Mountain Air

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

"So..." Amanda glanced at me with her big green eyes before turning her attention back to the mirror where there was a reflection of her brushing her long curly brown hair.

"So, what?" I asked as I finished brushing my teeth. My stomach tightened a bit. I knew what was coming.

"Ready for tonight?"

I sighed but smiled, putting my toothbrush back into my bathroom bag on the sink. She and I were currently in the bathrooms of the campground. We were getting ready for the bonfire tonight. Which there happened to be some boys coming to. Oh, and one of them was my, well not quite, but maybe tonight, boyfriend.

"I think so, but I'm nervous Mandy. I've never kissed anyone! What if I make a total fool of myself?" My cheeks heated up just thinking of such a situation and I nervously twirled my ponytail.

Mandy put her brush on the sink counter and reached her arm around me to comfort me. We stood there and looked at our reflections in one of the two mirrors. Her expression was calm and mine was worrisome.

"Quinny, don't worry. If it doesn't work out tonight, then it's really not meant to be. Plus, he can probably help you with your...lack of knowledge, if you know what I mean."

I smacked her arm and stepped out of her embrace. "You're the worst best friend ever," I lied.

She grinned and went back to her sink to dig around in her toiletry bag for her mascara. "But you love me," she said absently.

I made a face jokingly.

There was a special place in my heart for Mandy. I loved her like no one else and if there was ever a time that we'd have to be apart, I didn't know if I could actually do it. We'd been through it all together, but I didn't want to get into details about that. Having her as my best friend since diapers had been the best blessing God has ever given me.

Of course, I did get mad at her. She was very defensive when she was wrong or didn't like what was happening, but she was the most loyal person I've ever known. Kind of like a dog, huh? She was also very mischievous, which got us into trouble, but her great persuasive skills, like with my mother, saved us an uncountable amount of times.

I loved my best friend, and as long as she was there, nothing could scare me.

Unless it was a spider. Because those things scared the shit out of me.

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The flames jumped higher as another log was put on the fire. The warmth radiating off the burning logs could be felt in my bones and it warmed me up. The sun was finally going down after a fun day at the beach and the cold breeze was blowing in.

I was sitting on a lawn chair near the fire pit. I stared down at my feet, wiggling my bare toes. Maybe flip flops weren't the best idea. Sophia was next to me on her phone and Mandy was helping Linley gather some wood. The boys were supposed to be here any minute.

I decided to walk to the camper and put on real shoes. My feet needed it and I couldn't sit still. My stomach was a wreck; my hands slick with perspiration. They were almost here and I couldn't wait.

I had just closed the screen door when, from the distance, I heard the wheels of a car go over the gravel road into the campground. I could still see enough to notice that the car was a red truck. The boys were here!

"Sophia! They're here." I smiled excitedly.

Soph glanced up from her phone and grinned. "Finally! They were taking forever."

Soon the truck pulled into our camping spot. The headlights turned off and four boys jumped out.

The shortest of the boys ran up to us and crushed us both in a bear hug. "Who missed me?" He said in a singsong voice.