Camp Echo Falls (Completed)

Chapter 96

Jade's POV

"Good morning baby," Leo's husky voice whispers into my hair before placing a kiss on the top of my head. He's sat on top of the covers, he's fully dressed and I wonder what time it is. I squint my eyes as the morning sun peaks through the curtains at the window, a ray casted over the bottom of the bed. I yawn and shuffle in the bed, my eyes slowly opening to see Leo grinning down at me. "Someone was tired." He teases as he pushes himself off the bed and walks to the makeup table at the opposite side of the room.

"I brought you breakfast." He grabs a tray off the table and walks it back over to me. He holds it in both hands looking down at the contents of the plate. "Toast, bacon, egg, sausage, an orange juice and a breakfast bar. I didn't know what you wanted or how hungry you'd be, so I grabbed whatever I could." He looks back up at me, his lips tucked together and his eyebrows raised in an awkward expression.

"You're cute." I just laugh, yawning and stretching my arms into the air. His cheeks go a light shade of pink and I can't help but feel my heart swell at the sight of him blushing. "Pop it on my side table." I say as I sit up and swing my legs off the side of the bed. "I'm just going to use the bathroom and then I'll eat." I stand up and slowly make my way across the room. "Thank you," I stand on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek, I feel him smile before I turn into the bathroom and lock to door behind me.

I use the bathroom quickly, doing my teeth and washing my face. I can hear Leo shuffling around outside and smile to myself as I finish. I walked back out into the bedroom and see he's stood in the middle of the room hands behind his back. His lips pressed together in a line, he rocks back and forth on his heels awkwardly. "I didn't know if you wanted me to wait for you to eat, or meet you later or-"

I cut him off, "you're fine," I begin to gather my hair into a ponytail and gesture to the bed with my free hand, "please sit." He looks at me for a moment before sitting on the edge of the bed, next to the tray of breakfast. His hands on his lap, he seems tense. He's been so respectful ever since that night in the woods with Will. He asks for permission before everything he does, even if it's none sexual. I like this kind side of him, it makes him more attractive, which I didn't think was possible.

I sit on the bed next to him and eat the breakfast, we engage in a conversation, mainly about what he'll get up to when we're back home. He's finished college now, he'll be looking to work full time, somewhere he can be his own boss. I've learnt over this summer that he's not very good at taking orders from other people. I asked him what he's interested in and he told me he is a member of his local boxing gym, located about a twenty minute walk from his dads house. He's thinking of doing something there, whether it's helping out around the gym, or training. I'm not surprised to learn he did boxing as a kid, going to tournaments and sparing with teens twice his age. Growing up around all that violence explains a lot about Leo, but at least it'll be a good release.

We finish talking after I'm done eating breakfast and I slip into some new clothes. Our suitcases are both packed and out by the front door of our cabin. I pack up the last bits from the bathroom and gather all my things from the makeup desk in the corner of the room. Leo carries my bags out to the front and leaves the door open. Golden rays of sunshine fill the open bedroom, a warm hue of light travels around the room. The beds have been stripped and the sheets on the balcony of the cabin, similar to all the other rooms along the strip.

I step out of our room with my last bag and see the rest of the group doing the same things in the cabins next to ours. Naomi and Alison taking it in turns to carry out endless amounts of plastic bags, filled with dirty clothes for their parents to wash when we get home. Eli and Jax in the cabin next to them are putting dirty bedding on the steps to their room in order for the camp leaders to come collect it for washing. I hear Leo move behind me as he locks the door. "I guess I need to take these keys down to reception," he begins and I turn around to face him, "all your stuff is out of the room and I double checked the bathroom and looked under the beds." He awkwardly stands with his hands in his pockets and waits for me to respond like a child waiting to be told what to do next.

I step towards him, putting my hands around his neck and his hands easily find my waist. "Thank you for doing all of that," I lean up on my tiptoes and kiss him gently, I feel his body relax against mine and I smile. I'm about to pull away from him but he depends the kiss, his hands moving to my lower back as he pulls me closer to him. Our bodies are pressed together, there's no space between us, his lips move against mine and I slip my tongue into his mouth. He kisses me harder, one of his hands now resting on the side of my cheek. He kisses me with such desperation and need that I completely melt into him, every worry I've ever had falls softy away. 

"Hurry up lovebirds we're gonna be late!" A voice shouts, breaking us out of our trance and Leo pulls back embarrassed. His cheeks are flushed a little and his fake hair slightly messy. The panicked voice belongs to Naomi, who's juggling two handbags that are slung loosely over her arms, a pair of heels in one hand and a hairbrush in the other. She's strutting hastily towards the main hall, where crowds of people have started to gather.

"Put your damn shoes on women," Eli mutters from behind her, jogging to keep up as he picks up the lipgloss that Naomi has just dropped. A yawning Jax follows after them, he's dressed in a open flannel Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts. His dark sunglasses rested onto of his now much longer than at the beginning of summer hair.

In the distance I can Eli nagging Naomi, trying to hand her her stuff, but simultaneously she batts away his arm while slipping on her heels.

Alison follows behind Jax, feeling around on the top of her head and furrowing her eyebrows as she can't find what she's looking for. She goes to turn back, towards the cabins, but Jax stops her. He's holding her glasses without a second glance at her, as though he already knew she would have misplaced them. Her eyes flick to his hand holding them and then back up to his, a small smile tugging at the corners of her rosy lips. She takes them with a thank you as they join the rest of the group in heading away from our rooms. Jax slips his arm around Alisons waist and in return she leans her head into his side. The height difference between them means she reaches just beneath his shoulder.

I watch as my friends get further away from the balcony I'm standing on. Their backs to me as they walk into the distance, there bickering words getting lost in the sun. The slight breeze in the hot summer day sending the fresh smell of wood towards me. I smile to myself replaying this summer in my head. All of the late nights, all of the long hot days by the lake. The campfires and drinking games, the music and the parties. I can't help but feel a bit sad, knowing we're going home now. We won't be able to see each other for a while, at least until the next school break. But that doesn't even begin to compare to being at camp. Being able to wake up in the same room as your best friends knowing you have the whole summer's day ahead to do whatever you want is the best feeling in the whole world.

"I'm going to miss it." A voice comes from behind me as Leo wraps his arms around my waist and rests his head on my shoulder. My back is to his chest and I lean back into him, "I never thought I would be saying that, but I actually am going to miss it." He lets out a long breath and looks out at our surroundings.

I smile sadly and rub my thumb across the back of his hand, "I know," I turn my body so I'm half facing him and I lean into his chest, "we'll be back soon. I promise." I feel him nod his head from above me as he holds me closer. I never want him to let me go and I get the feeling he feels the exact same. As we stand on the cabin balcony, cars pull in and hundreds of people come and go. Friends hugging each other their goodbyes, lovers kissing each other one last time before they separate until next summer. Parents pick up younger children and older teens return to their own cars. Suitcases are loaded into boots and belongings are packed into cars. Some people sit on benches awaiting to be collected, others wait in the entrance hall, there bags on the floor next to them. As I stand here and watch all of the hassle and commotion buzz around me, I feel at peace in Leo's arms. There's only one thought in my mind, one which makes me smile.

I can't wait for next summer.