Camp Red Lake

Chapter 43 . Reunion

The week crept by. I suppose the fact that we were waiting until Friday, made my anxiety worse. The truth of the matter was that I was beginning to fall for Nathan and that realization was terrifying. I couldn't keep our pending conversation out of my head, which only ended up distracting me in my day to day errands. The day was Wednesday. That was the day of the week that I usually went to the grocery store. I liked taking advantage of the specials they held for fruits and vegetables. I remember it was around three in the afternoon.

I was on my way to the checkout counter when someone rushed by and bumped into me. The force caused my grip to loosen, causing me to drop my bag of tomatoes onto the polished floor. "Oh fuck, I'm sorry miss!" The guy who'd bumped into me bent down and helped me retrieve most of my tomatoes.

"It's okay. Shit happens." I assured as I held the bag open for him to place the fruit inside.

"Yeah, it sure does!" He chuckled as he kept his head down, his long fringe covered a good portion of his face. His voice was incredibly familiar. Once we were finished picking up, I straightened myself up and studied him. The moment he glanced up, I felt my heart stop.

Ashy, brown locks fell loosely over one of his emerald eyes. His appearance was an immediate give away. "Jason!?" I gasped when I realized it was him. I couldn't believe my eyes. It took him a little while to recognize me. When he did, his eyes widened.

"Hazel? Is that...you?" He asked incredulously. Without warning, the brunette picked me up and crushed me in his arms. I returned the embrace, burying my face into his chest. A sense of security washed over me at that moment. Seeing Jason was an affirmation of my sanity. If he existed, that meant that everything I had gone through was real. I wasn't crazy.

"It's great to see you." I whimpered, overwhelmed by the emotions that were coursing through me.

Jason pulled back when he heard the sound. His gaze softened when he noticed my glossy eyes. "Hey. It's okay. Breathe, yeah?" He reminded as he took the bag of tomatoes from my hand.

"I haven't seen you in ages, how have you been?" I asked wiping away a stray tear.

"I've been well. Hey, don't cry. Let me take you out for a cup of coffee so we can catch up. My place?" He suggested. I nodded. A weary smile on my face.

"Yeah, that sounds lovely." I sniffled, still trying to get past the shock of seeing him again.

"I'm sorry I bumped in to you, I'll pay for your tomatoes okay?" He offered as he gestured to the bag.

"Sure, thanks." I said gratefully as I followed him into the ten items or less line. Once we had paid for our groceries, Jason accompanied me across the street to my house to drop them off. He waited outside. Once I'd put everything away, I rushed back down the stairs. I blinked when I saw a familiar black car parked in my driveway. I couldn't help but stare.

"You like it? It's my roommate's car." Jason clarified as he pressed on the key fob to unlock it.

"Yeah...it's nice." I muttered, biting my bottom lip to keep my real thoughts from spilling out. 'It's familiar.' My mind affirmed. It had to be a coincidence though. Surely all the cars with that model looked similar. Yeah, that's all it was. Once I managed to convince myself that everything was just an odd episode of deja'vu, I turned my gaze back to Jason.

"Ready?" He asked when he met my gaze. I nodded which gave him the permission he needed to switch gears and pull out of my driveway. It didn't take us long to arrive at his apartment. I swallowed thickly, my sight focused on the large complex we pulled into. I kept my hands folded between my thighs as Jason parked. Even though I was excited to see him and grateful to know he was okay, I knew that our reunion was going to re-awaken certain memories that I didn't want to deal with...

Jason lived in a small apartment not too far from my house. It was a light-pink complex with white shutters and a white, metal door. The inside was a light beige color with wooden floors, and it had two stories. I followed my old friend up the stairs of the complex.

"Home sweet home." Jason informed as he took out his keys and unlocked the door. There was a small black couch in the living room, along with two black chairs, a small silver table and a flat- screen TV mounted on the wall. I couldn't keep my eyes from wandering. His apartment was so neat and put together. "Go on, take a seat!" He urged as he put his groceries down in the kitchen. I walked over and took a seat on the black couch, it was soft and leathery.

"Nice place." I complimented, just before a familiar-looking dog come out from one of the rooms.

"Thanks! I try. Lord knows my roommate can't decorate for shit!" He chuckled from the kitchen. I didn't respond, my attention too focused on the canine that was now licking my fingers.

"Lucky?" I asked in a small voice. The dog seemed to recognize the name because it barked in response. The sound caused Jason to turn around.

"Hey. Go back to your owner's room!" Jason scolded as he left the kitchen and ushered the dog back to where he'd come from. I watched the display with bewilderment. How did Lucky end up...here?

"You want something to drink?" Jason's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Um...no thanks, maybe later..." I told him, trying to keep my voice level. Just what the fuck was going on? After he got himself a drink, Jason walked over and sat next to me.

"So, what you been up to since we last met?" I paused for a second.

"Not much..." I began unsurely. "I've been going to school and I'm working at an animal shelter, and you?" I asked anxiously as I studied him. Jason had changed quite a bit. He was taller and his jaw line and features were more pronounced. Though he still sported the same hairstyle, it was easy to see that he was no longer that boy from camp; He was a man. His Adam's apple was more visible, and I could see hints of stubble starting to grow on the bottom of his chin.

"Wow, you sure like to keep busy huh?" He remarked as he took a sip of his cola. "I see you also cut your hair a bit, I nearly didn't recognize you. It looks nice, kind of suits you" He complimented with a smile.

"How are Myra and Allison doing?" I asked.

"Oh, they're fine. They're both out already and they come over from time to time..." He informed as he continued to drink his soda. "Mai and I are still dating, and Allison is still with pretty boy Kyle..." He said without looking at me. After a few seconds of silence, he turned to me. "Mai misses you a lot you know..." He said wearily. "It would be great if you could give her your number." He suggested.

I glanced down at his grey carpet and smiled. "I miss her too." A few seconds of silence passed between us then as I gathered my thoughts. "Jason, I hope you don't mind me asking but, how did you guys get out? I thought you were going to be released when you turned twenty-one." Jason shrugged as he chugged the last bit of his soda. When he'd finished, he crushed the can and placed it on the floor.

"Do you remember...everything that happened with Violet?" He asked cautiously. My heart throbbed.

"How could I forget?" I asked, my gaze trained on the floor. I could feel an uncomfortable knot constricting my throat as I tried not to think too much about...him.

"Well, when her father found out about her death, he went berserk and closed the camp." He said as he glanced at me from the corner of his eyes. "It happened a few months after you left."

I nodded. "Good. It's about time they closed that horrible place down..." Jason nodded. I was about to ask him something else about Myra when a loud bang interrupted me.

"Jase! We're out of shampoo dude! Did you bring any from the grocery store!?" A familiar voice shouted from the other room. I stood up, my brows cinched together.

"Who's...that?" I managed to ask, my gaze trained on the closed door.

"Crap! I didn't know he was here!" Jason cursed as he jumped to his feet. "I think you should go." He urged as he began pulling me towards the door.

"Why what's going on?" I asked confused.

"Jase, I know you're there!" I turned my head just in time to see the bedroom door swing open.