A Cabin For Thirteen (Sequel to 6G5G1S)

*Chapter 2: Welcome to the Cabin

Lucy

The girls and I grinned as we walked down the small sidewalk outside of the school. We had been waiting for this day since the end of the summer. We’d gone through a whole trimester, plus half of another, just waiting. Finally, it was here.

The assistant principal stood outside of the school, directing traffic for the parents of the underclassmen who needed to be picked up. As we walked past her across the crosswalk that led to the parking lot, we gave her a small wave and a smile. She knew us fairly well, but it was for good things. We had never been the troublemakers of the school.

When we were in the parking lot, I saw the van across from me. I chewed my lip, thinking about what was going to happen. After all, I wasn’t sure where I stood with Niall anymore. We had Skyped a bit when we had time, and had been texting and calling a lot too. But, after what I said at the airport, admitting my feelings and all, I was nervous.

I glanced over at each of my friends. Lizzie, Courtney and Ana all looked very happy, probably excited to see their boyfriends and their friends. Simone looked happy, but it was a different level than Lizzie, Courtney and Ana. She was just excited to see her best friends, not her boyfriend.

And then there was Kelly, who looked happy, yet, nervous. She was definitely the one I could relate to. She was nervous to see Zayn after all that drama that happened with them over the summer, and I was nervous to see Niall.

I pushed the thoughts out of my head as we reached the van doors. Courtney knocked on the front passenger’s side window, and said, “Hey, let us in!”

The window rolled down to reveal not any of the 1D boys, or Courtney’s brother Kyle, but a dark haired boy that the girls and I all knew well. “What’s the magic word?” he asked, smirking at us.

“Michael!” Lizzie exclaimed, grinning. She threw her arms through the window and hugged her brother tightly. “I thought you weren’t coming home for Christmas!”

“Surprise,” Michael said, smiling. I couldn’t believe it myself. It was actually him, Airman Michael Nelson, home from the war! This was another early Christmas present.

From the driver’s side, Kyle spoke up. “What am I, chopped liver?” he asked, looking pointedly at his sister. He removed his hands from the wheel and crossed them over his chest, frowning.

“Ask me that after you’ve come back from war,” Courtney said, and went to hug Michael next. We all gave Michael a hug too. We hadn’t seen him in person in eighteen months! “Are our bags in the back?” she asked both of them.

“Yup. I piled all of them in before going to the airport,” Kyle said. “You girls have a lot of suitcases!” He exclaimed as Kelly hugged Michael.

Most of us complained about the fact that we only had one bag, or two if you were Ana (“I had a suitcase and an ice skate bag, that’s it!”), but Courtney was silent. Oh gosh. How many were there this time?