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❝high tensions.❞

"JESSICA! HEY! OVER here!" Chris pounded his fist against drop-off station door that separated himself, Sam, and Florence from Jessica who was on the other side. She had to open it for them, otherwise they'd be stuck inside.

Jessica furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you guys having a really weird stroke?"

"We're stuck in this stupid thing." Chris answered.

"Can you please let us out?" Sam begged. "Pretty please?"

Jessica pressed the button that unlocked the door and it swung open, granting them entrance. A blast of frigid air and snowflakes hit them the moment they walked out of the station.

"Oh my god!" Chris gaped, feigning relief. "Another ten minutes in there and I would have chewed off my own leg."

Florence groaned in disgust. "Sick, Chris."

"Look, I got a lot of meat on my bones." Chris argued, motioning to his legs. "This is all muscle down here."

Sam scoffed. "Yeah, right."

Chris made a whooping sound as he snatched a pink envelope out of Jessica's hand to snoop.

"Hey!" Jessica cried out.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

"Chris!"

"My goodness!" Chris gaped as he looked at the name scribbled on the envelope. "Seems like someone has a little crush on our good friend and dear class president Michael Munroe."

"Chris." Sam sighed, attempting to cease his teasing.

Florence knew of the love triangle drama that had been occurring recently between Mike, Jessica, and Emily.

Mike had broken up with Emily and began dating Jessica. In response, and —arguably— to make Mike jealous, Emily turned to Matt for comfort and began dating him. Emily and Jessica constantly sniped at each other, making passive-aggressive comments that eventually turned into heavy arguments that either Mike or Matt had to diffuse.

Florence thought that it had gone on too long and all of them should be mature enough by now to apologize to one another and smooth everything out. She didn't like seeing Emily use Matt as a rebound to make Mike jealous, and she really didn't like seeing Emily and Jessica constantly fighting. She knew that the longer it went on, the higher the chances of everyone getting hurt were. Yet, she kept quiet in fear that she would be pulled into the toxic pool of malignant arguments and unyielding attitudes.

"And," Chris drew on, continuing his teasing, "what kind of sizzling erotica might our Jessica be capable of imagining. I wonder. . ."

"Mike and Em split." Jessica explained, informing the uninformed of the bunch of what had been going on. "We're together."

"Whoa." Chris gasped. "Drama."

"Not really." Jessica stated matter-of-factly. "Pretty clear cut, actually. Em's out, I'm in."

"Huh." Sam muttered, leaving her questions to fade in her mind rather than prying.

Chris waved the envelope in the air. Jessica was quick to snatch it out of his grip. She shot him a glare, but he backed off immediately.

"Alright, alright. Let's just get up to the lodge already. Getting tired of all this nature and junk." Chris walked towards the bridge that led to the lodge.

"You guys go ahead," Jessica assured with the wave of her manicured hand. "I'm just gonna wait here for a bit. See who else is coming."

"You mean Mike?" Chris looked over his shoulder dramatically.

"What? I mean, you know, whoever." Jessica said with finality, walking back over to her previous spot on the old wooden bench by the door to the drop-off station.

Sam and Florence walked over to the edge of the mountain to admire the view.

Snow-covered mountains stretched for miles, a gentle breeze filled with fleeting snowflakes pushing the hair from their faces. The moon beamed in the inky black sky, stars painting the void like paint splatters on an empty canvas. Faded wisps from the clouds that once swam in the sky spread out, leaving mere traces of their existence behind. A light snowy fog danced through the air, blurring the bottom of the mountain hundreds of feet below.

It was beautifully breathtaking. So much so that Florence took her phone out of her back pocket and snapped a picture that she could admire whenever she felt like it.

"Sam, Flo? You coming?" Chris asked from behind them, pointing back towards the lodge.

"Did you see this view?" Sam gaped, opening her arms out. "I mean, holy cow. Sometimes I forget to just stop and take it all in."

Florence sighed, soaking in the beauty of what had been the origin of so much pain and guilt.

Maybe the trip wouldn't be so bad.

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Josh pulled Florence into a warm embrace the moment she, Sam, and Chris made it up to the lodge.
She smiled into his shoulder, finding solace in his warmth. He smelled of pine and mint, the most comforting scent. After mumbling a quiet greeting to him, she pressed a chaste kiss to his lips and tucked herself underneath his arm.

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Josh offered a welcoming smile to Sam and Chris.

"Man, I feel like this mountain gets bigger every time I climb it." Chris grumbled, feeling the soreness radiated through his feet after trekking through the snow and slightly uneven terrain for an hour.

"Oh, yeah?" Josh chuckled. "Feels the same to me."

"Oh, come on. You grew up here. It probably feels like it's shrinking." Chris playfully argued.

