Isabelle's P.O.V
It has been a week since Nate kissed me and a week since I have talked to him. To be fair, I hadn't seen any of my friends because of all the extra shifts I was picking up at work. Though, that still didn't explain why Nate had not even sent me so much as a text. He had my number he could easily text me and I guess the same could be said to me, which the girls had endlessly pointed out during our phone conversation. But every time I went to send a message to him I chickened out. Which made me wonder if maybe that's the reason he had yet to message me. I had also played with the idea that he completely regretted his decision to kiss me and now he was avoiding me like the plague. The girls quickly shot down that and insisted he was just nervous. I agreed, but the idea still sat in the back of my mind and tormented me endlessly.
This weekend was our annual camping trip and I should've been excited. Except that, it meant that Nate would be there. And since this whole awkwardness had not yet been solved between Nate and I it was going to definitely affect the trip. I sighed as I hopped on my bike to work another shift.
This week had dragged on, between constantly checking my phone for messages that didn't come and a full work week dealing with tourists who seemed hell bent on making my job extremely difficult. I was ready for the weekend and thankfully today was payday.
I arrived at work to find it already packed and I grumbled as I made my way across the pier. It was a record-breaking day as the weather man had said this morning and he wasn't lying. The tourists were going to be clogging up the beach and the ice cream shop, looking for ways to cool down from the heat. I walked into work and was instantly hit with a blast of cold air from the AC, but that didn't last long as I moved through the line of people. Due to the high volume of people in the shop, it was hotter then it should've been and reek of sweat and B.O.
I reached the counter and was shocked to see an attractive guy serving customers. He looked like he had just walked out of a Calvin Klein add and completely out of place behind the counter of an ice cream shop. He had on black basketball shorts and a white v-neck t-shirt, he was wearing black Nike running shoes and a plain white hat on backward. I guess I was staring because suddenly he was in front of me and his mouth was moving but my brain wasn't registering the words. I shook my head and smiled. "Sorry, I didn't hear a word you just said," I smiled to show I wasn't being rude. "I said you must be Isabelle." He gave me a smirk. "Yes, sorry the heat is frying my brain." I gave an awkward laugh and went to serving the line of customers. I cursed myself for being such a dork.
Once the rush had slowed down I began busying myself. My embarrassment from early still hadn't subsided and I didn't want to have a conversation with the guy just yet. I was assuming he was one of Elena's many grandchildren but I didn't recognize him from previous summers. I had been doing a great job avoiding the guy until he cornered me in the freezer.
"I'm Josh by the way." He gave me an award winning smile that probably made all the girls drool. Up close you could that he had jet black hair and a set of grey-blue eyes. "Nice to meet you, you already know my name," I said and maneuvered around him to get out of the cooler. Embarrassment aside, as hot as Josh was, he strikes me as the kind of guy who knew he was hot and thought he could get any girl. He followed hot on my heels and continued to talk. "I'm sure you've guessed, but I'm Elena and ____ grandson." He gave me another one of his award winning smiles. "Yeah, although I've come to this place for most of my adolescent life and have never seen you working here," I said because it was true and I was curious. Looking back at the many summers I spent coming here I had never once seen him.
"Oh I used to go to a sports camp during the summers but since I'm going off to college in the fall my parent's wanted me to save up some money." I nodded my head and continued to busy myself. Josh continued to follow me around as I cleaned up empty tables. "So you've lived here your whole life then?" He asked, but it sounded more like a statement than a question. Again I responded with a nod.
Once the initial effects of his gorgeous appearance wore off, he was just an average guy. In the sense that he was annoying the crap out of me. I liked to talk as much as the next person because hello, I'm a girl. Not to put a generalized thing on it, but it's common knowledge that women like to talk. But when there was so much stuff that needed to be done before the next rush, I didn't feel like talking, not to mention I was in a terrible mood.
