Fresh Start

T e n

   "No, it's a lock in." Alexandra corrects, "C'mon it's sick as hell, like a fucking sleepover." She explains, I share a look with Kaylee who sits beside me on the couch rather than Alex and Maia, who sit on the floor across the coffee table from us.

Kaylee looks equally confused as she pipes up, "Sleepover? But like in a church, what's fun about that?"

Alex rolls her eyes as Maia laughs slightly, "I've never been either but we start school in two days and it'll be fun, apparently they watch movies and shit-"

"You're totally down playing it." Alex cuts Maia's explanation off. "There's no adult supervision- well except Benson but he doesn't count- anyways, the whole youth group sits around playing games and watching movies."

"I just don't understand the point of locking us inside." I state, still confused as I watch Kaylee nod supportively.

"That's why it's called a lock in!" Alex exclaims in a whiny tone, groaning a second later before she speaks, "You guys are coming, period. Pack sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, toiletries, pajamas and clothes for tomorrow."

"I just don't feel like it." Kaylee says. My eyebrows raise in honey surprise, it's usually me being the less adventurous out of the two of us, I'm usually the one making up excuses but now Kaylee is?

"It'll be fun Kaylee, do it for me." I say making her look at me with a similar expression Iwas wearing a minute ago. If Kaylee's gonna be the apprehensive one then I suppose that only leaves the pushy one to me.

I tilt my head a little, hopefully conveying the fact I'm worried about her and this could be a good idea, and she must get it because a second later she's nodding and saying words of agreement, making Alex clap, followed soon by some cheering from Maia.

Kaylee's been the one during our whole friendship who's pushed me to try new experiences and meet new people, now she needs someone to do that for her and it's just fair that that person be me.

---

"I don't know why Alex assumed we'd just have sleeping bags laying around." Kaylee comments as she runs her hand along one of the sleeping bags along the shelf at this weird depo store we found on the edge of town.

"It's not like we planned to go camping in florence." I agree, reaching forward to peek at the price tag on a purple sleeping bag. "So why'd you try to get out of this?" I ask, feeling her blue eyes on my face a second later.

In the corner of my eye I can make out her shoulders moving in a small shrug, "Didn't think you'd mind, you've never been a fan of this shit."

I nod agreeing as we continue to walk down the aisle, me leading the way as my eyes glance at the sleeping bags on display as Kaylee follows, bringing a weird sound with her as she runs her finger nails along each of the nylon bags, creating a scratching noise. "It's usual for me to not wanna do things with strangers, but you, you're a fucking social butterfly."

"Maybe I just wasn't feeling like it..." She suggests, but stops talking when I give her a pointed look, one that says 'you're not fooling me', she seems to get the message when she begins to talk again, "Okay fine. I didn't want to go, but maybe it's a good distraction, thank you, we're leaving it there." She states, the words falling at a rapid pace.

"Fine, but you can talk to me about it whenever you want." I say, only earning a small nod from her in agreement before we fall into a comfortable silence, continuing to look and compare prices of the sleeping bags.

---

"You're tired already?" Maia asks, clearly amused as I lift my head from where it was previously leaning on the window and open my eyes to be met with her small smile as she leans between her and Alex's front seats.

"Kaylee forced me to watch tv all night." I explain, closing my eyes again. "Ow." I mumble when I feel someone- who I assume is Kaylee- punches my arm lightly.

"I didn't force you, you were the one that couldn't wait to watch the new episode." She argues.

I watch as Kaylee gives me a challenging look, "I was also the one that tried to draw the line when it hit one, but you wouldn't let me."

"Oh shut up, you were just happy I gave you permission to stay up." She points out, making me roll my eyes and mutter something, but I don't argue further, instead closing my eyes again, until I feel the car stop.

"I still don't understand the point of locking us in." I state as I sling my small bag onto my shoulder, exiting the car as everyone else does.

"It's just so they can call it a lock in." Alex explains, and with a loud beep she locks up her car, leading the way towards the double doors.

I look around as I see a few other cars pull in along with some other people walking in with us. "Hey, does your brother go to this church?" I ask Maia, bumping my shoulder into hers.

She meets my eyes, nodding a bit, "Yeah but he doesn't actually come that often, and he refuses to partake in youth group." She tells me, making me hum a small note to tell her I heard her as the four of us enter the wide doors, being met with a dimly lit hallway.

When we enter the room there's people...a lot of damn people. But I take deep breaths, grounding myself into the mismatched carpet and glancing around the room. On one side there was a small projector hanging from the ceiling displaying a dark screen onto a large plastic sheet.

All the other kids are setting up their sleeping bags, most of them near the screen, probably hoping to see the movie when it starts. For some reason the lights are dimmed making everything dark. All the people stuffed into this small room causes the air to be warm and stuffy.

Before I can list off anymore negative things there's a loud clap from behind where me, Kaylee, Maia, and Alex stood in the doorway, making me jump and grab Maia's shoulder who simply smiles at me, offering a small laugh in amusement after my face shows relief when I realize it's just Benson- seriously what's with him and clapping every two seconds- "Without any further adieu people, the front doors have been locked." He announces, gaining everyone's attention.

"What if someone isn't here yet?" Alex questions from his side.

He glances down at her, seeming to just realize we're all in front of him, "Well it's already past the deadline and no more cars were coming, so I think we're good." He says, "Why don't we start a movie, Abby, what was the movie you downloaded?"

"In the tall grass." A ginger girl replies, standing near the screen and projector.

"Okay why don't we kick things off with a movie, there's snacks in the corner." After the words leave his lips everyone falls into action, grabbing snacks and huddling in small groups around the screen.