An hour later we arrive at our destination. It is absolutely amazing here! There's a medium-sized lake surrounded by green trees. Everything is green and bright here. The sun is at the highest point and it shines through the forest. It is actually a lot warmer than I thought it would be, but I'm not complaining.
We start by setting our tents up. There are three, two-man tents. Emily and I, Dimitri and Harry, and Jamie and Oliver.
After about an hour we are finally done. My eyes kept looking over at Dimitri. I have never thought, I would spent three days with a guy who hates me. And I definitely didn't think, that Dimitri's a person to go camping. It just doesn't sound right.
"I'm really sweaty after this, so Imma head down for a swim. Anyone care to join?" Emily asks.
Shit, I didn't think we were going swimming. First of all, I don't have a bathing suit. Second, I'm not going to get basically naked in front of 4 good-looking guys. There's just no way in hell. I'm not comfortable and secure in my body as, for example, Emily. I'm not oversized, but I'm not skinny, you know. I don't like to show my body to anyone besides myself. And that is final.
"I didn't bring a bathing suit," I tell Emily and find a camping chair to sit on.
"Oh, well you can borrow one of mine," she says.
"No, no, really it's fine. I don't feel like bathing anyways."
"Well, your choice. Do you want me to stay with you?"
"No, no, of course not. Go down and have some fun. I have a good book to keep me entertained," I tell her.
Emily and the guys run down to the lake and jump in. I laugh at them, before noticing that Dimitri's not with them. I haven't seen him, but I don't think too much of it, because I'm soon drowned in a world of Elizabeth Bennet and a certain, Mr. Darcy.
*****
A couple of hours have gone by. I already finished my book, so I'm just enjoying the sun with my eyes closed and relaxed. The others are still down at the lake, playing like little children.
"Why are you not down there with them?"
I jump slightly at the voice. I didn't think anyone was around.
"Jeez, you scared me, Dimitri. And I forgot my bathing suit," I tell him.
He looks me deep in the eyes as if he knows, I'm talking bull, and that's not the reason, why I'm not down there. I hate that he seems to see right through me. He doesn't point out that I'm lying, which I appreciate.
"Why aren't you down there with them?" I fire back.
"I just did not feel like it," he answers with that thick accent.
"Fair enough," I tell him. Our conversation stops there.
I spent the rest of the day and evening relaxing, and reading some more. I, of course, had packed a back-up book with me.
The sun had set and I think it was around 10 PM. We all settle down around the bonfire, that the guys had started. We find the ingredients to s' mores and make them. Hmmm, it was a long time since I last had a smore. I like them. I like this. Being surrounded by people. Having friends. This is great. It's really something I need more of. But I was confident that more things, like this, would come in the near future. I smile at the thought.
As the clock turns 12 AM, Jamie says, "Well, Imma go to sleep now. There's a new day tomorrow. You coming, Oliver?"
Then there's four.
Emily yawn, "I think Imma go to sleep as well. You coming now or later?"
"You just go ahead. I'm gonna stay a little longer," I tell her.
Then there's three.
Not one minute after, "Goodnight guys," says Harry, as he walks away.
Then there's two.
It's a silence between us. We are just sitting, enjoying the fresh air, the warmth from the fire, the nature, just everything.
"I think I'm going to bed too," I tell Dimitri about 10 minutes later, "Goodnight."
No response. Okay then.
I zip my tent up, but much to my surprise there is already laying two people in here. Emily and Harry are all cuddled up together. Aww. I can't wake them up, when they're like that. Sighing, I walk back to the fire and sit down.
Silence.
"Why did you come back?" Dimitri asks me. Huh, he can talk then.
"Harry's taken over my sleeping spot," I told him nonchalantly.
"Then where are you going to sleep?" He asks me.
I hadn't really thought about it.
"I don't know. Guess I'll just stay here tonight."
"Okay."
And with that, he walks away and goes to sleep in his own tent, I guess. Or I thought. Only 5 minutes later he comes back and says, "You can take Harry's place in my tent if you want to."
Wait. What?
"Uhhh, I don't know. It's really no problem, I can just stay here tonight," I tell him.
"I am not gonna touch you, but if you prefer to stay out here all alone tonight, then that is your choice."
Wait. All alone. At night. I think the hell not.
"Well, if you're alright with it?" I ask him.
"Whatever. Just come now, because I would like to get some sleep," he says in his all Russian accent. Alright, guess we're back to grumpy him. Not that he's ever been not grumpy.
I quickly grab my pajamas from the chair and follow him. He goes into the tent and change, while I change outside. I had started to regret the fact that my pajamas was cotton shorts and a frickin' tank top. I had thought it was just going to be Emily who saw me in this, and I don't have anything else. I normally would have taken my bra off, but I kept it on, this time.
"Can I come in?" I ask him through the tent in case he wasn't finished.
"Yes," he answers.
I zip the tent up and look down at him. He's already laying under the sleeping bag.
"Ummm, where is Harry's sleeping bag?" I ask Dimitri, since I couldn't see it in here.
"He has probably taken it with him," he shrugged.
"What am I supposed to lay under?" I ask him, fidgeting with my fingers. I could feel his gaze on me... or rather, my body. God, this is embarrassing.
"I do not know. I guess you could come under my sleeping bag. It is, after all, a double."
What is it with these people and their double sleeping bags?
"I don't know."
"Jesus, just get under already, would you! I am tired and I want to sleep. So either get under or get the fuck out. I do not have time for this," he spits at me.
Holy shit a mood change. I don't like him treating me this way. But either way, I quickly scurry under his bag and down beside him. I'm not going to get eaten alive by a bear, alone outside. At least in here, it is safe. Or I felt safe, anyway. We are laying so close down here, that our legs and arms are touching. It's sending electricity jolts all the way down my spine.
"Goodnight and thank you for this," I tell him and close my eyes.
"Goodnight, Ruby," he answers after a little while. His tone was hard and cold, but he didn't feel so scary, when I was there, lying next to him.
After a couple of minutes, I fall asleep.