by RH Tucker
I start jogging toward the girls, who are still staring at the map, and then look back at Rich. He motions with his arm to go to the side and then launches the ball in the air. Like I said, I don’t mind this type of method, but of course Rich always pushes it. The ball floats in the air and I already know it’s going to sail over my head. A quick glance back at the girls and I can see the ball is aimed right for them. Taking off in full sprint, I jump up and barely get to the ball in time, diving and crashing to the ground.
One of them gasps, “Oh my God.”
“Yeah, sorry, about that.” I brush off my arm.
“Lucas?”
Getting to my feet, I finally look over at the girls and find Sasha staring at me, Tara next to her.
“Sasha?”
“Hey.” She smiles, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Oh, man, I’m so sorry!” Rich calls out as he jogs over, Johnny trailing behind.
I roll my eyes at Rich, while he wiggles his eyebrows at me. “Rich, this is Sasha and Tara. I went to school with them.”
“Oh, all right.”
I can tell he’s a bummed, knowing that they’re both a few years younger than him and that I know them both.
“That’s our cousin, Johnny.”
The girls wave and Johnny gives me an agitated glare, before turning to the girls, standing a little taller. “John.”
“John?” I say, with a cynical grin.
“Yes,” he replies, grinding his teeth.
“Okay.” I shake my head, fighting the smile. “So, you guys are camping, huh?” Not my best line, because obviously they are, but whatever.
“Yeah,” she giggles. “We actually come out here every year in August, but with college this year my parents decided to come out early.”
“Cool.”
“Hey, Mom and Dad are driving through.” Rich hits my shoulder and I turn around to see my mom smiling, waving wildly at us.
“We better get back.” I look over at Sasha. “Maybe we can meet up later?”
“Yeah, but …” She bites her lip, motioning to Tara. “Tara’s little sister is with us. She’s a freshman.”
“Oh, no problem.” I motion back to Johnny … excuse me, John. “How about giving us a couple hours and meet up back here, cool?” She nods. “All right, cool.”
As we make our way back to our cabin, Rich shoots me a look. “Well, that was a bust.”
“I don’t know. I ran in to them last week at the music festival I went to Jackson with. They’re both eighteen.”
Rich just shrugs, throwing the ball in the air to himself.
“At least they’re around your age,” Johnny whines and we both turn to him.
“What?”
“Did you hear her? Her sister is a freshman?” Johnny seems devastated.
“So?”
“Yeah,” I agree with Rich. “That means she’s closer to your age than Tara is to Rich’s.”
“Guys, come on!” Johnny throws his hands in the air. “I’m gonna be a junior this year. I’m not gonna talk to no freshman.”
“Shut up,” I say, Rich and I both laughing at him.
“Hey, guys,” my dad calls out to us. “Rich, can you grab those bags of groceries?”
“No problem.”
“We’ve got two rooms open, right?” My dad looks at me.
“Yeah.”
“Good, Nancy and Jen are coming. They’ll probably be here in the next thirty minutes.”
Rich takes the groceries inside and Johnny calls out that he’ll be back in a while, but I just stand there. Jen’s coming. She hasn’t been to a camping trip in years and now she’ll be here. My thoughts immediately drift to wondering if she decided to come because she knew I’d be here, but that’s crazy. She hasn’t said a word to me since I watched her leave my room―even to return my shirt. Instead, she left it on our porch. So maybe she came because her aunt asked her to. But I know Nancy’s asked her to come in the past and she didn’t. Either way, I have a feeling this weekend is going to get awkward.
Chapter 12
Jen
One night down, two more to go.
When we pulled in to the campground yesterday, it was easy enough to avoid Lucas. After giving a quick hello to Jerry and Laurie, his parents, I quickly retreated to my room, shutting the door and plugging in my earbuds to listen to music for the rest of the night. Okay, I peeked my head out when Laurie said she’d finished dinner, but only to make sure Lucas wasn’t around. When I knew he wasn’t, I grabbed a plate and tried to act as casual as I could, waiting a couple minutes in the kitchen so I didn’t come off as rude, then hurried back to my room.
