"gh, my feet are going to fall off!" Sophie complains as she drags herself, stomping and crunching the leaves underneath her.

After we got out of the lake and changed, Coach Taylor said that we're going on a hike, so we could try and walk as far as we can. We all immediately agreed, but only after ten minutes of walking then we realized that our gym teacher is the leader and our farthest point for us is considered a morning walk for her which meant one thing...

We're all screwed.

"Well, they did say there will be hiking," I tell her, adjusting the backpack hanging on my shoulders.

"Yeah, hiking, not traveling on foot," Zach mumbles.

"We've literally been walking for twenty minutes," Alex says.

"Exactly. Which is...how much is that in seconds, Leni?" Zach questions, leaning in.

"It has been twenty two minutes which is one-thousand three-hundred and twenty seconds," I answer automatically.

"Yeah, one-thousand three-hundred and..." he trails off. "What was the number again?" I laugh slightly and shake my head at him in response.

"Thank you, Miss Clock," Abby says sarcastically.

"Of course, loser," I reply, smiling and she scowls at me.

"Now I know who's missing!" Zach snaps his finger as if he just remembered something.

"Who?" Alex asks in an uninterested tone.

"Luke."

All of us suddenly come to stop and I turn around to face Zach. "Where is Luke?"

"I don't know." Zach gives a one-shouldered shrug.

"You don't know?" Colette raises her eyebrows.

"Zach, he was right behind you!" Sophie exclaims.

"Well, I'm sorry for trying not to fall asleep while walking!" He retorts, huffing.

I sigh as the others start making up theories of what happened to Luke. "Okay, guys. Guys," I raise my voice a bit and they stop talking.

"He probably just lost track of us and he went back to the campsite," I predict.

"How? We're twenty minutes away from the campsite, he will get lost." Zoey crosses her arms.

"That's it. We lost him. We're never going to find him again, then he will get killed and he will turn into a ghost to haunt our asses." Zach rants.

"What's up with you?" A familiar deep voice comes right from behind me and everyone either jumps or squeals in surprise.

I turn around so fast; I almost get a whiplash and I find Luke standing there raising his eyebrow at us (no doubt wondering if we're crazy), with his hand over the strap of his backpack.

"You're alive!" Zach gleams and he runs to Luke before he grabs him in a hug.

"Why the hell are you touching me?" Luke steps away from Zach.

"Yup, you're definitely alive," Zach chuckles.

"Where did you go?" I ask Luke.

"What do you mean? I was right in front of you," he frowns.

"So, you weren't behind Zach?" Zoey questions.

"No. I was walking at the front," he replies.

"Who was at the front?" Colette asks and everyone except her and Luke point at me.

"Okay, in my defense..." I start. "Crap, I have nothing," I mumble under my breath.

"In my defense..." I start again. "You know what? I'm just gonna take the blame."

"It's your fau-" Abby whispers to me.

"I know!" I cut her off, shouting before she can continue, then I give her a wide smile and clasp my hands together. "I know," I repeat calmly.

"I'm glad you're okay," I tell Luke and he gives me a heart-stopping smile.

"Wait, Coach Taylor," Alex suddenly remembers and we all look at each other before we go running down the forest until we spot Coach Taylor's bright pink hat.

"Nailed it," Zach breathes heavily.

"Yup," Alex agrees, resting his hands on his knees as he pants.

I don't know what's the point of the weekly gym visits if it's not going to help me with making running easier. I even got abs from all the training, but I'm sure they got filled with fats so now they're more like flabs than abs. I made that up.

Guess I'm going to hit the gym again sooner or later.

Definitely later.

"Uh, Coach Taylor?" Abby asks loudly to grab the coach's attention.

"What?" She yells.

"Shouldn't we go back now?"

"We've been walking for thirty minutes, Falls Junior! It hasn't been that long!" She responds firmly and Abby sighs.

"Falls Junior?" Alex questions.

"It's what she calls us. Cameron is Falls Senior. Anna is just Falls and I'm Falls Junior," Abby explains. "It depends on the height and Anna and Cameron are basically giants compared to me."

"How tall is Anna?" He asks.

"I don't know. Six feet?" Abby exaggerates.

"I'm five-foot-ten. Don't be extra," I tell her.

