Man, moving is more disruptive than I thought!
Anis and Kayla had been exploring the forest for days, and had been getting increasingly frustrated. The guy in the group had been paying more attention to Macey than they had to them, and it was beginning to wear on them. Now, Macey was on their team and Heather was with the guys. It just wasn't fair.
"I just don't understand why they were the lucky ones," Anis complained, kicking a loose pebble into the brush.
Kayla shook her head. "I know. It's like they're the only two that matter."
Macey laughed and waved dismissively. "Oh, come on you two. Don't be so dramatic."
Anis rolled her eyes. "Easy for you to say. You're the one who was getting all the attention."
Macey smiled. "I know, but it's not like I'm doing it on purpose."
Anis and Kayla exchanged glances, but said nothing. They knew that Macey wasn't intentionally trying to hog the attention, and they knew she couldn't help it if Dr. Catton had picked her to work with the guys. Still, the two of them couldn't help but feel envious. Now Heather had injured herself, and Adam constantly doted on her.
"I'm sure it'll all even out eventually," Macey said, trying to reassure them, but knowing she had to tread carefully. She had, after all, been with the guys far more than anyone else and she had taken full advantage of the situation. Not to mention she had been spitroasted by them only a couple of hours earlier. "The guys like you. Both of you," she fibbed, hoping it was true. "The guys are just, well, have a lot of..."
"Choices, I know," Anis grumbled. "Look, there are eight of us, and two of them, and you..."
"Just wait until tonight. Maybe they will ask to talk to you."
Anis and Kayla just nodded, not wanting to seem too rude. But they both still couldn't help but feel a little slighted.
The group kept walking, marveling at the strange sights and creatures of the forest. Every few minutes, they would stumble upon something new and wondrous that defied explanation.
They would walk a few minutes and find themselves in a sea of gigantic ferns, their leaves wide enough for them to hide under. They would take some notes, mark down the location, and move on. A few paces later, a field of wildflowers in brilliant colors. Birds flew by, a small deer in the underbrush.
"This place is amazing," Anis said, her eyes wide in wonder.
"It sure is!" Kayla agreed.
The group kept walking, their enthusiasm growing with each new discovery. The forest seemed to be full of secrets, and they couldn't help but feel like they were uncovering something big.
But despite the breathtaking sights, Anis and Kayla still couldn't help but feel a little bit slighted. Even in this magical place, they still felt forgotten in comparison to Macey and Heather. They longed for a night with either Adam or Dylan, but the guys had choices, and so they were forced to compete for attention. With sharply limited choices for distinctive clothing, and no makeup at all, they felt dowdy in comparison to the other women. A major outdoors retailer had signed on as a sponsor, and had outfitted the entire team. As a result, they all had similar outfits.
By the next morning, Kayla was getting depressed. The guys hadn't chosen her, and she hadn't slept well. Getting dressed, she made a split second decision to wear her magenta blouse, sans bra. She knew she would be showing much less skin than the other women, but she wanted to try something different.
As she walked into the dining area, both guys immediately noticed her. They looked at her so intensely, she paused to look down to make sure she was decent. The blouse covered her fully, although she had tied it to show her midriff. She looked back up to the guys.
"Good morning," she smiled.
"Hey, Kayla, sleep well?" Dylan smiled.
"Oh, ah, good enough."
"We hope to get the lab operational today," Adam said.
"That would be great!" Kayla nodded, basking in their attention. "You guys just work so hard, getting everything in position."
Ashley physically tugged on Dylan's arm to get his attention. Adam continued to talk to Kayla, his eyes seeming to feast on her cleavage. During breakfast, he sat next to her, and she couldn't help but adjust her blouse to entice him even more. She smiled up at him, watching his sparkling eyes, appreciating his strong hands as he opened a jar for her.
Dr. Catton finally brought the group together for the day's assignments. The guys, plus Heather who was still hobbled, would stay in camp to get the lab operational. The other teams would continue to explore the forest.
Adam carried Heather to the lab, where she could run the start up procedures while seated as they wired up each piece of equipment.
"So, like," Heather started, trying to make conversation, "What kind of things did Macey do to help out?"
"She provided us motivation," Dylan grinned.
"Yeah, like a game. We would reach the next goal, she would reward us."
Heather nodded with a grin. "I knew you were playing around while we were out in the forest. You dirty dogs."
"Hey, we got a lot done with the extra motivation."
"Yes you did. Can I try to motivate you?"
They two men stopped and stood, looking at her. "What did you have in mind?"
Heather blushed and looked around, despite being alone in the tent. She then leaned forward.
"How about...when you get the first piece of equipment turned on," she whispered, "You can take my top off."
Adam and Dylan looked at each other, grinning widely, and then nodded in agreement.
"Alright, let's get started," Dylan said, rubbing his hands together. "We've got work to do."
He reached over to the back of the spectrometer and flicked the power button. With a hum, the machine entered its boot up process. Heather's jaw dropped and then she twisted her mouth in playful disapproval.
"You tricked me!" she complained.
"I really don't see how," Dylan grinned.
"A deal's a deal."