“Jen, you can’t stay locked in here all weekend.” Nancy pokes her head in the door.
I’m still bundled up under my covers with a book, but I shoot her a glare. “Nancy, I could’ve been naked in here.”
She rolls her eyes. “Jen, I know you don’t walk around naked.”
“I could’ve been trying it. This is the woods.”
“Whatever, I know you’re just avoiding everyone.”
“Not everyone.”
She steps in my room, closing the door behind her. “Jen, what happened?”
“Nothing.” Oh no, I’m not going to get in to it, especially while we’re under the same roof as him.
“Okay,” she says, leaning on her hip. “If it’s nothing, then you have no reason to stay cooped up in here.”
My mouth drops, but I know she has me. “Fine.”
“Good.” She smiles. “Get dressed, we’re going for a hike.”
After taking a little longer than Nancy would like, and listening to more complaining from her, we finally make our way outside. I take my phone and earbuds, and start up my music. No service in the area means I can’t distract myself by texting Emma, but at least I have my playlists.
“Nope.” She wags her finger at me. “No music.”
“What? Why not?”
“We’re in nature, Jen. Try to enjoy it.”
“Fine,” I grunt, and follow her along the trail.
The area really is beautiful, and I try to push all other thoughts to the back of my mind. It helps that I haven’t seen Lucas since we pulled in yesterday, and Nancy doesn’t ask any more about it.
There’s a small hill that we trek up and stop at the top, overlooking the lake down below. It’s still early afternoon, and the rays of sun sparkling over the top of the lake makes me stop for a minute. There are moments I see things I love. I love my aunt, who’s been my only constant in my life as long as I can remember. I’m usually the rock for my best friend to lean on, but I know if I really ever did collapse and have a total meltdown, Emma would be there. I know these types of love are around me. But something about the reflection of the clouds over the top of the lake makes me stop and think―about nature and how everything seems to work in order. Waves over water pushing and pulling in unison. The sun rises and sets over the horizon, always meeting it in the dawn and kissing it goodnight at dusk. I can even hear the birds singing among the trees. I don’t think I’ll ever have that constant in my life. Someone I can sing to and kiss good morning and goodnight to. Someone who’ll hold my heart close, protecting it, and offer me theirs in return, trusting me with it.
“Hey, you okay?” Nancy bumps my shoulder.
“Yeah,” I answer, still staring at the lake.
She motions for me to follow her. “Come on, let’s head back.”
“You go ahead. I’m gonna hang out up here for a bit. Enjoy the view.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah,” I reply, struggling to smile. “I’ll head down in a minute.”
I’m not sure how long I stay on the hill, but I sit there, looking out. I fight to keep my mind blank, because I don’t want to think about anyone or anything. I just want to be. Emma was right, I haven’t been myself in a while. I don’t know why I ever thought I’d be able to find love. It’s never wanted me. I always knew that, bu
t I thought that maybe, just maybe, if I really liked someone enough, they’d like me back. That they’d want me back. But I should’ve known better.
I finally get up and start heading back down the trail. With Nancy gone, I pull out my phone and plug in my earbuds, turning on my music. I look up to start jogging back down and I crash into a sweaty chest.
Losing my balance, two hands grasp my shoulders, keeping me from falling.
“Shit, Jen,” Lucas’ voice rings out. I look up and see his sweaty face, earbuds in and wrapped behind his neck, an armband around his right bicep. And he’s shirtless.
“Lucas,” it comes out breathy. I’m a little stunned from the impact, but mostly from the sight of him. I remember what he looked like the other night, but today he looks even better, the sweat glistening off his body.
“What … what are you doing?”
“Sorry.” He pulls his earbuds out, laying them over his shoulders, but they angle to the front, making me take another glance at his chest. “I was taking a jog. Sorry, I was changing the song and didn’t see you.”
