The Tootsie Pop Challenge || conqueringkatie
The first two weeks at Northcreek Summer Camp were turning out far differently than JT had ever expected. While he had always been happy in the previous two summers he’d been counselling at the camp, he was different kind of happy altogether from the moment he laid eyes on Katie Matlin. She was a first-time cousnsellor whom he’d met on orientation day, and he could clearly remember how she’d squeezed into a vacant chair between Lacey and himself, then confided in him that she was nervous about starting the job. He could only wonder as to what might have happened if she’d sat somewhere else, and asked another guy to be her orientation day partner. JT could only conclude that she would have undoubtedly made some other guy very lucky.
It was needless to say that she had no reason to be nervous at all. Katie was flawless at what she did. The children were as intrigued by her as he was every day, by the fascinating stories she told, the way she was so easily charming, and the way she could make anything into a thrilling competition.
Eventually, a few too many coincidences meant that JT had no choice but to confess that she was his blue-eyed crush - his Miss Northcreek - and that he was worried about losing his job. It felt incredible to get such a weight off of his chest, and even more so when he found out that she liked him too. Of course, such a revelation was bittersweet, thanks to the strict rules implemented by the camp’s senior staff. Any kind of romantic relationship between colleagues at the camp was forbidden, so the two decided to put their feelings behind them and remain just friends, no matter how much they wanted to be something else.
Their first step in remaining platonic was to focus on and talk about anything that didn’t involve their mutual feelings. The first thing that had come to mind was Tootsie Pops, a type of candy that Katie seemed to rather enjoy. They had made a number of jokes about ‘how many licks’ were required to get to the lollipop’s gooey center, to the point where they decided to take the matter into their own hands and figure it out. Naturally, there was a competitive aspect to it, with them both making an estimate before the attempt, with the one who was closest to the actual amount of licks being the winner. That, and the loser had to buy them a drink. Katie being only eighteen didn’t register as a concern until they were at the entrance to the bar.
The security guard outside the door asked JT for his drivers’ license, to verify that he was of legal age to be drinking. He had no qualms in displaying it; after all, he was twenty. Pleased enough to see that the young man’s ID was legitimate, the guard let Katie into the venue without question. She didn’t need to pull out her fake card at all. It was something JT made a mental note to joke about later, for it was often that Katie would jokingly call him ‘old’. Once they were settled in a booth towards the back of the bar, he pulled out a bag of Tootsie Pops, one that he’d purchased from a nearby gas station on another day off.
“Okay” he announced to Katie while he gestured to the bag “Pick your pop, and make your guess.”