Serena

S i x t e e n

As we packed away our tents and food, everyone was in good spirits. A few had thrown up this morning—including Jake—but were now feeling fine. He had been acting indifferent this morning, slightly strange. He didn't speak to me as often as I would like, but when he did his words sounded almost nervous and rushed. I caught him staring at me more than a few times as well and I'd have to fight off a smile as it threatened to creep onto my lips. I didn't care if he looked at me but it was like he was acting as if he were a schoolboy that was too afraid to talk to his crush, which is the complete opposite of how he is.

It was about eleven in the morning when we started making our way back to our vehicles with the guys in the lead as the girls trailed behind, each group in the own conversations. "I can't believe you slept in the same tent with him, twice might I add," Lee teased, nudging me with her shoulder. "Did you guys...?" she inquired, asking the question that I'm sure everyone else was wondering.

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "Nope."

Caroline let out a huff that basically said "yeah-sure-I-don't-believe-you" but didn't say a word. Taylor on the other hand smiled genuinely and nodded in approval. "I think it's great you didn't. I mean I don't think there is anything wrong with having sex with someone you like obviously but it doesn't seem to be yall's style, ya know?"

I grinned, glad that I was able to get to know Taylor over the weekend, and if I was being honest with myself, she was a better friend already that Caroline could ever be.

The conversation turned to the three girls gushing about what had went down over the past two nights and I mentally cringed, pulling myself out of the conversation. Instead, I focused on the guys ahead and watched them as they navigated through the woods and onto the trail. Each of their arms were full of the items we had dragged to our campsite as they refused to let us carry any of the "heavy stuff." That being said, the only thing in my arms were my sleeping bag, tent, and my backpack over my shoulders.

Usually the guys were loud and playful but today they were talking quietly amongst themselves and I was curious as to what they were talking about. Knowing that it really wasn't any of my business, I then turned my focus on the nature around me. It was a chilly and damp morning but beautiful nonetheless. The sun's rays shined through the forest's hunter green canopy and birds chirped up above. I could vaguely hear the sound of the waterfall and in the distance a creek flowed slowly.

I was so caught up in the flora that I hardly noticed when we arrived back at the vehicles until Kurt asked me if I would help them load stuff up into his truck. "Yeah sure," I said, tearing my eyes away from a chubby squirrel and walked over to his Ford. The eight of us worked quickly loading up the vehicles and we were officially packed up and ready to go within fifteen minutes. Kurt and James hopped out of the bed and we all said our goodbyes. I was slightly surprised when the guys gave me a hug but in a strange way honored by it. It was like they saw me as one of them now and not some weird girl from school.

"Killer weekend man," Alex said, giving a "bro hug" to Jake. "Need to do it again sometime."

Jake grinned and nodded as he walked backwards to his Jeep. "Yeah for sure man, I'll let you know. See you tomorrow!" he called out and we climbed inside with Lee and Caroline in the back and myself in the passenger's seat.

"Do you guys want to stop and get food from somewhere?" Jake asked, bringing the engine to life and backing out of the parking space. He looked over at me and offered a small smile and I returned it, shaking my head. I was still pretty full from the poptarts I had this morning.

"Nah I think we are good," Lee answered for us all and we were soon on our way back to Monroe.

It had taken us a bit longer to get back as we had to make two separate stops for bathroom breaks but as we pulled into Lee's driveway I felt myself relax a bit as in a few moments it would just be me and Jake. "See you tomorrow Serena," she waved, "Bye Jake." She then opened the back of his Jeep and retrieved her belongings and made the quick walk up her driveway into her house before Jake put it in reverse.