Bryan's eyes were intense as he pulled apart. His lips curved as he studied me with hunger. "You're so beautiful, Jess." His hand reached out for a wisp of hair that had gotten loose from my ponytail. "But you're right. We need to stop."
I bit my lip, trying not to pout. But, but...He's right. I mean, I am. We need to stop. Especially since I didn't want to. I needed to know where we stood.
Nodding, I grabbed my sleeping bag and stepped outside, breathing in a fresh intake of air that I seemed to be missing. I walked to my tent and set aside the sleeping bag, trying to calm the erratic pounding of my heart.
I think I'm in love with him. Oh. Scratch that. I'm so freaking in love with him.
How the hell did that happened? I barely know the guy. He's like a closed box, slowly letting out shadows of his true character.
This is bad. Too bad.
A whistle sounded in the distance and I knew it was time to go fishing with the group. We were meant to catch our dinner. I already had done that, though.
Okay. I had one stupid fish, so I guess I'd have to fill my plate with veggies. Either way, I needed to go. Work was work.
Bryan was too serious, just like he always was around my other classmates. He started to give out directions and people needed to take turns to fish. In the meantime, Tom led the other half of the group to the veggie patch to get the rest of our meal. We were meant to plant new seeds tomorrow morning, because we were probably leaving more than a few dents in the patch.
I was busy trying to cut a couple of tomatoes with one hand and a bit of help from the other, when Tom approached me. He had a small grin on his face. "Do you need help with that?"
Stubbornly, I shook my head. "I got this, thanks."
Tom's eyes glanced around before he leaned closer to me. "Listen, I feel like I need to talk to you, Jess." I felt tense. Am I in trouble? "I can't help but notice how Bryan keeps pulling you aside..." he trailed carefully, his voice not more than a whisper.
My whole body went still as he spoke. Shit. Shit. Shit. I'm getting fired.
Tom's gaze was soft. "Bryan doesn't take girls seriously. He disposes of them whenever he feels like it." My stomach plummeted to the ground at his words. His eyes casted down to his fidgeting hands for a second, before looking up. "I just thought you should know that." He pressed his lips together, bobbed his head and walked away.
I looked at my hands, processing his words. I felt like I couldn't move, like my heart was thudding dully inside my chest.
Tom knew Bryan much better than me, and when I first met Bryan, he didn't strike me as the sort of guy that falls in love. It was quite the opposite, to be honest.
What changed, then? Maybe nothing. Maybe I was just being an innocent, stupid girl trapped in his intrinsic con.
Everything made sense.
The way he acted different around me, the way this was all supposed to be sort of a secret. I fell for it because I was so desperate to be with someone. Anyone. I mean, my grandmother has a much more exciting love life than me!
Was it really all just a game, though?
My eyes teared up. The lingering feeling of having his lips brushing against mine played in my mind again. My chest felt tight and I didn't want to sob in front of anyone, so I left the little scissors and excused myself.
I wasn't hungry and I couldn't go back to the tent, because that would be more than obvious. I sucked it up and put on a poker face in front of everyone.
When the bucket was filled with more than enough fish, it was time to clean them up. It was also the first time I felt thankful to have my right hand bandaged. Bryan started to give instructions for everyone to pull out a fish and start ripping it open. Almost everyone groaned and a few girls screamed. All in all, Bryan was quite busy trying to help them.
A bunch of guys started a bonfire while I got busy with the vegetables. It took me like an hour to wash them all with one hand, but I was glad to get away from Bryan for a little while.
Just as I was finishing, Monica leaned on the sink, crossing her arms. "What's taking you long? It's not like you have to do this with one hand!" She smiled at her own lame joke. I rolled my eyes and rinsed the last cucumber.
"Seriously, what's up?" She stared at me with those dark scrutinizing eyes of her.
I shrugged. "Nothing."
"The last time I saw you, there were little hearts floating around you, and now you seem like you've been hit by a train. Spill it out."
Exhaling slowly, I glanced around to check that we were away from everyone. "Tom said that Bryan doesn't date."
Monica huffed. "What the hell is his problem?"
"Monica shhh." She rolled her eyes, glancing at the bonfire, where Tom was giving out directions. I never knew he had it in him to be a camper.
She moved closer to me. "I don't give a shit about what he feels like he needs to say, it's more than obvious that Bryan likes you and if you can't see that, I'm seriously going to slap you in the head with that cucumber of yours!" She gazed at the vegetable in my hands and raised an eyebrow.
I left the cucumber back in the veggie tray. "It's just that it makes sense, and I sort of want to kick myself for thinking that there could be more to it." I'm probably too desperate to fall in love.
Monica exhaled, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Didn't he ask you out for dinner next week?" I shrugged, biting my lip. "Then, by all means, ask him how serious he is."
My eyes widened. "I can't! I just blurted out that I'm a virgin. If that doesn't scare him away, I'm not pushing it."
My friend's grin widened. She clasped a hand against her lips. "You did?"
"I'm an idiot." Clearly.
She chuckled. "You're not. I think that's why he likes you so much, you're too naïve."
"It's not a good thing," I rubbed my hands against the kitchen towel a little too roughly as I dried them.
I left the towel on the table and turned around to lean against the chair beside Monica. I crossed my arms. "What's the deal between you and Andy?"
Monica raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"
"He likes you," I smiled hoping to touch a nerve or something.
She puffed out her chest. "Andrew likes anything that wears a bra." She rolled her eyes for good measure.
"I think he has a thing for you. Plus, he's really sweet with Carlitos."
Pressing her lips together, she looked ahead, where Andy and the other guys started to goof around. "We sleep together."
I almost choke with my own saliva. "What?"
"I have needs, he has needs. It all really works out," she commented off-handedly.
My shoulders sagged. "Wow. You're so young and have a lifetime of experience compared to me."
Monica glanced at me and her lips curved up with knowing glint in her eyes. "I know." Good grief. I shouldn't have said anything. "And I'm telling you that you should ask Bryan how serious he is."
I licked my lips, my stomach in knots already. "Yeah, like that's not a weird question at all." The smell of burnt wood made me look at the bonfire. Smoke was swirling towards the sky and Andy slapped some guy because they managed to lit it up.
"It's not, Jessie. You got it." I glanced at my friend. She was smiling with confidence. I wish I could be that confident myself.
I couldn't post the song or GIF, sorry about that.