One Final Time

The next day, Gadget picked them up in the camp bus from their camping site. As they rolled up their sleeping bags and re-packed their backpacks, Jewels noticed Les kept to himself, lost in thought, amidst the laughter and good cheer of the other counselors. Stories we're passed back and forth, inside jokes we're built that years to come would still bring mirth to those involved, and plans for the upcoming rest of the week we're laid out. But, Les worked by himself, pondering his next move. Beside him, albeit silent, Jess packed. Although she did not speak, he could tell from her steely looks that she was not too pleased with him. Perhaps his harmless flirting with the other female counselors hadn't been taken so well by her, or maybe it was the kiss...that kiss so long in coming, it seemed almost forbidden, and now it had happened at last, what was to follow? Les held himself back from looking over at Jewels, but as always could feel her presence inside his heart, something he could not truly understand or had ever experienced.

Gadget greeted them individually as they boarded the bus and pulled away from their site, heading back to Camp Crowshaven. Their day away from work had been a well-appreciated reward but now it was time to return to their duties. The radio played songs they had not heard since leaving their lives back home. Les sat in the back of the bus near the window, Jess sat beside him looking straight ahead. He tried to think of some way to begin some sort of conversation with her, some way to figure out what to do next in this thing called a relationship they had together.

Tera and Jewels sat side by side, heads close together, whispering over the events of the night before.

“So, he kissed you?” mouthed Tera, trying to draw out more information.

“Yeah,” blushed Jewels and ducked her head lower.

“And then?”

“That's all, then Rainbow called us back,” Jewels reported.

“Have you guys talked at all today?” Tera wanted to know.

“No,” Jewels shook her head and then bit her lip, anxiously.

Later, after they had returned to camp and finished the dinner and their campers played away the evening until campfire, Jewels sat on the steps of the dining hall watching the camp before her. Les approached and quietly sat beside her. She said nothing but waited for him, whatever he would say. He got up and stood in front of her.

“Jewels, I've been thinking,” He began cautiously, eyeing her for information.

“Yeah, what is it, Trip?” she said peering up at him, anxiously yet hopefully.

“So, last night,” he began. “What happened between us...its just that...”

“Yeah?” Jewels asked, drawing him out.

“I think...let's just remain friends, okay?” he eyed her, looking her over, wanting more, wanting her to stand up and fight for him, for them. She sighed, looked down at her dirty feet caked with dust, feet that were never clean, then looked back at him and gave her best “that's okay with me” smile.

“Sure thing,” she finally answered. He nodded and leaned over, awkwardly giving her a hug.

Pulling back, he said, “I'll see you around, okay?”

She nodded and off he headed. She bit her lip, fighting back the tears from leaving her eyes, and clasped her hands together. Come on, Ruby, she thought, he's just one guy, it doesn't matter anyway.

Linger