Jack POV
“We are going to die.” Kelsey stated from her usual spot, the passenger seat of my jeep.
I suppressed a laugh at her serious tone.
“I am completely serious! This is not normal. Normal people don’t go on dates to the woods.” Kelsey said.
“Technically this is our second date in the woods.” I corrected her.
She threw her hands up and shook her head. This time the laugh escaped my mouth and I reached my hand over to rest it on her knee.
“That is so not going to relax me.” Kelsey said, eyeing my hand.
“Why can’t we ever go on normal dates? Like the movies? Or dinner?” Kelsey continued.
I squeezed her knee and she replied, “Ok see that is definitely not calming me down. That is distracting me. Which you might try to be doing because you’re taking me to the woods but I would appreciate the full function of my brain right now so I can come up with a possible escape plan if we get kidnapped or attacked and your hand on my bare knee is so not helping my brain to function.”
I reluctantly lifted my hand from her skin when her eyes met mine with a look of disapproval.
“I didn’t say you should move it.” Kelsey reached over and took my hand back and placed it where it had just been.
“You are so complicated.” I grinned.
“You love it.”
“Debatable.” I raised my eyebrows in a teasing manner.
“If you weren’t driving right now I would challenge you even more on this by using various parts of my body but since I value our lives I’m going to allow you to stay focused.” Kelsey winked.
I looked over at her and she could tell by the expression on my face that she won.
“That’s what I thought.” Kelsey sung, her tone laced with victory as she leaned over and placed a kiss on my cheek.
“Seriously though, tonight is going to be so much fun. Johnson will tell you once you see him.” I encouraged.
“A night in the woods is not fun.” she insisted.
“It is in Omaha. We always go camping. It’s a thing.” I explained.
“I’m pretty sure it’s only a thing in your group of friends.” she continued.
Staying true to tradition, the boys and I decided to head out camping this weekend. You never know what’s going to happen when you throw all of us in the woods. This year would be a very different crowd though. For one, Sara and Janelle would not be attending, nor would Nash. Plus, Kelsey was coming. I couldn’t wait to see her try to fend in the woods for a night, even with all of our food packed and Kelsey’s insistence of bringing her own pillow. She barely handled fishing for a couple of hours; having her all night in the woods is surely going to be hilarious.
All night. In the woods.
I cursed my mind for immediately traveling to how badly I wanted Kelsey. To how much she consumes my every thought.
“Hey hey! You guys excited?” Johnson’s voice broke my less than pure thoughts as he hopped in the backseat of my jeep. I had picked Kelsey up first because I craved any alone time with her, even if it was for five minutes before we had to pick up Johnson.
“No.” Kelsey said.
“Yes!” I replied at the same time.
“Kels, I know every time we bring you to a gathering things don’t exactly end up going smoothly but—” Johnson was cut off by Kelsey turning her body and glaring at him from the front seat.
“I guess that’s one way to put it.” she huffed.
“But this time is totally gonna be different. No assholes are going to be there.” Johnson continued.
“And our camping trips are always fun.” I added.
Kelsey looked skeptical but I could tell she was beginning to come around to the idea.
“Kelsey how on earth did you manage to get your mom to let you to spend a night in the woods with your boyfriend?” Johnson pressured.
“I told her I’m spending the night at Fiona’s.” Kelsey told him.
“Fiona?!” Johnson immediately perked up.
“Shit.” I mumbled under my breath.
“Kelsey do you think you could get her to come tonight?” Johnson pleaded.
Kelsey looked at him with a confused look on her face and said, “Why would she want to come tonight? I think her feelings toward you…and the boys are pretty clear.”
“Kelsey this is the perfect opportunity, please just give her a call. Just try.” Johnson’s face was completely overtaken with hope and excitement. Kelsey opened her mouth to say no, but she could not deny him at least the chance to see Fiona, even if she has no idea what happened between them.
Kelsey grabbed her phone and dialed Fiona’s number.
“Put it on speaker.” Johnson urged.
“Don’t push it.” I told him.
