*Book one in the Again series*
After a heated argument lands him in the spare bedroom of his grandparents' rancher, late bloomer Leon Snyder finds his love life heating up after multiple unsuccessful run-ins with a mysterious girl. Despite his faile...
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"Are you going to help me chop wood or are you gonna keep going all Lion King with your phone trying to get signal?" Luke asks, taking the back of his hand across his brows to wipe away his perspiration.
I wave a dismissive hand in his general direction below me, being careful to not lose my balance on the branch I'm sitting on. If I'd known the signal here was this horrendous, I would've suggested we go somewhere more modern with better reception than this fucking stone age park.
"Jesus Christ, Lee," Jason mutters, chucking a quarter of firewood into the fire. Smoke and embers float around me, the autumn air filling with an even crisper aroma than before. He collects quarters of wood in his arms, his head tipping back to stare at me in the tree. "I think you can survive without talking to Katie, bro. It's only a little while longer."
"Debatable." I press Retry sending over and over again, waiting for the message to Katie to go through. It doesn't. Sliding off the branch, I use the neighboring branches to step down until I reach the bottom branch. Then I drop to the ground, phone still clutched in my hand. I check the status of the message again. Sending error, again. I miss my girl. "This is the longest we've been apart," I comment, not caring if they care to hear it or not. I'll talk to a fucking tree about how much I miss her at this point.
I should've never agreed to this trip; I've spent more time worrying, thinking, and acting like a damned lovesick puppy than I've spent doing anything camp-related. Maybe if I had better reception and was able to talk to her more frequently than I have, my mind wouldn't be as consumed with thoughts of her as it is.
"I'm sure she's alright," Jason pipes up, patting me on the back reassuringly. His features going slack with empathy. "Just look at the view, man. It's fucking gorgeous here. Katie would want you to enjoy every second of this."
He wasn't lying. The pictures that we found on Google for this campground didn't do this place any ounce of justice. It looked like scenery straight from a movie or postcard. Mountains and evergreens enclose the isolated region, the air free of pollutants and fragrant with the smell of mud and fresh water from the lake. The campground where our tents are perched was made up of primarily dirt and grass—mostly dirt due to the frequent visitors, I assume.
This place would be a tranquil location for anyone who needed to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, but for someone like me—someone who doesn't exactly want to disconnect, it's terrible. Abso-fucking-lutely terrible.
As much as I know that time apart is both inevitable and healthy in any relationship at some point, it's making me physically and mentally ill being unable to not only see her but talk to Katie. I have no idea how long-distance couples manage because it hasn't been a full weekend and I feel as though I might have to admit myself to the hospital for Katie withdrawals.
Steady footfalls sound behind me. I turn around to see Jason popping open his collapsible chair and taking a seat in front of the fire with a beer in hand as he stares into the blaze with a blank stare. Luke and Dad are off in the near distance, switching on the lanterns by our tents. Nightfall is approaching and the temps are starting to wind down, goosebumps rise on my flesh as I take a seat beside Jason in front of the fire.
