Our Winter Love (Harry AU)

Chapter 20:Our Afternoon at the Stream

"Are you going to pack your costume or wear it?" Megan asks as I tie my hair up into a messy ponytail.

"Are you crazy? You do realize it's winter right? The water is going to be freezing." I reply.

Megan smiles at me, "Isn't that the point? Doing something crazy?"

"Yeah well I'm not that nuts." I roll my eyes and grab my little backpack where I've packed a towel(to sit on), my cellphone and a hoodie, just incase it gets cold.

Megan grabs her backpack too as we step out our tent, "Izzy, have you ever thought maybe you're a little too boring?" Her words catch me off guard and I turn to face her to hear her out.

"Like don't you think you're going to miss out on a fun filled life? I mean the most adventurous you've been is in the last week with Harry, but that's nothing. The best memories are moments where you step out of your comfort zone." She pauses and waits for a moment for me to reply.

I think it through, knowing she's right, "I know, I'm trying...."

"I know and I'm proud that you aren't curled up in the tent reading the whole time like you usually do back home." She looks me straight in the eyes.

"But you need to stop overthinking everything. Live with no regrets. You might be hurt physically and emotionally along the way but that's what makes you who you are."

I nod slowly, feeling a mix of emotions.

"I'm only saying this cause I'm your best friend and I only want you to have the best life possible." She gives me a sad smile.

I return her smile and she steps forward giving me a tight hug.

"Wow. How did our conversation go from normal to deep in like two seconds?" We both laugh and turn around to begin our walk to where we are meeting the rest of the gang.

"Where are you girls going?" My dad asks as him and my mom along with the Braisons return from their afternoon walk.

Megan and I freeze in our tracks and look at each other as if searching for an answer to my dad's question.

"Ummm, we are going for an afternoon girls hike." I say, trying to sound a bit convincing.

"Oh that'll be nice, where to?" Mom asks with a smile as dad watches us skeptically.

I look to Megan for an answer, "Umm, well we aren't restricting our options to how much we can explore. But not too far from here." She replies quickly for us.

"Good, because you have to be back before dinner at 6:30." Dad nods as the rest of the adults make themselves comfortable sitting down on the camp chairs.

"Of course! Well we are going to head out now so we have more time to explore." I flash another fake smile.

"Enjoy girls." My mom says as we begin to jog in the direction of the meeting spot.

"That was close." I huff as we slow down from our jog and keep walking.

Megan nods, "Yeah but you're getting better at this lying thing." She shoots me a smile as guilt takes over my mind.

Before I met Harry I never lied to my parents, I never really had the need to. They knew every detail of my life. Even with the breakup with Josh. I never lied to them about why we broke up, I just said him and I were on different paths. Unfortunately Josh's path was cheating with another girl and mine was working hard at studying.

I'm glad I sort of feel a bit more free at making plans without my parents knowing. If they found out I don't even know how they would react.

Within minutes we see the others standing around an old truck parked under a tree.