"I guess that's true." Josh replied simply.

Florence could feel the slight awkwardness that roamed through the air. Although, she knew it would be like that at first considering the amount of time it had been since everyone hung out together — especially at the lodge.

"When are you gonna install some cell towers up here?" Chris asked curiously. "I'm getting withdrawals already."

Florence snorted at his inability to go without being on his phone for such a short amount of time.

"You got a spare million lying around and I'll fix you right up."

"Funny you should say that." Chris joked as he pretended to rummage through his pockets. "I think I left it in my other jacket."

"Darn." Florence complained in mock disappointment, walking alongside Josh towards the front door of the lodge whilst Sam and Chris followed behind.

"Hey, guys." Josh greeted Ashley and Matt with a wave. "You get up here okay?"

Florence noted that Ashley seemed unsettled and Matt looked blatantly angry. She made a mental note to talk to Ashley about it in private later.

"Yeah, well, more or less." Ashley shrugged, a smile quickly appearing on her face. "But it's so good to see you!"

Josh looked down at Florence who remained tucked underneath his arm. He discreetly motioned towards Matt. "'Sup with him?"

Florence shrugged, unsure of what had happened.

Josh led her, and Chris, up the stairs and to the front door whilst Sam, Ashley, and Matt remained outside.

"Yo, yo, yo! Are we gonna get things moving up here or what?" Chris wondered aloud with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah man!" Josh replied with equal enthusiasm.

Florence loved to see him smiling and excited — it was refreshing in comparison to the deep depression he had been stuck in for months.

"Hey." Chris' enthusiasm dropped and was replaced with a somber tone. "You doing alright? I mean I know it must be really tough without your sis—"

"Stop." Josh cut Chris off.

Florence felt Josh tense up. She tightened her grip on his hand to soothe him slightly. It made him uncomfortable talking about how he felt about Hannah and Beth with anyone besides his therapist or Florence. She knew that very well and wanted to provide him with as much comfort as she could manage.

"I just meant—" Chris tried to explain before Josh interjected again.

"No, I know what you meant. You know, seriously, I'm over it, and I just want us to have a good time, you know? Like we always used to." Josh assured as he turned around to unlock thedoor. However, after he attempted to turn the key in the lock, it remained unmoving.

"Damnit." Josh grumbled in aggravation. "This freaking thing."

"It's iced?" Chris wondered.

"What else?" Josh referred to how often the lock would get frozen when they used to come up to the mountain every winter.

"Maybe there's another way in?"

"There are a million ways in. They're just all locked."

Florence untangled herself from Josh and looked down in concern at Ashley who still sat on the bottom of the stairs. If they were going to struggle with unthawing the door for a bit, she figured she might as well go figure out what was bothering Ashley.

"I'm gonna go talk to Ash for a bit." Florence informed Josh. "You guys okay getting this open?"

"Yeah, you go on." Josh told her, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. "We got this."

Florence gave the two one last smile before making her way down the steps and plopping down aside Ashley.

The redheaded girl gave Florence a halfhearted smile that she saw right through; something was bothering Ashley and Florence wanted to make sure she was alright.

After she sat down, Josh and Chris came down the stairs and walked back onto the pathway that circled around the house in hopes of finding a way into the lodge.

"You okay, Ash?" Florence asked, her concern visible.

Ashley sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I just feel really bad."

"About what?" Florence rested her hand on Ashley's shoulder to comfort her.

"Well," Ashley paused, looking ahead of her to ensure that Matt wasn't close enough to hear her. "I was looking through the telescope over by the bridge and I saw Mike and Emily getting kinda close to each other."

Florence raised her eyebrows in shock. She knew that Mike and Emily still had feelings for one another, as most couples did right after a break up, but she didn't like the fact that both of them were leading someone else on — close friends, nonetheless.

"And then Matt came up to me and I tried to keep him from looking through the telescope. But he insisted and he saw them hugging. He got pissed and now he's upset with Emily and mad at Mike. And it's my fault." Ashley admitted, embarrassment and disappointment painted on her face.

Florence laid her arm across Ashley's shoulders and pulled her into a side hug. "Oh, Ash, it's not your fault. You can't blame yourself for that! You did nothing wrong."

Ashley looked up to Florence, unshed tears pooling in her eyes.

"Matt would have found out about Mike and Em eventually, and it's their fault for dating other people when they still have feelings for each other."

Ashley sniffled lightly, rubbing her nose. "Really? You really mean that?"

"Of course! Dragging Matt and Jessica into their love triangle isn't your fault." Florence assured her with a warm smile. Fortunately, she began to feel the tension in Ashley's shoulders subside slightly.

Ashley offered Florence a grateful smile. "Thanks, Flo. You're a good friend."

