White Crest

5

Adelaide awoke to the smell of frying bacon and pancakes. She unzipped the tent and squinted into the morning sun to reveal Chase and Aria slaving over breakfast and a sleepy Logan sitting by the fire. Nathan was chopping wood and Jennifer decided to sleep in late. Nathan threw some more wood onto the fire and sat on a log that he had pulled up to the fire pit.

"I worked out a schedule for us. Adelaide and Nate are going to find some lunch, Jennifer and Chase are on wood duty and Logan and I can find a source of water and purify it and put it into these water bottles." Aria got out a list and put it on the table. "Is Jen still sleeping?"

"Right here. What'd I miss?" Jennifer yawned and sat beside Adelaide on a log bench.

"I'm fishing with Nathan." Adelaide mumbled and grabbed a plate.

"I hope you know how to fish." Nathan came up behind her and whispered in her ear.

"Oh yeah. I can fish. It's on." She scowled at Nathan and ate a piece of bacon.

"Do you have any idea how to even bait a hook?" Nathan tossed a worm at Adelaide.

"Of course I do! What do you think I am? A wimpy girl who can't touch a fish?" She slipped the worm through the hook and cast the line in the water.

"I'll catch them, you can clean them." Adelaide called over her shoulder. She felt her line tug and a nice sized trout came up when she reeled it in.

"Here. You can clean a fish right? It's not that hard. Even I can do it." She threw the fish at Nathan and re-baited her hook.

"So I was thinking..." Nathan looked up at Adelaide, his hands full of fish innards.

"What were you thinking?" She looked at him and put another fish on the pile for him to clean.

"It's nothing." Nathan looked away and returned to gutting a fish. Jennifer appeared through the trees.

"I see you've had more luck that some of the others. Chase doesn't know how to use an axe and Logan fell in the lake." She sat down on the rocks next to Nathan.

"There's a lake?" Nathan looked mischievously at Adelaide and Jennifer.

"When your done with these fish I guess we can go swimming." Jennifer got up and disappeared into the trees. Nathan leaned back on his elbows and looked at Adelaide.

"Guess I was wrong about you Gaines. I thought you were a wimpy girly girl and here you are making me clean fish." Nathan smirked and put all the gutted fish in a plastic tub.

"Well, thank you I'm so flattered." She said sarcastically.

"You should be. Your really cu..." Nathan caught himself.

"I'm really what?" Adelaide knew what he had almost said but wanted to see what his comeback would be.

"I meant your really cut out for camping." Nathan blushed and started to head back to the camp site.

"Hope you guys brought your swimsuits." Chase said. "I'll start on supper while you guys go."

"Hey, Nate how'd the fishing go?" Logan threw a towel on Nathan's head and laughed.

"Laidy is actually better at fishing than me. And I thought I was the pro here. Even with my old man teaching me at the tender age of three." Nathan looked at her and grinned. Aria and Jennifer pulled Adelaide away from the group.

"What happened?"

"Did he kiss you?"

"He totally loves you!" Aria and Jennifer started talking at Adelaide all at once.

"No! No, he didn't do anything! We just fished!" Adelaide said, kind of annoyed. Adelaide caught Chase looking at her and laughing behind his hand. She glared at him and turned around and stomped out of the forest and stepped out onto a beautiful greenish blue lake. It had a bit of sand at the shore line and long, soft grass bordered the sand. Nathan, Logan and Aria were already in the water. When Nathan spotted her he got out of the water and came towards her dripping wet. 'Wow he has reaaally nice abs.' She looked away before he could realize she was staring.

Adelaide looked at his wicked grin and glint in his eye. Before she could turn and run he enveloped her in a shivery wet hug.

"Stop you're all wet!" Adelaide laughed and looked into his clear blue eyes. "Thanks a lot. I forgot my sweater at camp. Watch when I catch my death out here because of you." She sat down and rubbed her chilly arms. Nathan's playful expression turned to concern.

"Wait here." Nathan wiped water out of his eyes and jogged into the forest, bare foot and shirtless.

"Nathan! It's not that bad! I was just kidding!" She rolled her eyes and stuck her feet in the sand. The sun was just going down and the sun set reflected off the lake, giving everyone a warm peachy glow. Adelaide rested her head on her knees and closed her eyes. A warm fire and a nice golden brown fish would be welcomed when she returned back to camp . Nathan jogged out of the trees holding his green American Apparel sweater.

"Here." Nathan panted, handing the sweater to Adelaide. He leaned back on his elbows, looking at the sun set.

"You ran back to camp to get me a sweater?" She looked at him and pulled the sweater on. It was a little bit too big and it was still fuzzy like he had just bought it. He just looked at her. His hair was still damp and wavy as it fell across his forehead, not how he usually did his hair.

"Thanks Nathan." Adelaide looked at the lake not wanting to look at the still shirtless Nathan.

"Your welcome." He seemed genuinely concerned for her. Chase came out of the trees and shouted to everyone.

"Fish is ready." When Jennifer grimaced he laughed and replied. "Don't worry I made other stuff to eat." Nathan jumped up and returned to Chase and Logan. 'That guy is the most confusing person I've ever met. By the time this camping trip is over I'll have all of his clothes.'