Knowing Asher

Chapter|16|

I gulped down the water and massaged my throat. I don't really like waking up before morning, but I was feeling thirsty. I checked the time and realized that it was just 1am.

I snuggled back into the sleeping bag carefully, not wanting to wake Amanda up. She was sleeping soundly beside me. I kept tossing around, but sleep wasn't coming my way.

I tiptoed round the tent, careful not to wake the girls up and head outside. I wrapped my hands around myself and turned towards the fire pit. I settled down on the blanket and stared up at the sky. I pointed out some of the constellation and named some of them in my mind.

"Couldn't sleep?" A voice asked, and I jumped slightly since I wasn't expecting anyone.

I wasn't expecting this at all. This was supposed to be my alone time.

"Yeah," I replied after a while, sitting up.
She settled down beside me, staring at me.

"Same here. I am really thinking about where our next destination would be. I would really like Hawaii," Angela blabbered, and I sighed.
Just my luck!

"They wouldn't even give us a hint. The suspense is killing," I added, tucking my hands into my hoodie.

"Like," she drawled out, holding out her hands for emphasis. "Do you know anything we can do to kill time?" She asked, and I pursed my lips, trying to come up with ideas. I was blank.

"No," I said quickly before pondering. "Do you like anybody?" I blurted out after racking my brain for a question.

I was actually curious because I hadn't seen her in a relationship before. Never heard she dated someone so you understand where I was coming from.

"Why do you ask?" She asked.

"I am just curious."

"I don't like anybody. The last time I had a crush was when I was 13, but he broke my heart. He was my best friend but he got together with a friend of mine. They moved away, but I don't blame them. I didn't tell him about my feelings. I haven't felt the same way about anyone after that," she explained.

"Wow!" I said, not knowing the right way to respond to that. "Yeah. Why do you like Asher?" She asked, sharing the same curious look as I had a few minutes ago.

I sighed as I pondered on her question. "I can't come up with anything. I just like him. It was attraction at first sight, and now I can't get him out of my mind. I feel hurt when I see him with other girls. He isn't mine, so he has the right to do whatever he wants. Why him? I always ask myself. Why not someone with less drama? Someone who has my kind of personality, but he has me hooked." I blabbered out.

It was nice to finally share my thoughts with someone. "We can't always control our feelings. I didn't plan to fall for my best friend, it just happened. He isn't to be blamed, and I had no right to push them away because of it. I did it anyway because it was the only way I could protect myself," she replied in a low voice.

She was different from the girl she portrays herself as tonight. Looks like we all have different shades, but we choose to hide them.

"Let's head back, we have a long day tomorrow," she said quickly and walked away.

I stared at her retreating figure before deciding to join her. We entered the tent, and I settled back into my sleeping bag.

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"Don't you dare splash water at me," Amanda warned, but I did it anyway.

"You are so going to regret that," she hissed and swam towards me.

We engaged in a water fight and it was really so much fun. Our other friends joined in. In a few hours, we are going to be leaving this place that served as a home to us for the past two days. We got out of the lake and headed back to the camping area.