"She's taller than you," Zach says to Alex, snorting.

"And you too, dumbass," Alex retorts.

"Oh shit. You are a giant!" Zach exclaims.

"I'm not a-" I get cut off by hitting my forehead against a branch on a tree and everyone snickers.

"You were saying?" Sophie chuckles.

"Shut up," I huff, ducking my head under the branch to continue walking.

The hike continues on for a whole hour and forty-six minutes before everyone starts to physically die and Coach Taylor turns us around and starts walking back to the campsite muttering something along the lines of 'teenagers these days'. I don't know what we did to that woman, but I still treat her nicely no matter what. Maybe she's just mad because people aren't very nice to her, so I'm hoping by my boost of kindness she would feel better.

As soon as we make it back to our cabin, Abby, Zoey, Colette, Sophie and I, all flop down on our beds with a groan. I kick my legs in the air and the combat boots fly across the cabin, then I grab one of the black hair bands around my wrist and put my straight hair in a high ponytail.

I always have two hair bands around my wrist. Those two are basically the perfect hair bands and I keep them around my wrists so I wouldn't lose them. I lost too many hair ties that I stopped counting after I lost the fifteenth one.

Soon I feel my eyelids growing heavier and as my conscience starts to subside, my mind falls and a dreamless sleep takes over me, pushing me into a dark abyss.

| | | |

"I don't think two hours of sleep were enough for me," Abby says as she flips through the Vogue magazine with her legs crossed on the bed and Zoey Dutch-braiding her hair.

"Two hours of sleep weren't enough for any of us," Sophie points out, spreading Shea butter all over her long, toffee-colored legs. Shea butter is truly one of the miracles that exist in this world.

"To be honest, I'm kind of grateful for those two hours of sleep. We barely get any sleep during school days," I tell them while putting on my Jordan's and tying them before I stand up.

"True," They all agree.

"And I'm done!" Zoey announces and smiles.

Abby rushes up and looks in her mirror, admiring her hair. "Zoey! That looks amazing! Thank you."

"Sure, babe. Anytime."

"Now that everyone is done, let's go." Sophie stands up and I grab my phone and slip it in my pocket, then we all exit the cabin and head to where the bonfire is.

The red, orange and yellow fire dances on the wooden logs. The warm shade fades into grey clouds of smoke and glitters of ashes in the air. Everyone is either standing or sitting on the logs, surrounding the fire, with their friends. Some people are sitting alone, tapping on their phones.

"We should go explore the place a bit," Abby suggests.

"You guys go. I'll be waiting here," I tell them.

"You sure?" Sophie tilts her head.

"Yup, I'm sure."

"Okay. We'll be back in a few," Abby informs me and I nod my head.

They walk away and I just look around for awhile to lessen the out-of-place feeling and the awkwardness.

"Anna," I hear a whisper and I almost flee out of this place when I realize it's Tyler's voice and I turn around.

I find him poking his head from a bush and I hurriedly walk over to him. "What are you doing here?"

"You do remember that my best friend is here too, right?" He questions.

"No crap, dummy," I respond. "You're going to get in trouble."

"Are you sure you're Anna? Because the real Anna wouldn't give a shit," he says, finally coming out of the bush to stand in front of me.

"Yeah, you're right. I don't give a crap," I tell him truthfully and he chuckles.

"Where are your friends or Abby?" He wonders.

"They went for a walk," I reply.

"I just wasted a twelve-minute walk on nothing?" He questions rhetorically. "It's not really nothing because you're here, so let's talk about random shit."

"Please don't swear," I say, wincing a bit.

"You know, I feel like you're going to start dragging me to church soon."

"I probably will," I nod.

"Any drama lately?" Tyler questions.

"Well, my used to be enemy is now my friend. I punched my ex-boyfriend. My best friend is in Brazil and she's never coming back. I'm in a secret band that no one in my family knows about, except for my cousin and my brother. I have a crush on my best friend who's dating my ex-enemy," I list on my fingers. "Is that enough drama for three months?"

"Yup." He moves his head up and down in a nodding move. "Who's that crush of yours? Is he here?"

I look around for Luke until I spot him standing with Zach and Alex. "That's him," I point at Luke.

Tyler starts to turn his head around. "Don't look at him!" I basically scream.