"And you're a good friend for trying to help Matt."

Florence stood up with Ashley as Sam joined them on the stairs with her arms wrapped around herself.

"I hope they get that door open soon." Ashley groaned, walking up to the front door.

Clattering sounds could be heard from the other side, signifying either Chris or Josh's presence.

"We're freezing our buns off out here!" Ashley complained loud enough for whoever was inside to hear.

Florence chuckled lowly as she waited for the door to open. She could see Chris create some sort of makeshift flamethrower with a can of spray-on deodorant and Josh's lighter, heating the doorknob enough to thaw it out.

He opened the door with a hiss, his palm burning slightly. He forced a smile and bowed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week."

A wolf suddenly yipped and ran out of the lodge, whizzing right past Chris who cried out in surprise.

Sam, Ashley, and Florence laughed at Chris, each of them doubling over at his feminine scream.

"Crap, that thing scared me."

"What was it? Are you okay?" Ashley asked through her laughter.

"It was like, a bear or a tiger or something."

Sam awed. "It was just a little baby wolverine!"

"Baby?" Chris gaped as Josh returned and led Florence into the lodge where she could warm up.

"Don't worry buddy." Josh playfully assured. "You're gonna be a big boy soon."

Everyone made their way inside the house, the snow that covered their boots falling unto the doormat. The lodge wasn't much warmer than outside due to the fact that the heater hadn't been on in months from a lack of occupancy. Still, it was better than being in the snow storm.

"Home sweet home." Josh beamed, taking in the appearance of the lodge that none of them had been in for a full year.

"Sweet is not the word I'd use." Matt inquired, setting both his and Emily's suitcases down.

Josh had taken Florence's pre-packed suitcase with him when he came up to the lodge a few hours before her, and he had already put it in his room with his things.

"Oh my gosh, it is so good to be inside. Even if it is still kinda freezing in here." Ashley sighed, entering the living room aside Chris.

"I'll get a fire going." Josh said. He rubbed Florence's shoulder before walking to the fireplace to get it going and get some warmth flowing through the lodge.

Florence plopped down on the couch and used a mildly dusty throw blanket to cover herself up, still slightly shivering from the gusts of freezing air outside.

"This place barely looks any different." Matt noted, his gaze traveling around the lodge.

"Nobody's been up here." Josh answered.

"Even with all the police coming in and out?" Ashley asked, not thinking of what she was saying.

Florence shot her a glare, trying to cease any upcoming conversation about the police or anything to do what Hannah and Beth. It was too sensitive a topic for Josh, and this weekend was meant to be fun and good for everyone.

"Not a lot of action up here lately." Chris mumbled, diffusing any tension.

Mike walked in with raised hands and a beaming grin. "What's up party people!"

"Hey!" Jessica cheered from behind him, a matching grin on her glossed lips.

"Hey!" Josh greeted his friends with a smile. "Make yourself at home, bro."

"Will do." Mike shot Josh a thumbs-up.

"Yeah." Matt suddenly agreed, his voice dripping with venomous sarcasm. He walked closer to Mike, residue of her anger still obviously lingering. "Come on in. Take a load off. Have whatever you want. You just take whatever you want anyways, right?"

Mike looked confused and put his hands out in defense. "Whoa, easy there, cowboy."

Matt squinted at Mike, challenging him. "What the hell were you doing with Em out on the trail, huh?"

"What?"

Ashley came and sat beside Florence, her guilt resurfacing. Florence grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently to offer some comfort.

"I saw you and Em. Through the telescope."

"Before? We just ran into each other." Mike defended himself, unwilling to succumb to Matt's accusations. "It'd been a while so we hugged and I said hello. Is that against the law?"

Matt sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Right, yeah. Duh. Sorry, it's been kind of a long day. I overreacted."

Mike shrugged and brushed it off. "Nah, man, don't worry about it."

"We cool?"

"Yeah, yeah. Totally."

Mike found a seat aside Jessica on the couch and wrapped an arm around her after the tension subsided between him and Matt.

Ashley silently thanked Florence for her comfort and went back to look around with Chris.

"Oh, my God." Emily gaped as she walked into the lodge. Smugness decorated her flawless features as she crossed her arms. "That is so gross. Are you trying to swallow his face whole?"

"Em. . ." Matt trailed off, trying to avoid another spat between Emily and Jessica.

"Seriously can she be any more obvious? No one wants in on your territory, honey." Emily sniped ruthlessly.

"Excuse me?" Jessica snapped, standing from the couch and inching closer towards Emily. "Did you say something?"

"Oh, did you not hear me? Was your slutiness too loud?"

"Sounds like someone's bitter she didn't make the cut."

"Yeah. It's all a big cattle call with that dreamboat." Emily motioned towards Mike in annoyance. "Congrats, you're top cow."

