One Summer

Chapter 37: Finishing the surprise

Chapter 37: Finishing the surprise

Bryce

I woke up earlier than the previous days and when I mean by waking up "early", I'm not talking about waking up at like 9am. When I mean "early", I mean very early as in waking up at 5:30am. Everyone was still asleep, so I had to be very quiet if I didn't want to wake up anyone. When my feet hit the ground, the wood made a small creaking noise and I felt relieved that it wasn't a loud noise because it could have woken up any light sleeper.

Just as I was going to grab my bag, I heard Zach calling my name in his sleepy voice and when I glanced towards him, he was rubbing his eyes to clear out his vision better. He asked me where I was going and after I told him that I was going to the abandoned cabin to finish the surprise, he muttered an "okay" before going to sleep again. I put on a hoodie and sweatpants before walking out of the cabin silently.  

When I got out of the cabin, I noticed how the sky was still dark due to the fact that sunrise was about to begin. I liked how peaceful it felt outside at this hour with everyone sleeping and my surroundings deserted. I already knew the path by memory, so I didn't have any problems on the way to the abandoned cabin. I entered the cabin and turned on the lamp I had installed a couple of days before. Everything was still the same from the last time I came here, which was yesterday, and I couldn't help but smile when I noticed that I was almost done with this large portrait.

I've been working on this since the first week of camp and only my brother and Hailey knows about this place. I exclude Hailey on knowing what I'm exactly doing in this cabin because she only came here when she was running away from me the same day that we came back together during the game night. At first, I started painting the portrait here because I wanted to leave a memory here, but the moment I admitted to myself that I had feelings for Hailey, the purpose of this portrait changed completely. What I'm painting now is my surprise for Hailey Witters, the last portrait before we leave for camp very soon, or more like in less than a week now.

It seemed so long ago when I came to this camp this Summer, but now I realized how fast time has passed and how much has happened and changed. I can't believe that next week I'll be on my way back home to Boston and that I'll be leaving Hailey behind. As time passed since the game night we admitted our deep feelings for each other, I started to feel anxious due to the fact that camp was already nearing its end. The moments were bliss since that night and we were spending time together more than ever each day as if making every moment count. 

It wasn't just us making every moment count, but Tyler and Brianna were also spending a lot of time together since that game night as well. Zach was actualy smiling much more now and I would have to owe that to Bethany because I believe that he actually started to have a good time when he started to hang out with Bethany along with Cameron and Alec. 

I shifted my attention towards the portrait again and I knew that I only had to finish up some small details before I was done making this. I was painting a transitioning portrait of different skylines and it ended with the camp grounds along with the cascades. Instead of just leaving the portrait as it was, I added in the part of the camp grounds small images of floating lanterns. When I show Hailey the portrait tomorrow, she'll understand the meaning of the floating lanters.