Mountain Air

Chapter Two

I pulled into our new campsite and parked. Everyone got out and started to stretch and walk around in the grass near the picnic table to get rid of the exhaustion from the ride.

I looked around at our campsite and breathed in the fresh air. Overall, we lucked out on our site. We had the sign to the lake, and the driveway for our camper and vehicle was pretty long. The evergreens also gave good shade, and in addition, the bonfire pit was pretty large. It would be perfect for tonight. The campground, too, was favorable. There were only three other campers set up in the grounds so it looked like we would have the place to ourselves. I was very excited for the weekend, but first I needed to wake up from our drive.

"Hey guys, how about we got to the lake after we get camp set up?" I suggested to the group. The day was just perfect, a clear blue sky and just the faintest breeze detectable through the trees surrounding us.

Linley and Sophia smiled and mumbled their agreement while Mandy nodded her head and her brown curls bounced. She walked to the back of the car and opened up the trunk. "Let's get this adventure started!"

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After we unpacked the car and got everything set up inside the hard-side, we each put our swimsuits on.

I had just gotten a new one and was really excited because it actually didn't look like I was falling out of it, if you know what I mean. That was my biggest self-conscious concern. I liked my height, as five-five was ideal to me, and my weight wasn't under or over, it was just average. My blond hair on occasion bothered me because it was always straight and nothing else but I liked how my eyes turned a combination of blue and green in the summer, and I thought my freckles were cute. There were things about me I liked, but other things that I didn't. A human tendency I guess.

Oh, and my favorite quality? I was great at making faces. Maybe they could even make an Olympic event out of it. An easy gold medal for me.

I put my blue suit on and went outside to wait for Linley, who was still unpacking a few last items. Sophia was stacking up our beach towels on the worn picnic table and Amanda was putting on sunscreen. "Need some Quinny?"

I contemplated for a second but then remembered what I looked like when I forgot last summer and had a peeling forehead. Worst. Experience. Ever. And, like seriously, what the hell? My forehead?

I looked like... I don't even have a good analogy for that.

"Yeah, please." I said and I reached out to grab the bottle.

"Didn't want a repeat of last year, did you?" Amanda smiled with amusement. She always knew what I was thinking. Sometimes I wondered if she could read minds.

Amanda. Can you hear me?

No response. Damn. I was really hoping for a supernatural friend.

I stuck my tongue out at Mandy. "No I don't! I never ever want that to happen again."

Sophia laughed at that. "If only you were me." Her eyes twinkled and her teeth looked extra white against her evenly tanned Spanish skin.

"Sorry we can't all be born with gorgeous skin."

"No me gusta." That was Linley. She came sprinting out of the camper in a neon pink swimsuit that contrasted her ivory skin and jumped on Sophia.

"Linley!" Soph screamed playfully. "Get off me! You're crushing me!"

Linley cackled and held on tighter. They swung around in a circle next to the picnic table and Amanda joined on the pile. "Get over here Quinn," she said as Linley and Sophia suddenly went down.