"Now you have a good time," Mum says, throwing her arms around me for one last, tight hug.

"I will," I mumble into her shirt while patting her shoulder awkwardly. "I'll give you a call when we get there."

Mum waves a hand as she takes a step back through the front door into the house. "Don't worry about that, a text or something will be fine. Just have fun, alright?"

I grin at her, nodding, even though inside I feel a faint stir of something like dread. I know why she wants me to enjoy myself so much. She doesn't want me to worry about her, or dad, or Granddad, she's already told me countless times I do just that way too much, that I worry too much. She's convinced that this trip to Imogen's aunt's holiday cottage will be the perfect vacation away from anxiety; like it's something I can pack up and leave behind.

I kinda want to believe her.

"Alright then, see you later," I say, grappling the handle of my suitcase before dragging it off the doorstep.

"See you later, hun." Mum smiles as she watches me wheel my suitcase over to Imogen who's leaning against her small, bright red car with one hand shielding her eyes from the bright white sunlight and the other holding a phone which she chats idly into, completely unaware of the fact I'm trying to shove a heavy arse suitcase into the boot of the car with no help.

Eventually, sweaty and out of breath, I manage it and I nudge her to tell her we're ready to go. She nods, says ciao to the person on the phone (who from the smoochy farewell I'm assuming is Max) before we both wave bye to Mum and get in the car. Imogen turns on the ignition and we pull out the driveway and head off on this barmy summer adventure which god knows has in store.

I think of how much louder and a squash it would've been in the car if the guys had taken the same car as us. Given the soaring summer temperatures and some of the tempers that we have, ehem, Imogen (and er, myself), we decided it would be best to take two separate cars and meet each other there. Me and Levi, Oliver, Luke, Imogen and Max. The gang.

Now a different sort of flutter rises in my chest as I watch the oncoming road ahead of us with a distant sort of smile.

Halfway through the drive Imogen brings up going camping again tonight. She's been hell-bent on going ever since she first organised the trip, apparently because she'd missed out when she was younger or something.

"It's going to be so fun!"

"Where would we be camping again?" I ask. Each time the subject comes up I struggle to keep the lack of enthusiasm out of my voice.

"I dunno, in some nearby field."

"In a field... nearby to a cottage... which has bedrooms?"

Imogen snorts and looks briefly away from the road to beam at me. "Yes! But that's the thing, only for one night, and then after, you can sleep in a bed to your heart's content."

I don't know if she thinks that's the reason I'm reluctant. That I'm not too fond of mud and I'm going to miss my pillow or something. I frown.

But then Imogen stops at a petrol station a few minutes later and turns to face me seriously. "I know you get nervous mate, I understand, but how about you try it? And if it's shit and you hate it you can tell me to fuck off and we can head back to the cottage. That sound fair?"

"I don't think I'll make it back to the cottage if I ever tell you to fuck off," I laugh. "But alright, that does sound fair."

Imogen grins and I return it with a smile. When she gets out of the car to refill her car I swallow, and my smile fades.

* * *

When we finally arrive at the Imogen's aunt's place, it's midday. We're in some far-off village that doesn't seem to be surrounded by anything but rolling hills and fields. The only thing we can hear at first is the distant bleat of sheep, but not for long.

Soon enough, Oliver pulls up in his new car. It's blaring some incoherent rap music and when he jumps out, with his sunglasses on, I have to stifle a laugh. He looks ridiculous.

"Ruby!" he yells when he sees me, flinging out his arms to chuck himself at me in an extremely tight hug. He lets me go and yells, "Imogen!" before advancing towards her.

She gives him a warning look. "It's boiling outside, don't you dare squash me in one of those hugs-"

"What hugs?" Oliver asks innocently before proceeding to squeeze her in just as crushing a hug he gave me. She emerges from his grip, looking distinctly ruffled.

Then Max, Luke and Levi get out and Imogen squeals and rushes towards her boyfriend, who she doesn't minding embracing at all.

"Forget Xanthi when you've got a cottage," Luke says, looking grumpy as he stretches. As moody as he might be after a long car journey in the summer, I know how secretly excited he is about this trup from the numerous texts he sent about all the things we can do around here.

