the ground.
The cool night air hit his skin instantly, but he didn't seem to care.
Kate stood frozen for a second, watching him.
Her heart picked up slightly.
"Ray…" she said again, quieter this time.
But he just smirked, clearly enjoying the moment.
"I lost a bet, so…" Ray said simply.
Without overthinking it, he pulled off his pants.
For a brief moment, he just stood there.
Completely naked.
Emma glanced at him and immediately looked away, her cheeks turning red.
Sarah crossed her arms, looking unimpressed, though her eyes lingered for just a second longer than she probably intended.
Kate…
Kate froze.
Her body completely locked in place.
Ray looked at her.
Then, without a word, he tossed his pants straight at her.
She caught them instinctively, still stunned.
A second later, he turned around and sprinted straight into the lake.
The cold water splashed loudly as he dove in, disappearing into the dark surface.
Jake lost his mind.
"HE ACTUALLY DID IT!" he screamed, laughing hysterically.
As Ray resurfaced, the cold hit him all at once.
His whole body tensed, a sharp breath escaping his lips as the freezing water wrapped around him.
For a moment, he just stayed there, adjusting.
It took him a minute, but slowly, his body started getting used to the temperature.
He wiped the water from his face and looked toward the shore—
And that's when he saw it.
Jake.
Grinning like a maniac.
Before Kate could react, Jake snatched Ray's pants straight out of her hands and grabbed his shirt from the ground.
Then he took off running.
"HEY!" Ray shouted from the water, instantly realizing what was happening.
Jake just laughed louder, sprinting away like his life depended on it.
Ray floated on his back, letting the water hold him up as he stared at the dark sky above.
Of course Jake would do something like that.
"Hah…" he let out a quiet laugh, a small smile forming on his face as he relaxed despite everything.
On the shore, Kate looked at him like he had completely lost his mind.
"What are you so happy about?!" she called out. "You're naked, stupid!"
Ray didn't even look at her at first.
"I know you'll bring me some clothes back from the cabin," he said calmly, still staring up at the sky.
Kate crossed her arms immediately.
"And why would I do that?" she shot back.
"Because I don't mind making a show for the girls," he said, finally turning his head slightly.
His eyes briefly flicked toward Emma and Sarah standing by the shore.
Emma immediately looked away again, clearly flustered.
Sarah raised an eyebrow, arms still crossed, watching him with mild curiosity.
Kate's jaw tightened.
She stared at him for a second, clearly not amused.
"You're unbelievable," she muttered under her breath, though there was something else mixed into her tone.
"Fine, but Sarah's coming with me!" Kate said, grabbing her arm without hesitation.
Sarah, confused, just followed as Kate pulled her along the path away from the lake.
"Why are you dragging me with you?" Sarah asked after a minute, trying to keep up.
Kate didn't slow down.
"I have enough stress with Mia waiting to jump Ray's bones. I'm not letting another one stay with him!"
Sarah blinked.
Then a slow smile spread across her face.
"I was just teasing him," she said casually. "Because I like to annoy you."
"He really got under your skin, huh?" Sarah asked, glancing at her.
Kate didn't answer.
She just kept walking, her steps quick and focused.
Sarah watched her for a second, then smirked.
"If Mia tries anything, I'll beat her ass," she added, picking up her pace to match hers.
Kate couldn't help it.
A small smile appeared on her face, even though she didn't realize it.
After a few minutes, the girls arrived at the cabin.
Kate pushed the door open and went straight to Ray's wardrobe, quickly pulling it open and looking through his clothes to find something for him.
Behind her, Sarah stepped into the room.
Then she froze.
"Hey, Kate…" she said slowly.
Kate kept searching.
"Yeah?"
"Is it normal that you guys only have one mattress?"
Kate stopped.
Slowly, she turned around.
Her eyes widened.
Her mouth opened slightly in shock.
"It must have been Jake…" Kate growled, staring at the empty space where Ray's mattress used to be. "He's been trying to play Cupid since the first day!"
Sarah glanced at the empty side of the room and smirked.
"So… you're gonna have to cuddle," she said, nudging Kate playfully with her shoulder.
"Nope. He's sleeping on the kitchen table," Kate replied immediately.
Sarah laughed.
Kate turned back to the wardrobe, still slightly flustered, and grabbed a pair of pants and a T-shirt.
"Let's go," she said after a moment. "Before Mia smells a dick and jumps into the water."
She said it dramatically, even though she knew Ray was only there with Emma.
Sarah just shook her head, still smiling as they headed back out.
As they made their way back toward the lake, the path dimly lit by the moonlight, they suddenly spotted Jake.
He was standing with Marco, both of them laughing, Jake clearly way too proud of himself.
