I knew I shouldn't have agreed to go out so quickly after what had just happened but I couldn't see how sitting here and dwelling on it would do me any good. And I would feel safer with Cecilia than I would sitting here alone.
There was a knock on the door right a 7 pm. Cecelia was way more dressed up than me, I had decided to dress a little more conservatively for the evening, wearing some shorts and a long sleeved top to cover my wrists. I did throw on a little makeup and try to add minimal scrunch to my hair.
"You ready?" she asked.
"Yeah" I slammed the door behind me and locked it, putting my keys safely in my pocket.
I walked to Cecilia's car realizing that there was someone in the driver's seat.
"Julia I hope you don't mind my brother Alex driving us," she said, pulling the seat forward.
"No, thats fine" I smiled a whole lot more on the inside than I did on the outside as I climbed in the back.
"Hi Julia" Alex said.
"Hello" I smiled again,
I watched my house becoming farther and farther away until I couldn't see it anymore.
"So how did you end up here, Julia?" Alex moved his rearview mirror to see me.
"My mom got a new job," I halfway stuttered.
"Well, you seem like a nice girl, pretty too, don't let Cecilia here ruin you" he laughed.
Cecilia punched her brother playfully.
It wasn't long until Alex stopped the car, but all I seen were trees. Cecilia opened the door and jumped out, pulling the latch on the seat springing it forward so that I could exit.
"You aren't coming?" she said to Alex, realizing he hadn't shut off the engine.
"No, I've got things to do, call me when your ready for me to pick you up though, and BE CAREFUL" he exaggerated.
I was so upset when he said this that I didn't realize he had already turned around and left.
"Come on Julia, it's just down this path" Cecilia pointed to a narrow path beat into the ground surrounded by tall grass and leading into the dark woods. It looked pretty horrifying but I followed her anyway, hoping not to run into a snake or a bear.
Cecilia grabbed my hand as we ventured deeper into the forest.
"I've been this way hundreds of times, it's okay" she giggled at my nervousness.
After stumbling around in the dark for what seemed like forever, I finally seen the flickering of a fire.
There weren't many people there, mostly her cousins Cecilia told me. Her uncle had a house a little further down the lake and they had been gathering here on the weekends since they were little.
After introducing me to everyone, we took a seat on a log next to the fire and grabbed some marshmallows.
"So why didn't you introduce me to your new friend Cecilia?" a dark haired dark skinned guy with a heavier build sat down uncomfortably close on the other side of me.
"Because you're not that important" Cecilia cocked an eyebrow.
The guy looked like a deer in headlights.
"I'm just playin, this is Julia, Julia this is Raymond" she laughed.
"Nice to meet you" I shook his hand.