Levi stands between him and Oliver, observing the cottage and his surroundings before his gaze lands on me. My breath catches and I offer him the briefest of smiles, not even sure why I'm so shy.

"A cottage?" Oliver asks, wheeling his suitcase away from his car. "More like our holiday love shack."

"What?" Imogen asks, raising an eyebrow.

"As hard as it is to believe, I am still the only single one on this trip," he sighs. "And it's going to get tough what with Imogen and Max, Luke and his hand... And let's just say when it comes to a certain someone, a list of holiday activities isn't the only thing Ruby wants to do."

Luke lets out a sputtered, angry protest at this and my mouth falls open.

"Oliver Fink, I am literally about to kill you," I warn him through gritted teeth. He just chuckles in return. Levi just stands beside him, looking both bemused and amused and I'm seriously seconds away from slapping Oliver with my suitcase.

Luckily, Imogen leads us in, complaining it's too hot outside and she needs somewhere with a fan, to distract me from doing so.

Inside, the cottage is cosy and small. But that's not what you notice at first. That would happen to be the gnomes. It seems as though Imogen's Aunt Gertrude is obsessed with garden gnomes. From the stitched 'Gnome Sweet Gnome' framed message hanging above the stove to the collection of gnome tea mugs in the corner of the kitchen, they have taken over every nook and cranny in the house. The cottage belongs to a hundred ceramic, rosy-cheeked, fishing-rod-armed, little men.

"This is a sign," Oliver declares once we're all in, dumping his suitcase on the welcome mat outside which reads: 'Welcome Gnome'. "I am going to be someone's Gnomeo on this trip."

I struggle not to laugh as I shake my head at him, trying hard to still look pissed off at him. Bad puns have always been my weakness.

I reach for my suitcase to wheel into my room but Imogen waves a hand in the air.

"Right, I know the first thing we should all do," she says, clapping her hands together at the head of the kitchen table. "There's this lake, a little way from here in the woods and it's gorgeous. I say we swim there for a bit before coming here for lunch?"

"Luke, I'm guessing you've packed your speedos," Oliver remarks, clapping his hand against Luke's back who glowers at him.

"And have you got your armbands?" Luke retorts calmly. "We can't forget about child safety."

I give an unattractive snort of laughter as Oliver looks affronted.

"Are we all up for it then?" Max asks.

Everyone agrees and makes to go but I hang back. After the never-ending headache of exams and home, this place feels refreshingly quiet. And as much as it makes me feel like an eighty year old woman to admit it, I like it. I've brought my camera with me and on the way here, I noticed how amazing the landscape looks around here.

"You know, I think I might stay here a bit," I say. "I'll see you guys at lunch."

Imogen nods first in a sort of adamant way that slightly terrifies me. "Of course! You go ahead," she says enthusiastically and I realise it's because she'd feel bad forcing me to go swimming as well as camping tonight.

Oliver complains about not getting to push me into the water but he gives me a playful shove anyway as he exits through the door, swimming trunks in hand. Luke asks if he can stay with me before Oliver drags him along and Max lets me know that he's already put some drinks in the fridge. Levi's the last one to vacate the cottage and he pauses at the door before he leaves.

He shoots me a nonchalant smile which I still haven't decided whether I love or hate. "It's a shame you don't get to see me in my trunks, Bug."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah. Maybe some other time."

"You bet." He hesitates for a moment, as though he's about to tell me something before shaking his head slightly and following after the others.

And then the cottage is empty, except for me. I don't know if it makes me weird that I like it so much, these quiet moments by myself. Don't get me wrong, I love loud, I love the hustle and I adore the bustle, but sometimes I've just go to recharge and have some time to myself.

After packing away everything I needed, except the stuff for camping, away in my bedroom I leave the cottage in search of things to capture with my lens. It's been ages since I've picked up my camera again, months. With everything, I'd almost forgotten about it and the little thing had been collecting dust in the corner.

It doesn't take me long to find something. After heading down a narrow footpath or two, I find the woods Imogen mentioned. A myriad of trees stand tall and towering, branches overflowing with leaves that stretch up towards a cloudless, blue sky. After taking enough photos, I travel inside and my breath disappears.

