IT HADN'T really hit anyone that summer was soon coming to an end. That everyone would be dragging down school hallways. That Leia would being going home very soon.
"Summer's almost over." Leia said, "They gave me everything, and now they're taking it all away."
"Who's they?" Jay asked.
"I don't know!"
"School." Gwen scoffed, "Son of a bitch."
"I haven't even started my summer reading, so I'm reading fine line from each book." Ozzie said, opening the book in his hands, "Okay. So it's about a perv. Next."
"Hang on, there's a lot to love about starting a new school year. New homerooms, the smell of fresh textbooks, getting up early to learn." Nikki smiled.
Now, Rachel and Joshua were smart, they had been reading Roald Dahl books since being in their mothers womb. But that didn't mean they were ready to start school like Nikki had been.
In fact, the group had booed her for liking school as much as she had.
"Hey!" Nate called, "Go easy on her. School is cool. I mean, we learn stuff, and there's lockers, and..." Nate turn to face her, "I'm sorry, babe. My heart's not in it."
"Once you stop learning, you start dying." Nikki quoted, "You know who said that?"
"Einstein." The MacFarlane twins spoke.
"Einstein the bear?" Nate asked.
"I'm done." Nikki scoffed.
"I am so screwed. I was supposed to be working out all summer for football. But instead, I didn't." Nate sighed.
"Bro, just come to the gym with Jay and I." Joshua said.
"Yeah, we'll get you ripped." Jay smiled.
"Let's do it!"
The boys gathered to leave the Forman's basement but before, Jay sat down to Rachel on the couch.
"Hey, can we talk after the gym?" Jay asked, "I traded shifts at work. I wanna take you to my secret spot."
Rachel couldn't avoid talking to Jay much longer. They were apparently sharing a class in the upcoming year. She had to push herself at this point.
"Yeah." She smiled, "Just knock on my door when you're over."
JAY DID knock on Rachel's door. He held a picnic basket in his hands and the duo went out into the woods, practically in the middle of nowhere.
"Look at the way the sunlight is hitting those branches." Jay smiled, throwing his arm over her shoulder, "Nature can be so overwhelming."
Rachel held a tight lip and nodded, "Are we almost there?" She asked.
"Uh... Actually, I'm kinda of turned around."
Rachel held wide eyes, "We're lost?"
"No. No, no, no. I think we're close. Here, let me ask this guy if he knows." Jay said.
Rachel followed behind Jay with her arms crossed and rocking back and forth in her feet as Jay spike to the man.
"Excuse me? Do you know where we can find the overlook?"
"Yeah, you've got to find the under-look, okay? And it's right above that."
"Um, but the overlook is up this way?" Jay questioned.
"Yeah, yeah. Just around the corner, man."
"Thanks."
The duo began walking off but Jay once again pulled Rachel over, his arm around her shoulder, "If you stand here, you can see the very tip of the bone stone."
"Uh-huh."
The duo took another stop when Jay began taking things out of the picnic basket.
"Is this your secret spot?" Rachel asked, "Or are we still lost?"
"We're lost. But let's just take a break and have our picnic. Then I can start working on the signal fire."
Rachel sighed, sitting down on the blanket, "We're that lost?"
"No... but even if we are, it's not that bad."
Rachel gave Jay a small smile and held her knees close to her chest.
"Jay." She called, "I'm really sorry."
"For what?"
"Breaking up with you the way that I did. I'm still kind of confused on some things and I feel like this is the reason that you've brought me out here."
Jay stopped pulling things out of his picnic and turned toward her.
"I'm not pressuring you into anything, Rachel." He smiled, "Yeah, I like you, but I don't want things to be that different, you know. We're still friends."
Rachel gave Jay a small smile. He took that opportunity to brush the hair out of her face. Her white streak fanning her face and her bangs almost touching her eyelashes.
Jay was a flirt, that wasn't gina stop no matter who it was. And because he liked Rachel that was only gonna amplify with her.
And Rachel was gonna eat it up. She actually liked Jay, but she didn't want to feel like she was using him because he was there and readily available to her.
But she had come to terms that she really did like Nate also and what value their relationship had with him. But Nate was in a relationship.
Rachel MacFarlane was a smart girl but when it came to relationships... that shit was absolutely wrecking her.
They soon heard rustling in the bushes and the same man from before came peering out of the trees.
"Hey, I've got a question. You guys know how to get to the overlook?"
"You just gave us directions to the overlook."
"Oh good. What did I say?"
"Great, we're all lost." Rachel sighed.
"Just a heads-up. There's a squirrel that's been picking on me, man. Tells me a joke and then he runs away before he gets to the punch line. Not cool."
"How are we gonna get home?" Rachel asked.
"Hey. Why don't you use my car?" The man asked, "Yeah. It's parked on the road that goes right into town."
RACHEL SIGHED. She entered the Forman basement and the only person down their had been a very worn out Nate.
"Hey." She smiled, sitting down next to him, "How was the intense workout?"
"Pretty gnarly." He sighed, "But I think I'm all worked out until football."
"Glad you were able to achieve that, Nate."
He gave her a small smile, turning to face her, "How was your date with Jay?"
"I wouldn't call it a date. It was more of a sit and talk." She answered, "Did you ever talk to Nikki?"
"Yeah." Nate sighed, "I think we're calling it quits for now."
"I'm really sorry about that. I know you really love her."
Nate gave Rachel a small smile, twirling his thumbs. Now... better than later. Holding in regret.
"I loved you to, you know."
Rachel furrowed her brows. She let a beat of silence pass before shifting her position on the couch to better face him.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't know what it was at first." He explained, "I was scared. What if you didn't feel the same way."
"But what if I did?"
Nate cupped Rachel's cheek and before either could think, Nate had kissed her.
Both of them shocked, not knowing who kissed who first, but that didn't seem to matter in the moment.
They had both heard a creak of the steps and Rachel quickly backed away from Nate almost stumbling over her own feet to stand near the door of the basement.
"Hey guys." Jay smiled.
"Hey." They both awkwardly wined.
Rachel couldn't bare it at this point. She ushered a random excuse to get out of the basement and dashed home.
This was way worse. This was a horrible way to end the summer.
- lucy has something to say !!
y'all one last chapter and all i'm gonna say is goop and gag
"she needs to be with jay"
"she needs to be with nate"
honestly she doesn't NEED to be with anyone
bye :))))