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Songs:

Fools Gold // One Direction

Latch // Kodaline Cover

You Found Me // The Fray

Use Somebody // Kings of Leon

Big Jet Plane // Angus & Julia Stone
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I decide on a regular tee and some nike shorts that I have, along with the only pair of running shoes I brought with me. Every other pair of footwear I have will easily give me blisters and tire me. I've never been hiking before but I think I know what things to wear and what things not to.

I make my way out of the room and walk over to the living room where Chuck, Michelle and Mila are all waiting for me, watching the telly. Once they spot me walking in they all get up, turning off the telly and walking towards the front door. Chuck looks at me before exiting the flat and laughs, still not over my scare. I shove her as I exit, slightly embarrassed but laughing again at the memory.

"Where are we hiking?" I ask as we drive, looking at Chuck who is currently making a left.

"Griffith Observatory. Not so bad."

"Oh okay." I respond. "Have you ever been there?" I turn to Mila, trying to start conversation.

"Just three times." she answers. "You?"

"First time." I answer.

"Really?" I nod. She huffs. "How old are you?"

"19. You?"

"13. What's your favorite show?"

"Can't decide. You?"

"Same." she sighs. "You talk weird."

"Mila." Michelle interrupts from the front seat.

"What?" she asks.

"That's rude."

"That's honesty." she fires back. I laugh to myself and hear Michelle sigh. I look back over to Mila and explain to her that where I am from, people speak that way, and that there, she is the one that speaks weird. She finds that amusing, and continues to ask me questions about England the rest of the drive towards the Observatory. I like Mila, she's quite mature for her age and has a certain spunk about her, she's also funnier than I would have thought.

"Alright, let's go." Chucks says, opening the drivers door and being the first one to get out. We all follow right after and begin walking toward the beginning of the trail. I feel my phone vibrate and pull it out from my shorts, seeing that it is a message from Lana. I slide my screen open and read the message.

Where are you?

I contemplate for a while on whether I should reply or not, finally, I decide to.

With Chuck.

I tuck my phone back into my shorts, only to feel another vibration. Sighing, I pull it out and go to my messages again.

Where?

Hiking. Got to go, bye.

I tuck my phone back into my pocket then and don't get another message from her the rest of the hike. I manage to keep her out of my mind the rest of the hike, for the most part, but it isn't as easy as one would hope. We make it to the end faster than we all thought we would with all the joking around we had did, and by the time we make it back down to the car the sun has already set. We stop by a Vegan restaurant to pick up some food for Chuck to eat and then pick up a regular pizza for the rest of us before heading to Michelle's flat to watch a film or two.

"So Step Brothers first?" Mila asks, waiting for our answer so she can place the disc in the dvd player.

"Yeah." Chuck answers for all of us.

"Wait wait wait don't push play until I get back." I get up off the couch. "I need use the loo."

"Fine, but hurry up." Mila tells me. "Go through the last door then the door on your right!"

"Okay!"

I follow her directions and reach the end of the hall, making a right and entering a bedroom. I look around briefly before seeing the door on the right Mila was talking about. I make my way towards it and jolt the door open, only to see Michelle turn around in a shock. Naked. I stay frozen for a moment, staring before fully processing what is happening.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry." I cover my eyes and turn around, all in one hasty move. I hear her laugh lightly before hearing a few other movements and am just about to leave the bathroom when she speaks up

"It's alright." she says. "There, you can turn around now."

I turn around and see she has a towel wrapped around her body now. She kicks her clothes on the floor aside and looks up at me.

"You need to use the restroom right?" I nod.

"Okay well use it before I take a shower then, I should have mentioned I was going to shower instead of just coming to my room." she laughs.

"Again, I am so sorry I had no idea-"

"It's fine it's fine." she laughs. "I'm sure you've seen a woman's naked body before." she winks, passing by me. I am taken aback by this at first, but then realize she might be referring to my own.

"Okay well hurry." she smiles. "A woman can only wait wrapped in a towel for so long."

"Alright." I smile. She shuts the door and I use the loo as fast as I can, quickly washing my hands and then drying them with my shirt. I open the door then and see her sitting at the foot of the bed. She gets up once she see's me and I walk by her awkwardly as she makes her way towards the restroom.

"Oh you didn't have to do that." she points at my wet shirt.

"Oh." I look down at my shirt. "Well, what's done is done."

"Okay." she laughs lightly. "Well, I'll see you in a little." she winks.

I feel a warm feeling take over my body for some odd reason and turn around, beginning to walk towards the living room once again. Once I reach it I see both Chuck and Mila sitting on the couch, already eating.

