"Fuck!"

I woke up gasping for air, my vision took a couple of seconds to adjust to the surrounding. I looked around the small tent and gathered it was still night due to the darkness filled with silence. Drops of sweat ran down my naked body as I slowly sat straight up, the small tent suffocating the fuck out of me.

It's happening again...

I wiped the wetness from my cheeks with the back of my hand and I turned to look over Mellisa, sleeping peacefully next to me. Her hair was damp and messily spread around her face. She was clenching the thin duvet tightly to her chest, as it was the only thing covering her petite body.

She looked so beautiful and peaceful as she slept cozily with literally no worries of the world around her.

I searched for my boxers in the pile of clothes we dumped. I quickly wore my boxers, followed by my black jeans. I least cared about wearing a shirt as I opened the zip gate of the tent.

A cool wave of air hit me, I let my lungs slowly absorb them as I took in a deep breath. The air around this area hits different from what we breathe in the city, it's cleaner and way fresher. I let out a sigh and shook my head about why I'm thinking about the damn air in the middle of the night.

I put a foot out and stepped out of the tent. I dabbed my pocket to find my phone and took it out, there were a couple of unseen messages from mom, as usual asking about my whereabouts. I typed a usual "I'm fine, don't worry." text and closed my phone after a few seconds.

I mentally cursed when I realized it's past midnight; definitely not the time to respond and now she'll blow up my phone with calls and texts first thing in the morning enquiring about why I was up.

I put my phone and took out a cigarette from my back pocket and lit it. I closed my eyes and took a puff, letting the toxins into my system. The chilly wind and cigarettes made me calm in a way I can't describe.

I opened my eyes as I looked at the trials of smoke leaving my mouth, it slowly faded into the air and I saw someone sitting on the log around the burned-out bonfire. I couldn't make out who it was because of the darkness around me.

I took slow steps towards the silhouette, the little wet grass touched my feet and I realized I wasn't wearing any shoes either.

As I approached a bit closer and I could make out it was a blonde girl sitting on the log, facing the other direction with a phone in her hand.

It was Brianna...

I immediately stopped in my tracks, my heartbeat increased rapidly, my palms were sweaty. I remembered my appearance and now regretted coming here. The moment I decided to turn back and just run away, she spotted me.

"Zander?" she called, her voice was sweet like usual, right now it had a tone of confusion in it.

I sighed and turned back around "Banana." I smirked, putting on my jerk face as I hopped and sat next to her on the log. She was talking to some women, I assume her mother on Facetime.

"I'll talk to you later, good night." she waved at the bright screen before declining the call. "It's Brianna you jerk." she rolled her eyes and I chuckled, I love when she corrects her name.

"Whatever." I smiled and she looked at me with her eyebrows raised. I noticed she was looking at my exposed torso. Of course, I didn't miss the opportunity to use the cliché jerk dialogue, "Like what you see?"

She just rolled her eyes and said "I was thinking of the possible reasons why you are here half-naked,"

"Um, you can say I like showing off these little babies." I teased, wiggling my eyebrows while showing off my non-existent biceps.

"Of course." she shook her head and I just smiled. She became silent and just stared at the dark sky which was lit by the stars scattered everywhere as my eyes could see. Her eyes shined into a beautiful color of blue due to the light emerging from the stars and the Moon.

"The moon looks so beautiful," she whispered, her eyes fixed at the big white ball in the sky.

"Yeah..." I mumbled, not able to take my eyes off the most beautiful thing in front of me, I mean how can I?

She turned to look at me and let out a soft chuckle, suddenly I realized I was staring at her and quickly looked away.

"The moon is in the sky I guess?"

"Of course, where else would it be, it doesn't have a car to roam around." I smiled, looking at the sky. I clenched my eyes shut and an embarrassed smile spread on my lips, as I realized how lame that joke was.

"That was pretty lame." she laughed.

"I know."

There was a minute of comfortable silence, we just kept looking at the sky. I didn't realize how close we were sitting until her hand brushed by mine as she got up.

