How To Forget Your Crush

Step 9-Avoid Getting Lost

Step 9-Avoid Getting Lost                                                                  

The thing was, getting left alone—lost and scared—was never an option. Especially when you get lost with someone you wanted to avoid; someone you wanted to forget, someone like your crush. How did I get into this mess? Well it all started when we went camping.

                There were no classes on Monday so Rebecca, June, and I had decided to go camping for the 'long weekend.' We signed up for this mini-camping event that will be held on a lake about twenty-five miles from our town. The moment I gave dad the parent's consent letter that he needed to sign, he had immediately said, "My daughter is going camping without me." His voice slightly cracked. My dad was really sensitive, when it came to me. After all, we only had each other now. But he had always been too busy with work, giving us little time with each other.        

I wrapped my arms around him. "Oh dad. It's just this one time. We'll camp together after this once we get the chance," I  had said.

                He let off a sigh. "Okay. Be careful sweetheart, wouldn't want you to get lost in the woods." He then signed the consent letter. I kissed him then went upstairs to pack.

                I had woken up early the next morning, got dressed and went downstairs to cook our breakfast. But I had not expected that dad would be up early. I had found him cooking our breakfast. He was wearing that funny pink apron of his that said 'The Greatest Dad!' I was the one who had gotten him that for Father's Day when I was eleven. I didn't really intend to make fun of him by giving him a pink apron but that's the only apron in the store that I could afford that time.

                "Good morning sweetie," he said as I entered the kitchen.

                "Good morning Dad," I greet then hugged him.

                We ate our pancakes. Minutes later I heard Becca's car pull over. I grabbed my pack and said good bye to dad then went outside.  I put my things in the compartment of the car then went inside. June was already inside so we started our drive to the lake. To kill the silence, we sang along the soundtracks that played.

When we got there, the tent area was almost full. Participants—whose age ranges from fourteen to sixteen—were all over the place. But surprisingly the area wasn't littered with plastic cups or anything. I thought it was better that way. Teens were starting to care about nature.

My friends and I got off the car and pitched our tents. We went to the registration table to get a copy of the schedules of activities.

An hour later we started our first activity. The activity just had lasted for an hour then it was over. We were given a thirty-minute break then we're off to our next activity. It was dusk when we finished. We cooked a small dinner then gathered around the camp fires. Obviously, setting a large camp fire wasn't safe so the organizers decided to set small camp fires around the area where we could socialize and roast anything we wanted.

While we gathered around the campfire, I realized how much I had missed doing this. I had missed doing this with dad...and mom. Thinking about it had made me want to curl up into a tight ball and cry. But clenched my hands tightly and gritted my teeth. Crying wouldn't make things better. It never did.

I was on the verge of crying when Rebecca nudged me at my elbow. "Hey, don't be so dramatic. You're not alone," she said. Thank God I had friends like them. Even I didn't tell them what was on my mind directly, they understood me.

I smiled back and said, "Thank you." After a few hours we went in our tents and slept.

We woke up at four in the morning because hot water is guaranteed for early birds. We took a shower then cooked our breakfast. After we ate, we waited for others to finish their morning rituals then we went to the makeshift stage for announcements about the next activity. It was past six when everyone had gathered. Oone of the organizers stepped up, and said "Good Morning Campers!" the man—whom I believe was named Aclove—said.