Just Friends

Longer upload, I know but second semester just started and I needed a good start!! Anyway, here’s the new chapter!!!!

Also this is unedited until my editor will have time. I just sent it to her but I wanted to get up the chapter right away!

A smile crept across my lips as I sat down in the chair Owen pulled out for me. “This is not a date. I don’t date fellow camp counselors. Sorry. I thought I told you that,” I added for the final touch.

The cook merely rolled his eyes and sat down across from me. “But you do like to kiss fellow counselors. A little birdy told me.”

Biting my bottom lip to avoid saying something mean, or shouting I ignored his comment and looked down at the food in front of me. Taking in a deep breath of the pasta, I grabbed my fork and attacked the noodles. Hey maybe if I eat like an animal he won’t be so interested anymore…

Smiling at my new brilliant idea, I shoveled a huge glob of goodness into my mouth and smacked on it loudly. “So how was your day?” I asked food slipping from my mouth.

Owen seemed to either not notice or ignore the fact that I was totally disgusting. He took a bite of his own food and replied after swallowing. “It was alright, I’m glad that I don’t have to cook lunch for all the boys. Or should I say we.”

“Not that I don’t want to spend time with you,” he quickly added before I could say anything.

From the cocky grin on his face I knew he was up to something. Licking my lips; and not in the sexy way, I took a huge gulp of my sour wine. The alcohol slipped down by throat leaving a burning feeling behind. “Well why is that? Oh wait, I know why. Because you think that you can get whatever you want and when you don’t you just keep on trying.”

Owen’s grip on the win glass tightened and he sighed. “Mia this is just a friendly dinner okay. Look, we’re friends alright?”

When the words left his mouth I immediately searched for any sign of sarcasm. When I didn’t see any, my whole mouth fell open and I stared at him with wide eyes. There was no way he was serious. He had been trying so hard to get me, and all of the sudden he calls it quits? Not that I minded, it just felt wrong and weird.

I relaxed in my seat, well more like slouched. Still keeping up the whole “gross him out” act, I picked at my teeth and sighed.

“Well good, friends sound alright,” I finally said releasing a breath.

He winked. “Oh and the whole gross me out thing isn’t working. You’re still sexy either way.”

“That’s not how we talk to friends now Owen…”

Laughing, he set down his wine glass. “Fine attractive. Is that better?”

**

That night, after all of the guy’s had gotten back from their little field trip, I tucked myself into bed and turned out the lights. I finally started to drift off when a knock on my window sent me jumping out of bed. Sighing, I stood up and pulled myself over to the window. Rubbing my eyes open, I unlatched the lock and pushed out the window.

What I didn’t expect was to see Gavin grinning up at me like a dork. He looked like he was going for a run in a light blue cut out and black basketball shorts. Uh, what the heck was Gavin doing at my window with a smile on his face? The only emotion he showed me lately was anger, when really I should be the one mad at him.

“What do you want?” I asked coldly.

Gavin bit his bottom lip as if he knew I would react this way. Sighing, he brushed a hand through his hair. “I wanted to say sorry, first. I shouldn’t have been mad at you.”

My reaction was a glare. Yeah, he shouldn’t have been mad at me. Plus I was still a little mad at him. “And what else?” I asked cupping my hand to my ear.

He laughed. “For not telling you I liked you when we had sleepovers.”

Gavin grinned at the last part, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Biting the inside of my cheek to cover up a little smile, I pushed open the window further. “Why are you here?” I questioned, this time my tone wasn’t so hostile.

“Well, there’s a little party going on just at the edge of camp. Some of the girls from Camp Willow Wood are coming to hang so I wanted to know if you would come.”

Girls? As in the opposite sex? That was something I hadn’t seen in a while, unless you count Julie and my mom. What I mean is a girl my age. Damn, I was never really good at making girlfriends. And a party? Like Julie said, maybe I should be more responsible. The responsible thing would be to tell Julie.

“Does Julie know about this party?” I finally asked weight my options.

I could either go, stay and not say anything or notify Julie. Either way none of the options seem to benefit me. If I went, then I could get in trouble if something happens, but if I just stay and don’t say anything and someone gets hurt it would kill me. And if I tell Julie then everyone will hate me. Probably even Gavin.

Gavin chuckled. “Do you think that Julie would know about a party with beer?”

I looked up at the full moon and sighed. The whole alcohol thing should have made the decision easier. But how can I tell on Gavin? “Uh, are you sure that’s a good idea. I mean what if someone gets hurt?”

Gavin studied my face for a few seconds, probably checking to see if I was joking. When he noticed the seriousness in my face, he nodded for me to come out. “Oh come on nothing will happen. You came to the last party, remember?”

I nodded my head. “I know but that was different. Julie doesn’t trust me anymore and I should be more responsible. I’m an adult now. You’re only sixteen it’s different.”

“Mia you’re at the age when most people start doing the partying. Loosen up and come have fun.”

Dancing up and down on the balls of my feet, I gave in. Turing around, I close the window and slipped into a bikini before pulling over some shorts and a tank top. I brushed my fingers through my hair and left out the front door. Gavin was waiting by the side of the house with a huge smile plastered on his face.

Obviously he was proud of convincing me to go. “You’re still not forgiven yet,” I scolded him walking by his outstretched arms as if he was expecting a hug.

Groaning, Gavin grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “No it’s this way,” he told me leading us towards the lake.

