Life of the Party

Chapter 15: camping weekend

Leonor, Helen and I finish packing our bags for the weekend.

-Have fun girls ! Says Jennifer as we are leaving the appartment.

The three of us are going on a camping weekend with Sam, Shawn and friends of them. Jennifer is staying because she has work to do. We run down the stairs and find a volkswagen van waiting for us. Inside, the boys are waving at us. We jump in and sit on the last three seats.

In the front is Brian, driving. Next to him is Shawn. Behind us are Sam, Nick and a girl I don't know, and next to us is another girl I have never met.

-Hi I'm Rebecca ! Says the girl next to me. And this is Marilyn, she says, pointing at the other girl. Nice to meet you ! I'm Nick's girlfriend.

We present ourselves, Rebecca has long black hair with purple locks and blue eyes. She is very sweet. Marilyn has short pink hair, brown eyes, a piercing on the lip and tatoos all over her arms. She is very kind but so talkative !

******

The music is playing on the radio and we are all singing out loud. The guys have unpacked beers and we all have drunk at least one, except Brian. My head is spinning a bit, just enought to have as much fun as I can. Everybody is lauging and I'm living my best life. In front of me, Shawn is singing very loud. I listen to him, to his beautiful voice. He doesn't care about the people listening to him, the alcohol makes him just enjoy the moment. I stare at him for a moment and he turns around to look at me. I can see a smile lit up his face. He is gorgeous ! I hope his friends don't notice the feelings I have for him, or maybe they already know... All I want is to spend a lovely weekend with Shawn. Who knows, maybe we'll spend more moments like the one last night in the parc !

-Here we are ! Yells Brian, bringing me back to reality.

-YEAAAH ! We all scream at once.

The van rolls up a hill, along a stony track and we parc in the middle of the grass. I hop down of the bus and look around me. We are at the top of a cliff. There is noting around us than grass and water. This is amazing ! I close my eyes a few second and I can feel the wind in my hair, making me a bit dizzy.

-Wow ! This is so beautiful ! Says Leonor next to me. It's going to be a great weekend !

-Oh yes !

The boys get out of the van and start unloading the bags and putting up the tent in the grass while the girls and I try to lit up a fire. When we finally manage to make the wood burn (which was not easy because of the wind), everybody arrives and sits on logs around the flames. The sun is going down in the sky and the clouds are becoming orange. Shawn takes his guitar, starts playing a few notes and everybody sings along. The flames light up his face, he is so beautiful ! With his guitar in his hands and his friends around him, I can see he is really happy here. Gosh I'm so in love with him! When I look at him, I just want to sit next to him and take him in my arms. My heart starts racing and the heat of the flames suddenly becomes unbearable. I need to have some air. I get up and walk away. I go to the cliff and sit down, my legs in the void as I stare at the sun going down on the water. I take some time to enjoy the smell of the water, to listen to my friends singing, to feel the air on my bare feet, to enjoy life.

I think a bit of Shawn. The more time I spend with him, the more I am in love with him. That feeling in my chest when he looks at me, it's like my heart will explode. I want him so much to be my boyfriend, but I don't know his feelings. When he took my hand in the parc, it really seemed like he loved me, but when he smiles at me, I don't know if it's love or friendship... I'm scared of misinterpreting.

Someone sits next to me and makes me jump.

-Oh Rebecca, it's you ! You scared me ! I didn't hear you coming.

-Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I just wanted to see if everything's Ok, I saw you leave.

-Yeah, I just needed to take some time for myself.

-OK.

We stay silent for a while, watching the last sunrays disappear. Then she turns to me and says.

-You know, We haven't known each other for a long time but I can tell Shawn really appreciates you.

-I already know that, thanks !

-No, he REALLY appreciates you. The way he looks at you, the way he talks about you...

-Talks about me ?

-Yes, only to his close friends. Before that weekend, he kept saying he was so impatient to see you again. He changed since he met you. I can see he is always thinking about you.

-I'm scared he's not really in love with me...

-Don't worry, I'll try to make you two become a couple. I promise !

-Thank you !

Rebecca and I got up to join the others who are already eating sausages that they bake on sticks above the fire. They are laughing joyfully and telling each other jokes. I grab a bottle of beer and two sausages and sit down next to Leonor.

-Where were you ?

-Talking about Shawn with Rebecca.

-Oh I see.

She smiles kindly at me, she knows it's not easy for me to be in love with a famous singer.

******

I am feeling tired, just like the other girls. We have sang and played games for a long time and it's 2am now. I get up to enter the tent and put myself in PJs when Shawn grabs my arm.

-Yes ? I ask.

-Alyssa, I have a question... Do you have something planned for tomorrow night ?

-No.

-Would you like to spend the night at home? Watching movies? Just the two of us?

« the two of us ». That sentence makes my heart bounce each time.

-Yes of course ! I'd love to !

As soon as I say that, my heart races. I'm going to spend the night with him and I don't know his feelings... This will be so embarassing. I'll have to be careful not to show I love him...

I grab my PJ and put it on, far from the others, trying to change my mind. Once in the tent, there are only two places left. One is next to the door, and the other one is next to Shawn. In front of me, Rebecca is standing, holding her pillow.

-Alyssa, would you mind if I sleep next to the door ? She asks. I'm scared the night will be too hot...

-Of course not !

« thanks ! » I whisper in her ear, as she walks next to me.

« you're welcome !» she whispers back.

I lay down under my cover, and I can feel Shawn just next to me. My heart is beating so hard, I decide to turn around so he doesn't notice. Suddenly, I feel something in my neck, just next to my ear. It's Shawn.

« Good night Alyssa » I hear him whisper.

« Good night Shawn »