Dappled sunlight filters through the leaves and sets everything alight, illuminating the trees with a faint glow.

After that, I lose track of time. When I'm not taking photos of things, I'm admiring them, feeling the soft fabric of primrose petals between my fingertips, the cold rush of a steam trailing through forest like a lost length of ribbon, the warm breath of sun against my back.

The hours slip by and I'm so deep in the woods I almost feel like I'm a part of them. Although that couldn't be any further from the truth considering how easily I manage to trip up on things, my footsteps can be relatively quiet but when I almost topple over some rock or branch, I send whatever woodland animal I've been trying to take a picture of running away.

That's why I try to be extra quiet when I spot it. A miniature, charcoal grey rabbit. I nearly fall over right there and then, it's so adorable.

I reach for my camera, holding my breath as I inch closer towards it, trying to be as stealthy as I possibly can for a person who doesn't know the meaning of grace.

Raising my camera, my finger moves towards the shutter button- I shift the focus a little- I take one last breath and then-

"You missed lunch," a voice says and I jump and let out a muffled shriek, dropping my camera and sending the rabbit fleeing. Wheeling around, I see Levi and my holding something wrapped in tinfoil and my heart almost trips out of my chest.

"What are you doing here?" I exclaim.

Levi looks amused as he picks up my camera and passes it to me while I press my hand against my heart to try and calm it. His hair is damp and messy from swimming earlier. I resist the millionth urge to touch it.

"You missed lunch," he repeats. "And I thought you'd want some."

I take his tin-foil wrapped offering and find a chicken-salad sandwich. My grumbling stomach gives a murmur of thanks.

After taking a big bite and making a slightly inappropriate noise of appreciation- Imogen makes really good sandwiches- I flop down onto a nearby log. "How did you find me?"

Levi sits down next to me. "You're not exactly quiet. I heard you thrashing about a few metres back."

"Excuse me, I was not trashing about."

"Trashing about, falling over every five seconds, terrifying the wildlife- call it what you want." Levi shrugs, his expression bright with humour as I scowl at him.

I finish the sandwich and expect that Levi and I will just go home, back to the others to visit the village or something. But as soon as I finish the last mouthful, Levi gets up and tugs me with him.

"Let's me and you look around this place," he says. "I didn't get to earlier, Luke just shoved me into the lake as soon as we got here."

I smile widely as I fall into step beside him. "Remind me to thank Luke later."

"You two are the honestly the biggest arseholes I've met."

"I refuse to believe you haven't looked in a mirror yet," I reply. My heart lifts in my chest when he laughs and proceeds to nudge me to the side with his hand. I know the touch is playful and probably meaningless but it doesn't stop me blushing.

"I stand uncorrected," Levi says.

We both duck beneath another branch before side-stepping some questionable looking mushrooms. "Was swimming fun earlier?" I ask.

Levi pauses for a moment. "It was until Oliver almost bloody killed himself."

"What?!" I ask, there's a pang of worry in my chest. "How?"

"There's this bit of rope and he swung off it in god knows what way. He ended up getting stuck and landing on the grass than the actual water."

Why am I not even surprised? "Is he alright?"

"We thought he was concussed but he seems alright," Levi reassures me.

"What an utter plonker." I really do worry for Oliver, and as much of a prat he is, I love the idiot and I don't want him to accidently end up in some situation even he can't get out of. Like death.

Levi grins, shaking his head again. "When we asked what happened he just yelled: SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO SAY YES!"

"What?" I ask, bursting out laughing in surprise.

"I get what he means though," he says. "Everything, in the end, is just a list of yes and no's.

"Yes and no's?"

Levi pushes forward a low-hanging branch ahead of him and turns around, waiting. He nods. "Yeah. When it comes down to it, everything's just chances and whether we take them or not. Like deciding, yeah I'm going to do something I've been wanting to for ages-" Like me, a dirty voice says at the back of my mind which I will to shut up my god- "Or no, I'm not going to feel shit about whatever today," Levi explains.

"So, if I were to ask... you're looking forward to this trip?"

Levi looks at me for a moment as he tries to figure out where I'm going. I walk under the branch he's holding and he lets it swing free. "I'd say yes," he replies.