He freezes. "How am I supposed to know how he looks then?"

"Oh," I simply respond and he turns his head once again.

"Which one?" He asks leaning in.

"The one with the beanie," I point at Luke secretively or at least, I try to be secretive.

"Isn't that the Luke Carter guy?" He questions.

Does all of San Francisco know about him or something?

"Yup."

"And where's his girlfriend?"

I look around and find Jennie standing with her friends. I frown slightly when I realize that she's not standing with Luke. Maybe she just wanted to hang out with her friends? Or maybe they broke up? What other reason there would be?

"That's her," I point at Jennie.

"She's pretty. I mean, you're beautiful, but she's pretty," he comments. "I bet he likes you, but he's too stupid to realize it. All boys are." He turns back around to fully face me, his back towards Luke again.

"I mean, he is an idiot," I agree and Tyler chortles.

Luke turns his head for a moment and he locks eyes with me. I smile, waving at him and he smiles back slightly, then his eyes slide to Tyler and the smile fades.

"Is he looking over here?" Tyler asks when he sees my eyes focused somewhere else.

"He is," I answer, turning my gaze back to Tyler.

"Wanna make him jealous?" He grins devilishly.

"Will anyone get hurt?" I tilt my head.

"Maybe him," he replies.

"Will he get really hurt? I don't wanna hurt him," I say.

"Don't worry. It will be just a bit." He puts his thumb and his pointer finger at a distance of two centimeters away from each other.

"Okay then. I guess we can do that."

"Try not to panic," he warns me.

"Wh-oh my," I get cut off by Tyler grabbing my waist and wrapping his arms around me.

"You could give me a warning." I place my hands on his chest to put some distance between us.

"Sorry." He lets out a chuckle.

"Uh, he's coming over here," I inform Tyler, glancing at Luke for a second to find him walking over.

"What?" Tyler almost shrieks. "I didn't even get touchy yet."

I smack his arm and he flinches, rubbing his arm. "I was kidding, woman."

"Hey, Cherries," Luke greets, smiling.

"Hey, Luke," I smile back. "Tyler, this is my best friend Luke and Luke, this is my friend, Tyler," I introduce them to each other.

"Nice to meet you, man." Tyler stretches out his hand for Luke.

Luke just glances down at his hand before he gives him an emotionless expression. "Wish I could say the same."

"Luke," I scold, my eyes widening.

"I'm being honest," he shrugs and I could see Tyler resisting the urge to burst down laughing as he gives him a look of amusement.

"Excuse us for a minute," I tell Tyler, then I grab Luke's arm and drag him away from the bonfire. I see Tyler giving me thumbs up and a wide smile.

"What is up with you?" I ask him as soon as we come to a stop beside the lake and cross my arms.

"Nothing," he replies shortly.

"That was not nothing. What's wrong with you, Luke?" I question.

"Nothing, just forget it," he begins to turn around to walk away but I grab his arm and pull him back.

"No. You are going to tell me what is wrong with you and you're going to tell me now or so help me, Luke, I will–" then I pause when it hits me. "Oh, my God."

"What?"

"You're jealous!"

"What?" Luke raises an eyebrow. "I'm not jealous. Who gave you that idea?"

"Then why were you being rude to Tyler?"

"I don't like him," he responds.

"What did he even do to you?" I exclaim.

"I just don't like him," he insists.

"Did he do something that bothered you?"

"Why would I be bothered by him?" He says with an empty look.

"I don't know. You tell me." I take a step closer to him with my arms crossed to be more intimidating. Yeah, I can be intimidating. Shocking, I know.

"I'm not bothered by him," he tells me, imitating my movement and taking a step forward as well, so we're pretty much pressed against each other.

"Tell me the truth," I narrow my eyes at him and he licks his lips, his Adam's apple bopping up and down.

Luke notices me looking at his lips when I glance back up and his own eyes drop down to my lips. I was not expecting that.

"Fuck." He runs his hands down his face. "Okay. You want the truth? Fine."

"Yes, I was jealous from Tyler or Travis or whatever his fucking name is because I like you so much and I mean, the more than friends type of attraction. That's the fully truth," Luke says.

I was also not expecting that.

I stand frozen in my place before I grab his face in my hands and press my lips against his.

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