The spring weather was beautiful as we stepped out of the bus for the annual senior camping trip that took place at the end of March. It lasted for a week and it was the last time we would all get together as a school-sanctioned event. I looked out at the giant river that was shimmering with the bright sun, a tree to the side with a tire swing. I could imagine how cool the water would feel against my skin, especially with this nice weather. On the side, the wooden cabins stood on top of a big deck. The cabins were separated down the middle, on one side boys while the other girls. Gina quickly grabs my hands and guides me to one of our cabins with Lynett and Sienna.

"Oh, it's you," Lynett says. Sienna had been nicer as we had put the past behind us but Lynett was still mad. She didn't bother me anymore now that Sienna didn't, but she still didn't like me. I didn't blame her.

"I'm sorry. I was a terrible friend," I tell her without missing a beat. It was our final school trip and we graduated in less than 2 months. I didn't want to have this animosity between us, considering she was once my best friend.

"Whatever," she says and continues unpacking.

"Lynett," Sienna nudges.

Lynett sighs and looks at all of us. "I know you guys want me to forgive her but she was my best friend and ditched me."

"Well you weren't acting like a good friend to me either," I argue back, "you ignored me for no reason when I befriended them."

"That was to protect you. Did you not see everything that happened once you befriended them?" She tells me in annoyance.

I shake my head, "I had the best time of my life, that's what happened."

"Well I'm glad it all worked out," she says.

I close my lips and start unpacking. The other two girls look at each other and pretend they didn't notice anything. I sit on my bed and sigh, "yea." That was the last thing I had to say to her.

There is a knock on the door and Gina opens it to reveal Abacus with a wide grin. He notices the tension and his smile falters. "I came to tell you guys that lunch is ready and then we're all having a swim."

We all nod our heads and Gina closes the door as he walks away. Just like he had said, we spent the day eating and playing in the water. By the end, we were all so tired that there wasn't a sound heard anywhere as we all slept soundly for tomorrow.

The next day, the afternoon activity consisted of a game called Capture the Flag. Five people have been selected and all are hiding in the woods, waiting for the group to give them flags. The first one back wins the prize of getting into the luxurious hot tub reserved for the staff and a paid meal of their choice. To say everyone wanted it was an understatement. We all get to pair up in a group of twos. I hold my partner's hand while looking at my friends, Gina and Link are glaring at each other, Matt is with Alex, and then there is Sienna paired with Abacus. Lynett hands out the maps to the teams and then goes to stand in the center, I guess she wasn't going to participate. I shrug as I look over our map, Grayson hovering over me to look at it.

"Ready," she yells, "go."

With that, we all take off in different directions. The forest was pretty big, but the maps gave clear directions on where to go. We stand behind a group of people until Grayson decides to sit down. I pout at him and cross my arms, "what are you doing?"

He looks up at me, unbothered. "I'm fixing my shoe," he says matter-of-factly.

"We're going to lose?"

He stands up, "Well then maybe we should take advantage of the fact that no one is here."

I put a hand on my hip, "Grayson. I want to win. That's the only reason I chose you as a partner."

He stands up and hugs me from behind, whispering in my ear, "Only reason?" I mumble a yes. "Strawberry, I can buy you anything you want."

"That's not the point, I like to win," I tell him.

"I should have known you were so competitive."

"Was that ever a question?"

He stands up and does a salute as if in the military while saying, "No ma'am."

I put the map in his hand, "Great. Now guide us."

After what feels like hours of walking I finally give Grayson an annoyed look and huff, "We're lost."

"No, we're not," he says as he moves the map up and down.

"You don't know how to read a map," I reprimand.

"Neither do you," he tells me.

"You're the one who promised he knew how to read maps," I told him.

He gives me a sheepish smile and I roll my eyes. Handsome prick. I hear familiar voices coming from below us and go near the edge of a small cliff. I look down to see Abacus and Sienna who seem to be arguing about something.

"They didn't like the idea, Abacus," Sienna says. "It all just sucks and-" she sighs in frustration, "we're lost."

"We'll figure it out Sienna," Abacus says as the sweetheart boy he was, "and I'll get us back."

"Hey," I yell out to them as I step a bit closer to the edge. They look up as I smile brightly before missing a step and start falling. "Grayson," I yell, but it's too late as gravity has done its job and the cliff tumbles me down, passing Abacus and Sienna who look at me in horror, until I hit myself on a tree near a small creek. "Ouch," I say as they all run towards me.

