We finally made it to the campsite at around 8pm, mostly because Jordan had taken over the wheel (which in hindsight was probably the worst decision possible) and his phone had died, which meant that he had gotten us lost for three extra hours. I was also sitting right next to him, screaming directions at him and even I literally had no idea whether they were right or not, but they were making Jordan get really nervous. Finally, we put Levi back at the wheel and he was able to drive us to the campsite. Don't ask my why they switched seats in the first place, I was still trying to calm my mind from sitting next to Jordan for three hours straight.

We finally pitched our tents at around nine. It would've been a lot faster, considering there were four of us, so two tents for four people, but Eliza decided that we needed another tent between the four of us. And on top of that, she decided that she was not going to help us put them together. Considering I had loads of camping experience, my tent took a maximum of half an hour to build, which was pretty quick since I was a small girl doing it all by my self. Also, it was pitch black, which meant I could barely see anything. I then helped Jordan and Levi who could not put their tents together to save their lives.

It was mostly because they refused to read the instructions, they were sure they could do it without them.

Everything was pretty much done by ten. Eliza had dragged all her 'necessities' from the trunk, because she was going 'glamping', she claimed that she would need everything there, which included a sound machine. I'm guessing the sound of real nature wasn't enough for her.

"We should have a campfire, Juliette loves campfires!" Eliza exclaimed when we were done with making the tents. "I'll help gather firewood." She stated as I stared at the boys in disbelief. They both shrugged. She was way too perky, even for Eliza, and there was no way in hell that she would go into the forest to gather wood off of the floor, especially considering all the bugs that lived in the forest.

She disappeared into the forest, bouncing with every step, leaving me to wonder if she hit her head or something. "Is she pregnant?" I blurted out as Levi burst out laughing.

Jordan's eyes widened "I really hope not" he said extremely quickly. "You're gonna kill me if she is."

"I think you guys are overreacting. Juliette, she's your best friend. What's wrong with her wanting you to have a good eighteen birthday party?" Levi interrupted when he sobered up, allowing me to sigh in relief. At least one of us could think rationally.

I nodded "you're right" I agreed "Eliza is always perky and happy."

With all that, we pretty much dispersed, deciding to help Eliza collect firewood. I gathered a lot of wood and stones to surround the wood, deciding that nobody else would. We then met back in front of or tents fifteen minutes later. Jordan had managed to somehow drag two huge logs from God knows where and God knows how we didn't notice. He seemed so upset we wouldn't be using his logs for the fire so we we decided to use it as seats to make him feel better. It was as if he was twelve and not eighteen. Placing all of our dry firewood on top of the other, I surrounded it with stones and threw a match on it. According to Levi he had a pack of matches in his car, and I decided against interrogating him about it, although I seriously doubted it was because of the campfire.

We finally sat around the campfire, Levi and I on one log and Jordan and Eliza on the other. We also ripped open my packet of marshmallows, placing them on sticks so we could heat them up.

"I've always wanted to ask this" Levi began, looking up from his marshmallow "how did you two get together?" He questioned, motioning to the two of them.

"Don't get them started" I muttered.

"Well" Eliza began "Jordan had been obsessed with me since, like, the third grade."

"One, I wouldn't have called it an obsession; two, it was fourth grade" Jordan corrected, his cheeks tinted pink, and I didn't know whether it was from the heat of the fire or if he were blushing. It was sweet either way.

"Right. Sorry, he was simply extremely intrigued by me in fourth grade" she smiled teasingly "and of course, me being me, I found it extremely creepy."

Levi chuckled.

"But then it got to freshmen year, the first year of high school. He wasn't the same kid. He was taller, less clumsy, less flirty, more smart-" she began.

I snorted at the last part as both Jordan and Eliza glared at me.

"Right" I muttered "continue."

"He stopped asking me out-" she started once again, but once again I interrupted her.

"Which obviously meant Eliza was suddenly interested in him" I spoke. "It was terrible, it's one thing when your best friend repeatedly calls you to talk about her boy problems. It's another thing when she sits on the other side of your door, ranting to you about her crises"

Eliza rolled her eyes. "I could suddenly see that he was different, more mature. I liked that"

"And then she fell madly in love with me, the end" Jordan completed, wrapping an arm around her waist before kissing her temple.

"That's cute" Levi commented as they both smiled in return.

"Not as cute as you two" Eliza replied "now tell me, what finally gave you the courage to ask out my best friend?" She questioned, switching on to over protective mode.

I felt Levi shrug from beside me "your best friend made it a lot easier by telling me she liked me. Kissing her however felt like a life or death matter. Mostly because if she didn't want to kiss me, she probably would have killed me" Levi answered.

Both Jordan and Eliza laughed, as I bumped shoulders with Levi. "Hey!" I muttered, smiling, my teeth chattering slightly from the cold.

"Okay, I'm bored now, let's tell scary stories!" Eliza interrupted as I froze. After all the nightmares for the past few days, I didn't think scary stories would have been helpful at all. But Jordan, Eliza and Levi looked excited at the concept, so I placed a fake smile on my face before I nodded.

"Let's do it" I agreed hesitantly.

"Um, I'm just gonna go pee" Jordan said to us "but don't wait for me. Tell your story. Also, I am not leaving because I am scared" he stated unconvincingly.