“Hey Fi, so you know about that camping trip I’m going on tonight? Well I was wondering if you wanted to come.”
After listening to Fiona’s response, Kelsey continued, “Well I’m going to be the only girl there and that might be a little weird and I just figured you would maybe want to keep me some company.”
I was grateful Kelsey didn’t put the phone on speaker because I could tell by her response that she was trying to grasp any concrete reason for Fiona to come tonight.
“Yeah everyone invited you!” Kelsey lied.
“Please? You can’t leave me hanging. Oh me? I’m waiting for Jack to pick me up.” Kelsey’s lies continued as she scrunched her face.
“Oh my god YES! Fiona you are amazing and I love you. I’ll text you the place that we’re… Um yeah I guess it’s the same place they always go to. Oh, you know where it is? Wait, did you just say you’ve been there before? With them?!” The bits of conversation Johnson and I heard made both of us scowl; Johnson because he was definitely remembering the last night he had with Fiona, and me for Fiona revealing information to Kelsey that I hadn’t got around to telling her yet.
“Ok I’ll see you soon.” Kelsey hung up the phone and immediately turned her attention to both me and Johnson, seeking some sort of explanation.
“It was a long time ago.” I started.
“Back when Fiona and I were still together.” Johnson ended.
“Wait, you two were together? That’s why she hates you so much?” Kelsey pondered.
“She doesn’t hate me…” Johnson tried to convince himself.
I once again squeezed Kelsey’s knee and she got my hint to drop the subject for now.
“Oh look we’re here.” I sighed in relief.
“Oh god.” Kelsey’s voice filled my ears.
“Babe, it’ll be fun.” I reassured her.
Before the three of us could even get out of the car, Sam and Cam were running to greet us with looks of mischief in their eyes.
“What is this we hear of Fiona Dawson coming out tonight?” Cam inquired.
“How did you possibly find that out?” I asked, walking to the back of the jeep to unload all the supplies Kelsey brought.
“Woah Kelsey are you planning on moving in?” Sam teased.
“Hey just because I am the most prepared here does not mean you have to tease me about my luggage.” Kelsey replied.
“Kelsey, luggage?! You’re not flying back to New York! You’re staying in a tent for the night.” Sam continued.
“Regardless, when you all wake up with stiff necks and bags under your eyes I will be right as rain because of my pillow.” Kelsey smiled.
I shook my head at her logic and lugged her stuff toward the tent.
“Johnson, is Fiona seriously coming?” Cam asked him in what he thought was a whisper.
“Yeah, how great it that?” Johnson said excitedly while Cam just gave him a look of worry.
Once the fire got started, Sam leaned over to Kelsey and smiled, “Kelsey I promise my bitch of an ex-girlfriend will not attack you at this bonfire.”
“Ex huh?” Kelsey asked.
“Hell yeah. You didn’t seriously think I would stay with her after that right? Truth be told, I’ve been looking for an excuse to dump Janelle and the other night provided me with the perfect one. We’ve waiting a long time for Jack to finally find someone who isn’t completely gross and now that you’re here, I would never let Janelle put you two in jeopardy.” A slight blush crept up my cheeks at Sam’s statement and also a feeling of love for my best friend.
“Aw thank you Sam, I really appreciate that. Seriously, thank you to all of you for making me feel so welcome. You guys are great.” Kelsey expressed her gratitude to all the guys sitting around her at the fire.
Everyone’s attention was averted to the sound of a car pulling up. Kelsey shot up from her seat and headed out to meet Fiona at her car. Johnson stood too, but I pushed his shoulder back down so he fell back into his seat.
Kelsey and Fiona walked forward and although Kelsey was smiling, no doubt loving that her good friend agreed to come, Fiona was guarded and hesitant. I was shocked when she said yes to Kelsey, but then again it seems that no one can really say no to her.
“Ok so let’s get this out of the way. I am here because Kelsey invited me and even though everyone acts like she’s going to stay in Omaha forever, she will be returning back to New York in a little over a month so I want to spend as much time with her as possible. Secondly, I have no interest in bringing up past habits and/or mistakes. So let’s just all have fun with a clean slate and not allow our minds to drift to pointless actions of the summer before junior year.” Fiona disclaimed.
