The Night We Met by Ruero

Chapter 8: Chaotic Night

I was ready to face Derek, clutching my guitar like it was a baseball bat. My heart was pounding, and I was sweating bullets. The tent flap started to open slowly, and I braced myself for the beating of a lifetime. But then, instead of Derek's hulking figure, Laurine peeked in.

I exhaled so hard I almost passed out. "Laurine! Holy crap, you scared the crap out of me."

She looked at me like I had two heads. "Why are you sleeping with your guitar?"

I quickly set the guitar aside, feeling like a complete idiot. "Uh, just, you know, practicing. What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

Laurine sighed and rolled her eyes. "Sam's having a moment with his girlfriend in our tent. They kicked me out, so now I have no other option but to come here. Each tent is big enough for two people, right?"

My heart started pounding again, but for a completely different reason. "Yeah, I guess so," I squeaked out, my voice cracking like a teenager's. Sharing a tent with Laurine? This was a nightmare, Or maybe just weird.

Laurine crawled in and lay down beside me. The tent suddenly felt smaller than before. Her scent—something floral and sweet—filled the small space, making my head spin. I could see her eyes, but I kept trying to avoid eye contact, feeling awkward and exposed.

"Relax, Ethan. I promise I won't bite," Laurine said with a playful smile.

I laughed nervously. "Yeah, sure. Totally relaxed," I muttered, trying to act cool but failing miserably. In my head, I was screaming, "This is way worse than facing Derek!"

Our knees were almost touching, rubbing slightly every time one of us moved. My heart was beating so loudly I was sure Laurine could hear it. I couldn't turn to the other side because there wasn't enough room, so I had to lie facing her, which made things even more uncomfortable. I could feel her breath on my skin, making it hard to breathe.

Laurine was wearing simple, snug-fitting t-shirt and pajama shorts. The moonlight filtering through the tent fabric highlighted her soft features, making her look even more beautiful. I tried to focus on anything else, but my mind kept circling back to how close we were.

"Your performance was amazing tonight," Laurine began, breaking the silence. "You should totally play at the college fest."

In my head, I was freaking out. "She thinks I should play at the college fest. How do I even respond to that? This is so weird, so freaking weird."

"Uh, thanks," I managed to say, trying to sound normal. "I'll think about it."

Laurine continued talking, her voice soothing and calm. But for me, every word she said only made me more nervous. Her compliments were like little jolts of electricity, making my heart race even faster. I could barely focus on her words because all I could think about was how close we were, her scent, her eyes, the warmth radiating from her body.

"Get it together, Ethan," I scolded myself internally. "It's just Laurine. She's just a friend. Who's lying next to you in a tiny tent. Crap, crap, crap."

She said, "You know, Ethan, you're really talented. I think you could be a big hit at the college fest."

"Uh, thanks, Laurine. That means a lot," I said, trying to sound sincere but probably just sounding awkward. In my head, I was thinking, "This tent is a torture chamber!"

Laurine smiled and continued talking, but I was barely listening. I was too busy freaking out internally. Lying next to a beautiful girl in a tiny tent was something I had never experienced before, and it was both thrilling and terrifying.

"Just breathe, Ethan. It's fine. You're fine. She's not going to bite you," I told myself. But the truth was, I wasn't fine. I was a nervous wreck.

She turned to face me, her eyes twinkling in the dim light of the tent.