"I'll be right back!" she said excitedly before running off to her tent which was a few meters away. She ran like a baby who woke up to see snow in her backyard on a Christmas morning.

I chuckled to myself about how cute she looked in her dark blue iconic sweater and pajamas. She came running back, nearly tripping on her own feet, and took a seat next to me.

"What's This-a a Polaroid camera?" I laughed at the little girly camera in her hand, she rolled her eyes and clicked a shot of the moon. The tiny picture comes out of the camera and she admires it with a smile.

"Look, it's so beautiful..." she cooed, showing me the picture, it was magnificent, the big round moon surrounded by a couple of shining stars.

I handed her the photo back and she kept it in the space between us, she turned her camera towards me and for a moment I thought she was clicking a picture of me, but of course, why would she click a picture of me? I was nothing but a jerk to her since my sophomore year.

She clicked and a picture came out, it was of the rows of tents behind me. she smiled and kept it with other pictures. She continued clicking pictures of the burnt-out bonfire, the trees, and other simple stuff.

Why is she clicking all these pictures?

But before I could ask the question my phone buzzed, I opened it to see a text from Melissa, and instantly I felt guilty, guilty of spending time with a girl who's not my girlfriend.

"Uhm, I should go and get some sleep. We've to wake up in like four hours," I said putting my hands in my hair, she just nodded, smiling.

"I'll stay for a little more, Good night." she smiled as I got up. I quickly jogged towards my tent, I entered and saw Mellisa sitting on the bed, fiddling with the phone in her hand.

"Where were you? I got so worried." she took a deep breath as she saw me enter the tent, she took a second to register my appearance and I could see her eyes filling with doubt.

Why does she care so much for a fucked up like me? I mean, I don't even know what I'm doing in a relationship with her in the first place. I think I wanna be alone for a while and figure myself out, but I can't break someone's heart, especially her's.

She was there for me when I wasn't even there for myself, she never let me go so how can I?

I'm not sure what I'm doing with my life, I'm not sure what I'm doing with her, I'm not sure what's going on with me?

She deserves all the love which I can't give to her. She doesn't see it, but I do.

"I needed some air." I sighed, answering her question, giving a small smile and she smiled back, nodding her head. Like always, her smile was so genuine and caring while her eyes showed how much I mattered to her.

She's too good for me.

I don't deserve her.

Hell, I don't deserve anything I have.

"I'll go back to my tent, if that hideous man sees me here he'll make a useless scene." she rolled her eyes, grabbing her phone and shoes in her hand.

"See you tomorrow." she kissed me and left the tent. I sighed, my mind filled with thousand thoughts as I slowly drifted off to sleep.

I felt cold chills through my body and I instantly got up, I opened my eyes to see Finn and Seth laughing like maniacs next to me.

Damn, what did they do now?

I forced my eyes open and groaned as I pushed off the thin duvet from my body, just to see them laughing hysterically.

"What the fuck did you both do?" I shouted at them over their stupid laughter as suddenly I noticed some uneasiness in my boxers.

Oh, these fucking assholes.

I hurriedly stood up on my feet to see ice cubes falling down my boxers to the floor. I groaned in annoyance as they both just laughed like fucking jerks, Seth took out his phone and started clicking pictures while Finn just rolled on the ground, clenching his stomach.

Ugh!

"You-Get out of my tent!" I groaned and pushed both of them out of my tent.

I shook my head and changed clothes before joining everyone outside for breakfast. The sun was brighter and hotter than ever and everyone was up. Excited and pumped up for the first day, many of them already started breakfast by the time I went out. I joined the boys and over usual jokes and bickering, we had a light breakfast and soon all were ready for the trek.

"Okay kids, everyone do not wander off too far from the group, stay hydrated and-" Mr. Harrison enthusiastically started a speech which I stopped listening halfway.

What's the point of listening to the stuff nobody is going to follow?

After the boring instructions; just to make things interesting, Mr. Harrison divided us into two groups. The one who reaches the top of the mountain, his/her group will win and they'll be exempted from all the food and other duties tonight while the losing team will be working their ass.

Haha, sounds good.