“Oh, yeah …” My eyes are still swimming over his sweaty skin, roaming from his chest to his abs and then back up.
“Didn’t get a good look the other morning?”
My eyes pop open and my head snaps up, finding a smug grin on his lips.
“Shut up,” I snap, and start heading down the hill.
“Hey, wait. Sorry! I’m sorry.” He hurries over to me, as I keep walking.
He doesn’t say anything more, but he keeps walking with me, matching my stride. After a few silent moments, I glance over at him. “Weren’t you jogging?”
“Yeah, but I reached the top.”
“So why don’t you jog on back down then?”
“Um, I need a breather?” I glance over at him to see an awkward smile before he peers over my shoulder. “Hey, wait. This way.”
“What?” I watch as he moves behind me, through a set of bushes.
“Yeah, come on.”
“No.” I shake my head. “There’s no trail that way.”
“I know, but it’s pretty cool.”
I give him a disbelieving stare. “Luc, I’m not going off the trail. That’s how people die.”
“Gimme a break, Jen, you’re not gonna die. Where’s your sense of adventure?”
“I left it at home, along with my entire desire to even be out here.”
He gives me a mocking look. “Jen, come on, trust me.”
He holds his hand out, halfway already in the bushes, his eyes pleading. I remember following him into an old abandoned house when were ten, all because of those emerald eyes. Or giving into a dare that I open a chocolate milk carton in a grocery store and drink it before we paid for it, all because of those eyes. Hey, we were seven.
“Fine,” I agree and start to follow him, but don’t take his hand.
It’s not very far off the trail, there’s a small opening through some bushes and he motions for me to follow him along. As I step past the hedge, we stand on a clearing overlooking the lake. It’s not as high as the top, but still a good drop down to the water.
“Pretty cool, huh?”
I nod. “Actually, it is.”
“This isn’t even the best part.”
“What do you mean?”
He takes another step closer to the ledge and peers down. Then, he glances over his shoulder at me with a Cheshire cat smile.
“Don’t you dare look at me like that, Lucas Mitchell.”
“Fine, I won’t look at you like that.” His smile remains. “But I will dare you.”
“What?”
“Come on.” He waves for me to take a step closer. I do, only because if I know anything, I know Lucas would never just push me over the edge. “I dare you to jump.”
“Are you insane?”
“Oh, come on.”
“No way. Didn’t you hear me when I said I don’t want to die up here?”
“Jen, you won’t die. It’s like thirty feet, max.”
“Falling from that distance on to water can still hurt.”
“I do it every summer, come on.”
I cross my arms, scoffing. “How have you not broken anything? I’m not breaking my ankles on some stupid dare.”
“It’s deep.”
“You’re crazy. No way.”
I expect him to continue the banter and keep trying to get me to jump, so I’m surprised when he looks out over the water and shrugs. “Okay, fine.”
“Good.” I nod, still keeping my eyes on him.
“I didn’t realize growing up made you such a scaredy cat.”
My mouth drops. “Scaredy cat? Seriously, Luc?”
“What?” He gives me an innocent expression. “It’s okay. I remember you used to not be scared of anything. But, I understand, we all have fears. Even if it is just water.”
“I’m not going to be goaded into this, lame-o.”
“Who’s goading? It’s all good, Jen. It’s just a shame I don’t have a couple beers with me, that’s all.”
I purse my lips together. “Oh, and why’s that?”
“Because the Jen who has some liquid courage in her seems to have a lot more fun. But it’s okay. Hey, we all gotta make decisions as we get older.”
I step to the edge before I realize what I’m doing. “Fine. I’ll do it if you do it.”
“Okay, you first.”
“No way! I’m not jumping down there only to see you laughing at me from up here.”
His smile finally leaves, replaced with an expression of annoyance. “Jen, this was my idea and I told you I do it every year. I’m gonna do it again.”