"And how about if-"

"Nope, my turn," he interrupts. "Do you... still want to kill Oliver?"

I laugh before pretending to mull it over. "Hhm... nope. I think I've gotten over it."

Levi grins. "Really? The Grinch herself has gotten over something- ow!" He rubs the spot where I've just hit him.

"My turn," I say as he takes a turning. We walk deeper into the woods, where the trees are older and taller and all you can see is green. I hesitate before I ask my next question. "You... You're feeling better? Everything's alright at home?"

Levi pauses for the briefest of moments. He's one step ahead of me and all I can see is his back, still and silent. Then he turns and smiles softly and I let out the quietest breath of relief.

"Yeah, things are getting better," he replies quietly. "More than better. I think having Babs around has made Mum the happiest she's been in ages. We're going back to the States in August, for the first time in ages."

Happiness blooms in my chest, warm and glowing. "That's great." I grin broadly. "You know, I could easily imagine Babs kicking David's arse."

"You know, at one point I thought she was actually going to." Levi laughs. "You asked two questions, Bug." He nudges my shoulder. "So... I've been wondering, are you and Ryan alright now?"

I'm caught off guard by the question and almost trip up on a broken branch at my feet.

Levi catches my arm to steady me and looks apologetic. "Sorry, I know it's random. I just, I just feel bad, when I think about what happened. He's a nice guy."

"Yeah," I agree. I take a deep breath. "We're good now. I think we'll be okay."

Levi nods, smiling. "Good." He's quiet for a moment and we continue through the close-knit trees before they begin to part again, growing less dense in number and further and further until there are hardly any left and I realise we've reached the edge of the woods. The trees part and disappear to reveal an embankment beyond which lies a lake. It's wide and cerulean blue and beautiful.

Then Levi suddenly announces, "Quick fire round!"

"What-"

"Your name is Ruby Parkes."

I look at him weirdly. "Er, yes."

"I'm Levi Parker."

"Yes?"

"There's a lake in front of us."

"Yes."

"We're gonna try skinny dipping in said lake."

"Ye- what?! No!" I sputter, looking around wildly to see if he's being serious. Levi looks back at me, his dark eyes glinting mischievously as the corner of his mouth quirks up in a smile.

"We're gonna do the next best thing to skinny dipping in the lake," he says. I narrow my eyes, not sure about this amendment.

"And what's that?"

Then without so much as a heads up, Levi reaches for his shirt and tugs it off. For a moment I'm left just staring incredulously at him but when he reaches for his belt buckle I hastily look away, internally everything is yelling: HE'S TAKING HIS CLOTHES OFF! and I have no idea what the hell to do.

"What are you doing?" I ask, trying to keep my voice measured and disguise the fact I'm completely red in the face right now.

He doesn't reply. Instead I'm answered with the sound of someone jumping into the water, a quiet splash, and I turn around.

Levi's in the lake, treading water. My heart catches and my blush deepens when I take in the sight of him. Topless and drenched in water. He gazes up at me expectantly, that infuriating smile still urging his lips upwards. "Don't worry, I still have my boxers on."

"What a refreshing change considering how hard you find it to keep them on," I reply dryly, still attempting to keep my cool. Barely.

"I don't know what you're suggesting about my love life but why don't you jump in and we can find out?" he quips back.

"Oh shut up," I mutter, feeling my cheeks burn even hotter. "Turn around."

Levi grins, it's bright and mischievous and makes my pulse flutter, before facing the other way.

With slightly trembling fingers, I pull off my t-shirt and shorts and leave them in a heap by his. For a moment I pause before the water, feeling ridiculously exposed. This is mad, completely mad.

And then- tightly shut eyes and a swear word or two later- I leap into the pool.

The water's cold. Shockingly, toe-curlingly cold. I emerge at the surface, gasping. "It's bloody freezing!"

"I know," Levi says, turning around and chuckling as he watches me flounder for a few moments, adjusting to the temperature. He edges towards me and the water ripples as he moves, stretching outwards like miniature tides. I run my fingers through my hair, it's already heavy with water and curling even more wildly at its touch.