A small blonde teen giggled quietly, seeing the back of his long-haired friend sitting on a log as he looked out into the camps shimmering lake. He snuck behind him, with a big smile on his fair freckled face.

"Boo!" He shouted out as he grabbed the backs of his friends shoulders. The brunet jumped a bit, turning around to see his friend. He let out a laugh, patting the spot on the log beside him.

"Did I get you?" The blonde asked with a wide smile, the metal of his braces shining a little in the sun. He jumped over the wooden cylinder, sitting beside his best friend.

"Yes, yes you did. I'm going to get you back next time though, so you better watch out!

"Yeah sure broski, I'd like to see you try." The freckled friend said jokingly, sticking out his tongue a little.

The longer haired teen laughed a little at that, patting his childhood friend's shoulder. "So, did you end up talking with the counselors?"

"Oh yeah, I just did! They said there were still lots of the activities I can do, but I just need to have a life jacket." The blonde replied.

"Oh okay, that's not too bad. Good thing too, I'm really looking forward to doing the canoeing activity with you."

"That makes two of us!"

The brunet smiled widely, looking back out into the shimmering lake waters. He and his friend had heard of this really fun away camp that a few kids had gone to in their grade. Everyone had been talking about it, and how much fun the kids had from staying over for the week. So naturally, the two friends begged their parents to let them go that summer. The long-haired teen's parents were perfectly fine with it. In fact, they thought it was a great idea and experience for their eldest son. However, the blonde boy's parents were a little on the fence about it. Sure, they did want their kid to have the experience but at the same time, they were extremely nervous to do so. Their son wasn't the strongest of swimmers, in fact, he couldn't swim at all. They had planned for him to for to swimming classes that summer, but the available time span for the boys to go was the first week of summer vacation. They ended up talking with the counselors and owners of the camp and explained their situation. They reassured the son's parents that he'd still have a great experience, but would have to wear a lifejacket and have a counselor observe him carefully.

"Oh, crap...I think I forgot to put sunscreen on." The brunet friend said, pulling up his backpack that was behind the log onto his lap. He unzipped it, rummaging through its continents. "Damnit, I forgot to pack it. It figures that's what the counselors stressed us to have."

The freckled teen smiled a little, patting his friend's shoulder. "It's ok, just run back to the cabin to grab it."

"But we're going to start activities soon!"

"It's okay, I'll just tell our group leaders that you had to get something."

The long-haired teen stood up and nodded. "Okay, okay, I promise I'll be quick though!" He said, jumping over the log and running out of the beach area afterward.

The blonde laughed a little and looked at his friend rushing off. "Don't trip on anything Jeff!" He called out.

Jeff rushed back to the beach, sunscreen in hand. He panted a little, he had literally run to their cabin and back. However, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening as he saw the sudden commotion near the docks of the camp's lake. It could've just been the kids joining together for their camp groups before breaking off into their activities. However, Jeff couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that was crawling inside the pit of his stomach. Especially when he didn't see his friend sitting on the log they were previously at.

"Oh no." He dropped the bottle, instantly running over to the crowd of campers. However, he still didn't see his small blonde friend. He knew something wasn't right, he didn't know why but he could just feel it in his gut.

"Excuse me, excuse me, pardon me!" He said quickly as he pushed through the group of teenagers that were all gathered around. Once he pushed and excused his way through to the front, he was met with a terrifying sight. He instantly let out a scream the moment he saw the commotion.

"Ben!"

His best friend, Ben, was lying on the dock, soaking wet, unresponsive and pale. A counselor desperately performed CPR and chest compressions on him. Other young adults and teens working as leaders for the camp tried to keep the kids and teens away from the scene, attempting to reassure them even when panic was clear in their voices and expressions.

"T-that's my best friend!" Jeff cried out, already feeling tears filling in his eyes at the surreal sight.

He tried to run to his friend, but one of the male counselors grabbed ahold of him, to keep him away from the scene and to not cause distractions to the young adult trying to revive the blonde boy.

"It's okay, the paramedics are on their way!"

"L-let go! I need to help him!" Jeff whaled out, pushing against the grip of the older teen. He yanked himself away from him, instantly rushing over to Ben.

He kneeled down, instantly grabbing ahold of his friend's hand, as the young adult continued to press down on the blonde's chest before plugging his nose and giving a few more breaths to him.

He stayed unresponsive.

Jeff squeezed Ben's hand, closing his eyes tightly as he felt tears spilling onto his cheek.

"Come on Benny, come on. Stay with me, you can't leave me! Please wake up!" The teen stammered out in panic.

The talking and yelling of the crowd stopped, all eyes were on the heartbreaking sight.

He was still unresponsive.

"Ben no! Stay with me! Please..please!" He was on the brink of sobbing, more tears rolling down his eyes as he waited for him to show any signs of life.

He stayed unresponsive.

Jeff bowed his head, shutting his eyes tightly. He let out a shudder, he felt himself about to break down into sobs. He felt the slightest of grip in his hand. His red puffy eyes shot open, seeing the small clutch his friend had on his hand.

"B-Benny?"

In the few minutes of him being at the surreal scene, Jeff began to feel some kind of hope. Maybe Ben was going to pull through, maybe he'd be ok. All of those hopes were thrown in a raging inferno when he felt his friend's weak grip go completely limp.

Though there was no doctor to declare it Jeff knew that his best friend, Benjamin Lawman, was dead.

At that moment, the long-haired teen felt his whole world collapse around him. He screamed and cried harder than he had ever before. He felt as if his emotions had been thrown into a cauldron, that boiled into anger and cool down into heartbreaking sorrow. Nonetheless, he couldn't heard himself sobbing, for he had a ringing and lightheadedness that caused him to not.

Counselors came by Jeff's side, trying to reassure and calm him down, but they couldn't clear up the storm that the boy had become.

The ambulance came quickly. A small hospital was luckily located near the campgrounds. Nonetheless, once they got a call about a drowned camper they came minutes faster.

The paramedics hurriedly carried the stretcher out to the docks, only then the counselor had stopped performing CPR. The leaders continued to calm Jeff down, but they weren't at all successful. He moved away from them, as he grabbed a hold of Ben's limp figure before the paramedics took him onto the stretcher.

For a few moments, Jeff felt that the world and everyone around him went still, except for the glistening lake and pine trees in the distance that softly dancing in the wind. One of the paramedics placing his arm on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but we have to get your friend to the hospital." The paramedic said calmly, but with sighs of urgency in her voice.

Jeff looked up at her, his eyes puffy and red from crying.

He reluctantly let go of him. The two paramedics grabbed Ben before they picked him up and strapped him to the stretcher.

Jeff watched them carrying Ben away, warm tears staining his cheeks. He shakily stood up as he wiped his eyes with his hand, even when he felt new tears forming, letting out a shudder.

He looked around, everyone was staring at him, most frowning or whispering to a friend beside them. Everyone seemed to be a blur to him. He heard the counselors trying to comfort him still, but their voices were all mashed together in Jeff's ears.

However, though everything was a complete blur, one person stood out in the crowd. An older teen, with blood red hair that had turned around to run away. There was no court to confirm it, but Jeff knew then and there that the red-haired teen killed Ben...