Why let the heart make decisions, that organ beats faster after witnessing just one smile.

"Melissa, wake up. We need to go to the tents. Almost everyone has left." I felt a soft poke on my cheek urging me to wake up.

"What?" I questioned, opening my eyes a little bit to see the dimmed out fire and a hand in front of my face. I traced the hand to it's owner resulting in me looking into Jakes eyes. Jake who was attempting to give me a poker face, had a playful-annoyed expression.

"I don't think I can feel my arm." He complained massaging it when I got off.

"Complainer cock." I chuckled taking a deep breath and stretching.
He walked me to my tent and I hugged him goodnight, hoping I never lost his friendship.

Entering my tent I wasn't surprised to see Chelsea's sleeping bag empty. She probably wasn't sleeping with anyone but doing something equally reckless, as far as I know.

Sleeping alone in a forest sent shivers down my back and I could hear crickets in the silence of the night.
I zipped up my tent and slipped into my sleeping bag. I had foreseen the occurrences of the trip so I had reminded myself countless times to bring a book to read during my free time.

So, with the lampshade on I flipped the pages of Mortal Instruments. This book had been lying around with it's sequels for too long, I had taken it upon myself to finish it off in these few days.

"Melissa." Someone whispered.

"Melissa!" A little bit more persistent this time.

"I swear, I am so tired of people waking me up." That is what I hoped to say but it probably didn't come out the same as Chelsea sounded awfully confused.

"I shirt so Griffin people baking up? What is that even supposed to mean?"

"It means, get out and let me sleep." I muttered back, though giving in and sitting upright.

"They are all having a midnight party near the bonfire. I've come to call you." She grinned as I stared back at her with a blank face. Parties were something I had grown accustomed to over the past years being one of the populars but that didn't mean I was always up for a drink.

"You go on, I just changed into my pajamas and how exactly did you get Krista and Daniel to agree? Forget them, what about the principal?"

"Oh, no worries, it's our trip. Until and unless we do something disastrous, no one will say anything. Well, that's the logic the guys are applying anyway. Are you sure you want to sit this one out? It'll be fun." Chelsea was now being pulled by someone on the other side as her head popped out and came back in.

"You go ahead, I'll see you tomorrow. Have fun!" I nodded my head at her and yawned a bit to seal the deal.

"Well, okay then. Night night." She gave me a small smile, disappointment lining her face. She gave into the person tugging at her and left after zipping the tent back.
Unfortunately, our little exchange had completely woken me up.

I was sitting in my comfy pajamas with my eyes wide open and absolutely no will to go to the party.
I picked up the novel and read through the same paragraph twice, seeing that this is no way a perfect notion to spend the night. I pulled a jacket over my pajamas and went out.

The bonfire was a few tents away and I could see lights and a couple of students walking around or sitting. Letting out a huff of air I looked up, the sky had a million stars adoring it.

The moon hid a little behind the trees forming a canopy around us but the stars peeked like little sparks of a flashlight, so very breathtaking.

When I was younger I used to have a great interest in constellations and so when I grew up to be ten, my father took it upon himself to buy me a telescope. Oh, how I loved that golden flashy piece of metal. Every night I would look through that to the sky and my dad and I would point out constellations.

From where I stood at the moment I could see Orion and another one I can't remember the name off.
The childhood memories brought an instant smile of my face.

The idea of sitting down right there and staring at the night sky crossed my mind. And an unknown force compelled me to go inside the tent and bring a mat to sit on.
I chose the sit on the side of the tent, away from the noise and just stare up at the sky, marvelling at its beauty.

A soft breeze blew past me leaving strands of hair tickling my cheek. The fresh smell of nature opened it's arms for me and what a wonderful feeling it was. One that cities have gotten used to living without.

Soon a crash brought me out of my happy place as I saw something flash past the camp boundary. Our tent wasn't near the boundary but one layer before it. We had one more tent after us which looked unoccupied at the moment.

Remembering the many instances in movies where the lead instead of running away from the unusual sound, goes near it only to be killed at the very end flashed in my head and learning from them, I chose to take the wiser route and move away.

Just as I was about it enter the tent again, a small puff of smoke caught my attention.
Feeling anger mixed with fear I marched to where I assumed the leader of a probable forest fire would be. Perhaps, instead of my worry for the environment, I wanted to strike up a conversation with him.

"Are you crazy?" I screamed out, I still hadn't pin pointed where he stood so I spoke to the dark forest ahead but I knew he was here, the telltale smell of a smoke now surrounded me instead of the freshness.

"You are going to cause a forest fire because of your addiction to smoking. Can't you hold off for a few days so you don't kill all of us?" I didn't think of the consequences of me shouting at someone who was rumoured to have pushed one of the exchange students infront of a lions cage. Though the rumour sounded strange, no one wants to take chances but my idiotic brain refused to listen to common sense and commanded my mouth to rant on. I had a small voice in my mind telling me it's my heart urging me to speak to him.

"Who are you talking to? It's slightly creepy." I shrieked when I realized I was talking in the complete opposite direction as his voice came from behind me. Unfortunately, my ninja skills took over as I turned around and tried slapping the talker.
Though, I don't know how, he had swiftly moved away but the sudden attack resulted in him dropping his cigarette.

"Shit!" He muttered through clenched teeth, stamping on the glowing stick. My heart was racing fast, and something told me it wasn't because I was startled but because of a certain boy's presence.

"See what I was talking about?!" I exclaimed still horrified by what could have happened if that little red dot changed into the commencement of a fire.

"No, if you hadn't squeaked like a squirrel and thrown around your hands, that wouldn't have happened, jinx." I was so offended by his description of my remarkable defense skills I completely ignored him using the nickname jinx again.

"I do not sound like a squirrel! You-You walking death machine." I huffed.

"Oh no, a death machine? Why would you say that?" He fake whimpered holding a hand over his chest. His playful look made the butterflies in my stomach flatter there wings as if they were having a sugar rush.
I just shook my head and pushed past him.

"Hey, jinx!" He called out again and this time I did take a note of his nickname.

"My name is Me-" I started but he cut me off.

"Nice pajamas." He smirked, one that provoked me to land a slap on his cheek and wipe it right off. Maybe my reaction had something to do with the tingling sensation that silver lip ring at the corner of his lips which inched upwards with the smirk caused but that's something my ego would never allow me to admit. He is dangerous and I know how they turn out.

"Yes, this is what a different colour clothing looks like. This is purple." I enunciated pointing at my purple pajamas with black birds on them.
Satisfied with the look on his face I flipped my hair and walked off.

This trip is making my meetings with him way to frequent for my liking.

Let's hope I don't run into him again.

******

Damn Shawn Mendes for singing songs I can't get out of my head. His new songs are going to be the death of me.

Anyhow, temme how it went!

Chapter Dedication: Xrisapotter because you are an amazing reader and have been supporting me since the very beginning. Thank you so much💞💞💞 (sorry for the whole republishing drama.)

Love,
Rojesta 💜