“Some of the things you say make you sound like a recruiting poster.” She tilted her head. “You know, you’d look pretty good on one.”

“Cut it out,” Marty hissed. “And what do you mean about my dad?”

“Look, he sounds like a terrific guy and a great dad, but he’s a soldier, Marty. You’re not. Maybe all his rules don’t really apply to you.”

“Maybe you’ve never been a target.”

“Maybe you’re making assumptions. You think having a father like mine doesn’t draw attention from crazies?”

Marty frowned. Their dad was a hero, and not just because they loved him. But he also taught them to consider all sides of a situation before settling on a course of action. And that meant gathering intel. “What do you mean?”

“Hey, I know he’s not popular with a lot of people. Fuck, I don’t agree with most of what he says. And sometimes…” Ford looked around as if to check that no one was paying them any attention. “I get weirdos showing up on my social media, making gross comments mostly, but sometimes they make threats. Happens to my father in real life sometimes. Doesn’t mean anything,” she added quickly. “Mostly. But it’s…it can be scary, and then I’m stuck with security following me everywhere.”

“Oh man, that really sucks. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I just mean, most of us get attention we don’t want sometimes. I’m sorry that you do.”

“I’m sorry you do too.”

“You’re still weird, though.”

Marty laughed. “Yeah, I know. You’re up.”

Ford made a creditable attempt at following the steps Alisha had shown them, and she hit the target, but way outside the rings. She shook her head. “Why do I need to do this?”

“You never know when you might be stranded in the forest and have to eat squirrels,” Marty said.

Ford gave them an incredibly disgusted look. “That is gross.”

Marty smiled, walked to the line, nocked their arrow, made a mental correction for the wind, pulled across their chest while sighting the target, and gently released. Bull’s-eye.

Better.

They walked to the back of the line, and one of the girls they recognized from cabin seven came over to them.

“You’re a really good shot,” the girl said. “I’m Suwallia, by the way. Do you compete?”

“Um, no.” Marty hesitated, then held out their hand. “I’m Marty.”

Suwallia, her dark eyes filled with humor, shook their hand. “Yeah, I know. We go to the same high school.”

“We do?” Marty caught Ford, who stood behind Suwallia, rolling her eyes, and blushed. What? What had they done wrong already?

“I’m in the year behind yours.”

“Oh. Okay.” Marty took a breath. “That’s great.”