Just Say Yes (Just Press Send Book 3)

Chapter 8

Stuck Here Together

Will popped off the top of his third beer, metal clanging and beer hissing. He relaxed in his red Muskoka chair, waving off Layla's comment about one of her courses. "If I don't think about going back to classes, then it's not happening."

Layla leaned forward and poked the fire with the fire-poking thing. She raised a brow. "Just like how if you don't think about your exam, it's not happening?"

"Exactly." Will nodded and took a long sip of beer, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Mia shrugged. "Well, who knows what's going on with this COVID-19 thing anyways? Maybe you have the right idea, Will." She tilted her can of cider towards him.

I sipped my cider, and the slight apple tasted crisp and tangy. "The email said that there haven't been any statements from federal, provincial and local health authorities that classes should be cancelled. And my history prof emailed us yesterday. He said that...." I set down my can on the arm of the chair and pulled up the email on my phone. "There will be an update tomorrow, but Summit is NOT closed. Keep studying!"

It sucked that we had to go back to school and real life. Bleh. But I was kinda ready to go back and get back into the swing of things. I took a cleansing breath and rolled out my shoulders.

Layla's posture perked up. "So we're getting an update today?"

I raised my hands palms up. I knew as much as the email told me. "I guess so?"

"Regardless, cheers to a great trip." Ty held up his beer to cheers the rest of us. "Thanks, Wi–"

"Hold up," Will cut in, shaking his head. "No cheersing and thanking me yet, Sawyer. It's Friday night. We still have tomorrow night, and then we go back Sunday. Bletch." He shuddered in an exaggerated way, playing it up in typical Will fashion. "I don't even want to think about it. But no cheersing allowed until it's our official last night." He gave each of us a pointed look.

"Sure?" Ty chuckled at Will's theatrics.

We sat in the Muskoka chairs surrounding the crackling fire in the backyard, but I stared out at the lake. The rocky shoreline had colourful gravel in varying shades of grey and white, and tiny white flowers hid in the grass. Knobby driftwood bobbed at the water's edge, waves lapped the shore, and dragonflies skimmed the water's surface.

A food wrapper crinkled as Layla opened more chocolate to make a s'more. Insects buzzed, and the wind whispered through the trees. The smell of charred marshmallows wafted past, mixed with the peaty smell of algae and grass and wet earth. Layla bit down on her s'more, the graham cracker crunching.

A relaxed, drunk smile crossed Will's face. "Sit back, relax, have another beer, and let's enjoy our Friday night," Will announced before spearing me with an extra pointed look. "And no studying tonight, Nat."

I held my hands up, innocent of the crime of studying. There wasn't a textbook in sight out here. I tried my best to keep a serious face.

"No studying tonight, I promise. I don't think I'd remember any of it if I did anyways." I motioned at the empty coolers I'd already finished. Ciders were my number one tonight– the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.

Will ran a hand through his dark hair. "I actually do my best studying drunk."

"Of course you do," Mia piped up with a wry smile.

"I–" Layla started but stopped when all of our phones went off. Huh? We each had our own distinct phone notification sounds, so that was kinda funny. Ty, of course, had the default email notification sound on, but the rest of ours were customized.