The group got divided randomly, Group A had a majority of jackasses who were least interested in this shit, including me and just a couple of nerds. While group B had a majority of enthusiasm-filled kids, including Brianna and a couple of least concerned that is Mellisa and her friends.

"Let the sweet and tiring war begin." Mr. Harrison smiled excitedly, giving us the whistle to start. All the people of Group B started marching enthusiastically and were a lot ahead of us already.

I turned and looked back at my group and they were just sulking around, dragging their feet as they walked in the slowest way possible. I slowed down my pace to try to be with them. I looked over and saw Brianna walking in the fastest way possible ahead of her group, I was barely able to see her because of the increasing distance.

"C'mon guys, at least fake some interest." I rolled my eyes at the sulking turtles.

"Go be a pussy and march up the hill like those stupid nerds." Jayden mocked making everyone laugh except me.

"Fuck off Jayden. Why are guys even here if you don't want to participate?" I rolled my eyes again, I seriously don't mind sulking around but, what's the point of coming if we're not doing anything?

"Drinks, Sex, and Weed," Alex smirked like he gave a fucking motivational speech and everyone nodded, laughing and agreeing with him.

"Whatever, fuck you." I huffed and started walking a bit faster, leaving the sulky group behind. I wished Finn was in my group, then I wouldn't have to walk towards the hill all alone.

I picked up a very good pace with the help of the trekking gear and before I knew it, I was next to Brianna on a breathtaking mountain, just a few meters away from the top where a small red flag was waving.

The surrounding was simply astounding, the sun was no longer visible due to the white cotton-like clouds covering it. There was heavy greenery as far as my eyes could see, the smell of fresh lush grass filled my nostrils with the soft blowing breeze, relaxing me.

I looked sideways to see Brianna trying her best to move ahead of me, even though we were walking at the pretty same speed.

Of course, she wants to win. How did I forget how competitive this girl can be?

"Wow, you were fast. Congrats, but I won't let you win," Brianna said in between her heavy breathing, it goes without saying that we were tired, the trekking reminded me of how I need to start the gym again.

"I know, I'm so fucking tired right now." I groaned throwing my head back, wanting to just lay down on the grass and sleep.

"Maybe we should take a break," she suggested, raising her eyebrows before looking at me and then at a big rock a couple of meters away.

"I can't believe you're saying this? What happened to win and stuff?" I chuckled, seriously not believing her.

"C'mon just a couple of minutes." she rolled her eyes and slowly walked towards the rock while I followed her.

She sat next to me and took a deep breath before opening her water bottle drinking almost all the water. But before she could finish it, I snatched the bottle from her and drank the rest. She rolled her eyes and muttered something about being a jerk.

"Wow, there's no one who could reach here," she smirked probably proud of herself, looking around, seeing no sign of her fellow group.

"Except me." I interrupted her smirking and she turned her head and gave me a huge fake smile, making me laugh at how she looked.

"Where's your girlfriend?" she inquired, looking down at the group of people trying to climb up to where we were sitting.

"She's not a fan of these things." I shrugged, I haven't seen her all day, god she'll kill me when we get down.

"Of course, she's just a fan of bullying others, as all of you," She shrugged looking at me, I could see the hurt in her eyes.

I couldn't say anything, what can I say? I'm sorry for all the years I troubled you just for your attention? That I was such a coward and instead of coming and talking to you, l made fun of you?

I got out of my thinking when I heard the grass ruffling and saw Brianna walking towards the top, she looked back with a huge smirk plastered on her face. What?

"Hey, wait up that's not fair!" I exclaimed and got up just to end up on the ground on my face. I could hear waves of laughter coming from her, I looked over to my feet and they were tied together with a rope. A fucking rope! When did she do that?

"What the fuck! Open them." I shouted at her, I tried to bend and open them but wasn't able to because of the position I was lying in on the ground. She just laughed and nodded her head

"No one can defeat me at competitions, remember that Mr. Lowell." She stuck out her tongue before trekking forward towards the flag.

Brianna Davis, you'll regret this.

Thank you for reading and sticking around with me, this made me so happy!