Destined

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

After a night's rest and a long morning, we're almost to the campsite. I can feel the tension in my chest ease as the familiar gas station and stop lights pass by. We've come here every summer that I can remember and each one of those summers are filled with some of my happiest memories. From Enzo being too stubborn to avoid hanging his hammock over poison ivy, to burning our hotdogs when he said it was too dangerous for me to do alone. It has always been my favorite time of the year.

"What are you thinking about over there?"

I give him a smile from the passenger seat, "oh nothing," he gives me a smile back, his eyes clearing showing he doesn't believe me. He turns his attention back to the road as we pull into the parking lot of the welcome center.

Enzo quickly unbuckles and hops out of the car. Once his body disappears behind the door the smile drops from my face. I have no idea how I'm going to tell him that I don't want to go back to school next fall. I just don't want him to be disappointed in me and I especially don't want to ruin our camping trip but I can't go the entire week lying to him. I need to tell him soon.

Sooner than I am ready, Enzo exits the building heading back to the car. He has a huge smile on his face and is waving a map erratically at me, "I'm assuming that went well?"

"We got a lake spot! Finally, it's been years." His smile seems to grow even wider as he hops behind the wheel. I give him a quizzical look, letting my face do all the questioning, "You know my charm with the ladies-" he begins before I cut him off,

"Dude! You're disgusting," I can't help but laugh at him as he pulls out and heads towards the lake. Our site is just on the edge of the water. Right at midday, the sun is bouncing off the water and rippling with the waves. Trees are perfectly encapsulating the site, almost as if hiding it away from the main road and the sites around us. It's perfect.

"Okay, maybe your charm is good for something because this is amazing."

After an hour of setting up camp everything is set up and ready for our stay. Enzo and I are sitting on our camping chairs by the firepit enjoying our hard work. The sun is starting its descent, my guess is we have just a few hours left of sunlight. I watch as a turtle breaks the lake's surface bobbing its head around the ripples when Enzo speaks up next to me, "Do you want anything to drink? Soda? A beer?"

I give him a quizzical look, I have never had an alcoholic drink around Enzo, "a beer? Are you serious?"

"Come on Les, you just finished your first year of college. I'm sure this isn't your first time." and he is right. There have been a handful of nights Sam and I have gone a little too far, not that I remember much of them but there is no way I'm admitting that to my brother.

Before I can respond, Enzo heads to the cooler and grabs two drinks. He hands me a cider as he flops back into his chair, "Ciders are safe. You look like a cider girl." Again, he's correct but I stay quiet as I grab the drink from his hand.

"Thanks," the silence grows around us as we drink. This would be a good time to tell him that I don't want to go back to school next year but I can't muster up the courage.

"I can hear the wheels turning in your head from here, kid. What are you thinking so deeply about?"

He has always been able to do that. Ever since I was a kid, he has been able to tell when I'm stuck in my thoughts and can't pull myself out. Usually, it's about a boy or a project I can't get ahead of but that's not the case this time, "Nothing, Enz. No worries."

"The last time you were so quiet and had that look in your eyes was right after your graduation," he lets out a sigh as he speaks. I know where he's going with this. After graduation I was hung up on seeing all of my classmates celebrating with their families. So many parents beaming with pride and all I had was Enzo. I love him but I was jealous that our parents weren't there. They haven't been since I was young. Too young to remember. They were killed in a car crash when I was a baby and ever since it's just been Enzo and I. I can see why he thinks that's what I'm so deep in thought about, but I gave up on asking about them months ago. Enzo refuses to talk about them, always saying he will talk about it all one day. I'm just waiting for him to decide when that day will be.