"Cuts real deep calling Miss Homecoming a cow." Jessica defended herself, refusing to allow Emily's shallow insults penetrate her tough skin.

"Em, chill out." Matt sighed in an attempt to diffuse the situation.

"Shut up, Matt." Emily snapped.

"Stay out of it, you dumb oaf!" Jessica yelled, her anger bubbling.

"Hey, watch it!"

"Oh you're the only one who can put him down?No one else can play with your toys?" Jessica quipped, referring to the endless amount of passive-aggressive insults Emily had been firing at Matt any time he didn't do something the way she liked.

Florence loved Emily and Jessica, they were her friends. Regardless, she hated seeing them fight and ruthlessly insult one another. It was as though they hadn't been best friends since before Mike began to drag both of them into a pointless, toxic love triangle. They used to be the best of friends and now they had been extorted to fight over a guy.

"You're such a bitch!" Emily yelled in Jessica's face.

"Whatever." Jessica chuckled. "I don't give a crap what you think."

"At least I can think. 4.0, bitch, honor roll." Emily flaunted. "Suck on that when you're trying to sleep your way into a job."

"Who needs grades when you've got all the natural advantages you can handle?"

"Oh, please."

"You couldn't buy a moldy loaf of bread with your skanky ass."

Emily scoffed, laughing loudly. "Are you serious? Do you think that's insulting?"

"That bitch is on crack or something." Jessica told Mike.

"Emily, stop!" Matt tried once more, tired of their arguing just like everyone else was. "This is out of hand. There's no reason to fight like this!"

"Yeah, Em." Jessica agreed. "Why you pickin' fights over your ex boyfriend? Huh?"

"Stop it!" Josh yelled, interrupting their endless and petty fighting. "This is not why we came up here. This is not helping. It's not what I wanted."

Florence frowned. She didn't want Josh to grow upset, and all of this drama and fighting surely hadn't been helping him feel any more at ease at the lodge. As if he didn't have enough to worry about already, the girls were adding a catfight onto it all.

"If we can't get along for ten minutes then maybe we need a little bit of a break, right?" Josh shifted his gaze to Mike. "Mike, why don't you go check out the guest cabin. The one I told you about."

"Yeah, alright." Mike agreed, grabbing Jessica to go along with him so she could cool off. "Wanna go do that?"

"Any place without that whore." Jessica grabbed Mike's hand and went off with him, leaving Emily to simmer down in the lodge with Matt and everyone else.

"It's right up the trail." Josh informed them on their way out.

Matt sighed, the tension in his shoulders falling. "Glad that's over."

Josh returned to the fireplace where Matt followed him, the pair engaging in a quiet conversation as Florence stood from the couch and cautiously approached Emily. She wanted to talk to her and try to calm her down, however, she didn't want to fall victim to her wrath.

"Hey, Em." Florence greeted gently, said girl turning around with crossed arms.

"Hi, Flo." Emily tried her best not to come off as harsh, for Florence was nothing but kind to her and didn't deserve any of the insults and leftover anger she held for Jessica.

"You alright? That was pretty rough."

Emily scoffed, brushing it off with the wave of her hand. "She's just a bitch. Nothing I can't handle."

"I know." Florence picked at her nails, deciding to stop beating around the bush. "I just wish that you and Jess would stop fighting."

"I—" Emily cut herself off as she noticed one of her bags was missing from the pile of her and Matt's things. "Where's my bag?"

"Huh?" Matt asked, turning away from Josh and back towards Emily who held an accusatory expression and had her hands on her hips.

"My bag! The little bag with the pink pattern! The one I got on Rodeo!"

Matt remained silent, confusion painted on his face.

"Matt, are you listening?" Emily accused. "Oh my God, don't you remember? Next to the Italian shoe place where I got the stilettos and you knocked over the rack while you were drooling all over the girl at the counter?"

"Well, I mean, she was asking about my letter jacket." Matt defended.

"Right." Emily nodded sarcastically. "Because she gave a shit about your 'designer' letter jacket."

"Why do you hate my jacket?" Matt quizzed, raising his voice.

"Matt, I need my bag!"

"Oh my God, Em, maybe you just forgot it."

"Do you seriously think I'd forget my bag? Do you?"

"Guess not."

"You must have left it down by the cable car station."

Matt groaned, not wanting to leave the lodge to retrieve her bag that was quite far away.

"Come on, hun. We'll be back soon."

"And then we can get warm?"

"We can get very warm." Emily said suggestively, the momentum from their argument fading.

"Okay, let's go."

With that, Matt and Emily left.

Florence sighed, glad that the second argument within the span of ten minutes was over.

She couldn't help but feel anxious about what was to come of the weekend if this was how it started.

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