"Of course Jordan" I patronised

As soon as Jordan was out of sight, Levi spoke up. "I'll start" he suggested as both Eliza and I nodded. He got up, signalling for Eliza to sit besides me, handing me a blanket and wrapping me in it. He sat in Jordan's spot, Eliza sitting besides me and sharing the blanket with me.

"Two roommates in college were in the same science class. The teacher had just reminded them about the midterm the next day when one roommate - let's call her Wendy - got asked to this big bash by the hottest guy in school. The other dormmate, Meg, had pretty much no interest in going and, being a diligent student, she took notes on what the midterm was about. After the entire period of flirting with her date, Wendy was totally unprepared for her test, while Meg was completely prepared for a major study date with her books." He began ominously.

I felt a chill run down my spine, and I could have played it off for being the wind but I knew it wasn't.

"At the end of the day, Wendy spent hours getting ready for the party while Meg started studying. Wendy tried to get Meg to go, but she was insistent that she would study and pass the test. The girls were rather close and Wendy didn't like leaving Meg alone to be bored while she was out having a blast. Wendy finally gave up, using the excuse that she would cram in homeroom the next day."

"Wendy went to the party and had the time of her life with her date. She headed back to the dorm around 2 a.m. and decided not to wake Meg. She went to bed nervous about the midterm and decided she would wake up early to ask Meg for help."

"She woke up and went to wake Meg. Meg was lying on her stomach, apparently sound asleep. Wendy rolled Meg over to reveal Meg's terrified face. Wendy, concerned, turned on the desk lamp. Meg's study stuff was still open and had blood all over it. Meg had been slaughtered. Wendy, in horror, fell to the floor and looked up to see, written on the wall in Meg's blood: 'Aren't you glad you didn't turn on the lights'." He concluded. Both Eliza and I sat frozen in our seats, too afraid to move.

Before we knew it however, somebody had screamed "boo!" From behind us, pushing us slightly forward whilst doing it. We both screamed in shock and fear, before hearing laughter erupt from two boys.

They set it up.

My heart was literally slamming against my chest from the shock, and whilst I was used to having my heart rate speed up at certain times, I was not used to fucking heart attacks.

"You idiots!" Eliza screamed.

"You scared the shit out of me!" I joined in. The boys however could not stop laughing.

The boys had basically planned for Jordan to go to the 'toilet', just so he could come behind us and scare us. Both boys were gasping for air, clutching their stomachs whilst laughing.

"I hope you choke on your laughter" I muttered, before getting up and walking towards my tent. "I'm going try and not strangle the two of you in your sleep."

Eliza had done the same getting up from the log and walking towards the tent that, presumably, she would share with Jordan.

***************************

I remember tossing and turning all night, my entire body aching due to the hard floor. "Juliette" I heard, feeling a hand on my shoulder and I jerked awake, my heart beat increasing, my breathing rate also increasing. I was hyperventilating. My eyes opened to reveal Levi, who was sat besides me in my tent. My cheeks were stained with tears. 

"You were having a night terror, I had to wake you" he whispered quietly.

"I-" I began, sitting up, my voice hoarse from the probable screaming and crying.

"It's okay" he whispered.

Once again, I found my arms wrapping themselves around Levi. He was surprised by the gesture, I could tell by the way his body went stiff as soon as I hugged him, but not for long as he returned the gesture. His arms tightened around my waist "are you sure you're okay with this?" He asked hesitantly. I didn't say anything, just burying my head in the crook of his neck.

"You're shaking" he muttered.

I pulled away "it's not from the hug."

"Have you told anybody about these nightmares?" He asked quietly, grabbing both of my hands in his.

I just shook my head. "They go away eventually"

"Why does it sound like you're speaking from experience?" He asked hesitantly.

I bit lip "because I am" I whispered. "It always happens around this time of year"

He looked skeptical "what's this time of year?"

"My parent's death anniversary"

He froze, looking blankly at me. "It happened around your birthday?"

"On my birthday" I corrected, shivering slightly from the cold as another tear trailed down my cheek.

"The scary story probably didn't help either" he muttered to himself, reaching out to my face and wiping my cheek.

I shook my head. "But I saw how excited the three of you were"

"You've got goosebumps" he muttered absentmindedly, slightly trailing his fingers on my bare arms.

I immediately pulled away, thinking about my scars. "I'm sorry, it's just-" I began. I looked at him, before my mind processed everything. "Did I wake you up?" I asked guiltily.

He shook his head "I sleep late. ADHD. But I heard you scream, Juliette you need to tell somebody"

I sent him a sad smile "I'm telling you, aren't I?"

"I'm not enough" he whispered.

I shook my head "I will, I promise. Please don't tell anybody yet" I croaked, pleadingly.

He nodded "you should get some sleep", he said, getting up and almost exiting the tent.

"Levi?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah?" 

"Could you stay with me?" I questioned.

He paused for a moment, as if he were contemplating on what to do before nodding again. I lay back down, facing the side of the tent and breathing deeply to calm my mind. Before I knew it however, Levi's arm wrapped across my waist and his chin rested on my shoulder.

I suddenly felt calm.

Written: 9/11/15
Posted: 25/03/16