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Then and Now Chapter 27 Krys followed AJ deeper into the forest. She smiled as she adjusted her sunglasses, AJ had actually come up with a good idea when he suggested this hike, she said to herself. AJ looked at the tree with the broken branch and sighed. They'd passed the same tree three times all ready and he had no idea where he was or how far off the path they'd gone. Krys watched as AJ stopped at the little clearing and threw his backpack down. "We're stopping all ready?" she asked, seeing him sit down and take his shades off. "Yeah, I uh need a drink. Aren't your legs getting tired yet?" Krys smiled and sat down. "A bit, but I was getting used to it." She opened her backpack and passed him a water bottle. "So how far are we from the lake?" AJ gulped down his water, and shrugged. "I'm not sure..." Krys looked at him for a minute then her eyes widened. "What do you mean your not too sure?" AJ averted her gaze. "I mean, I uh...well Krys honey, we're lost." She sat there frozen for a few minutes. "Lost, the great AJ McLean got us lost?" The foursome stopped at the clearing. They had been hiking for nearly three hours by then. Brian and Nick looked around while Lis and Han sat on the ground. Han took off her backpack and leaned against it. "Remind me why we're out here." She said shielding her eyes from the bright sun. "The blonde wanted to get me alone, then you decided to come and Bri wanted time with you. So basically blame Carter." Nick looked at Brian. "This gonna work?" Brian looked around. "I think it'll make a good campsite. Which part do we want?" "We?" Frack looked at his friend. "I'm with the redhead, your with Han, WE," he pointed to himself and B, "do not exist." Bri stifled a laugh. "Control the hormones Kaos. Your sure Lis is gonna want to share a tent with you?" "She all ready agreed." Nick said with a small smile, waling away from his friend. "Ok girls, this is it! Lets get comfy." Nick said. Lis looked around. "Comfy and camping, two words that do not go together." Han laughed and pulled her friend to her feet. "You'll live." "Yeah, yeah. Your not stuck in an enclosed space with him." Lis pointed to Nick. Han laughed, "Well you had a good life." Nick shook his head and walked away disgusted. "Joker, everyone has to be a joker." Howie parked AJ's jeep in the driveway and looked at Jenn. "What's wrong?" She smiled. "Nothing." "You looked deep in thought." "I well I just realized we're practically all alone and there's a lake nearby." Howie smiled. "You feel like swimming?" "Of course! And now we won't have the others bugging us to play chicken." D laughed and followed her inside. Kevin followed Nina to the truck and set the bags in the back. "Should we spend the day in town?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Might be nice to be away from the gang for awhile." she said with a smile. "Then we shall stay in town all day." he took her hand and led her across the street to window shop. Krys jumped to her feet. "So we're lost. You have no idea where the heck we are?" AJ nodded. "I'm sorry. I thought we could go off the path a little then meet back up with it." "Meet up with it. Oh boy I'm dating a smart one." she shook her head. "Ok get out your cell phone and call Ang. I'm sure Kevin will be able to find us." AJ smiled sheepishly. "Krys, honey sit down." "Oh no." she said sitting down. "My cell phone...its on the bed, next to my wallet." Krys laughed. "We're dead. Bears are going to find us and eat us. All they'll find is clumps of your blue hair!" AJ shook his head. "Have some faith will ya." "Mr Outdoors is telling me to have faith." she shook her head. "I'm going to die with a freak of nature." AJ stood up. "Krys you are not helping anything here!!" "And I let you talk me into this. I need help, yes I do...and a new boyfriend." she started talking to herself. Brian and Han stood in front of the tent looking it over. "Is it me or is it tilting to the right?" Brian asked turning his head sideways and looking at it. Han took a step back. "Maybe a little?" "Ok, well if it collapses on top of us, we just put it up again." He turned around and looked over to where Nick and Lis were still setting up their tent. "Check it out." "Nick, the instructions tend to be a good thing." Lis said exasperated as she watched him throw them across the clearing. "We don't need them. I know how to set it up." He said, hooking the pole inside the fabric of the tent. "Then why did it collapse twice all ready?" she asked, walking over and picking the instructions up. "I forgot to do something." Nick replied with a smile. "See, aren't we having fun?" All of a sudden the partially constructed tent gave way and fell on Nick, covering him in the blue canvas. Lis laughed. "I am now, how 'bout you?" From deep inside the mass of blue canvas Nick growled. Next: Chapter 28 |