Just then, a Jet Ski comes out of nowhere and pulls up next to us. Sanders hands the driver the paddles to the boat and then climbs out of it and onto the back of the Jet Ski.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Scottie asks, panic in her voice.

Sanders, with his chin lifted high, says, “We spoke about communication and it being the problem in your relationship. Well, here is where you can learn to communicate.”

“You’re just going to leave us here, in the middle of the lake with no paddles?” Scottie asks.

“Good job stating the obvious,” I mutter, only to cause her to snap her attention in my direction.

“You know, I could do without the snarky comments.”

“I could do without the snide glares,” I snap right back.

“I’ve barely looked at you. How could I give you snide glares?”

“You might not realize you’re doing it, but every time you look at me, there’s side-eye.” And in a guttural voice, I say, “I fucking hate side-eye. Just look at me with regular eyes.”

“You’re delusional,” she says and then offers me the greatest side-eye ever to be achieved by a human being.

“You…wench,” I whisper.

“Enough,” Sanders shouts. “Just…enough. This is not productive.”

“None of this is productive,” Scottie says, tossing her hands in the air. “Do you really think leaving us out here in the lake is going to do anything?”

“It will force you to work together and find a way back to the shore.”

“Yeah.” I cross my arms over my chest. “It’s called swimming, and I tend to be excellent at that, so the minute you leave, I’m jumping overboard.”

“You would just leave me stuck in a boat by myself?”

“After that side-eye you just gave me, uh, yeah, I would.”

“That’s a dick move,” she says.

“Listen, last time I attempted to be your knight in shining armor, I was chastised and punished for it, so beg your pardon if I don’t feel very knightly at the moment. Actually, I’m feeling more like the villain.”

And then without giving it another thought, I toss my body overboard and start swimming for the shore.

Tires peel out and kick up dust as Sanders drives away on his four-wheeler, leaving me and Scottie alone in the middle of the woods with a tent and a cooler.

After I made it to the shore, I headed back to the cabin, took a shower, got changed, and then was met at the door by Sanders, who dragged me onto his four-wheeler.

“Great job,” I say to her. “You just had to test him, didn’t you?”

“You think this is my fault?” she asks. “Uh, you weren’t talking either. And you were the one who stranded me in a boat.”