The moonlight reflected across the black water and we neared a small paddle boat floating by the doc. Not even a ripple disturbed the black liquid, that is until Gavin hopped in the boat and waved me to come after him.

I raised an eyebrow. “We’re going in the paddle boat?”

He nodded. “Yeah, it’s the best way to get there.”

Shrugging my shoulders I hopped in the boat and positioned myself next to him. Making sure my sandals were secure, I waited for Gavin to untie the rope that held the boat in place. After a minute of silence, the rope was detached and we started paddling.

“So is this how you get your amazing calf muscles?” I asked after even more silence when I noticed my calves were already burning.

The dork next to me laughed and his voice echoed across the silent lake. God I loved his laugh, it always made me smile. “So you think I have amazing calf muscles?”

Stupidly, I peered down at his legs. Yeah, I had said it as a joke but he did have nice calves. “Yes you most definitely could be a calf model.

We both laughed in unison, and I thought about how much I missed Gavin. Sher, he hadn’t been mad at me that long but it felt nice being around him. It was like when I was with Nathan, never awkward and always fun.

“You could be a model Mia, I mean it,” he said his voice one hundred percent serious.

I looked at him like he was crazy. “Did you fall and hit your head on the way to my cabin?”

The way Gavin rolled his eyes told me that he wasn’t joking. Did he still have feelings for me? I mean, I didn’t want to be awkward. But I had to know.

“Gavin, you’re not too mad that I don’t like you like that right? And when I told Julie that you just had a stupid little crush I was serious. It’s not like I’m all special anyway. You could have tons of girls.”

The subject must have still been touchy because at my words he winced. Biting my lip, I looked back up at the moon. “Anyway, I’m eighteen now.”

Moments of long and very awkward silence passed before I finally received and answer. “Landon’s not eighteen either.”

Shocked by his reply, I shifted to face him. He was staring out into the dark with a mad expression plastered on his cute face. “What do you mean? This has nothing to do with him.”

Gavin rolled his eyes. “I know you like him. And I understand why you don’t want to be with a little kid like me.”

This time it was my turn to roll my eyes. How dumb was Gavin. Any girl would be lucky to have him. “Hey don’t get down on yourself. I don’t get really close to people, but with you it’s easy. It’s like your one of my best friends and we have barely known each other for that long. Being friends with you is one of the easiest and best things I’ve ever done. I don’t want to lose that Gavin.”

He nodded his head as if agreeing that he was awesome. “I don’t want to just be friends, but if that’s all I can get I’ll take it.”

A smile spread across my face as the conversation seemed to light up a bit. “Being friends with me is probably the best decision you’ve made in your life.”

“Oh and why is that?” he asked a little grin appearing across his pink lips.

I winked. “Because you always get to have loads of fun.”

Reaching over, I shoved his as hard as I could and he toppled over the side of the boat and into the water. The expression on his face was priceless and I couldn’t help chuckling like a crazy old woman. I peered over the side waiting for him to resurface. After a few long moments of the sound of water rippling back and forth, the boat moved from underneath me and to the side. I held on for dear life as the boat tipped all the way over sending me crashing into the black water.

I too a huge gulp of air before smacking the black surface. Warm water greeted me and washed over my body as I pushed away from the boat and towards the surface. Once I was out from under the water I breathed in a deep breath of oxygen.

I could hear Gavin laughed only a few feet away. Rubbing my eyes, I opened them just in time to see him swimming towards me. “I got you,” he said with a snicker.

“Correction, I got you and then you got me,” I replied right away.

I dunked back under the water before resurfacing. Gavin was still treading water in the same spot. At the sound of splashing, he turned his head towards the sound. I caught a little fish tail bobbing back into the water but I knew he missed it.

“Do you know the tale about this lake?” I asked with a smirk.

Gavin slowly swam back to the small paddle boat and flipped it over. I saw him roll his eyes as he calmly got back in. “You can’t scare me I’ve swam this lake a billion times.”

Quirking and eyebrow, I stayed in the water but propped myself up by my elbows on the side of the boat. “Have you ever been out at this time?”

“No,” he said stubbornly.

“It’s when the mermaids come out.”

As soon as I said the words there were a few moments of silence. Then we both looked at each other and cracked up laughing. The laugher continued for a while longer and when I finally pulled myself up into the boat my stomach muscles were aching.

My clothes clung to me like a second skin and I carefully removed the shots and tank top and tossed them into the back of the boat. Gavin just removed his shirt, and when we were both ready we started paddling again.

“So I’m guessing this party is in the direction of the huge bonfire and rowdy teens?” I asked after we had paddled closer to shore.

Right in the sand was a huge bonfire hole with flames dancing six feet high. Teens surrounded the beach, girls and boys. A few people were messing around in the water and the red solo cups that littered the ground made my stomach turn. Someone could get hut, and if they did I would be in big trouble.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a little beer. Everyone will be fine,” Gavin practically whispered at we got closer and closer.

The sound of pop music drifted to my ears and I adjusted myself in the paddle boat. “Why do you think I’m worried? I’m not worried,” I snapped.

From the look on Gavin’s face he knew I was lying. Was I really that easy to read? My grumpy mood was starting to come back and I tried my best to hide my frown as a cute boy with light brown hair helped us pull the boat into shore.

Please let tonight be somewhat uneventful.

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