Dating Days and Campfires

Trying.

"Fine," I nod, not mentioning Alex. I didn't need-or want-her feeling sorry for me. 

"That's great. Things have been positively boring here," she rolls her eyes, dumping my bags on my bed as we had reached the cabin. "I got to go check up on my kids, but Chase said to tell him when you got here, so be sure to head to his cabin. He'll literally kill me if you don't," she shudders and waves. 

I head to the bathroom and freshen up, figuring I might as well look as if I'm not dying. I lightly jog over to Chase's cabin and knock on the door. 

Hearing no response after a moment, I push open the door. 

And stop breathing. 

Alex flipping Waters. 

"What the hell?" I spit, looking at Alex and Chase mid-conversation. 

"CASS!" Chase exclaims, jumping off the bed and racing over to hug me. Dumbfounded, I pat him on the back, blinking at Alex, who looks sheepishly at the ground. Chase pulls away and then looks at me, grinning. 

He notices my utterly confused and stricken expression aimed at Alex and frowns at him, then at me. "Oh, dear god, not again," he groans. 

"What- what are you doing here?" I incredously ask. 

Chase backs out of the cabin. "I'm just gonna wait out here, guys. I don't to be in the middle of some Calex drama right now." 

"I'm a counsler here," Alex shrugs, looking up at me as if I stupid. 

"You only came here because of me. Now, you-you don't have a reason to be here. So why?" I question, my voice coming out thick. 

"Because," Alex sighs, "I'm not giving up." (Gif on the right or above) 

I lick my lips, looking at the ground. "Alex..." 

"I know, call me stupid, call me an idiot, call me whatever you want. But I'm not letting you go this easy. I know you made it perfectly clear that nothing good can ever come out of us, but I don't care. You hear me, Cass?! I. don't. care." He says in one breath, his eyes flashing and eyebrows furrowed. 

Why was he making this so much harder for me?! 

"Alex Waters," I say, shutting my eyes. "I don't want to be with you. Nothing you can say or do will ever change my mind." 

"Oh, Cass," Alex sighs, coming closer and closer to me, forcing me to back up against the wall. He had come so close that my back was pressed up against the wall and I could see the flecks of silver in his blue eyes. He leaned forward, so his lips were hovering above my ear. "You can try covering your feelings for me, but we both know what you really want," Alex whispers, sending all too familiar shivers down my spine. 

Just give in, Cass...

No! Jesus, lady, we both know how this is gonna play out! 

But it's Alex flipping Waters...

Exactly! You're gonna get hurt! 

"No," I say softly. 

"Hm?" 

"No," I repeat, louder and more firm, placing my hands on Alex's chest and gently pushing him. "I'm not gonna do this."

"Cass..." Alex almost pleads, pulling at his dark locks. 

"I'm trying, Alex. I'm trying so goddamn hard to put you in the past and to not love you. But you're making so difficult... being you and showing up here! Please, please, go home," I beg, my voice cracking. If Alex stuck around here, I was going to give in eventually. And I needed to be strong. 

"I'm also trying. I'm trying to win you back. And if me staying here is going to accomplish that, then heck yeah, I'm staying here!" Alex exclaims, a determined grin plastered on his face. Although he looked like he could take on anything, his eyes said anything but. 

"I-I-" I stammer, but know that nothing I say would be lost on Alex. "I'm gonna go." 

I back out of the room, biting the inside of my cheek to stop the tears from flowing. 

Once outside, I close my eyes and take a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm my erratically beating heart.

"You okay?" 

I open my eyes to see Chase a couple feet away, eyebrows drawn in concern. 

"Yeah," I shakily chuckle. "Don't worry about me." 

"Canoe ride?" Chase slyly grins. 

"You bet'cha! Race you there," I wink and set off sprinting. 

Much to my dismay, Chase wins, smirking, as I touch the canoes as he is already pulling on out on the water. "Ugh, you suck," I scowl, crossing my arms. 

"Haters gonna hate," Chase shrugs. 

Laughing, we row out on the lake and Chase doesn't miss a beat. "So. You and Alex." 

"What about us?" I pick at my nails, not looking up. 

"Cass." 

"What?" I sigh, finally looking up. Chase's eyebrows are raised as if to tell me, 'Seriously?'

"Okay, okay, so long story short, Alex and I are no longer a going concern," I hurriedly say, rubbing my hands on my legs. 

"Offically?" Chase asks incredously. 

I nod reluctanly, even myself not wanting to believe it. 

"Who ended it?" 

"Does it really matter?" I sigh, retying my hair to busy my hands. 

"So it was you," Chase's eyes narrow. "Did Alex do or say something? I knew you guys were-" 

"He told me loved me." 

Chase blinks at me. "Okay, I knew that girls were confusing but-" 

"Alex and I are just going in circles! And I'm sick of it! We may have time to fight and make up now, but in the future, we're both going to need steady, dependable relationships. But distracting, destructive ones," I rant, chewing on my bottom lip. 

If only they knew how much this hurt me. 

"Exactly, Cass! You go in circles! This is just another bump in the road, but you and Alex are going to be together again. It's inevitable," Chase shrugs, leaning back. 

"No," I shake my head firmly. "I'm going to be strong." 

After talking for a little while more, Chase and I bring the boat back, figuring I should go and see Aunt Kathy. 

I begin walking to her cabin, when a familiar voice calls my name. 

"Cass?" 

I slowly turn around, knowing who I'll be faced with. 

Taylor Herrings, a happy grin plastered on his face. 

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