Chapter 2 The Cost of Misunderstanding

"Kiss?" Mark echoed.

"Kiss?" Catherine burst out, jumping to her feet. "You kissed him?"

Sophia spun towards us, furious. "What the hell, Catherine? You've been spying on us this whole time?"

"If I hadn't followed you, would I even know you two kissed?" Catherine screamed. "How dare you kiss him, Sophia?"

"I kissed him?" Sophia let out a short, almost mocking laugh. "Please, Catherine. You just can't stand the fact that we kissed each other."

Catherine's face twisted with fury. Before any of us could react, she lunged forward, fingers tangling in Sophia's hair.

"Say that again," Catherine snarled as they struggled against each other.

Matthew and I rushed toward them, but we didn't make it in time. Mark shoved himself between them, forcing them apart.

"That's enough!" he shouted. His gaze swept over us, sharp with anger. "You should all be ashamed, listening in on private conversation." His eyes lingered on Matthew. "And you, of all people. I expected better from you."

Without another word, he grabbed Sophia's hand and pulled her away.

Catherine stood frozen, watching them disappear hand in hand. Then her strength gave out. Tears spilled freely as she sank to the ground.

"Did they really kiss?" She whispered, her voice breaking as she looked up at Matthew.

"I... I don't know," Matthew admitted.

She collapsed fully then, sobs shaking her shoulders. I knelt beside her, wrapping my arms around her as she cried.

"They mean more to each other than we thought," Catherine said between tears. "They have to be together."

"No," I said gently. "You heard him. He said he doesn't feel that way about her."

"Then what about the kiss?" Catherine asked, her voice raw. "Doesn't that mean something?"

I had no answer, because she was right. People don't kiss without feeling something, or at least, that's what I had always believed.

Meanwhile, Mark and Sophia walked in silence, trees closing in around them.

Mark sighed, letting go of Sophia's hand. "Sophia...about what you said back there, you shouldn't have. You just made things worse. They'll misunderstand everything now."

"Misunderstand?" She repeated. "I didn't know they were spying on us. And besides, I didn't lie about the kiss."

Mark turned to her, frustration etched on his face. "But it wasn't a kiss, Sophia. Our lips brushed, by accident. The space was tight, that's all. I barely even remember it, I'm surprised you do."

"You forgot about it?" Sophia asked, tears filling her eyes. "So tell me, after all these years we've been together... did any of it ever mean anything to you?"

Mark looked at her, feeling sorry for her. "I told you already, you're someone I care deeply about. A friend. But Sophia... there has never been anything romantic in my heart for you," he said, carefully stepping closer.

Sophia retreated instead, shaking her head as a bitter laugh escaped her. "A friend?" she repeated, tears leaking out. "You've played the hero in my life more times than I can count. We've spent days together, shared everything. We know each other inside out. You've built something with me, protected me, stood by me, even risked your life!"

Her voice trembled but she didn't stop. "When you found out I was taking advantage of how devoted you were to me in the ninth grade, you stopped talking to me. It broke me. And yet.... even then, you still came to my rescue. When my family was in trouble, you were there again."

She wiped her eyes. "After all that, you're telling me I'm just a friend? Why would you do all those things if you've never felt anything for me?"

Mark hesitated, "Sophia I.... I'm sorry. This is my fault. I never stopped to think what my actions towards you would cause."

Sophia stepped closer, searching his face. "Have you truly never felt anything for me? Not even once?"

"I'm sorry, Sophia," Mark repeated.

A bitter laugh escaped her. "You liar! You must be lying, no one risks their life for someone who means nothing to them."

"There's a reason," Mark said after a pause. "And I think you deserve to know it."

Sophia crossed her arms. "I'm all ears."

He drew a slow breath. "You're right, no one goes through such lengths without something driving them. It all started in our fourth grade, I came into the class and I saw a hairpin on you, it wasn't just familiar.... Sophia, it was unmistakable. That hairpin was one of a kind. It had been specially made for my Mom. There's no way anyone else should have had it."

"A hairpin?" Sophia repeated, trying to recall. "And that's supposed to explain why you've spent years protecting me?"

"Do you remember how you got it?" Mark asked.

Sophia tried to recall.

"You might not remember, but I can remind you," Mark continued. "My Mom gave you that hairpin. She did it because of your kind words to her. You don't know this, but you gave her hope when she had almost given up. Even though the illness still claimed her life, Sophia....you made her want to keep going, even if only for a while."

He paused, as if recalling the beautiful memories with his Mom back then. "When I saw the spark in her eyes, I wanted to thank you. I really did. But you ran off before I could. I was standing far away, so I didn't get a clear look at your face. Then years later, in fourth grade, I saw that hairpin again."

Sophia's eyes widened in disbelief, she stepped backwards and gave a mocking smile. "So you've been protecting me all these years just because of a hairpin?"

Mark shook his head and moved closer, "Not because of a hairpin. Because of your kindness to my Mom... don't you remember?"

