*Sorry it's late!*

//Your POV//

I woke up on a warm morning.

I sat up from my uncomfortable cot and got dressed into my (Fav band/musician) T-shirt.

I walked out expecting the camp busy and loud as usual but no, it was very quiet.

This must be a usual for the weekends.

I walked to the Mess Hall and got breakfast (which was a half moldy omelet that I did not eat and a cold hash brown with spoiled orange juice).

"The quality here gets worse and worse everyday," I sighed as I threw away my trash.

"Y/n! Psst!" I heard someone call me.

Max was huddled with Neil, Nikki and Jaiden in the corner of the mess hall.

I walked over and sat on a chair with my stomach pressing on where my back should be.

"What's with the secrecy?" I chuckled.

"We're going to try again, escaping. Except this time, we're all going to be together."

I glared at him and he realized what I meant.

"And we're not going in the forest this time," Max scratched his head.

"How are we going to get there anyways?" I asked.

"Simple. David has to go out for groceries so we can hop in the trunk and once he's in the store we can leave," Max explained.

"And Jaiden?" I asked.

"We can fit me in there, my wheelchair folds, remember?"

"Alright, you guys are actually planned this time," I smiled excitedly.

So later that morning right before David drove away, Neil picked the lock to his old fashioned trunk and we climbed in while he was adjusting the radio.

We stayed quiet for most of the ride.

I did notice the blush on Jaiden's face since  she was in between Neil and Nikki, mostly because she was by Neil.

I really don't understand her.

I don't get how she can be in love so quickly regardless if he loves her back or not.

She might just also have a thing for sweaty upper lips but that's beside the point.

I'm going to help her anyway, and make sure he doesn't hurt her like Kevin did to me.

After all, Jaiden did help me through that situation.

Once we were all sure that David had left, after we waited ten minutes after the door car door closed.

We went around the corner, away from the store just in case David would see us through the window.

"We need to split up," Max Stated, "So We should have Me, Y/n and Jaiden-"

"N-No! I mean- I think that Jaiden and Neil should go together," I spoke up.

"Why?" Neil asked.

"Well she already knows the rest of us well so, I think that you two should get know each other, ya know?" I explained.

"Okay," Neil shrugged.

"Then it settles, Nikki comes with us," Max nodded.

Before Jaiden and Neil walked off, Jaiden whispered in my ear.

"Thank you."

"No problem. Knock em' dead darling~."

"I know the real reason why you did that," Nikki smiled calmly (for once).

"I just want things to be bet- good for her," I stumbled on my words.

Nikki didn't notice what I ment to say but I knew Max did (as he showed the reaction of raising his eyebrow).

One thing I learned about Max is that he isn't fooled easily.

Just then a large raccoon ran past us.

"Nikki, don't even-" Max tried to say but stopped when he realized Nikki was already gone after the Raccoon.

"She'll come back," I shrugged as I put my hands behind my head.

We walked around for a little bit.

Max sat down on a bench so I sat next to him.

I noticed how quiet he was.

"Hey, what's wrong-"

"What did you mean by better?"

//Max's POV//

"What did you mean by better?"

"What?" She asked.

"You're hiding something. When you said you wanted things to be good for Jaiden, you meant to say better. I can tell something's wrong, and I want to know," I told her.

"I don't know what you mean-"

"No point playing dumb, I can tell you're nervous," I frowned.

"I don't get why you care.." Y/n looked away.

"I thought we were friends, like you said?" I asked.

'Did I really just say that?' I asked myself.

"Yeah..?"

"And friends are honest with each other. You can be honest with me," I Said.

"You just wouldn't really understand that's all," Y/n hugged her knees to her chest.

"Well I told you about my home life and you understood. You told me about your parents and I understood. Why is this any different?" I asked.

"Because this doesn't have to do with home life," She sighed.

"I won't tell anyone, just please, tell me," I asked her again.

"*sigh* Fine. But I will never forgive you if you tell someone," She sighed.

"I won't."

"Look. I just don't want Jaiden to be in a toxic relationship with one sided love just like I was in the seventh grade," Y/n put her head in her hands.

"Toxic?" I asked.

"Kevin would always make me feel like I didn't appreciate him. I was emotionally abused by him, and I know that feels like an exaggeration but that's what Jaiden says it really was. Once I told him I was done in a big fight, he posted all this bias about me on Twitter."

"Jesus Christ!" I was surprised.

"But wait, there's more! My teachers saw that post and Jaiden, my other friends and I had to convince them I did nothing! I'm so scared about this new school year, he'll be right back at me. I know it," Tears slowly made its way out of Y/n's eyes.

"I...I..I'm so sorry," I put my arm around her.

"I'm just...scared.." She mumbled.

"Y/n, remember that plan we made about going to your town?"

She only nodded.

"When we're there, I'm going to beat the living shit out of them," I told her, "I'll protect you. Always."

"*sniff* Really?" She sniffed.

"I promise," I promised her.

I held out my pinky finger to her.

She hooked hers to mine and we shook on it, making it a pinky promise.

"Thank you," She gave me the most genuine smile I've ever seen.

I felt blush rush to my cheeks.

"Heh, anytime," I smirked like an idiot.

Soon enough Nikki came back.

We were all walking around until Y/n got a call from Jaiden.

"Y/n...David caught us.. we're in front of the grocery store, we have to go back," Jaiden sighed in disappointment.

"Fuck..." I grumbled.

"Welp, we tried," Y/n shrugged.

Y/n, Nikki, Neil and I squeezed in the back of David's car while Jaiden sat in the front.

Nikki sat by the right (my right) window and Neil sat by the left, making Y/n and I squished in the middle.

We soon got back to camp and I headed straight for my tent until someone grabbed my hand.

I was about to whip my arm back until I realized it was just Y/n so I just left it there (which I thought was weird of me).

"I'm sorry I scared you, I just wanted to thank you again. For everything," Y/n smiled.

"I..No problem. Also you didn't scare me! I'm not scared of anything!" I smiled awkwardly.

'Stupid.Stupid.Stupid,' I yelled at myself inside my head.

"Heh..so uh...HERE'S THIS THING I WANTED TO GIVE YOU! GOODNIGHT!" She said quickly as she pressed something in my hand and ran away.

I opened up my hand to see a small, black, bracelet that had the about 8-13 small knots on one side and on the other two medium size, white, beads with two strands of the bracelet coming out with two smaller, white, beads blocked the tough side of the strands from the frayed ends.

(see what i did there?)

"Y/n..made me this?!" I felt the blush that was still plastered on my face get bigger.

I saw a small sticky note attacked to the bracelet, it said:

'I was pretty awkward when I gave this to you, wasn't I? At first I was afraid to give this to you, but you have proven yourself a true friend!

-Y/n

P.s. You don't have to wear the bracelet if you don't want to.'

I chuckled at her goofiness.

"Of course I want to wear it. Wow now I'm talking to myself. I've officially gone nuts."

When I got in my tent, I changed from my hoodie and Yellow tee-shirt to a black tee-shirt and shorts for bed.

I also slipped on the bracelet.

"Goodnight, Y/n."

*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*

(A/n)

Wow guys, thanks for 100 views!!
I hope this story gets as much support as others and most of all, you guys like this book!

I haven't really done a slice of life book before since all my other books have big fights and crazy situations (that bear one was pretty crazy tho).

Well, I just hope this is a good book for y'all.

Thank You for following the development, of Once Upon A Summer.

Goodnight/day/evening.

-Red