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Then and Now Chapter 23 Nick lifted the trunk on the Durango and started piling the camping equipment inside. Brian walked out of the store with the four sleeping bags and Han and Lis behind him. "Wait B! Don't put that in yet." Nick said as Brian started throwing the sleeping bags in the back. "Jeez Frack, we aren't leaving now just taking the stuff back to the cabin. Calm down." Lis walked over. "he's over excited." Han laughed. "Please can we not get into your private lives?" Nick turned around. "Hey we weren't making out in the midst of a pillow fight with two others present." "We weren't rolling around in a field with eight other people in a nearby parking lot." Brian replied, grinning at Nick. "Got us there." Nick said, and went back to trying to organize the back. "Men!" Lis muttered and walked to the passenger side and got in, Han followed and got in the back. "When did Nick want to leave?" Lis played with the radio dials. "Tomorrow morning I think. God I'm dating a nature freak." Lis looked at her friend with a horrified look. "Aw relax I'm sure he isn't that bad." "Han, he put a frog on my head when I was 9." Han smiled weakly at her friend. Uhm then can I say best of luck? Lis groaned and closed her eyes as Nick and Brian got into the Durango. Nick looked over at her. "What's with her?" "Second thoughts." Han said smiling at her boyfriend. Brian laughed. "Thinking about spending time with Nick without being forced too would give anyone second thoughts." Nick smirked. "Feel like walking back to the cabin?" "Playin, just playin Frack!" Brian said, grinning at his best friend.AJ chased Krys up the beach. "Stop! Stop it AJ!" Krys said as AJ caught up to her. "Awww my girl can't take being chased?" he grinned as they sat down in the sand. She rolled her eyes and moved her sunglasses to look at him. "Who know such a skinny guy would have so much energy." He laughed. "You above all should know that." "Must you remind me." she said sweetly. "Sometimes you are too sarcastic for your own good." he said leaning over to kiss her. Down the beach: Aimee and Ang watched the scene. "Couples!" Aimee said laughing. "I don't think they know we're here." Ang said standing up. "Wanna head back? I don't want to miss the barbecue." Aimee got up and started following her friend down the beach in the opposite direction, they'd go around the beach so they wouldn't disturb Krys and AJ. Nina was busy carrying trays of plates and glasses onto the guys' deck when Jenn and Howie appeared from their afternoon in the hammock. Howie smiled as they walked up the deck steps. "Need any help?" he asked, looking around. Kevin laughed. "No thanks." Howie and Jenn exchanged confused looks. "What?" Jenn asked nervously. Nina set the tray down on one of the tbales. "You guys look like you got lost in the trees for like a year." Jenn looked down at her shirt, there was a streak of dirt all across it and when she looked at Howie he had a smear of mud on his cheek. "Quiet afternoon in the hammock huh?" Kevin teased, walking back into the house. Howie shook his head, he was used to the brotherly teasing. "I'll go change, be back in five." he kissed Jenn's cheek and walked inside the cabin. "So can I do anything?" Jenn asked, watching Nina put the plates out on the table. "Let me see...Kev's doing the barbecuing, whenever Ang and Aimee get back their doing some of the sides...you could help me finish setting up I guess. Everything I think is pretty much set." "Guess we timed it right." Jenn joked and walked inside to get a drink. Kevin walked out, carrying a bowl of potato chips. He set them on the table and walked over to the barbecue, wanting to check the temperature. Nina grabbed a handful of chips and walked over to him. "This could turn out good." "Nothing could go wrong now." he kissed her forehead and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'll wait till everyone shows before I start cooking." "Sounds like a plan." she rested her head on his shoulder and they looked out at the trees. AJ looked at his watch. "Its almost seven." Krys sat up in the sand. "How'd it get so late?" AJ shrugged. "Guess we weren't thinking of the time." he put his hand out to Krys and pulled her to her feet. "Think they've started yet?" AJ shook his head. "Kev will wait till every last one of us is there." He said knowingly and they started the walk. Nick pulled his Durango into the guys' driveway and everyone piled out. "You wanna leave the gear where it is Frack?" Brian called, his arm around Han's waist. Nick looked at the vehicle then back at Bri, "Should be ok for now. We'll get it out later and check everything out." "K, see ya in the back." Bri waved and pulled Han around the side of the cabin in search of the barbecue. Lis walked away from Nick and over to the girls' cabin. She had just opened the door when she felt Nick behind her. "What?" she asked, smiling at him. "Party's in the other direction." he said, a boyish grin on his face. "I know, I'm gonna change first." Nick raised an eyebrow. "You look fine. C'mon I'm hungry." he whined. "Go ahead. I'll meet ya over there. Trust me I won't get lost." "Nah I'll wait. Just hurry up." he followed her inside and headed to the couch while she made her way upstairs. Ang set the plate of potato salad on the table and looked around the guys' deck. Almost everyone was there. She turned around and came face to face with Brian. "Hey Ang!" he said happily, giving her a hug. "Uh B! Let me breathe bud." she said trying to push him away. "Sorry!" he pulled away and smiled. "What?" "What what?" she smiled at him and looked around the party. AJ and Krys were making their way up the deck steps and Kev was starting to put the meat on the grill. "You know very well what." he said leaning against the railing, a cold 7up in his hand. "I was just thinking, when you guys come back from your camping excursion, it'll be time to head home." "And you don't wanna go back to Florida?" he asked, a puzzled look on his face. "Just means the end of summer B. Ya know, some of us have college in the fall." Brian rolled his eyes. "Oh no, not the blasted college." he said melodramatically. "Be serious B." Ang said, leaning on the railing and looking out at the scenery. Lis walked down the stairs in her sundress. She figured if they were going camping for who knew who long this would be the only opportunity she had to wear it. "Nick?" she called, seeing the living room empty. Nick walked out of the kitchen, a pepsi in hand. "Li..." he stopped seeing her standing at the bottom of the stairs. "What?" she looked down, wondering if it was ripped or maybe she'd forgotten something. "Its uh...wow never seen you in a dress before." "And thats a reason for speechlessness?" she asked with a small smile. He was kinda cute when he was like this. Nick smirked. "No comment. Now lets go get fed!" he took her arm and led her out of the cabin. Next: Chapter 24 |