After many failed attempts at conversation, Josh gave up and began actually working. I felt bad for blowing him off, but I really needed to get this stuff done. The door chimed and I looked up to see the girls walking in. "Well hello, there Cinderella," Liz smirked at me. "Your so funny. Did you guys come to get something or just tease me?" I smiled. "We came to get free ice cream," Taylor said and as she gawked at Josh who was too busy serving a customer to notice her staring. I shoved her lightly.
"Stop that! He already thinks I'm a dork, I don't need him thinking I hang out with losers too." I winked. "I'm sorry but he is hot. Like Greek God hot. How come I haven't ever seen him working here during the summers?" Taylor said as she turned her attention back to me. "Yeah and he knows it too. He said that apparently he used to attend a sports camp during his summers, but he's going off to college and needs to earn some money," I said and shrugged my shoulders. The girls nodded and I walked over to the counter to get there some ice cream.
"So we decided to leave tomorrow morning around eight am," Natasha said as I began scooping their ice cream. "Okay," I said. "So have you talked to him yet?" Anna whispered why she whispered it I had no idea. "No but then again I haven't checked my phone in hours." I sighed. I handed them their ice cream.
After the girls left I looked over Josh to find him staring at me intensely. I felt slightly uncomfortable under his gaze, so I went to the freezer and hid out there until the next rush came.
***
Once I was home I finally allowed myself to check my phone. Although I had plenty of messages from everyone in our friend group, Nate had yet to text me. Although, he hadn't responded to any of the group chat messages either. I guess I could take that as somewhat of a good sign. I was finishing up packing the rest of my items for the camping trip when my phone began to ring. My heart started pounding as I reached to see who it was. I let out a sigh when I saw the caller I.D lighting up with Brayden's name. "What would you like?" I asked trying to hide my annoyed tone because I know I shouldn't be angry at him.
"Ouch, maybe try to sound excited to talk to me." I could just barely make out what he was saying through the background noise, which sounded like a party. "Sorry, I'm in a bad mood. Where are you?" I asked because I knew no one was throwing a party tonight. "Oh, my parents are having a dinner party. Your parents are here too." He said I hadn't even noticed they weren't home. "Oh, I didn't know. Anyway, why are you calling?" I asked. "Natasha and Anna might've told me you were worried about Nate not texting you." I cursed under my breath, of course, they did just to force one of us to talk. "Brayden, you better have not said anything to him." I practically screamed into the phone.
"Chill I didn't!" He screamed back. "Besides, it's not a big deal, it's not like it was a date anyway." "Thanks, Brayden, I feel so much better," I grumbled out. "Oh don't get your panties in a twist. You guys can talk about it tomorrow." I heard a loud crash in the background followed by some choice words. "Shit, I have to go, see you tomorrow." With that Brayden left me with my thoughts.
I laid in bed my head running with different scenarios that all played out the same, he regretted the kiss. I could kill Brayden for leaving me alone to ponder all this. How did he even know it wasn't a date anyway? At least he was honest, but it was still irritating that he just dropped a bomb on me then left.
I woke up to the sound of a horn honking. "what the hell." I breathed out and looked at the time. "Shit!" I quickly jumped out of bed. It was 8:10 and I was up late yet again. Liz came into my room and gave me a death glare. "You have ten minutes to get ready or we leave without you." She gave me a definite look and grabbed my camping gear that was piled at my bedroom door.
Five minutes later I was running out the door to the car. I didn't want to make them wait any longer. "I cannot believe you were ten minutes late." Anna scolded me as I put on my seat belt. "I'm sorry, I was up all night tossing and turning!" I said and began getting comfortable to take my nap. "Why were you tossing and turning?" Taylor asked. I told them about my conversation with Brayden last night. "Don't even worry about it, he still asked you to hang out alone," Taylor said with an encouraging smile. I nodded my head. "Hey, where's Natasha?" Everyone was accounted for except her. "We didn't have enough room, so she volunteered to go with the boys. " Liz responded from the passenger seat.
Our campsite was located at Big Bay Point, which was where people who lived around Sandy Bay and surrounding towns had cottages and liked to camp. It was usually busy this time of year and hosted a lot of parties. It also had cliffs that were used for cliff jumping. I relaxed deeper into my seat and got ready for the two-hour drive ahead of us.
