In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati-Alexander

Author:Neely Tubati-Alexander
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2024-01-17T00:00:00+00:00

22.

THERE’S NO TIME TO CONTEMPLATE WHAT CHARLIE AND HIS TEAM are up to. I head to the bedroom, grab my tote, and dig around for the flint.

“Nice room,” muses Bacon Bit II as he admires the view.

“I’ve got the flint.” I hold it up for my team to behold.

“Give it to me,” Mrs. Mustache says, grabbing it and tucking it into the opening of the conch shell that is now under her arm. “Rip the next one!” she screams with impressive spirit.

“Right.” I rip off the next piece of tape and immediately understand. A romance novel, it reads. Charlie swiped one of my books to try to beat me. And it means they are ahead of us. I grab another of my novels and tear off the tape covering the fourth item, the next to last one on the list. We’ve got to make up time. And fast.

“Chocolate hearts. Where are we supposed to find chocolate hearts?”

“I know this one!” Bacon Bit II takes off and we follow, fumbling behind him down six flights of stairs. By the time Mrs. Mustache reaches the ground floor, he’s nowhere in sight. I think to call after him, but I don’t know his actual name. It seems the rest of the team is having the same problem, as they look around, uncertain.

“Where’d he go?” CrossFit Girl asks.

“Where was that speed during the water balloon game?” adds Mrs. Mustache.

Before I can answer, Team Good Hair tears around the corner of the building, running by us with barely any acknowledgment. It happens so fast I can’t determine if they are holding chocolate hearts, but I do make eye contact with Charlie, who has his mouth open wide, tongue pressed fully out, and bent down to his chin in a taunt. It’s the last thing I see before they disappear around the opposite corner.

I CANNOT LOSE TO HIM. I CANNOT!

I’m about to suggest we split up to look for Bacon Bit II when—

“There he is!” CrossFit Girl yells, pointing. I follow her finger to find Bacon Bit II has returned, a bag of heart-shaped chocolates wrapped in red foil in hand.

“Where’d you find those?” I ask.

“Gift shop. My boyfriend browsed there yesterday for over an hour.” He pulls a small package from his cargo shorts pocket. “Got this too,” he says, holding up a small “survival” kit, though from the looks of it, it’s more touristy gimmick than actual disaster-readiness. “It was the last one. It’s got flint in it.” He shrugs. “Figured it may be the only flint the other team could find.”

“Smart,” Mrs. Mustache says. “They got us to buy things from the gift shop.”

“What’s the last item?” CrossFit Girl snaps, tiny red veins like cracks in her bulging eyeballs.

I pull the tape. “Rum punch,” she reads over my shoulder.

“That’s not a good one for a romance list. Rum punch sex can get a little sloppy,” Mrs. Mustache muses.

“Follow me,” I say. I’ve definitely got this one. I lead my team back to the

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.