Bait // Thiam

Chapter 56

One thing I didn't realise about this camping trip, is how far away it is. Not only did we have to skip first period of school to get Theo's stuff, we had to skip the whole day just to get here before dark. It's a good 10 and a half hours away and that's not including gas stops.

The goods new is, we've been driving for two hours, so there's only like another 9 till we're there. The drive so far hasn't been too bad, but barely anyone has said a word. Everyone seems so tense, just like whenever a new threat comes along. I want to somehow break the tense, awkward silence but I don't know how to. I don't want to say the wrong thing and piss everyone off, but then yet again. What is the right thing to say?

"Did Theo show you guys the picture of where we're going?" I spoke up, talking to no one in particular.

"He showed me before we got in the car, looks absolutely beautiful." Allison responded, smiling in the rear-view mirror.

"Nope." Malia sighed, looking out the window.

"I looked it up as soon as you told me where we were going. Looks really nice." Lydia told me, shaking her head at Malia.

"Okay, what's gotten into everyone?" Theo asked, rolling his eyes. "We're going camping to get away from... all this. Can't we just forget about everything for three days and just enjoy ourselves? I mean, that's the whole point of this."

I could tell Theo was getting pissed at everyone, but he did make a good point. We did plan this camping trip so we could get away from the tension, but we seem to be bringing it with us. And if it's just going to follow us, we might as well just go back home and stay there.

"Theo's right. We need to just let go of everything. I mean, it's for three days. Three days of not having to worry about a single thing. If you ask me, that sounds pretty perfect." Allison looked at Malia, raising her eyebrows.

"I guess so." Malia looked at her, shrugging her shoulders. "Well I mean, the best way to relax is listening to music. Who's phone am I putting on?"

I looked at Lydia as she quickly raised her phone, placing it into Malia's hand. I laughed and waited to hear what song was going to be on first. I looked at Lydia and smiled, surprised that she's even heard this song. I looked at Theo and smiled, remembering the first day we ever really hung out.

The day we officially became friends. When I helped him at the café, then we went to the beach, I then found out his dad kicked him out and then I offered to let him stay at mine. The day we also heard this in the car and I've never related to a song more than this one. It's our favourite song and whenever it's on, I normally just remember everything about that day. The day I met the person I truly love.

Before I met Theo, whenever I listened to this song I would always think about Hayden. Even though we weren't friends, I always saw us as more than friends. Obviously that was before I realised I was gay. Now it just reminds me of him and how much he means to me. How much I love him. I looked as his hair covered parts of his face, tempted to push them back behind his ears.

"What the hell were we? Tell me we weren't just friends." I started singing, tapping my foot to the beat of the music. "You have pretty good music taste so far."

"I know right." Lydia smirked, humming to the song.

"Well I've never heard this song." Malia added, turning around to face us. "But it's actually really good."

I smiled at her and nodded, thankful that for once she's actually being positive. I've known Malia for awhile now and she is a happy person, but she also never really looks on the bright side. She always sort of looks at the bad things in life.