Two hours later we arrived at our campsite. I got out and stretched my legs. Somehow we had still beaten the boys and Natasha here. I looked around and smiled. We had lucked out this year and got a site that was more secluded and right on the shoreline of the ocean.There was a forest that surrounded a majority of our campsite, which allowed for more privacy. It had a grassy patch that turned into sand the closer you got to the water. I began unpacking the car when Nathans car pulled up.
Natasha was the first to get out of the car and she didn't look to please. She slammed the door and stomped over to where we were putting together the tent, "Don't ever stick me in a car with them again!" She huffed out and gave the boys a death glare. "They spent ninety percent of the trip talking about girls and they left me at the gas station." I stifled a giggle. "We came back for you!" Brayden said overhearing the conversation. "After I called you guys." She said and stomped off. Brayden shrugged his shoulders and went after her. Leave it to the boys. I watched as Nate exited the car and instantly the anxiety started. We made eye contact and I quickly looked away and busied myself with putting up the tent.
I spent an agonizing ten minutes with the tent and avoiding any and all contact with Nate. He had yet to approach me and as much as I wanted him to break the silence first, a small part of me didn't. I was worried that he would reject me, which scared me more. I hadn't realized how fast I had started to like him, which scared me even more than the latter.
Once the tent was finished I announced I was going to collect firewood. "We already have firewood," Anna said. I gave her a look to shut up. "I meant stuff to start the fire, like sticks," I grumbled out and walked off before she could say anything. I began my trek into the woods. Its a good thing its the middle of the day or else this would be the perfect scene for a scary movie. A group of friends goes camping, one friend wonders off into the forest alone and is usually the first one killed. I curse myself, great now I was scared I was going to get offed in the middle of the forest.
I began distracting my mind and it was working up until the point I heard the snap of a stick. I stopped dead, like a deer waiting for the next warning sound to run. When I decided it was better to turn back now, I had obviously become too paranoid to be out here alone. I turned around and let out a blood-curdling scream and out of reflex I punched.
***
Once my heart rate had calmed down to a relatively normal speed, I instantly felt bad. Poor Nate sat on a log trying to get his breathing back after I had punched him in the throat. "I'm so sorry," I said and sat down beside him. "Serves me right for sneaking up on you." He choked out. Obviously, I had a stronger punch than I imagined. "Why were you following me anyway?"I said because I had walked distances away from camp, so he must have been following me for awhile. "You seemed upset, I wanted to see if you were alright. I finally caught up to you when you turned around." He had finally regained some of his voice back, though it still sounded a bit winded.
I wanted to scream out of course I'm mad! You kissed me out of nowhere and then never contacted me after. Instead, I just sat there silently. "I want to apologize." "You should, I nearly shit my pants," I said with a smile. "No, I want to apologize for not texting you." He said. I sighed, here it comes. I cut him off before he can say anything. "No it's fine I get it, you didn't mean to do it, or maybe you did but now you regre-" I was cut off mid-sentence when Nate kissed me again out of nowhere. I sat there shocked as he pulled away.
"Sorry," Nate said sheepishly when he saw my stunned expression. "I was embarrassed and nervous to text you. I mean what do you say to someone after you impulsively kiss them? I also had no clue how you felt about me, so I was afraid you might reject me. Well, that was until Natasha all but yelled at me in the car and said I should stop being an idiot." He said and rubbed the back of his neck. Something I was beginning to realize was a nervous tick he had. I shook my head, I was beginning to love this new Natasha. "Well, she was right about that," I said with a smile. He looked up with relief plastered on his face. I stood up and brushed the dirt off my legs. Nate stood up and tentatively took my hand. "I was wondering if you would like to go on a real date. One where my sister doesn't call you Elsa and makes you wear a crown." I smiled and tried to hide the blush that was staining my cheeks. "Yeah, I would like that, although I thought I really rocked that crown," I said and applauded myself for sounding so calm, while inside I was dying. "Oh of course you did," Nate said in a voice dripping with sarcasm. I shoved him lightly and he gave me a cheeky grin. We walked together back to the campsite and Nate intertwined his hand with mine. Butterflies were erupting in my stomach as we talked and I smiled at how easily we fell into conversation and how it didn't feel awkward between us.
