“You can’t just grunt and expect me to understand you,” he said.

The thing is, I feel like he understands me better than anyone else, despite my shitty communication skills. But he’s right. I know he’ll do a better job at leading me through this than I would've done for him, but I’m still annoyed about it.

As our time starts and he instructs me to walk and turn and duck and climb, I do my best to follow what he says. It’s not the easiest thing though, and after knocking into a few objects, I grow more and more frustrated. Though I still don’t want to let him down. So I go faster, against my better judgement, and just sort of barrel my way through the course with no regard for my own safety.

I whack my head pretty good on something, but it seems like I finish fairly quickly. Since it’s an individually timed event though, we won’t find out our placement until every team has gone.

Brenden stands close to me while we wait, reaching up a couple times to rub softly at my sore temple. “You did good,” he says.

I shrug. I’m not about to spout off another cheesy line about how much I’d be willing to do for him.

When the results are in, we come in fourth, which isn’t bad. Then Roddy announces a ten-minute break before the final event, the popsicle contest.

Turning back to Brenden, I ask warily, “Popsicle contest?”

“We get a short amount of time to eat as many popsicles as possible and build a house with the sticks.”

The only thing I can think to say is, “Please tell me you’re joking.”

He grins. “Nope. But don’t worry. I’m an excellent popsicle sucker.”

The absurd, suggestive look he gives me makes me laugh, despite myself.

“At least this is the last thing we have to do, and then this circus will be over,” I say.

He pokes me in the side playfully. “You’ve complained all day, but I think you’ve had fun.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Right,” he says. “I must be mistaken.”

“Must be,” I reply, the hint of a smile tugging at my lips.

When we take our seats at a plastic fold-out table, he sets his hand on my knee. “For the record, I’ve had a lot of fun with you today.”

Those words hit me right in the chest, causing a warmth to spread through my body.

People like me well enough around town, I guess. But I’m not known as the fun guy. That’s never been me.