"Are you 100% sure this is a good idea?" I asked Lexi as I watched her pack her things on my bed. "I can take my car. It'll be more convenient than squeezing into one with three other people."
"Two." She corrected me. "Just Jeremy and Ellie. And it's a lot more reasonable since it's far." She stood up and closed her travel bag. I can tell from her smile that she is happy with herself. "We can go."
I cleared my throat. "Sunshine?"
"Yes?" She looked up at me.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" I tried my best not to smile.
"Uhmâ¦" She frowned and thought about it for a second. "Clothes, shoes, towel, toothbrush..." She listed about a million other things. "I have everything, I think."
âOh, I'm sure you have everything packed." I laughed and looked down her body. "But are you going wearing that?" I pointed to her white pajamas with little roses.
"Oh." Her gaze dropped to her outfit. "Shoot."
"You must be really excited." I pushed myself away from the wall and walked into the living room. I picked up a pile of clothes from the table and went back to her. âYou're lucky I washed them yesterday and put them away." I handed Lexi her clothes. "Leggings, a t-shirt and my zip up hoodie if you're cold. You'll probably have to roll up the sleeves or you'll drown in it." I looked up at her and that's when I noticed her surprised expression. "What?"
"You washed my clothes?" She asked cautiously.
"The washing machine did most of the work, but yes." I said proudly, but immediately realized that it might be weird for her. Shit, I didn't think it through.
"That'sâ¦" She took her things from my hands. âThank you Finn." She stood on her tiptoes and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. However, even the slightest contact of her lips with my body caused my entire skin to burn.
"Any time." I cleared my throat. "I'll wait for you at the door." I walked past her, took her bag from the bed and placed it by the door, next to mine.
When I went into the kitchen to get some water before I left, I regretted it. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Lexi by the bed, putting on a t-shirt. I turned quickly but not quick enough as the moment I closed my eyes I saw her bare back and the outline of her breasts. Fuck me.
I came to get some water, but I'll probably need a cold shower. Shit, Finn, why didn't you just stay at the door?
Before she noticed me, I walked back to the door and Lexi joined me a few minutes later. The fact that I knew that she had nothing on under that tight, short, white T-shirt only made me unnecessarily nervous. But there was a bit of luck on my side, as she at least wore my hoodie. Thank God I gave it to her.
"Jeremy just texted me, they're waiting for us downstairs, ready?" She asked as she rolled up the sleeves.
"Let's go." I bent down for our bags and Lexi with me." Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you doing?" I stopped her when she was about to take hers.
"I'm taking my bag?" She looked at me confused.
"If I let you, Val would hit me so bad I'd have more bruises." I picked up both travel bags.
"Finn, I can carry my own stuff."
"Just because you can doesn't mean you have to. Come on, they're waiting for us."
"You're ridiculous sometimes." She shook her head with a laugh.
"Yes, yes." I rolled my eyes. "Move it, sunshine, we don't have all day."
"Look who's excited for this weekend." She crossed her arms over her chest.
"I'm sure I can carry these two bags and you as well. So if you don't want to end up slung over my shoulder, start walking."
"Was that supposed to be a threat?" She frowned, a playful smile on her face.
"Obviously not a good one, since you ask."
"See? Ridiculous." She laughed. "Let's go." She reached for the door and opened it. "Ladies first." She motioned to the door for me to move.
"You said there was going to be a lake nearby, didn't you?" I didn't wait for her answer. "Be sure you'll end up there, sunshine." IÂ started walking towards the elevator.
âIt was a joke, Finn." I heard her yelling behind me. "You were joking too, weren't you? Finn!"
It was impossible not to smile. God, how could I live without her until now?
âStop it Jeremy." Ellie said with a laugh as she noticed us approaching them and pushed Jeremy away a bit. But he pulled her back to him, her back against his chest, before wrapping his arms around her and whispering something in her ear. Whatever it was, it made Ellie blush.
"Hi." I tried to hide my smile as we stopped by them.
It wasn't until that moment, when I saw Jeremy happier than ever before, that I realized maybe it was a really good idea to invite other people.
Ellie is beautiful. She has shorter red hair, green eyes, pinkish lips and full cheeks. She has beautiful curves, the body of a so-called Greek goddess. In that she is a little different from the women I have seen with Jeremy. However, with none of them did Jeremy act like he does with Ellie.
"Lexi." She pulled away from Jeremy and came over to hug me.
"Good to see you." I said honestly. "You've already met Finn." I pointed at him as we pulled away. "Finn, Ellie. Ellie, Finn." I officially introduced them and they exchanged small smiles.
"Hi babe." I shifted my attention to Jeremy, who put an arm around my shoulders. "Ready for the best weekend ever?"
"We can put these in the trunk." Ellie spoke up to Finn who just nodded and followed her to the car.
âUm, yeah." I smiled. âI don't want to soundâ¦maybe you shouldn't call me babe anymore." I looked up at him cautiously.
"Why? Finn has a problem with that?" He frowned and pulled away.
"No, for Ellie's sake. I don't want her to feel bad."
"Hey El!" She and Finn peeked out from behind the trunk of the car. "Do you mind me calling Lexi babe?"
"No." She raised her shoulder. "Should it?"
"Nope." He laughed. "You see?" He looked at me. "Problem solved. Let's go." We started to walk to the car together, but split up as Jeremy walked around to sit on the driver's side. Ellie sat in the front next to him, leaving me and Finn in the back.
"How long is the trip by the way?" Finn asked next to me.
"About two hours, why?"
"Just asking." He raised his shoulder.
