Supposed To Be Mine

Chapter 21

UNEDITED

The following weekend River was the first dressed and in the rented RV. It was a huge vehicle, with a kitchen, a bedroom, bunk beds, table, and room to dance. It was literally a house on wheels.  River was hoping they would be sleeping under the stars in tents, but the bus would have do.
It took a total of three hours for everyone to get in, and all be ready at the same time, and then another three hours to reach their destination.

Fredrick drove up a steep mountainside and parked in a secluded spot. A spot premade for campers. There were two picnic tables, a place to make a fire, and an amazing view. They all poured out of the vehicle and took a look around. It was the rarest, most spectacular sight. There was a huge hill overlooking numerous trees and little streams that bends and curves all throughout the mountain that surrounded them. White Lilly like flowers picked random spots to grow by the water and made it even more spectacular.

"Wow, uncle Fredrick. How did you know about this spot?' River scans around in amazement.

"Me?" Her uncle points to himself. "I didn't. Ryan did. I just followed the GPS."

"I'm gonna start unloading." Ryan awkwardly leaves the half-circle they created when she glances his way.

"What do we have to eat?" Zack rubs his tummy. "I'm starving." He moans.

"You're always starving." Landen pushes him as he passes him on his way to also help unload.

Angela shakes her head. "Have some of the chicken that's in the fridge until the burgers are done."

"River, are you hungry?" Lucille asks.

"Hmm mm... " She shakes her head. "I'm full off of this view. Let's go hiking."

"Eat first please." Angela places her hands on her hips. "And you're not sleeping under the stars young lady, there are bears out here."

River's shoulders drop. "Yes ma'am."

Anastasia was frozen, but she quickly regained herself and looks over at her fiancé unloading a table from the RV. She floats over to his side and folds her arms. "You found this place? You won't come see one wedding venue with me, and you found this place."

He tilts the tables so that it was standing on its side and lays his arms on it, but only clamps down on his jaw. The award for the 'Worst Arguer' goes to... Ryan.

Her features tighten."I bet you went out of your way for needy River."

"Are you angry with me or her?" He throws.

Her eyes pierced through his, like laser beams. Even tears whelmed them up, not from sadness but from anger. "I'm starting to wonder about the two of you." She admits.

"You wanted close to home, I got you close to home." He swiftly moves around her and back to unloading.

Later, the smell of the forest scented air penetrates River's nose as she reaches a scenery lookout on the side of the mountain. It was a spectacular view and she was more than happy to be taking in all this rareness with her family. She wanted them to see the beauty of untouched nature can create all on its own, no help from mankind and she managed to do it. No one wanted to walk the trails, they wanted to just sit around and start the adventures tomorrow, but she was too excited to sit still. So, she begged her mother, who agreed, and it was like a change reaction from that point. Angela decided to go, and she wouldn't go without Fredrick and then it kept going from there until everyone was going.

They have been climbing for an hour and have only reached the first point. There were three more points in the mountain to reach each having something different to see. "Let's get a picture." River pulls out her selfie stick from her book bag and everyone smashes together.

"Say, River is holding me against my will," Landen yells out.

River turns her head and glares at him. "Brenner." She whines.

Everyone laughs, well everyone except Anna and Ryan. They were both extra quiet. They haven't even been speaking to each other, not that anyone noticed.

"Let's go back now." Angela leads the way.

Everyone follows, River stays back, she looks at the green sign that had white writing, giving her directions to the next point and then back at everyone walking away. No way she was going by herself, but she just wanted to keep going so badly. It was like fire in her.

Ryan suddenly stops. He turns back and stares at her but doesn't say anything. She wouldn't let her eyes connect with his. She connects eyes with Ana who turns next, then Landen. That made Zack turn and before anyone else did, River starts walking.

They began their one hour journey back and this time it was a lot harder.

"Walk in front of me River." Landen orders as the hills got steeper.

She takes his hand any time he offered it to her and she was doing great. Then the inevitable happened. *Gasp.* She almost falls. Luckily she is hauled right back up by her upper arm.  "Careful." Soft-spoken, and close to her ear, it was Ryan. She thought it was the other brother. He then abruptly removes his hand and walks past her.  Then Ana passes her, and her mother, aunt, and uncle. She turns back and looks for Landen who is supposed to be right behind her. "Boo!"

"Ahhhh!"Landen scares her. She almost falls again but he catches her.
He of course begins hysterically laughing.

This moment stops everyone in their tracks. Including Anastasia. "Always needs attention." She mumbles. She takes a few steps and unexpectedly falls. "Ouch." She hollers. Blood came pouring out of her ankle from a scrape, and Ryan rushes to her. "You okay?" He asks. Suddenly all of their anger had subsided.

"I have first aid stuff in here." River hands over her book bag.

Ana realized in this second that she was being petty. Her fiancé was here to take care of her when she needed and so was needy River.

It was bittersweet finally reaching the campsite. The rest of the evening consisted of a fire, s' mores, jokes, stories, and great memories.

River would remember this night forever. Even seeing Anastasia cuddled up close to Ryan laughing with each other didn't hurt her as much anymore. Which only meant that she was accepting their relationship and moving on. Maybe she was even falling for Landen.

The following morning, She woke before anyone else. She gets off of the bed and the first thing she does is peek through the window. To her amazement, the sky was pink. "Wow." She whispers. The sun had just begun to rise from behind the mountain and it was a gorgeous sight to take in, so she wanted to take it to its fullest. Quickly, she pulls changes her clothes, puts on her shoes. She opens the camper doors and takes in the morning air. She was snapping a few pictures of the spectacular sunrise when she heard a snuffing sound. She glances back, thinking someone woke up. It was the last thing she expected to see. A big black bear was sniffing around the grill. She became entirely paralyzed.

The bear, however, kept approaching her, closer and closer to her until she freaked and started running. She didn't care where she just ran. She ran until she reached the edge of a cliff-like hill. She had no idea if the bear was still behind her but wasn't taking any chances. She keeps running along the edges until she slips off and rolls down. She tumbles all the way and finally stops halfway to the bottom. "Ah." She cries out in pain. A vine-like plant with thorns wrapped around her ankle. A plant just like the one that scratched Ana.

She looks at her surroundings and becomes panicked. She has no idea where she is and how to get back.

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Hope your enjoying 😊

Sorry for delay