Lotus & Lilac

Chapter Three

The first thought that went through Cameron's mind as she followed Joy on a trail through the woods was that she was going to murder her. It was not one hundred percent logical to think that, but she couldn't help herself. Once Joy had pulled Cameron toward her little Jetta, stating that they definitely did not want to let Jamy drive because he was an awful driver, the unease for the evening ahead had settled in Cameron's stomach. What was she doing? Not only did she have an important commitment tomorrow which she did not want to be tired for but she also did not want to be spending her evening in the company of someone who consistently got on her nerves for no real reason. The excitement radiating off of Joy could probably be felt a mile away.

The blue eyed girl had driven the pair, Jamy having said he would meet them there, to what seemed to be a small parking lot to the side of the main road a couple blocks from Jamy's house. Cameron had eyed the small space with caution. There were no other cars parked there. When Joy exited the car she had come toward Cameron's door, opening it with a smile too bright for the unlit space they were in. Cameron followed Joy across the paved ground toward the woods. As her eyes adjusted to the darker setting while the sun began to set behind her she realized that Joy was leading the two of them to the opening of a trail that went back into the woods. There was a large wooden sign at the beginning of the trail that read Lake Coristat Trail. Cameron tucked her arms around herself feeling uncertain but followed Joy anyway.

Now that she had been following the curvy girl in front of her for about five minutes the uncertainty she felt had nearly tripled. It was overwhelming. All Cameron could see was the back of Joy's white leather jacket a couple yards ahead when some light from the setting sun filtered in through the trees above. As if sensing the amount of unease that Cameron was feeling, Joy turned on her heels to grin at her.

"Cammie, you're going to get lost back here if you don't keep up with me." Joy laughed and skipped back toward Cameron's side. A feat that Cameron was shocked by considering that Joy had slipped her feet into a pair of spikey looking high heels once they had arrived in the parking lot five minutes earlier. "Scout's honor, I'm not trying to murder you." Joy held up her right hand, palm facing Cameron.

"Scout's honor is only your first three fingers, Joy." Cameron corrected, reaching forward to bend Joy's pinky and thumb into the other girl's palm. Joy raised her eyebrow, looking confused. "My ex-boyfriend Liam was a boy scout. I helped him with his eagle scout project." Cameron shrugged. Joy's face split into a little grin and she hooked her arm through Cameron's.

"I told Jamy you had dated before." Joy laughed, mostly to herself. "Come on, everyone is probably waiting for us." Cameron wanted to stay where she was and ask Joy why she and Jamy had been discussing Cam's dating life but Joy tugged impatiently on their linked arms. Cameron followed without a word. The unrest from earlier about possibly getting murdered had left her body but it was replaced with a new kind of queasy feeling. Why had Joy and Jamy been talking about her dating life? Before she could dwell on the thought for too long the pair of girls came upon a clearing in the middle of the woods. There were a few scattered picnic tables lining the area that were adjusted into a circle around what appeared to be a makeshift fire pit in the center.

Around the area were all the people Cameron assumed Joy had mentioned a moment before when she had said 'everyone' was waiting for them. A mixed group of people setting out fold-up camping chairs around the fire pit. There was a trio of girls all dressed in black skin tight jeans and oversized band t-shirts setting down six-packs of beer on one of the picnic tables. One girl had bright red hair down to her butt that looked like the color probably came out of a box. Another had white blonde hair with teal dyed tips tucked under a beanie. The third girl had jet black hair pulled into a high ponytail. Cameron suddenly felt very self-conscious about her plain brown hair. Trying to stop her insecurity from building any more, she tried to observe the other people around the makeshift circle.