the camp
1193 Words
Chapter 2
I loved connecting with nature. I loved wild life.
Breathing in pure air, feeling like nothing could be more beautiful than nature itself — walking through forests and little streams, lagoons, huge trees and beautiful flowers. Daisies, lilies, the green grass, little animals, the sound of birds singing.
I stopped to stare at a tree and wondered, _how old could that tree be?_ It was about 15 meters tall.
Some trees looked strange. Some seemed like they were about to dry out, while others had a light green color that felt so fresh and full of life.
Something on the path caught my attention — ruins from our ancestors. They had strange figures that looked like they meant different things.
When we arrived at the camping site, so many university students were already there. Everyone was setting up their tents.
After that, we had one free hour to explore the place. My friends and I stuck together and started walking around.
"Look, but what is that weird thing?" Matías said, a little surprised.
We all realized it wasn’t some strange animal. It was a white deer.
"Seriously? You think that’s weird? You don’t even know what animal that is?" Lizy said in a serious voice.
"I don’t know, I’m not really into animals. What’s it called?" he replied, pointing at the little animal.
"It's a white deer," Lizy said, a little calmer now.
"What do you think about having a picnic here tomorrow?" she suggested, pointing to the spot.
There were so many flowers, and a huge tree that gave a lot of shade. A little further down, there was a small river. The water had a greenish color, and you could see tiny little fish swimming in it.
"Sounds amazing! I'll bring coffee and some cookies," Lara said happily.
"And I'll bring snacks like chips and some fruit," Lizy added with a big smile on her face.
"I'll bring some sandwiches and a soda," I said.
Even though we all had very different tastes, we got along really well. Lizy hated ketchup. She couldn’t stand milk or coffee. Matías couldn’t handle strong smells because they gave him allergies. And I didn’t like eggs.
We were so different, but that’s what made us special.
For a second, we all turned to look at Matías. He hadn’t said anything.
"Are you okay? You’ve been really quiet the whole way," I said, a little worried. I knew it wasn’t normal for him to be so quiet, especially when he was with us.
"I’m fine. I was just thinking about how amazing all of this is," he said with a smile. "And I’ll bring some juice or yogurt and some Takis to snack on during the day." He was back to his jokes again.
"Well, I think it’s time we head back or the professors will come looking for us," I said in a serious voice.
We went back to the campsite and the professor told us that tomorrow we’d have activities to interact with the other students.
I was organizing some notes when I realized how late it was. Everyone was already asleep. It felt like I was the only one awake.
So I took the initiative and stepped out of the tent.
Not far away, I saw a guy smoking a cigarette. I thought I was the only one awake. He had black headphones on and was wearing shorts and a t-shirt.
Something about him felt familiar. Like I’d seen him somewhere before.
The guy noticed me watching him and turned toward me.
That was the moment our eyes met.
I couldn’t believe it. It was him.
The guy who had picked up my notebook.
There was a loud crack of lightning. It was so strong that I tensed up and covered my ears.
That’s when I felt arms wrap around me in a hug. I could hear how fast his heart was beating.
"Relax. I’m here with you. Don’t be scared," he whispered in my ear.
"Thank you," I said when I felt him covering me with his jacket.
"Do you want to go for a walk? It might help you calm down a little," he said, trying to soothe me.
"Yeah. That’s okay."
"Harper, do you like the stars?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Yes, I love them."
"The stars... or me?" he said, and I felt my face turn pink.
"The stars. Do you have a favorite one?" I asked, smiling and trying to hide how nervous I was.
"Yeah, actually. Two. The Monoceros constellation and one called Spica. And you," he said, looking up at the sky. I just kept staring at him.
"My name is Rowan."
"What the hell, Harper. Who’s this Rowan guy? Your boyfriend?" he said, looking surprised. I burst out laughing.
"No. I don’t have a boyfriend."
"How is it possible that a beautiful girl like you is single?" he said, genuinely shocked.
"Well, I guess so."
"The idiots just don’t know how to appreciate your beauty," he said.
He looked at me for a second, then sighed. "You look tired. Let’s go back. We should get some rest."
By morning, I woke up with chills. I could barely open my eyes.
I could hear more people around me, but when I heard Lara and Lizy’s voices, I finally started to feel a little calmer.
"Rest. The director said you should rest. We’re leaving in the afternoon," Lizy said as she covered me with a blanket.
"Get some sleep. We’ll be right here in case you need anything," I heard Lara say.
I slept for about 3 hours. When I woke up, Matías was sitting next to me. Still a little groggy, I greeted him.
"Hey, sleepyhead," he said with a teasing tone. "Looks like you slept for an eternity. By the way, we’re leaving in an hour. Don’t worry, the girls already packed your bags for you."
"But I barely slept, Mati. And thank you, I don’t know what I’d do without you guys. You’re the best. I’m sorry we couldn’t do the picnic," I said, trying to stand up. With Matías’s help, I managed to get on my feet.
"Don’t worry about it. We’ll do it later," he said happily.
On the way back, I fell asleep for a few minutes until the sound of my phone woke me up. It was an i********: notification that said:
*"Rowan Jasper started following you."*
It was the guy I’d been with the night before. He barely had any posts. This guy was so handsome and had tons of comments from girls. He had so many followers. I accepted the request. What could possibly happen?
A few minutes later, I got a message from him:
---
*Rowan:*
_Hey sleepyhead. How are you feeling?_
*Harper:*
_Hi. Thanks. I’m feeling a little little better._
*Rowan:*
_Good. Rest a lot. Did you like the stars?_
*Harper:*
_In vacations, maybe._
*Harper:*
_I don’t know what you mean... what secrets?_
*Rowan:*
_Don’t say anything. When we see each other, I’ll tell you in person. And Harper... don’t be scared. Remember, it’s just you against the world.
---
- Writer