We arrived back to find that everyone had finished putting together the campsite and were now making lunch. "Where's the stuff for the fire?" Taylor smirked and pointed to our empty hands. I shrugged and went to go get changed into my swimsuit. Nate and I had decided to go swimming when we got back. On my way to the tent, I ran into Natasha. I quickly tugged her arm and pulled her off to the side. "Hey, what's up?" Natasha asked. "I just wanted to say thank you for yelling at Nate. It seemed to have made him actually talk to me." I smiled. She let out a breath of relief and smiled. "Your welcome, I actually thought you were going to yell at me for that." I shook my head in response. "No of course not, you were just being a good friend. Plus, it's not like you told anyone who would listen." I smiled and leaned in to give her a hug. When I hugged her she seemed taken back but then quickly hugged me back. I had never given Natasha a hug before, so I assumed that was why she was shocked. I was beginning to realize how much we rarely acknowledged Natasha, I vowed to stop doing that because she was a great friend.
***
After lunch the boys decided to go fishing, stating all we wanted to do was tan. "Okay so I am not a big fan of fishing, that doesn't mean I want to just tan all day! I already have an amazing tan." Taylor huffed out, as we laid on our beach towels. Ironically, we were tanning but only because we couldn't think of anything else to do. "Well, let's think of something fun to do, instead of sitting here bitching about them." I sighed. "Look at them out there laughing away. You know there not going to shut up about catching dinner." Anna said pointedly. I squinted my eyes and looked out to the ocean to see the boys in the boat laughing as they cast their fishing lines. "Wait, isn't there a water sports rental place on Point Beach?" Liz said with eagerness as she stood up. "I think there is, my parents and I rented paddle boats from there once," Natasha said with excitement. "I'm thinking we rent something with a little more speed," Liz said with a smirk.
After leaving a brief note for the boys as to where we were, we hopped into the car and drove to Point Beach. Point Beach was a smaller beach compared to the one in Sandy Bay, but it was spacious enough to host all the cottagers and campers who were visiting for the weekend. Along the beach, it had a couple of shops and fast food restaurants, and one local bar. The beach was packed with people when we got there, some were floating in the water or tanning on towels on the sand. There were people who looked to be partaking in a beach volleyball tournament and some guys tossing around a football. We walked down the beach stopping occasionally to look at something and soon we came across the rental place at the end of the beach just before the cottages started. We walked into the shop and a bell dinged above the door to notify someone that we had arrived. A young guy around our age came from the back and smiled at us. "Hello, how can I help you?" He asked all of us but seemed to keep his eyes trained on Liz. She immediately noticed this and gave him a smile. "We were hoping to rent some sea-doos." She smiled sweetly at him and he nodded.
Soon Liz and the guy, who's name tag said his name was Greg began having a discussion and signing papers. A few minutes later Greg disappeared into the back and Liz turned to us. "He's just grabbing the life jackets. We have two hours of rental time and he gave us a discount as long as I went out on a date with him later." Liz smirked. We all nodded, but in the back of my mind, I worried about how Spencer would take it because it was obvious he liked her. After a quick how to on the sea-doos, which consisted of Greg taking every opportunity to put his hands on Liz and the rest of us rolling our eyes. Once that was done we went on our way.
Being on a sea-doo was exhilarating, I mean I'm sure there were plenty of things more exhilarating than this but at this moment it was amazing. The girls and I went about driving over waves and racing each other, soon the water started to fill up with other people doing various water sports and it began to feel a little crowded. We decided to take our sea-doos over to where the boys were fishing and bug them. Once the boys were in sight we slowed down and approached quietly. They were all leaning back and relaxing in the boat and laughing once in awhile. As soon as we were close enough we speed up and splashed the crap out of them. The all stood up shocked and soaked as we circled around them. "How in the hell did you get those?" Brayden asked in astonishment and seemed unfazed by the fact he was soaking wet.
