The Distance Within

10.

E.

Putting the car to a stop I give my eyes a chance to wander through the parking lot, immediately noticing the big sign that read out "River-rose camping site."

"Mommy, this the place?" Xander asks me toying with his seat belt attempting to take it off.

"Yes, love. Are we excited?"

"Fery!" A smile appearing on my face at his voice full of enthusiasm.

"Cmon, let's go." Exiting the car, the cold breeze whooshing against my face reminding me that February was soon knocking on our doors. The snow going to definitely visit us soon, the hot chocolate nights, and multiple blankets going to come back.

"Mommy!" A voice wakes me up from the daze where I was enjoying the shivery weather.

"Sorry, sorry I'm coming." I chuckle as he grumpily folds his arms together.

Jogging to the other side of the car I open his door and unbuckle him from his safety chair from around him, helping him hop down to the ground.

" 's told." He runs his hands against his arms re-enacting it.

"Very cold." Going to grab our backpacks I leave Xander enjoying with his eyes roaming around.

I grab the big creamy coloured duffle bag and Xander's mini batman one, mine already on my back.

"Let's go," I reach forward to grab his hand in mine and we walk closer to where many parents started joining too or have been here earlier.

I look around looking for Lee, the head of the school. As well as studying others parents, recognizing some that I've been talking to daily when picking up Xan, wondering who could be our potential partner, hoping it was someone Xander enjoyed sitting with, another part of me hoping they weren't annoying or too posh.

I greet back the ones that greet me and ignore the ones that act like they are worth more than I do, my heart silently praying August comes, while my brain prays he doesn't as I walk closer to where parents were taking a seat with their kids in front of some stage. However, just like every cliche movie that's when a series of greetings could be heard, one name bounced around continuously, August was here.

Forcing myself to not look at him I keep my face focused straight ahead, my body too rigid for the relaxed state I tried to seem in. Attempting to ignore someone that once meant the world to you and may still do is harder than thought.

"Bwue eyes mommy!" Xander yells from beside me getting off his chair and running towards him before I could calculate a thing...great.

I watch as he jumps into August's arms, my heart clenching at the sight in front of me the one where Xander is hugging the father he has yet to ask me about...The sight alone causing my heart to go into a series of rollercoasters.

I break out of my daze at the sound of tapping on a mic somewhere, looking up I notice Lee with the vice-principal by her side smiling at all of us.

"Welcome everyone! I'm happy to see our lovely students present here and can't wait for you to enjoy your camp. The rules were already discussed on the permission slip given earlier however I'd like to get into more details. Every student here has been chosen with another one, you must wonder how we did so, well we chose a pair that seemed to get along well in school and have quite the similarities. Now the issue would be the parents, let's keep it to the minimum and no arguing please you have to work as a team, not for our sake but your child so please put any possible differences aside and focus on the main mission here." She tries to give a not so subtle smirk that I noticed looking straight at someone, my neck craning to look at them noticing it was august