Camp // RM

zip lines aren't always for... zipping

<a/n: surprise hahahaha i pranked u so hard i'm back with another chapter>

2018 // Cassie

When I locked eyes with Ryan, the room seemed to fall silent. I had wondered for years what I would say in this situation; if I ever saw him again. It was always something like "hey nerd" or "damn you got old." Something funny... or slightly insulting. That was just our humor, I guess.

But now that it was actually happening, I was at a complete loss. It wasn't even a full surprise. An actual surprise would be me seeing him on my spring break trip to a remote beach in Mexico last year. An actual surprise would be him showing up unannounced at my tiny apartment back in Alexandria, standing on my doorstep in the rain as I left for work.

This was a completely reasonable place to see him, and my gut had been telling me he might be here since I set foot on the property again; and it had been reinforced when Amber said I wouldn't believe who was there. Unless she meant Barack Obama had flown in to welcome the new counselors (which would be amazing, by the way), she had to have meant Ryan.

Time stood still around Ryan as he made his way across the room to me. I felt almost like I'd faint- I tried balling up my fists tight, but all I could feel was my fingernails barely poking at my palms. Sweat beaded on my forehead, and I suddenly thought about all the reasons he could have wanted to see me- not all of them were the beautiful, romantic reunion I had in mind.

His flip-flops made a familiar, almost comforting noise as he strode across the room. When he reached me, he stopped. About a foot away from me, just standing there.

"Hey, Cass," was all he said.

Without thinking, I threw my arms around his neck. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I didn't care about people staring. I put away the thoughts of him coming all this way to confront me about what happened back in 2012. He wasn't that kind of person. He wouldn't wait however many years just to yell at me or tell me he was better off without me.

I felt his arms wrap around my waist and pull me closer to him. He had slimmed down a lot since I had last seen him, and his hair was a lot longer, now tied behind his head in a small bun. But he still smelled the same. Like laundry detergent mixed with an undefinable smell that I only experienced from him.

I pulled back, wiping my eyes and giggling, embarrassed.

"Let's go talk, yeah?" He asked, taking my hand. But before we could get out the door, Amber was standing on the stage at the front of the room, calling everyone over.

"I guess we'll have to wait," I replied, not letting go of his hand. "Sit with me though, okay?"

"Of course," he responded.

2008 // Ryan

Looking back, we had simultaneously the best and worst counselors that year. They let us do basically whatever we wanted. Which is how Cassie and I found ourselves at the top of the zip line tower, with our legs dangling off of the platform. The sun had set a good hour ago, but we barely noticed. We were too busy talking- which mostly involved me trying to keep from awkwardly kissing her.

"Do you think we'll actually ever forget each other?" She asked after a brief lull in the conversation.

"What are you talking about?" I asked with a scoff.

"I mean, I know we talk all the time about how we'll never stop talking... and we've made these plans for us to move closer together when we go to college... but do you think we can actually pull it off? There are so many 'what ifs.' What if one of us decides not to come to camp one year and we never see each other again? And if we make it through every year of camp, what if we grow apart and never see each other again?"