This is such a stupid idea. And childish. And I don’t even know why I’m even considering doing it, much less giving into Lucas’ dare. But I am.
“What about our phones?”
Lucas bends over, unzipping a pocket on his shorts. “Waterproof pockets.” He smirks back up at me.
“Did you plan this?” I eye him carefully, which makes him laugh.
“Yeah, I waited ’til you left this morning, just so I could jog up the trail and bump into you and then dare you to jump off a ledge into the lake.”
“Whatever,” I grumble out and hand him my phone.
Taking another step, I peek over and down below. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“It’s okay, Jen.” His voice is so caring and soft, that I don’t know he’s still messing around with me until I look back at him. “Lots of people develop phobias in their later years.”
“Shut up.”
Taking another step―or it might just be a toe―I creep closer. I don’t think I’ve been staring down at the water very long, working up my courage to jump, until I hear Lucas behind me.
“Sometime this century, J-Girl.” He laughs.
I step back, take in a deep breath, and don’t think about it again. I jump off the side, unable to contain the high-pitched scream as I fall down to the water.
The chill from the lake hits my lungs first, as I splash below. I’m not sure how deep I plummet, but my arms wave around wildly while I try to swim back to the top of the water. As soon as my head breaches the surface, I’m gulping for air. The chill, the adrenaline, and the rush from the jump all hit me. I gasp again, and this time can feel myself calming down, a smile coming to my face.
“Okay!” I look up and see Lucas standing at the top. “Your turn.”
“All right, cool!” he yells back down, waving. “I’ll see you back at the cabin.”
“What?” My eyes stay locked at the top, as he takes a step back and out of sight. “Luc? Luc!” I yell out again but get nothing in response. “Lucas Mitchell, you better jump down here!” Still nothing. Even though the water’s a bit chilly, I’m fuming. I can’t believe he just dared me to jump and left me.
“Lucas, if you don’t jump down here right now, I’ll kill you. Do you hear me? I will literally kill you!” Still no sign of him.
I let
out a furious grunt, slapping the water, when I hear a yell.
“Look out below!”
My eyes shoot up just in time to see Lucas jumping off the ledge and come crashing into the water next to me. Water splashes everywhere, and after a second of disorientation from the splash, his head pops up.
“You asshole!” I scream at him, splashing water in his face.
He’s already laughing, trying to block the water I’m splashing on him. “Oh, man! You looked seriously pissed off. That alone was worth it.”
“I thought you left me!” I scream again, unable to control my temper.
“Oh, come on.”
“I’m serious.” I frown and suddenly feel the sting of tears.
This was a dare. A stupid dare he egged me into, so why am I so pissed off about it? Why am I on the verge of tears? And to make it even more embarrassing, his smile drops when he sees my expression.
He swims closer to me. “Hey, I wouldn’t do that.”
“Yeah, but you just disappeared up there and―” My voice cracks.
I swim over to the side of the cliff we just jumped off of and he trails behind. I grab on to a piece of rock and hastily wipe my eyes.
“Jen,” he whispers, reaching up and brushing the wet hair out of my face. “I’m sorry. I was just messing around. I wouldn’t leave you like that for real.”
It might be the feeling of his fingers brushing over my skin or because he’s so close I can actually see flecks of hazel in his green eyes. Perhaps it’s that our legs keep grazing against one another. It’s probably all of those things that calms me down. Suddenly, I find myself reaching out, putting my arms on his shoulders.
“You know that, right?” He leans his face closer to mine. “I wouldn’t … I won’t ever leave you. I’ll be there for you, whenever you need me to. For whatever you need.”
At one point in time I believed that. I want to believe it again, but I can’t. However, I don’t want to tell him that either, so I simply nod.
He holds on to a piece of the rock wall, but his other hand floats around my waist. I keep my hands on his shoulders and a foot below the water, pressed against the rocks to keep me balanced and floating. He’s close―too close―but those eyes just keep burrowing in to mine and I don’t want him to leave either.
