You Don't Know

Chapter twenty-one

"Is everyone ready to go?" Albert made sure. He was standing with his back to the door of the hut, while everyone else was standing in a circle around him, nodding.

With our sign, he turned around and opened the door. We followed him outside and for the last time we enjoyed the view we had from the hut. The mountains, the trees, and of course the lake. It was beautiful and so calm. But nevertheless, I was also a bit excited to sleep in my own bed again and to have a proper meal.

Right before I wanted to turn around to start walking, I noticed that Jack was still standing and looking back at the hut. I figured it must be difficult to go back home after he had spent months hiding there. The fear was still there, he just had to overcome it, and that wasn't so easy. So I silently waited for him, until he was ready to go as well.

The others were already walking ahead, but when Jack turned around he saw me waiting for him, so we caught up with the others together.

We were walking with our water bottles we had refilled by the lake and some berries in our backpacks. We also thought about Jack's passport and id, so nothing could stop us.

The way back took us less time than the way we walked there. We walked two hours and ten minuets before we could call a cap, which  brought us all the way back to the airport. And for some reason it happened that I was in a cap in the backseat between Collin and Jack while Mona was in the passenger seat and Albert, Nick and Lia in the second cap. You could've cut the tension in the car with a knife. No one spoke and there were just occasional glares between Collin and Jack. I felt like I was in the middle and at the same time not even in the car. On one side, the love of my life, that I thought died, why the relationship kind of ended, and on the other side, the love that brought me back to life and accepted me for who I was and with who I felt the safest and freest I ever could imagine to be, but was angry at me because of everything that happened because of the person on my other side. It was weird and I wanted to leave as soon as possible, but I had to endure it for two whole hours.

The second we arrived at the airport, all of us practically jumped out of the car, but unfortunately, we had to wait for the others anyway, as their cap arrived after ours.

*

"So, who wants to get rid of some more money?" Albert sarcastically asked.

We were standing in the line to buy a ticket back to California, and Albert probably just wanted to lighten the mood, but it actually made me feel bad again, as I was the reason everyone was wasting so much money on just one weekend. But when Albert saw my sad expression he playfully elbowed me with a smile, as to say that he was really just joking. It made me feel a little bit better, but it didn't change the fact that we wasted too much money. At least we did find Jack, so it was probably totally worth it. At least for me. But I think for the others as well.

"Yeah, about that. I can't afford a ticket." Jack reminded. But that whole mission wouldn't fail because Jack didn't have any money. I mean, my account wasn't happy at all, but I didn't really have a choice. I had to spend my money. It was for a good reason and I would just safe some money in the next few months, wherever I could.

"Don't worry about it." I finally answered with a reassuring smile.

After that it only took an hour longer until we had our tickets and were on our way to wherever we had to be to eventually end up on the plane.

And once again I was siting between Collin and Jack. That time I actually knew how it happened. We all bought tickets that were next to each other. And I wanted to sit next to Collin, who was already sitting by the window, because I thought I could try to talk to him again. So I took the ticket next to him, and sat down. Then Jack came and wanted to sit next to me. That was how it happened.