The day was filled with ridiculously stupid activities that were supposed to be some team building exercises. Would have made more sense to unite the graduating class when the school year began instead of trying this last ditch effort of unison. Even in the woods the social hierarchy followed; which only meant for the most part we were left alone.
We visited the collective fire pit for food and warm like Zebra's risking their lives at the watering hole. Sam and I sat in wobbly yard chairs watching our food cook over the fire. It crackled and spat ashes while we waited.
"Hey guys," Winnie squealed in her typical high pitched fashion.
"Hi Winnie," I smiled as she approached with Joel trotting along not far behind her.
"I'm really glad you guys decided to come along. Amber said there wasn't a chance in hell you would get Sam out here in the woods." She sat close by on a picnic table.
"He's a regular nature man if you ask me," I replied giving Sam a smirk. "I also promised to sleep with him so I think that was a big factor."
"What? You're deflowering my Sammy boy?" Joel shouted followed by some strange animal noise.
"That's the plan," I said cheerily.
"Jesus, do you have to tell everyone?" Sam grumbled hunching over in his chair, pretending like he was checking on our food.
Smiling I looked at him not knowing if he was embarrassed or the heat from the fire was warming his face.
"Here sit." Insisting I rose off my chair offering it to Joel while I sat on Sam's lap almost knocking us both over completely.
"Why do you insist on doing this?" Sam groaned but despite his annoyance wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in closure. "Have you seen these chairs legs? Whoever designs these things obviously barely passed physics," he ranted.
"Are you calling me fat?" Asking sharply, I learned upwards to look at him.
"The relation to the sturdiness of this chair and your weight are not being equated right now," Sam said nuzzling his chin into the crock of my neck. "Our food is going to burn."
A snorted, "Let it burn." Leaning back I gave him a kiss.
The day started to fade and night swooping in quickly and bringing a new atmosphere with it. Quickly, I was brought back to what I consider Sam and I's first date. We sat on the beach with Amber and Dawson next to a fire with our feet in the sand. We discussed how we were going to do this.
I let out a small laugh thinking about how naïve we were that night; jumping naked into the ocean. I should've known at that very moment.
"Sam." My voice barely audible.
"Hmm?" Sam asked pressing his chest into my back.
"I think tonight we just have to get naked and just jump in." Was what my brain could come up with.
"What? Now?" Sam choked on air wideyed.
"Sure whynot?" I shrugged.
"I figured we would wait until everyone is asleep; it would be less suspicious," he whispered with a shaking voice.
"Sam," I sighed. "I'm asking you to take me back to our tent and take my clothes off. Now either you come back with me or I'm going to start right here," threatening I took a hold of his collar and look at him with a serious look.
Sam's eye brows were arched and I'd never seen him look for doe eyed and thrilled at the same time. "Everyone's going to speculate if we just get up and leave."
"Let them." I processed to start kissing Sam's neck until he shot up nearly knocking us both over.
Without more hesitating Sam grabbed my hand and tugged me along the forest. We weaved around bushes and climbed over fallen tree trucks until we managed our way back to the tent. This would have been much harder in the dark.
Sam's hand tugged on the zipper of the tent struggling more than anyone should.
"Note to self, I should handle all the zippers," I laughed taking over and literally pushing a nervous Sam in.
Crawling in, I laid on my back on top of the multitude of blankets Sam insisted we bring –something about a sudden flash freeze that could occur and freeze us to the ground. If only the roof was clear to see the stars right now. The crinkling blue tarp (in case of a flash flood or down pour) lined the bottom of the tent with our belongs at least a foot away from the edge leaving only three feet of sleeping room.
Sam crouched near the entrance most likely trying to remember all the research he had done the weeks prior.
"If you want this to be closer to what you studied you could always pretend to be delivering a pizza or fix the plumbing?" I joked getting a smile in return.
"Can I ask you a question?" Sam asked leaning back and lying next to me with his leg bent.
Nodding my head I waited for the question to follow.
"Did you order the large peperoni?" He asked getting a hysterical explosion on laughter out of me.
My stomach tightened hard enough I had to sit up to avoid a cramp. Once I settled, I turned around to look down at Sam. His hand reached up brushing my hair out of my face. It was only moments of searching but we found a solace in that instant-all our questions and hesitance silenced.
That night was perfectly imperfect. It was filled with almost butting heads, awkward moments and great kisses. After, we talked about what would happen after Sam went to university. We decided to make a clean break when he left but promised we would keep in touch. I knew he would throw himself into his studies, his new life about to start and we'd eventually end; slowly and painfully drifting apart. Both of us agreed on ending it on a high note.
"I love you, you know," I said resting my head on my bent arm under the blanket in the now stuffy tent.
"I love you too," Sam replied now accomplished in his goal. There was a sense of pride like most guys had after a conquest but not of the arrogant kind.
"You know... you only have a couple weeks to perfect this skill before university. I could make you a schedule and give you a full written report every week with a score grade and notes for improvement," I offered raising an eyebrow.
"Only if you laminate it."