“Romantic?” Ivy sighed. “I’m cold, in the middle of nowhere, and frightened to death by these ghost stories. This is your idea of romantic?”
I didn’t have to respond. She already knew.
“Of course it is.” Ivy grinned. “Always the dreamer! I guess that’s why you’re my best friend.”
“Hey!” Abby said, sitting up.
Ivy and I had been best friends before Abby joined our clique. Sometimes Ivy forgot her manners.
“I meant to say best friends,” Ivy corrected. “You both are.”
“Catfight!” Dylan said. “Let me record this.” He brandished his cell, but Abby was over Ivy’s slipup as soon as Ivy gave her an apologetic hug.
“Anyway,” I said to Abby, excited that I might have stirred up some interest. “Maybe we can come here again during the day for a hike.”
She gave me two enthusiastic thumbs-up.
“Let’s get through the next few hours,” Nash said, finishing his s’more, “before we plan on any further ‘Celeste Parker excursions.’”
Normally I would have rolled my eyes at Nash’s playful jab, but I was grateful that my boyfriend and his posse finally gave in to my suggestion for date night.
I’d been suggesting outdoor activities that didn’t involve an opposing team or a goalpost for ages. I wasn’t an avid outdoorsy type or anything, but I did prefer to do other things with my friends besides going shopping or watching sports. The reason the guys were game was the promise of food and the potential of scaring three girls to death.
“Well, I think we should listen to Celeste more often,” Jake said, devouring the last Rice Krispies treat I’d made for our outing.
My friends acted as if I possessed superpowers for making the simplest of snacks.
Shadows danced menacingly against the trees. The October night skies of the midwestern town of Legend’s Run were beautiful. Stars glimmered like ten-carat diamonds. I’d have wished on one that this night would never end, but I’d settle for savoring the memories when I recorded these moments in my worn-out spiral notebook journal: the fresh air, my best friends giggling by my side, my date holding my hand.