"Took you long enough." Mila comments. "There?" I nod and take a seat besides her on the couch.

"Wait where's Michelle?" Chuck asks.

"Showering." I answer. She looks
over at me. "She got in after I used the loo."

"Oh well she's seen it before so who cares." Mila pushes play and the movie begins. I settle more into the couch and kick my shoes off when Mila tells me I should, my feet feeling relief right when I do.

10 minutes into the movie, we are all laughing and Mila has changed positions a total of 4 times. Currently, she has her head placed on Chuck's lap and legs on top of my thighs and when Michelle makes an appearance, she looks at the telly as she walks by, earning complaints from both Chuck and Mila, even snacks thrown at her in an effort to get her out of the way quicker.

"Fuck you guys." she laughs. She sits beside me on the couch and gets a slice of pizza from the box on top of the coffee table.

"Have you gotten some?" she asks me.

"Hey yeah you haven't gotten some Cara." Mila points out. Michelle fetches another slice from the box then and hands it over to me.

"Thanks." I take the slice from her.

"Sure." she smiles, leaning against the couch cushion. I take a bite from my slice of pizza and hear my phone buzz from on top of the coffee table. I reach over for it and slide the screen open, putting the brightness down before reading the message from Lana.

Are you done with the hike yet?

It reads.

Yes

I reply. I watch the screen and wait for her reply to come in.

Are you guys on your way back?
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No, we're watching a movie at one of Chucks friend's house
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what friend?
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Michelle

I set my phone down on my lap when a reply doesn't come in immediately like it has been for her past messages and once again focus my attention on the movie. I reach for another slice of pizza when Chuck gets up off the couch, looking at her phone screen.

"Um guys I have to go." she starts. Mila immediately protest, getting up from her position.

"Aw no Chuck, why?" she whines.

"Sorry something came up." she says, getting up and hugging Mila goodbye as she continues to pout. "I'll see you soon okay?"

"Okay." she pulls away and moves to hug Michelle.

"Cara?" Chuck calls me when she pulls away.

"Oh, yeah." I sit up and begin to slip on my shoes.

"Aw you too Cara?" I shrug, finishing with my shoes and making my way to Chucks side. I hug Mila goodbye and surprisingly, Michelle too. They walk us out and I wave goodbye to them one last time before getting into the car with Chuck. She pulls out of her parking space and begins driving, changing the station on the radio at the same time.

"So what happened?" I ask.

"Just something with work. I'll drop you off at the apartment." I hesitate before I answer.

"Oh, okay." I feel my palms beginning to sweat and I wipe them on my jeans as I turn to look out the window.

I'm not sure I want to see her just now, but I guess that has been decided for me. I don't want to ask Chuck if I can tag along with her, because I don't want to let her know something is wrong. I don't want to explain to her the complication or her sister and I's relationship, though I'm sure it's already pretty clear. God.

We reach the flat after a couple minutes and I wave goodbye to Chuck as she drives off, wanting to just scream to her to wait so I can join her, but I don't. Instead, I walk to the front door and knock lightly three times, my palms sweating once again. When she opens the door, she had a slight smile on her face, but its barely even visible.

"Hey." she lets out.

"Hey." she moves aside for me to walk in and I do, not really knowing where to go when I am in.

"How was your hike?" she asks, shutting the door.

"Okay." and I remember then. "I'm going to shower." I say, moving to walk towards the bathroom.

"Cara." she says and I turn around to look at her.

"What?" I ask, the energy in the room making me feel uncomfortable.

"When are you going to stop acting like this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh c'mon. Stop acting like a child."

"I'm acting like a child?" I ask beginning to grow angry.

"Yes."

"Oh because not wanting to label a relationship is not childish."

"Oh god not this again." she groans annoyed, her head moving back.

"Yes, this again."

"Why can't you just drop this?" she asks annoyed.

"Why do you want to?" I fire back. She stays silent. Knowing she wouldn't answer, I only nod. Already feeling that horrible feeling in my throat that I always feel before I cry.

"I'm going to shower." I almost whisper.

"Then go." she says, frustrating me and hurting me all in one. I turn away and walk to the bathroom in her bedroom, removing my clothing after turning on the water. I feel tears beginning to gather in my eyes and stick my hand into the shower to feel the waters temperature with my fingertips, turning around when I hear music beginning to play from her bedroom.

Entering the shower, I stand under the shower head. Letting the warm water hit my body. I rest my forearms and forehead against the tile as I let a noise that sounds like a mix of a cry and gasp escape my lips, realizing that maybe her feelings for me, aren't as strong as mines are for her, and that maybe they never will be.