After the Snow Ball

Chapter 8

"Jonathan, before you go...!" Joyce called before he could leave the house. "Did you, by any chance have a fight with the fridge?"

Jonathan looked at her suspiciously. "No...dare I ask, why?" His mother looked puzzled for a moment.

"It's pretty banged up. The freezer door has a large dent in it and it's hanging off one hinge...Do you know what might have happened?"

Jonathan shrugged. "Ask Wil, but to be honest, that fridge was pretty old."

----

"Nancy! Are you ready yet?!" Mike shouted from downstairs. "Jonathan's been here for like three hours."

"What?!" Nancy shouted back. "Why didn't you tell me, Mike?" She fumed, running downstairs holding a large duffel bag.

"I did. NUMEROUS TIMES!" He shouted. Nancy pushed past him and out the front door, where, just as suspected, Jonathan was waiting in his car.

Nancy slid into the passenger seat, receiving a quick kiss from Jonathan, and a groan from Mike.

"You guys need to tone it down." He said, folding his arms. Nancy shot him a glare but Jonathan just shook him off, laughing slightly.

"Got everything?" He asked. Nancy and Mike nodded and Jonathan switched on the ignition,

"Hey, where's Will?" Mike asked, leaning forward to speak right in Jonathan's ear. The older boy grimaced at the sound of his loud voice in his ear but nevertheless answered.

"He's still at home, packing. If that's ok with you guys, we're going there first." Jonathan said, making a quick turn into the road that led to his house. Mike sat back in his seat and sat drumming his fingers softly on his leg.

As soon as they pulled up to the familiar driveway, Will was already at the door, his mother rifling through his bag to check that everything was there. Joyce kissed her son hard on the forehead then released him to run to the car. 

--

"Here we are," Jonathan said, parking his car on the outskirts of the wood, where a large sign indicating a campsite. "I doubt anyone will be there though..." He stepped out of the car and began unloading the bags from the boot. There was a distant light in the woods - the others were probably already there.

The four of them walked through the forest, towards the light, flashlights in hand anyway. Jonathan and Nancy walked close to one another, their hands brushing against each other. Will and Mike were walking ahead, their heads bent; deep in conversation.

Once arrived at the campsite, their suspicions were answered, Dustin was already there, setting up his tent already.

"Hey, we're here," Jonathan called out, not wanting to scare him.

"Cool. We were just setting up a tent." Dustin answered. He smiled then went back to sorting out the pegs.

"Is Lucas here already?" Mike asked, assuming that's what Dustin meant by 'we'.

Dustin looked confused. "Nope...he's not here yet."

At that moment Steve poked his head up from inside the tent. "Dustin where are the...Nancy? Jonathan?"

"Steve?"