(Clara's POV)
Today is our last day camping...well until we get back for Friday. It's definitely been a hectic few days, but thankfully after the incident on the first day the rest have been pretty chill. We mostly spent our time swimming in the lake, singing around the campfire and going on long hikes through the woods.
But now it's 'mission escape campsite' as quoted by Xavier earlier.
We packed our bags and left at the crack of dawn and quietly snuck out of the campsite. Well...if you call Xavier tripping over a million twigs and shouting then sure...totally silent.
And that takes us to where we are right now, in the back of some fancy SUV arranged by Jameson, on our way to the palace.
To say I wasn't nervous would be a complete understatement. Meeting anyone's parents would make me feel nervous but when they are the king and queen of the country? I almost feel sick.
I focus my attention on the small details of this SUV, Xavier and Tom sitting opposite Jameson, Grayson and I.
Dinks and every sweet imaginable sits tucked inside a little snack area with cool drinks and even coffee.
LED lights are lined on the ceiling and on the floor, creating a warm cozy effect.
Suddenly my phone buzzes and I see I have a text from Savannah.
Savannah 🌸
Savannah: Hey C, sorry about rushing off earlier! Miss you already! See you on Friday xox
I stare at the message unable to think of a reply. Savannah was kind of weird earlier. When I told her about our plan to leave to go to Jameson's palace she insisted she didn't want to go. She ended up hanging around with her other friends for the rest of the nigh...but that wasn't even the weirdest part.
I was filling up my bottle in the middle of the night because it was boiling, like seriously, this hot and cold weather has me feeling lightheaded. But anyway as I made my way across the campsite I heard muffled talking and still now I can't even think of a reasonable explanation for it.
Savannah and Ruby were talking.
But not just talking. Laughing, smiling.
I don't understand. On my first day at school Savannah was so shaken by Ruby she couldn't even speak. But seeing them talking last night was like they were best friends?
Am I missing something here? I don't know if she's being fake to me or to Ruby or what is even going on but a strange feeling in my stomach tells me this isn't good.
I'm brought back to realty as someone gently nudges my arm. "Everything okay?"
I look up into the one and only Jamesons green eyes. I can see the worry and anger still clouding his mind as his eyes search mine. After what happened in the woods everyone's been checking up on me which I really appreciative but it's as if they are waiting for me to break.
Jameson doesn't look at me that way though. His eyes are searching mine to give me strength and to let me know he's right here with me.
I don't know how I know that but I just do.
But the anger and worry he had that night in the woods is still on his mind, I just know it. The mention of their names makes his eyes darken and his fists clench.
No one has ever looked out for me like they did that night. I really have found the best group of friends...I just need to know what's going on with Savannah.
I show Jameson the message she sent me.
"Are you worried about her still being there? I can get another suv-"
"No no don't worry, it's fine. It's just, I don't know, she been a bit strange lately..."
"Strange how?"
Did I also mention he's such a good listener?
I meet his eyes and contemplate whether I should tell him. But we're on our way to his palace and I know how much he's been stressing about his parents and his brother.
I want to be here for him, like he was for me.
I'm not sure what happened in the woods but ny care for him has deepened a little bit more than just friendship. It's been driving me insane this whole trip.
I spent my last days there being extra cautious and aware of his behaviour around me, trying to see if he feels the same way. And honestly? I have no idea. But what I do know is that I do not feel this way for the other boys. This is something else.
And it scares me to think about it.
So instead of dumping all of my problems onto him, I decide that I'll tell him another time.
"I don't know. I'm sure it's nothing." I give him a reassuring smile but his eyes tell me that they know it's not just nothing. But he decided to give me the benefit of the doubt and drop the subject.
"You know, you really need to stop taking my hoodies, love." He grins smugly and I swat his hand away that's playing with the strings on the front of the hoodie.
I fold my arms and give him a smug look back. "They're my hoodies now."
"Oh yeah?" He raises his eyebrows at me.
"Yep." I grab a soda and sweets from the snack table and I hear Jameson scoff. "What?" I wiggle my eyebrows at him, waving the sweets in his face like a child, laughing.
He shakes his head, smiling. "Nothing."
"You guys are making me feel sick." Grayson suddenly speaks up from the other side of me, graining and rubbing his temples where he just woke up.
I smile at him in apology. "What's wrong gray gray?" I jokingly pout like a child.
He scoffs addressing Xavier and Tom who are opposite. "Can you guys swap seats with me?" He jabs his thumb to Jameson and I, Jameson rolling his eyes dramatically.
"Relax Gray, we're just talking." He leans back into his chair and rests his head on the head rest behind.
"Uh huh, sure thing." He smiled at us like a child caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar.
"It's adorable." Xavier signs, leading his head agains his hands on the side of the car. Tom reaches over him to grab a soda.
"Agreed."
"It's okay Gray. I'm sorry I wasn't talking to you too." I dramatically move up in my seat so I'm sitting closer to him, and I link my arm with his jokingly. "What should we gossip about?" I look at him with big eyes and much to his efforts to not laugh, I finally get a little chuckle out of him.
"Okay okay that's enough of that." I feel Jamesons arms gently pull me back to him, sending electric sparks all over my body. What is happening to me?
"We'll gossip later bestie!" I dramatically frown and Grayson starts uncontrollably laughing, making the rest of us laugh too.
I love moments like these. Just the five of us having a laugh.
Jamesons arm remains around my waist while his right arm let's go. I'm practically already leaning on the guy so I decide to be confident and I gently take his right hand and wrap it back around my stomach so both of his arms are around me.
I sink into a comfy position and look up at him, smiling into his soft and melting eyes. He's like a big adorable puppy.
"This is too much guys." Xavier swipes imaginary tears from his eyes are he looks at Jameson and I.
I throw some of my starburst at him to which one of them he catches in his mouth, making us all laugh again.
Suddenly I hear a Taylor Swift song very faintly playing on the radio and I tap on the drivers windows to tell him to turn it up. Cruel Summer starts blasting from the speakers.
Xavier and I immediately start singing.
"I'm drunk in the back of the car..." I point a pretend mic at Xavier.
"AND I CRIED LIKE A BABY COMING HOME FROM THE BAR OOOooooHHHHhhhhHHH"
I burst out laughing from his terrible attempt that the highnote. We connect Xavier's phone to the car and blare out music for the rest of the journey.
——-♛——
Guys BREATHE.
Tell and friend to tell a friend...She's BACKK!!
I am so SORRY MLS!
Oop, Savannah? Thoughts? Ideas?
To apologise here's a double update, keep reading guys :)