The Wrong Direction

Chapter Twenty-Six

Adriana

Chapter Twenty-Six

I needed some space to think, pronto.  Everyone was chatting so loudly and they just don't seem to get it.

I pushed myself to my feet and everyone's eyes flickered to me, instantly making me feel awkward and on edge.  "Um . . . I need some peace and quiet.  If anyone needs me, I'll be . . . around," I said to them.  

I waved feebly before striding out of camp.  After a while I came upon a large boulder near the river and settled down on it.  I folded my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them.  I missed my family.  I missed my friend Nina's organized, perfectionist ways and Livia's quirkiness.  I don't have any true friends here.  Samacha is rude and annoying, and I got the feeling that Sienna doesn't think too highly of me either.  When we first met on the airplane, I got the vibe that she found me to be annoying.  Lots of people think that, though.  Apparently I'm too bubbly or something.  But look at me now.  I'm nowhere near energetic.  All I can do is sit around and mope, which makes me mad because I've always disliked whiny people who pity themselves.

You know what?  No.  I'm done.  I'm done feeling sorry for myself.  I'm Adriana Caspari, and I'm better than that.  No one likes a whiny, self-absorbed brat who can't stop thinking about her own problems.  I should know.  I've met one too many girls like that in my life.  So I promise myself that I will stop being all mopey and move on and act like my old self . . . starting tomorrow.  Heh, you could say I'm a procrastinator when it comes to motivational things like this.

"Mind if I join you?" a voice asked from behind me.

I jumped in surprise, and my hand flew up to my chest.  I twisted around and frowned when I saw Niall standing near me.  "Jeez, Niall, you scared the heck out of me!"

"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly.  "I figured you heard me coming.  I stepped on so many sticks and leaves on my way here that I thought even a deaf person could hear me."

I sighed and scooted over, patting the empty space next to me on the boulder.  "It's all right.  You can sit down, if you really want to."

Niall stepped forward and sat down next to me.  He propped his knees up and leaned his hands back, so he could easily look up at the stars.  We didn't say much.  I wasn't really in the mood to hold a conversation, and Niall didn't seem to be either.  After a long time, Niall whispered, "Wow, it sure is pretty out here."

"Yeah, it is," I agreed, a small smile tracing my lips.  "It's one of the main reasons I love my home in Switzerland.  It's so pretty."  I paused to glance at Niall, who was still completely absorbed in the beauty above him.  "Of course, I live in the country, so I can't say it's as pretty in the big cities in Switzerland.  When I was in London, I felt trapped.  I could never see the stars or nature."

We didn't say anything else for a while, just sitting together, enjoying the beauty of nature.  For the first time, I was actually glad that Niall had joined me.  Before I probably would have been annoyed, but he really wasn't all that bad.  I just figured he had to be annoying, since Harry made me want to flip out all the time, and they were friends.

"So, you really had never heard of One Direction before the plane crash?" Niall suddenly asked.

His question caught me off guard, and I quickly looked at him.  He was looking at me now.  His eyebrows were slightly furrowed, like he was confused or deep in thought.

"Yeah," I replied.  "Now that I think back, I remember my friend Livia raving on and on about you guys, and how 'sexy Zayn's hair is'.  Yeah, those were her words, not mine.  I typically tuned her out when she went on her hot celebrity rambles anyway, so I never had a clue who you were when we first met."