Everyone went silent at her statement, so I took it upon myself to break the awkward tension that had formed. “Ok sounds good. I think we could all use a clean slate.”
With my statement, the boys fell back into an easy conversation as Kelsey led Fiona to the tent I assumed they would be sharing. I fought back a twinge of disappointment and went back to my seat next to Johnson.
Once everyone was settled with marshmallows and chocolate in their hands, Cam spoke up, “No camping trip is complete without truth or dare. I’ll start.”
I groaned at his game but was quickly shushed by Johnson. I glanced at Kelsey from the corner of my eye and she seemed delighted at the game.
Oh god, here we go.
“Sam, pick your poison.”
“Dare.” Sam replied confidently.
“Tweet that you got caught masturbating to dog porn by your mom.” Cam laughed. The blood drained from Sam’s face as we all laughed.
“Come on, it couldn’t just be to run around the woods naked? It has to involve social media?” Sam whined.
Reluctantly, he took out his phone and tweeted what he had been told. Within seconds, the tweet had already gone viral and Sam was ready to die.
“Ok Cam, truth or dare?” Sam eyed him deviously.
“Truth.”
“Who did you lose your virginity to?” Johnson and I tried to hide the shock that appeared on our faces. The only thing Cam never told anyone, the only thing he kept a secret, is the answer to this question. For some reason, everyone always knew it was an ‘off limits’ topic.
“Janelle.” Cam spit at Sam. The silent air filled with a bunch of ‘oooohs.’
“Are you fucking serious?” Sam challenged.
“Relax it was before you two got together. And that’s why I never told you asshole. Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to.” Cam growled.
“Ok my turn.” Johnson spoke, trying to derail the tension between the two boys. “Fiona, truth or dare.”
Fiona gave him the dirtiest look I have ever seen anyone give another person and replied, “Truth.”
“Do you still have feelings for me?” Johnson asked.
My head shot in his direction and I made no move to hide the disapproval written on my face.
“Wow. See this is what that little disclaimer I made earlier was supposed to avoid. I said no bringing up the past. Why can’t we all just have a fun night out?” Fiona said angrily.
“Answer the question.” Johnson pressured.
Fiona suddenly stood up and walked toward the tent. Johnson hurriedly followed after her.
“Well that was fun.” Kelsey stated. I looked at her and jerked my head to where our two friends just ran off to. She silently agreed and we both followed after them.
We heard their voices before we saw them.
“What are you hiding? Why wouldn’t you answer the question?” Johnson screamed.
“Because I don’t want to! I didn’t even want to come tonight!” Fiona fought back.
“So then why did you!? You didn’t have to! You could have easily said no. And don’t say it’s because of Kelsey because that is bullshit.”
“Fine Johnson fine! Maybe I missed this, ok? Maybe I missed hanging out with all of you because in case you forgot, we all used to be best friends! I spent every waking moment with all of you and then it just all ended! It ended because of you! Because despite how many times you claimed to ‘love me,’ you killed us! You ruined everything! And I don’t give a fuck if you were drunk or if we had gotten into a fight, none of that matters. What matters is that at the first opportunity you got, you shoved your tongue down someone else’s throat while I sat at home and cried! It was all your fault!” Fiona cried as she pounded her fists on Johnson’s chest.
Johnson opened his mouth to say something, but Kelsey surged forward and grabbed Fiona, dragging her away from the conflict.
Johnson looked absolutely broken.
He watched Fiona leave and after a couple of minutes he turned to me and mumbled, “That’s the first time we talked about what happened. The first time in over a year.”
I patted my hand on his shoulder and led him back to the fire where hopefully he could forget about what just happened.
I hoped, even though I knew that he would never be able to forget the girl he is still in love with crying because of what he did to her.
He would not be able to forget because he knows that everything Fiona had said is true, and he would never forgive himself.
A/N: I answered everyone's prayers for a long chapter! I hope you enjoy! Is it just me or do Johnson and Fiona make your heart hurt?