"We rented them because we didn't feel like tanning," Natasha said with a hint of anger, she obviously still hadn't fully forgiven the boys for today's earlier events. "Yeah, Liz even got us a discount!" Taylor said and Liz shot her a look to shut up. "How did you swing that?" Spencer asked with a suspicious tone. "Don't worry about it," Liz cut in before anyone could respond. "Well, we better go, we still have an hour and a half with these babies," Anna smiled and sped off, the rest of the girls soon followed suit. I hung back for a second and looked at the boys faces, which were filled with confusion. Nate looked at me and raised his eyebrows and I shrugged my shoulders and sped off in pursuit of the girls.
We returned around five to find the boys cooking up the fish they had caught today. Soon we were all eating and chatting, the boys stated they were going to rent sea-doos in the morning and that we could go cliff jumping at noon. Later on, everyone decided to go and have a heated game of football. I decided to sit this one out and go down by the water to read. I tried to focus on my book but kept getting pulled out by their screams and laughing. I had finally tuned them out when I felt someone sit beside me. I looked over to find Nate sitting beside me.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you." He said with a smile. "No, its okay, I wasn't really into the chapter." I lied and closed my book. "Is the game already over?" I asked. They had only been playing for about five minutes. "Yeah, Liz had to leave on her date and then Spencer went after her. Now there over there fighting." Nate grimaced and made a head motion to his right. I looked passed Nate and saw Spencer and Liz in what looked to be a heated argument. Liz was waving her hands in Spencer's face and he was running his hands through his hair with an irradiated look on his face. I could pick up bits and parts when one of their voices raised slightly.
"You can't be serious!" Liz screamed. "I can! You have no idea who this guy is, for all you know he could be a human trafficker!" Spencer said shaking his head. "He is not! I don't even know why your being like this, no one else is bugging out!" Liz said and stomped off before Spencer could reply. I watched as he turned and went after her. I sighed and shook my head. Poor Spencer had been pining over Liz for years but never has had the courage to do anything. All these relationships in the friend group were going to destroy it if they didn't get resolved. "Wow," Nate said pulling me out of my thoughts. "I know," I mumbled still half in thought.
"I should go check on Liz," I said as I stood up and brushed the sand off my shorts. "Okay," Nate smiled and went back to staring out at the Ocean.
***
On Saturday everyone woke up in an off mood. When Liz arrived home last night Spencer was up and they had another argument. They fight was putting a damper on everyone's mood, thankfully the boys had already left to rent the sea-doos. I made Brayden and Nate promise to avoid the rental shop we used, I really didn't want to have to hear another fight.
I looked down at the 20-foot drop and backed away slowly. I did this every year. I promised myself I would jump and then I would chicken out when it actually came time to do it. Everyone, except for Nate, was down in the water below and were calling up to me to jump. This was so embarrassing, Nate was going to think I was a huge chicken shit. I sighed and turned around. Nate pulled on my arm and turned me to face him. "Hey, where are you going?" He gave me a confused look. "I can't jump, every year I say I will and then I don't." I could feel my cheeks blush from my embarrassment. "I'm sure you can do it, your just over thinking it." He said with a reassuring smile. I shook my head, "I can't, I have a fear that I'm going to die." Nate laughed and I swatted him. "What if we jump together? That way you'll have to jump." He gave me a smile that warmed my entire body. "What if you don't jump at the same time?" I said as I kept my eyes trained on my feet. He took my chin and made me look into his eyes, "Do you trust me?" I nodded in response. "Okay, then you know I won't let you jump alone." "Okay." I nodded and he took my hand and guided me back to the edge of the cliff.
"Just look at me and on the count of three jump." He said and I gave him a nod not taking my eye off of him. I listened and kept my eyes glued to him as he counted down. On three I jumped for the first time off the cliff and into the deep blue water below.