Tears fell from Sophia's eyes, even as she laughed softly in disbelief, shaking her head again and again.

"Sophia...." Mark said, taking another step toward her.

"Don't you dare come any closer!" she shouted. "So none of it was ever real...."

"I'm sorry I led you to believe otherwise, it was never my intention Sophia...." Mark said, his voice heavy with regret.

Sophia, feeling so disheartened, ran off.

"Sophia!" Mark called after her, but she didn't turn back. He was left, standing there feeling regretful.

After staying with Catherine for a while, I recalled Ms. Nelly words on extra points that awaited the first three groups, we needed those points. We didn't have much time left, and wandering aimlessly through the arboretum would only waste what little time we had left. If we wanted to find the slippery elm, we had to think smarter.

"Matthew," I called.

He looked up. "Huh?"

"There was a map at the entrance of the arboretum, right?" I asked.

Matthew thought for a moment. "I think there should."

"What do you have in mind?" Catherine asked.

"I'm going to find the slippery elm," I said firmly. "No way I'm letting Sophia's drama ruin our chances."

"But how do you plan to find it on your own?" Catherine asked.

"With the map," I replied. "It'll save time."

"Even if you do find it, our group is a mess. How will we get everyone back together?" Catherine asked.

"It doesn't matter right now," I said. "I'll find the tree first, we'll figure out the rest later. I'm sure they'll come back soon anyways."

I glanced around. "We don't have much time left, I have to go."

Catherine sighed. "At least be careful."

"Matthew, I'll leave Catherine to you. Watch over her for me," I said.

"I will," Matthew promised. "Be careful."

"I'll be back soon," I said, slipping away.

I ran back towards the entrance of the arboretum, scanning the areas until I spotted a large signpost, dividing the grounds into sections. I hurried closer, there was conifers, deciduous grove, water plants.... and moist woodland. I recalled, slippery elm thrived in moist areas with damp soil. It should be here, Moist woodland it is.

I headed in that direction, scanning the surroundings. Trees towered above, leaves rustling in the breeze, voices of other students echoed through the woods, each one sounding dangerously close to success. I picked up my pace, hoping I wasn't already late.

As I walked, the air grew damper. Moss crept up tree trunks. A wooden sign caught my attention. "Moist woodland- Elm, oak, maple."

Slippery elm was a species of elms, it should be here. I looked around the area, students were already inspecting trees nearby, notebooks in hand. They had to be close. And yet... no one had found it.

Each tree had a small label attached to it. That should have made things easy, so why hadn't anyone found it.

I stepped over to one tree, Quercus alba. The next one read, Quercus rubra.

Botanical names I realized. "Then what's that of slippery elm?" I thought for a moment.

"It was... something Ulmus?" I muttered. "Ulmus what? Come on, Lucy."

Then I spotted a tall tree with rough bark, "slippery elm? Could it be?"

I moved closer, running my fingers along the bark, it felt different. I looked around for its label, and my foot slipped. I grabbed the tree, my heart racing as I steadied myself. My gaze dropped behind me, and I froze.

A ditch lay a short distance away, deep and dark. One wrong step and I would have fallen right in. The soil was wet and muddy, so I had to be careful.

"That was close," I muttered. "Way too close."

I stepped back carefully, then I saw it, the label, fixed to the side of the tree. It read, Ulmus rubra?

"Ulmus rubra! This is it, finally." I said out loud.

I reached out, and carefully began to peel a small strip of bark to take as proof.

Suddenly, a shove sent me tumbling. I landed with a splash into the muddy ditch. Water splattered, my face was covered with dirt and mud.

"Who pushed me?" I thought. I wiped my eyes and looked up, barely seeing a thing. The mud had gotten into my eyes.

"Who's there?" I shouted. "This isn't funny." No one responded.

"Hello?" I called out again, but no one responded. "Please don't leave me here."

Silence answered me. I could only hear the buzz of flies and the high whine of mosquitoes around me. Then I felt something move beneath the surface of the musky water.

"This isn't safe at all. There could be anything inside here," I thought.

"You've had your fun now," I called out. "It's not funny anymore. Please.... help me out." Still, no one responded.

Soon, the distant sound of students slowly faded until they were completely gone.

"Can anyone hear me?" I cried out. "Somebody, I'm over here! Please don't leave me here."

The woods were now silent. I was left with the sounds of birds chirping above, insects humming, and frogs croaking somewhere nearby.

"This...this can't be happening," I whispered, frightened.

I couldn't see a thing, mud had gotten into my eyes. I blinked repeatedly, swiping at my eyes again. The mud wouldn't come off completely, but my vision cleared a little. I grabbed onto an exposed root along the edge of the ditch and tried to pull myself up. But the mud was slippery, I slid back down with a sharp cry. "Ouch!"

I felt immense pain in my hand, the root must have pierced it.

"How do I get out of here?" I thought, suddenly realizing how dreadful my situation was.

I was stuck.