Chapter 15

Zak and I were up in my room packing the last of the cloths, from the shopping bags, into a large, bright purple backpack when Grandma called up to us from the main floor.

“There’s some people at the door for you guys,” Grams called.

“Okay, Grandma,” I called back, zipping up the backpack. I stood up and began to lift the bag to my shoulder.

“I got it,” Zak said, taking the bag from me and settling it on one of his shoulders.

“Thanks,” I skipped out of my room; Zak and Brady close at my heels.

“There they are!” Jake proclaimed dramatically as Zak and I descended the stairs.

“Did you forget what time you were meeting up or what?” Jason asked good-naturedly.

“So you guys ready to go?” Steven asked Zak and me.

“Yep,” I replied from where I stood at Zak’s side, halfway up the stairs.

“Okay, let’s go,” We followed Steven out of the house to the dark blue van parked on the street. “You guys can take the middle row with Ryan.” Zak and I nodded, and I climbed into the middle of the middle seat, leaving room for Zak and Ryan on the outsides. Zak put Brady in the back with Lance before sliding onto the seat next to me.

Ryan slid on to the seat, scooting as close to me as he could, his leg up against the side of mine. I scooted away from him, closer to Zak.

Zak glanced down at me, saw my worried expression, and put his arm around my shoulders, holding me to his side, and away from Ryan. Lani got in the front passenger seat next to Steven and turned around to face us as Steven started the van and pulled out onto the street. She wore her usually bright and happy expression.

“So,” She said, addressing me, “You ever been camping?” Her eyes flashed with amusement.

“Uh, yeah, once with my dad about three summers ago,” I responded, meeting her gaze.

“Oh, so you know all about putting up the tents and stuff?” Lani asked.

“Actually,” I said, smiling sheepishly, “My dad put up the tent and everything. I was a little… preoccupied… with Andrew…” I glanced down at my lap, just as Ryan’s hand slunk its way onto my leg. I jumped, practically into Zak’s lap out of surprise, my legs hanging over Zak’s knees and hugging his arm. My dark eyes were wide as I stared at Ryan with a confused and slightly naïve expression. He smirked ‘slyly’ at me his eyebrows tilted in a sinister manner.

I turned my gaze up to Zak’s. My expression could only be described as helpless and vulnerable. He met my line of sight and held it for a moment before looking up at Ryan. Zak looked back down at me, before unhooking my safety belt and shifted me, over him, as he scooted into my spot, giving me the seat by the door, furthest away from Ryan.

I glanced up at Zak thankfully. “Thanks,” I mouthed, my face looking slightly apologetic. Zak nodded as he pulled out his CD player from one of the backpack pockets. He held a headphone out toward me, meeting my gaze, silently asking if I wanted to listen. I nodded and took the headphone from in between his fingers. I stuck the headphone in my ear and we listened to some mix that he had in the CD player at the time.

I sat sideways in my seat, my back against Zak’s shoulder, so I didn’t have to see Ryan, staring out the window. The green foliage out side the car was quite entrancing, so like the color of Zak’s eyes, flying by outside my window.

The van came to a stop, and seconds later I felt a tug on a strand of my medium-brown hair. I tilled my head back so I could see Zak. “We’re here,” Zak informed me. I smiled at him and got out of the car.

After everyone had escaped the confines of the crowded car, the guys all moved to the back and started to unload the supplies. Lani and I followed close behind them, as they made their way toward a trail. We both of were carrying a backpack on our shoulders.

When we had walked for about five, ten, minutes, we came to a luscious green clearing with a great view of the beach. We set down our bags as the guys began to pull the tents out of the trash bags they were kept in.

“You guys need some help?” Lani called with a big gleeful grin on her lips.

“Na, we got it. You lady folk go have fun,” Steven called goofily. Lani and I exchanged a look before we burst into at tumult of laughter.

“Okay,” we turned and started towards the rocky beach.

“So what’s it like in California?” Lani asked as we kicked rocks into the water. “That is where you’re from right?”

“Yeah,” I said easily, staring out at the water as I sat down on the smooth rocks. “It’s really war, besides the weather and the fact that the ocean is right there, it’s pretty much the same. It’s not as green though.”

“Sounds like you liked it there,” she commented, glancing over at me before she bent down and picked up a blue-gray rock.

“Yeah, I did,” I nodded as I stared out at the water.

“So why’d you leave, if you don’t mind me asking,” Lani asked shyly, almost out of character for her.

My eyes turned downward, darkening a little to more of a gray color, as I let out a breath of air through my nose as I stood up. “After my parents were killed, I had to come up here. I have no other relatives.” Slowly I peeked over at her to find a sad look on Lani’s features. Her lower lip stuck out slightly, and her brow puckered.

“What happened?” Lani asked carefully, obviously trying not to trigger any bad memories.

“They were killed, one night while I was at a party.” It was surprising how easy it was to talk about the accident, if that’s what it was. In a way, it almost felt like it had happen to someone else’s parents, not my own.

The space was silent, except for the shouts of the boys back at the campsite. When I looked up at Lani, it looked as it she was thinking hard about something. “What’s up?” I asked, thinking it was an appropriate question.

“Nothing,” she said as she shook her head. “It’s just, I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you,” the sympathy in her voice was evident in every word she said. “Do you ever plan to go back?”

“When I turn eighteen I plan to. To visit old friends and stuff, you know?” We started to meander down the beach.

“Yeah,” at that point all conversation ceased, and we just wandered along the rocky shoreline of the lake, occasionally bending to pick up a rock and toss it in the deep blue waters of the lake.

So it's been a really long time since I've update this story. I'm really really sorry for that, but that's what happens when you get writer's block... or just aren't sure how to finish it. Anyway, I hope you like the chapter, and yes I am aware that nothing really happens in it. I don't know if I will get the next chapter up this week, because I've got two essays due and a choir trip, but I'll try!!! :) One again, I hope you liked it. I would like to thank everyone who's stayed loyal to the story, even when I haven't been updating!!! You are all awesome!!!

Tootles,

Roselyn Flores