Rewind (Completed)

Chapter 41: Streak of Light

Chapter 41: Streak of Light

"Is this really necessary?" Jay asks me as I force him to take photos with everyone, against his will, with the sunset and lake as our backdrop.

"It's making memories!" I exclaim, now jovial -- nothing like taking photos that cheers me up quite as quick. Behind the lens, it's a whole different world.

"I can think of better ways to make memories," he replies with a frown as Dean forces him under his arm. He's still not over the whole 'Wyatt leaving us for dead' thing. In fact, he's quick to shove Dean away from him.

"I bet you can." Ryan winks at Jay before puckering up his lips, gesturing to me.

Jay scoffs under his breath before shaking his head, glancing away.

"Strike a pose!" Troy yells at Jay before pouting, almost as if to persuade Jay into doing the same.

"I'm tapping out of this one," Jay tells me, leaving the predestined photo I had set up. "Sorry, Aqueela," he apologizes, sincere.

"I'm offended," Dean complains, unaware that Jay hates photos in general.

"Yeah, I'm out too," Landon agrees with Jay before he and Sarah return back to the campsite.

As of lately, everybody follows suit in Landon's wake. He's the new, renowned leader of our group seeing as Jay all too eagerly handed over the role, tired of others looking to him for everything. Thus, it's really no surprise when everybody sparses out until it's just Jay and I left.

"C'mon, 'Queela, everyone else has left. Please, can we go?" Jay asks, resorting to pitiful begging. "I'm tired. It's been a long day and it's going to get dark soon."

"I told you, not until I get a portrait of you," I remind him, turning him in place in order to capture the most perfect picture. "Nope, not like that," I say, correcting his rigid stance yet again as I try to find a more aesthetically pleasing position.

"What are you doing?" he huffs, growing impatient.

"Would you stop stiffening up?!" I hiss at him, aggravated with his stubborn refusal to comply. "You're not making this go by any faster!"

"Then stop touching me all over!" he snaps like the ticking time bomb that he is. "It's your fault!"

I can't help but immediately erupt in giggles, reminiscing back on the days that we'd always argue like this. There's always that streak of light in the dark and this just so happens to be one of those moments.

Jay arches an eyebrow at me, confused. "What? What am I missing? Why are you laughing now?"

I just end up laughing louder, as a result, missing this temperamental side to Jay. It was the first 'Jay' I came to know.

Jay, unable to stifle his laughter anymore, joins in until the both of us are left wondering why we're laughing in the first place.

"You know," I pause hesitantly as I dwell back to the distant memory, "you were wrong," I conclude in determination.

He stays silent in order to hear me out.

"You were wrong when you said that I wouldn't remember," I tell him, nostalgic over the moment lost in time. His words are coming back to haunt me, five years later:

"Are you drunk right now?"

"Why, Aqueela, are you such an idiot?"

"You are beyond drunk."

"You mean a lot to me but I'm never going to be good enough for you. You deserve the best...and I'm not it. I never will be. I wish you'd see that."