20.

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Callum's POV:


This had to be the best idea Jake's had in a while.

Taking a step away from life for a minute to enjoy being with each other. Jake and I talked more than we have in a while and we had so much fun with Matt and Vanessa. I think they're going to become people we go camping with regularly now. We spent almost the entire next day with them, four-wheel-driving, swimming, fishing and we finished the night with beers around the fire. I honestly did not expect to have such a great time.

I wish we could have stayed longer but work and uni called us back to reality.

We stop by the local grocery store before we get home to re-stock supplies. As I step outside the car, a woman openly stares at me from across the carpark. She's tall, with long dair hair billowing around her face in the wind. An uncomfortable shiver runs down my spine and I shake it off, following Jake inside, unsure it's from the cold or from the woman staring at me so openly.

"What do you feel like for dinner?" I ask him.

"Something easy, I'm really tired."

"I can make us some toasted sandwiches?" I suggest.

"Sounds perfect."

I detour into the bread aisle. I startle when I see the woman again, holding nothing, staring at me. Her face is blank as she watches. This time, I stare back curiously.

"Found some?"

I look to Jake. "Yeah."

When I glance back up, the woman is gone. My eyes scan for her constantly as we finish getting what we need, but I don't see her again. Maybe she thought she recognised me.

"What's wrong?"

"It's definitely nothing..." I trail off unconvincingly. "This woman looks like she's following me and keeps staring and then disappears."

"Really?" Jake asks in surprise, looking around. "Can you see her now?"

"No," I shake my head. "It's only since coming here. It's probably nothing."

"Okay," he replies, looking around once more, before continuing to pack our items onto the conveyor belt. The girl behind the checkout is doing more than bag our groceries as she does a bit of checking out of her own of Jake.

Jake begins talking about gym things – we've decided that that is something we're going to do together and I've immediately regretted it because Jake wants to now 'train' me. We load everything into the car and as I'm about to get in, I see her.

"There!" I blurt, pointing. "There she is!"

Jake looks up but by the time she does, she's vanished around the corner. I uneasily hop into the car, feeling paranoid. Jake looks concerned as he starts the car and takes the exit we usually wouldn't, hoping that we see where she is heading. We drive by at snail-pace, but no one is there.

"I feel like I'm seeing a ghost or something," I mutter.

"Oh well, we're leaving now. She wasn't near a car, right? She can't follow us."

I nod and sink a little deeper into the seat. Jake continues talking about how 'structured routine' we will be following when we start gyming together, but I don't pay much mind.

Once we're back at Jake's, we station ourselves on the lounge and set ourselves up for a long afternoon of Call of Duty. The woman from earlier slips from my mind as I relax. Ellie is here, too, which is a welcomed distraction.

The next day, life resumes as normal. I buy myself a coffee on my way to class and arrive fifteen minutes early, along with a few others. Lena, who is never usually early, spots me and makes her way over.

"Hey stranger," she greets and I smile at her.

"Hey."

"I haven't seen you for ages. Where have you been?"

"I went camping with Jake."

She's still for a moment as we look at each other, before she smiles. "Did you have a good time?"

"Yeah, it was really great."

"You're back together, then?"

"Yes," I say a little curtly before clearing my throat.

"And you're happy?"

"Really, really happy."

The smile turns into something warmer. "Good. I'm glad. Where's your evil side-kick?"

"Kat?"

"That's the one."

"She isn't coming to class today. Says she has a head cold."

"Pity."

I exhale and don't initiate anything further on the subject. "How are you, anyway?"

"Pretty good. I got wasted on the weekend and it took two days to recover. I never want to drink again," she moans.

"Yeah right," I grin.

A text alerts me to my phone and I pull it out just as our lecturer is walking in.

Jake: Hey, want to meet for lunch today? X

Callum: Sure, I'll come to you. Thai?

Jake: Sounds perfect.

Callum: Lena is sitting with me. I know we sort of talked about her on the weekend but I want to make sure it's okay with you, if we're friends?

I nervously tap my fingers to my thigh as I wait. His reply isn't so instant this time.

Jake: It's ok.

Callum: Are you sure?

Jake: Yeah. It's fine. See you at lunch x

I hope he means that. Lena has been talking this whole time, I realise, and I've totally not heard anything. I tune in and nod, moments before the lecture begins.

I neatly place the containers, which are securely wrapped in a protective bag, into my backpack before I walk onto the tram. The trip to Jake's worksite is only ten minutes. The smell of our lunch is seeping through the bag and a few heads swivel around, trying to figure out where it's coming from.

Arriving right on time, Jake greets me with a kiss to the side of my head.

"I'm starving," he tells me.

"Lucky I ordered extra," I grin, shrugging my bag off and passing it to him first.

He looks sexy in his high-vis shirt and steel cap boots. He shoves his safety glasses into his hair and brushes the dirt from his hands.

As I chew, I look around the construction site curiously. I freeze when I lock eyes with the woman from yesterday. She's standing in the shadow of a tree. I almost missed her. I swallow, my mouth feeling dry.

"Jake," I whisper. "That woman."

"Hmm?" he asks with his mouth full.

"The woman from yesterday. She's here."

His eyes widen in alarm as he turns to see. The container drops form his hands and I curse, jumping to my feet to try and save it.

"Jake!" I hiss in dismay, staring at the dirt-covered food. Jake is completely frozen, still staring at the woman. "J?"

I stand slowly.

Jake looks to me, looking unusually pale.

"That's my mum."


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