A One Way Ticket To Anywhere (Complete)

All Around The Camp Fire

Camila threw her head back and laughed as the heat of the campfire mixed with the alcohol caused her cheeks to glow red

"You're insane" laughed Shawn as he downed the rest of his wine and then used a long branch to stoke the fire

Before today if you had asked him if he liked swimming, picnics and campfires he would have told he would rather peel and eat his own eye balls but sitting here in a clearing in the forest, his belly stuffed with burritos, cold mac and cheese and Spanish flan, his mind buzzing from the effects of the wine he would tell you there is no other place on earth he would rather be

And the girl?

The girl was like someone from another planet.

She was beautiful and funny, she was intelligent and wise, she could sing and build camp fires and most importantly she seemed to see him. she listened when he spoke, laughed when he joked, and stroked his arm soothingly when she could tell almost by instinct that his mind was wandering somewhere else, somewhere dark

"So, who are you Shawn Mendes?" she suddenly asked whilst stabbing a marshmallow with a sharpened stick and handing it to him

"Me? I'm no one" he replied whilst pushing the marshmallow into the fire and then pulling it out as it began to sizzle

"Of cause you're someone" she replied whilst skewering her own marshmallow and then beginning to toast it "You're shy and funny, you swim in the shallows but you think deep, you're cute but act as though you don't know it"

That last comment caused his face to burn and he was thankful for the heat of the fire, that he could at least blame his blush on that

"I'm an orphan" he stated in a low voice, putting his marshmallow to his lips but never taking a bite

"I'm so sorry" The girl whispered, once again stroking his arm, not an ounce of pity in her eyes, if anything he would say he could only see understanding and for the first time he made the admission without a hint of shame

"So if i'm a bit 'mopey' that's probably why, it's a lot to live with"

The girl bit her lip, recalling her statement from earlier but she wasn't embarrassed, he was mopey and orphan or not, life was too short to sit around contemplating suicide and feeling sorry for yourself, she should know, she had been there but now she was here, alive and free and not willing to let anyone sink down to those levels alone

"Tell me something happy about yourself" she said as she popped the toasted marshmallow into her mouth and watched as the boys gaze settled on her lips

"There's nothing" He stated bluntly

"Nothing at all?"

"Nothing in the last two years" he held his empty glass out to her and watched as she filled it, her features highlighted and enhanced by the glow of the open fire

"Tell me something that made you happy... before"

"Other than having a family?"

"Yeah well that one was a given"

"Playing my guitar" he sipped at the thick, red liquid regretting immediately delving into his past life

"You play?!" She asked whilst immediately bouncing to her feet.

"Played. "

"I have one in my van, play us something, that would make it a real campfire experience but not kumbaya I fuckin hate that song"

"I said played Camila, past tense"

"Yeah and now you can start again" she called as she started heading back towards her van

"I said no!" Shawn snapped, causing her to stop in her tracks "Don't you understand English? I said past tense, I played them but I don't play now" he set his glass down and ran a large hand over over his face

"I might be Cuban slash Mexican Shawn but I speak English very well thank you very much" She plopped down onto the grass and Shawn knew he had hurt her feelings and regretted it immediately, she had been nothing but kind to him and he had been gloomy, mopey and snappy in return and that made him feel like shit

"That's not what I meant and you know it" he said quietly, never lifting his head, the smell of the campfire and the effect of the wine causing his emotions to mix and swirl all around him "I should go, I'm not very good at this company thing I guess"

He handed the glass back to the girl and pushed himself to his feet

"You can't leave yet" She suddenly called out "you're over the limit!"

"It's a cycle Camila"

"Yeah and you have had too much wine to cycle it. Looks like you're stuck here for the night, oh poor me" she shrugged before grabbing his hand and pulling him back down next to her "sleeping bags under the stars or a night in my van?"

Shawns brain started to run riot as the images of him, Camila and a night tucked up in her van with a bottle of wine began to fill it

"I can ride my bike..."

"Really? All that way in the pitch black? With all the moose and wolves and Sasquatch that are around this place? Okay then, if you're sure, but you're braver than me"

Shawn shook his head and then moved towards his bike, unfortunately for him, just at that very moment something rustled in the trees not far away and he turned to face Camila, his face pale in the moonlight

"Night in the van it is" she said whilst beginning to gather their picnic items, the biggest smile of her lips

********************

"This is nice" stated Shawn as he looked around the small space. There were small sofas down each side of it, one shorter than the other and the difference filled with what looked like a tiny kitchen, the bench topped with crockery and cutlery items as well as a fruit bowl "but how do you sleep?"

"I have a board, you lay it over the sofas and the table and that gives you a base and then the sofa cushions fit together as a mattress, there is only one bed though so we're going to have to share and I have to warn you I'm a cuddler "

Shawn shook his head and dropped down onto the navy and white sofa cushions "Aren't you concerned at all that you just met me, I'm tipsy on wine and you're suggesting we share a bed and... cuddle?!"

"You don't have to cuddle me, I'm just warning you there's a strong likelihood that I will cuddle you just so you don't get a fright in the night and think I'm trying to molest you oh and I sleep naked"

Shawn's eyes almost popped from his head as Camila fell forward laughing loudly

"I'm joking!" She screeched "Your face!!! Omg your eyes almost exploded"

"Yeah, yeah, very funny. You're a regular comedian"

"You think you can keep your hands to yourself?" She asked with a wink

"I don't think it's my hands that are going to be the problem" he smirked before pulling his sweatshirt over his head and enjoying the way the girls eyes lingered on his naked chest.

This night was about to get very interesting, at least he hoped it was going to get very interesting as he watched Camila suck her bottom lip between her teeth and then start gathering and placing battery powered candle all around the van

"We can't use the real thing" she informed him "fire risk if the van shakes too violently" she smirked and then laughed as Shawns eyes once again bugged out of his head at what she was insinuating

Yes, tonight was getting very interesting indeed

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