âOh, I love this song." Ellie said, turning up the volume on the radio.
"Just so you know, I've heard her say that three times today." Jeremy laughed. "We were in the car together for fifteen minutes."
"Drive, okay?" She glared at him.
"How long have they been together?" Finn whispered next to me.
"They are not." I smiled. "Yet."
*****
"Sunshine. Wake up, we're here." I heard a faint voice next to me.
"Five more minutes." I muttered tiredly under my breath and pulled my pillow, which was Finn, closer to me.
"You're drooling on my shirt."
"What?" I quickly recovered and pulled away from him. "Traitor." I scowled at him as I realized he was making it up.
"Let's go." He said with a smile and got out of the car with only the two of us in it. Where did Jeremy and Ellie go?
I looked through the windshield in front of me. Everything here remained the same. The smaller space, where there are always tents, is still empty. A fire pit that looks neglected is in the middle of a path that leads to a lake that looks inviting in these temperatures.
Many memories flooded my mind at that moment.
I got out of the car, immediately registering all the people in the circle, some familiar faces, some not.
I didn't feel so completely in my own skin.
Finn appeared beside me. "Stop worrying. Enjoy this weekend."
"When did you learn to read my mind?" I frowned at him.
"The moment I met you." He smiled. "I mean it, enjoy it."
"Fine." I crossed my arms over my chest. "But you too. Don't you dare disappear somewhere."
"I wouldn't dream of it."
"Liar." I laughed. "I'll keep an eye on you." I pointed my finger at him.
"Whatever you say, sunshine. Let's go before they come for us."
"Sure." I exhaled and walked towards the pile of people. Two steps and I stopped. I turned to Finn, who was just standing there. I walked over to him, grabbed his hand and started pulling him along.
"I was planning to steal Jeremy's car, why are you ruining it?"
"Ha-ha-ha, funny. If I'm going to socialize, so will you."
"Why are you torturing me?" I rolled my eyes at his words, but it was almost impossible not to smile. That smile might have been because I'm holding his hand, but that's beside the point.
"Look who finally decided to join us, how did you sleep Sleeping Beauty?" Jeremy spoke with his arm wrapped around Ellie who just shook her head with laughter.
âI'm surprised you came." Zack elbowed Finn.
"I'm not." Stefan added with his arms crossed over his chest, his twin with Destiny next to him.
"Hey." She smiled at us and came closer, hugging me. "I haven't seen you in a long time." She stopped by Finn. "Good to see you."
"Likewise." He gave her a small smile.
"We should go slowly unpack and start setting up the tents. Luca, come on, you'll help me." Jeremy slipped past us, Luca following without a word.
"Zack, Adrian, we can go get ours out of the car." Stefan said and they slowly moved towards their car.
"We're going to need wood. You want to join me El?" She nodded at Destiny's question and the two of them were gone.
That left just me, Finn, Lincoln and a woman whose name I unfortunately can't remember. I should really be careful when someone is talking about new people.
"I'm glad you came." Lincoln walked up to me and I melted into his embrace.
"Be nice." I whispered to him, referring to his behavior towards Finn.
We pulled away from each other. âLexi, this is Penny."
Penny. I repeated it in my head so I wouldn't forget.
A beautiful woman with long brown hair, bangs, green eyes and a huge smile appeared from behind Lincoln. "Hi." She said nervously and gave me her hand.
"Penny, Lexi." Lincoln introduced us.
I happily accepted her hand. âNice to meet you Penny."
"You too."
âAnd this is Finn." I said because I had a hunch that Lincoln wasn't going to introduce them. I'm waiting for the day when those two become at least a little friends. I hope I live to see it.
"I've heard a lot about you." She gave him her hand.
"I can imagine what." He accepted her hand, but his look was on Lincoln.
You know what? Nevermind friends. I'll be fine if they don't kill each other this weekend.
*****
"Do you need help?" I tried not to smile as I stood leaning against the tree behind Finn who was trying to set up a tent.
"No, I can handle it." He said while trying to connect the two poles that were supposed to hold the top of the tent. Everything would be fine if it weren't for one little thing. They aren't supposed to go together like that.
"Obviously." I cleared my throat.
"All right." He exhaled heavily and dropped them to the ground. "Will you help me, sunshine?" He turned to look at me.
"Since you asked so nicely." I pushed myself away from the tree and walked towards him. "They don't go together." I took one of the poles in my hand. "They're supposed to hold the top of the tent. Both sides will be driven into the ground, on each side of the tent."
"That makes sense." He laughed nervously. "Looks like I can't even put together a tent."
I could hear the disappointment in his voice, but it was even bigger on his face.
"If it makes you feel any better, the first time I set up my tent I almost sprained my ankle." I raised my shoulder.
"Sorry, what?" He frowned. "How?"
"Those iron things." I pointed to a small bag with metal pins in it. "They go into the ground to hold up your tent. Since I wasn't able to drive them into the ground with my hands, I tried with my foot. When I tried to step on one, my foot slipped off it and I almost sprained my ankle."
"Sorry." He said and started laughing. "Only you are capable of that."
"You'd be surprised. Lincoln still can't put together a tent." I pointed behind us where Lincoln was standing looking at Luca and Jeremy setting up a tent. "He's able to memorize every bone in a body, but how to build a tent? Not a chance."
"Really?" He raised an eyebrow.
"He's not perfect, Finn. Nobody is." I put my hand on his, which was on his leg.
âI wouldn't be so sure." He said, staring into my eyes, and for a moment I forgot how to breathe.
Come on, Finn, don't do this to me.