Disease
Chapter 04: Catch the Thief

The next morning everyone was tired that they woke up late because of all of the activities that we had. The sun was already up when I forced myself to go prepare for the morning before making my way downstairs where the rest of the gang looked the same as me, groggy. They were just pouring themselves a bowl of cereal when I joined them in the breakfast nook.

“Good morning.” I greeted stretching.

“Good morning.” Vince said as he poured himself a glass of orange juice Erica just right beside him making some pancakes.

“Do you want some?” she asked as I nodded.

“Sure, thanks.”

I just set the table as one by one each of the gang joined us and we had breakfast together. I was talking to Olivia when Elora and Logan finally joined us.

“Good morning!” she shouted to the group and the rest greeted her back as she strides towards where I was seated before slumping herself on my thighs making me groan. She then tried to take a bite of my pancake but I slapped her hand.

“Hey!” she said, pouting.

“Get your own.” I said moving my plate away from her.

“Let’s get you breakfast, babe.” Logan said as she offered his hand to Elora before making their way to the kitchen where Natasha finally replaced Erica from cooking.

The rest of us just ate and chatted with each other for the next hour before the rest that weren’t able to prepare breakfast cleaned up. Since the boys mostly didn’t help earlier, we girls went to the living room to watch TV, our channel of choice this time letting our food digest.

“So, do you have an activity planned for later?” Natasha asked Elora.

“I thought that we’d ride Logan’s family’s boat. But I changed my mind. We can just do that later at night and have dinner there. How about you, do you have any activities in mind for this morning?”

“We can just swim at the lake again.” Olivia replied.

“How about kayaking?” Nikita suggested, “Do they have one here?”

Elora nodded, “Yeah in the boat house. They also have a jet ski there.”

“Sweet!” Olivia said, sounding so excited, “Let’s do that then.”

“Or we can just play a different game.” Erica replied.

“What do you have in mind?” I asked.

“The sororities and fraternities had a get together and we had this game called catch the thief.”

“Oh, I remember that!” Natasha replied.

“How do you play that?”

“The boys would give us each of their shirts and we girls would get to pick and wear it. The boys wouldn’t know which one of us would be wearing their shirt. We will hide and they will try to catch the girls who are wearing their shirts. Whoever catches the girl wearing their shirt at the fastest time wins.”

“That’s a very heterosexual game.” Olivia who is an open bisexual said making us giggle.

“Well it’s a game played by the sororities and fraternities. Not that I’m saying we don’t have LGBTQ+ members but you know what I mean....”

“So, it’s like a mixer?”

“Yeah, it almost has the same purpose.”

“Well everybody else here is single besides me and Logan.” Elora replied.

“So, you two would be the hosts.” I replied, making her grin.

“Oh, I’d love to do that.”

“You know you are my best friend but you’re not really a good match maker.”

Elora groaned as we all laughed. Every one of us has experienced how a kind-hearted soul my best friend is. She always sees the good in people and disregards their flaws. That’s why I trust her with who she set me up with sadly it never worked out because of their hidden attitudes.

Elora has set me up with a few dates before (because she wants to have best friend goals double date with me) and each and every one of them failed. I love her and I know she just wants me to be happy but she really isn’t a good judge of character. At least Logan has some good recommendations but most of them are his fellow athletes from different sports and I couldn’t date them because they were all so busy with their training that there is little time left to hang out and get to know each other.

“How about we let fate decide?” Nikita replied as all of our attention turned towards her where she was seated, “Elora and Logan don’t have to host the game, they can join us. The shirts would be collected by Logan so we won’t know, only him. They’d fold it inside out so that we won’t see the print, just the color, then we each have a pick. Of course, we shouldn’t see it until all of us have already picked it.”

“That’s better. But is it okay for you Elora that we’d play the game and pick Logan’s shirt?”

Elora shrugged, “It’s just a game. No harm done. But we won’t be able to mix and match if ever that happens.”

“We don’t have to necessarily go out with the one we got their shirt.” I mean I’m not expecting to date any of these guys. Like I said basketball players can be loud. Well except for the juniors of their team but we don’t have anything in common. The only other person here who isn’t one of them is Aspen and we don’t get along pretty well because of his bored expression.

“True.” Natasha replied as the rest of the girls nod in agreement, “The sororities do it because it’s like an unwritten rule to date their corresponding fraternities. We don’t have to do it here. It’ll be just a game to pass time.”

All of the girls nod in agreement, “So that’s settled then. We’ll play the game later and have fun in the boat at night.”

Elora got up from her seat to talk to Logan as the rest of us girls went to prepare. I changed into more appropriate outdoor clothing and put on some sunscreen and bug spray which I forgot to wear yesterday. That’s why I now have a lot of mosquito bites. Thankfully the ointment that I put on before I slept last night helped.

Once I was ready I joined the others outside. Logan already is holding different clothing in his right hand while his other arm is wrapped around my best friend’s waist. I waved at them smiling before making my way downstairs. I just made small talk with them to pass the time while we were waiting for the rest of the gang. A few minutes later we finally started the game.

“Is everyone already here?” Natasha asked as everyone agreed, “So I believe you guys already have an idea with the game. The boys have already given their shirts to Logan.”

Logan raised the clothes he was holding as Natasha nodded.

“Now all of you will turn around as the girls will pick the clothes randomly. The girls will be given a 1-minute head start to hide. The boys who can replace the girl who is wearing their shirt in the shortest time wins.”

Everyone cheered as they all lined up to their places. The boys turned around as Natasha took the shirt from Logan and made us close our eyes. I stood there just feeling the cold breeze as the smell of leaves, earth, and bark surrounded us.

A few seconds later I felt Natasha standing in front of me as she lightly nudged me to pick a shirt. I reached my hand feeling the different materials shortly inspecting each one before settling to the farthest one to the right. Natasha moved to Nikita who was standing beside me and continued on until everyone had already picked a shirt.

“You can open your eyes now girls.” and we did as my eyes traveled to the fabric in my hand before I gaze at the girls who were also looking at the shirt they got, “So now girls wear them already so that we can start the game.”

I wore the black shirt that I had, having a whiff of a familiar scent. My brows knitted as I thought of where I smelled it before but before I can recall where I smelt it before Natasha clapped as my attention move to her as she was now also wearing the last shirt that wasn’t chosen from the pile.

“Loga, you ready?” Natasha asked as Logan who are facing his back on us made a thumbs up holding his phone on the other, “Prepare to hide ladies!”

“Timer starts, now!” he shouted as we girls scrambled around giggling.