The moment Kate saw him, her expression changed instantly.
Her grip on the clothes tightened.
She marched straight toward him.
Sarah quickly reached out, trying to slow her down.
"Hey—Kate—"
"I'm gonna kill you!" Kate snapped, glaring at Jake with pure fury.
"Relax, Kate! Now you guys can sleep together!" Jake laughed.
A second later—
His expression twisted into pure pain.
Kate had kicked him.
Hard.
Jake doubled over instantly, grabbing his side.
"WHAT THE—?!" he groaned, stumbling back.
Marco took a step away, clearly not wanting to get involved.
Kate stood there, breathing a little heavier, still glaring at him.
"Next time," she said coldly, "I won't miss."
As the girls walked past them toward the lake, Jake slowly composed himself, still slightly bent over.
"Come on, Kate, it was just a joke!" he shouted after them.
Neither of them turned around.
They just kept walking, completely ignoring him.
As they approached the lake, the sound of water and distant laughter grew louder again.
Emma was sitting on the grass near the shore, hugging her knees as she watched the water.
Out in the lake, Ray was still there…
Doing weird poses.
Stretching his arms out.
Turning slowly in the water like he was performing for an audience.
Kate stopped for a second and rolled her eyes.
"Of course…" she muttered under her breath.
"Emma, I figure I could lift you a few times—"
Ray stopped mid-sentence.
He had just noticed Kate.
And the look on her face.
She wasn't just annoyed.
She was furious.
Kate stepped closer to the edge of the water, gripping the clothes tightly in her hand.
"You think you're playing Zeus out here?!" she screamed, glaring straight at him.
The water around Ray rippled as he slowly lowered his arms.
Even Emma blinked, surprised by the sudden intensity.
Ray just stared at Kate for a second, caught completely off guard.
For a brief second, Ray's mind drifted.
Emma was really hot too.
Even though she was shy, she had… a lot to breathe with.
Then he snapped back to reality.
Kate was standing there.
Still looking like she was about to murder him.
The contrast hit him instantly.
He straightened up slightly in the water, suddenly a lot more aware of the situation.
"Emma, Sarah. Turn around!"
Sarah turned slightly, glancing at her.
Emma looked confused for a second.
Sarah just smiled.
"No way. I might not try to sleep with him," she said casually, crossing her arms, "but I'm not missing the show."
Emma hesitated… then nodded in agreement.
Kate stared at both of them.
"These girls are such perverts…" she muttered under her breath.
Then she looked back at Ray.
Her grip tightened around the clothes in her hands.
"Fine," she said.
"They wanna watch? Let them watch."
"Ray, get out of the water," Kate said, her voice sharp. "They wanna see your dick so much they won't move until they do."
For a second, everything went quiet.
Then Ray smiled.
Wide.
Like it was Christmas morning.
Without hesitation, he started walking toward the shore.
Water dripped from his body as he stepped out, the cold air hitting his skin again.
Emma instantly looked away.
Sarah watched, clearly entertained.
Kate—
Kate's confidence lasted about half a second.
Then it completely disappeared.
Her face turned bright red.
Her eyes dropped for a second… then lifted again without her even meaning to.
And just like that—
She couldn't look away.
Her grip tightened around his clothes as she stood there, completely frozen.
As Ray approached her, water still dripping from his body, he stepped in close.
Kate didn't move.
She just stood there, still red, still frozen, her eyes not knowing where to look.
He gently took the clothes from her hands.
Leaning in slightly, he lowered his voice.
"Now you've seen me naked… we're even," he whispered.
Kate's breath caught for a second.
Then Ray casually stepped back and started getting dressed, pulling on his pants and then his T-shirt like nothing had happened.
Kate remained there for a moment longer, completely flustered.
And once he was fully dressed, he casually walked past her, like nothing had happened.
"Let's get back," he said simply.
Kate turned slightly, still trying to process everything.
As Ray passed Emma, she glanced at him shyly for a second before quickly looking away again, her cheeks faintly pink.
Kate noticed that.
And for some reason, that annoyed her even more.
This time, Kate didn't say anything.
She just turned and started walking with the others along the path back to camp.
The night air felt cooler now, brushing against her skin as the sounds of the lake slowly faded behind them.
Ray walked a few steps ahead, talking with Jake again like nothing had happened.
Emma stayed quieter, occasionally glancing down at the ground.
Sarah walked beside Kate, but didn't say anything either.
And Kate…
Kate was lost in her own thoughts.
Everything from today started replaying in her mind.
The fight with Mia.
Ray grabbing her hand.
The race.
The lake.
Him standing in front of her.
The whisper.
Her cheeks warmed again.
She looked down for a second, trying to calm herself.
What the hell is wrong with me…