"Amelia, are you okay," Sienna says as she approaches me.

I give her a weary smile and a thumbs up, "never better."

"Come on," she says and helps me up.

"Ouch," I say as a piercing pain stabs my inside when I put one of my feet down. The side that had hit the tree was also starting to hurt. I sit back down and shake my head in denial, "I can't. It hurts too much," I whine as fresh tears make it to my face. I look down in disappointment, "how could I be so stupid?"

"You're not stupid. It was an accident. I'm just glad you're okay."

"You really know how to scare people, Amelia," Abacus says.

"Strawberry," Grayson rushes down and wipes my tears away instantly. "Are you okay?"

"My leg hurts and my side," I told him with a pout. He scoops me up in his arms and looks down at me.

"I guess I'll just have to carry you," and gives me a killer smile.

"Grayson put me down, You can't carry me all the way back. We don't even know where we are or how far away."

"We also shouldn't go alone in case that person gets lost because of course there is no cell service in the woods," Abacus tells us. "Who thought the woods were a good idea?"

"Well, no one probably thought someone would get lost and trip," I tell him. He gives me an empathetic smile that I return.

However, Sienna sits down, "then we make camp and hope someone realizes soon."

Grayson puts me back down and we all sit down in a circle. I stretch out my leg, trying to ease the pain.

"So you guys want to spill what you were arguing about?" I ask bluntly.

This takes them by surprise as I see Sienna turn bright red and Abacus avoids eye contact as he does his classic habit of scratching the back of his neck when embarrassed. Sienna shrugs, "It's really nothing. Just that it seems Abacus and I will be getting married one day." She gives us a fake smile as he gives a sad one. I felt bad for them and sad that Sienna wasn't getting to run her business on her own like she wanted to. I reach my hand out and squeeze hers.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Grayson says, clearing his throat as he avoids eye contact.

"I couldn't have picked a better person," Abacus says lightly. Sienna smiles at him and nods.

"Yeah."

"So," I turn to Abacus and Grayson, "are you guys going to keep avoiding each other?" They both look at each other and shrug, still avoiding eye contact. "You both miss each other and could have been friends if your families weren't so messed up. You were friends."

"I don't know Amelia," Grayson says.

I glare at him, "you do too. Abacus misses you as his friend." I turned to him, "right?"

"Ummm," he scratches his neck.

"Why are you so focused on everyone else?" Sienna calls me out.

I turn to her and point at my leg, "because this hurts, and focusing on other people's drama is helping me." I add, "And I'm nosy." Now I turn back to the boys, "so shake hands, and let's all be friends again."

They both scoff but I see Grayson extend his hand while avoiding eye contact. Abacus looks at his hands with a raised eyebrow and while avoiding eye contact shakes it. I roll my eyes, boys.

I close my eyes, to feel the breeze as I try to breathe through the pain when I feel Grayson grab my hand. "You want a drink to help with the pain?" Grayson says and I take a peek with one eye to see him taking out a bottle of alcohol. I give him a blank face in response to his sheepish grin.

"You were carrying alcohol this whole time?" Abacus says, flabbergasted.

"Never leave without a bottle," Grayson says with a wink.

"Give me," I say and down the bottle, hoping it helps with the pain. I feel the aftertaste and hand it to Abacus. We all take a sip, but I can feel the warmth spreading through my system.

"I think we should go and find help," Abacus says, standing up and holding out a hand to Sienna.

"It is getting late and no one has come." She looks at us, "Stay here and we'll be back. Promise."

We nod our heads and watch them head off, as I take another sip of the alcohol. It had eased the pain on my leg, until suddenly, I felt another sharp pain in my head. The hit was so sharp that I quickly gave into it. My eyes flutter to see Grayson on the ground as well. I see Jace throwing the tree branch on the ground with blood on it and giving me a smile. My fingertips move to touch Graysons.

I can hear Jace's voice in my ear as he says, "I got your text. Sorry, I'm late." 

>>>> 

OMG, the drama. I wonder what's going to happen *looks away*

AHHH, okay, I'm so excited because the next chapter is where everything gets revealed. 

And, because I want to hear theories and I'm a tease. I'm going to wait at least a week before uploading it. So, please hit me with these theories :)

Don't forget to comment, vote, and share. Lova ya. 

*Blows kiss*