It had been overcast all day, but that just made Jade all the more anxious to see Beck. Slipping a little on the smooth rocks, Jade caught herself and walked faster. Most days she took her time winding through the woods on her way to her and Beck's meeting spot, trying to be as quiet as possible. Today however, she was practically sprinting through the trees, trampling the delicate underbrush, breaking through intricately frail spiders webs, and disturbing the sleepy forest with her stomping footfalls. Since Beck had been gone to an acting camp for three weeks, Jade was jumping out of her skin to see him. The camp had a "No Technology" rule, meaning no cell phones, no computers, no televisions, not even an old-fashioned house phone. Before he left, Beck and Jade had agreed, in this very forest, to not speak to one another again until he got back, and they saw each other face to face in their old forest meeting spot. As she ran forward, Jade imagined Beck with his post-camp tan from three weeks of sunshine and outdoor fun, his already chiseled body redefined from all the rock climbing, hiking, canoeing, and other sport activities he had signed up for, excitedly sitting at her kitchen table only weeks before leaving. Maybe there was something in the air, maybe it was the two coffees, pack of gummy worms, and the left over brownie she'd eaten that was making her so hyped up and crazy. Maybe she was just plain crazy as she sped towards their tree and let out the loudest, "WOOO!" the forest had ever heard. The day after Beck left, Jade started working out every day and tanning her pale skin so when he got back, she'd look good too. Flat out running now, Jade jumped over the fallen tree to her left and ran towards the best looking sight she'd seen in three weeks. "BECK!" She screamed, always being a fan of theatrics, she jumped at Beck as he caught her in the tightest hug Jade had ever received. It didn't hurt, and once he caught his balance, Beck swung her around, causing Jade's hair to fly out behind her. Giggling, Jade's toes touched the ground as Beck lowered her gently to her feet. He kissed her once, twice, three times as light as a whisper, one kiss for each week gone by. Jade pulled away to examine Beck, she looked him over with mock sternness, giggling at the smile his lips were fighting to keep off. Beck's hair had gotten a tad lighter in the near-month since Jade last saw him, his shiny black locks were longer too, the wave starting to show as the ends tickled the top of his shoulders.
"We'll need to do something about that hair." She said, running her fingers through it. Beck hated when people touched his hair, but he let Jade do it ayways, knowing she loved to do so. She had been right, Jade noted, his tan was dark, but contrasted his features well. Beck's light brown eyes popped against his newly bronzed skin, and his teeth looked even whiter. His muscles were perfect, toned from real work - not a gym. Tough, but well proportioned to his body, and not overwhelmingly large. Finally, her faux inspection was over and she nodded her satisfaction. Beck winked and said, "Everything to your liking?" "As always, my dear."She smiled back. Beck gathered Jade into another smothering hug and kissed her forehead, "My sweet Jade," he murmured into her ear, nestling his face in her hair, "I missed you so much!" He squeezed Jade tighter on the last word, drawing her body closer. Sitting on the fallen log, heads bent together, Beck began reliving his camp experience to Jade, drawing his words into pictures on the palm of her hand, lightly tracing the trees with his finger. What may have been seconds or hours later, neither one knew, darkness began to fall and Beck pulled Jade to her feet. "We need to get you home," Beck smiled lightly, "look, your shivering." Goose bumps had erupted down Jade's arms without her even knowing. The day had been hot, humid even, as the smell of rain wafted through the air. Now, however, the air had a definitive chill to it, and what had been a playful breeze now began whipping Jade's hair to and fro across her face. Neither Beck nor Jade had noticed the change in weather, Beck had been so focused on making sure Jade knew every detail of camp and Jade had been absorbed in the way Beck colored the picture for her, from the Mess Hall to the mosaic campfire pit. Thunder rumbled long and low, like an angry giant's hungry stomach. Sliding his hand around her petite waist, Beck tugged her towards home. Walking through the woods was something Jade always had secretly loved, the songbirds holding choir practice, the trees looking as bold and knowledgeable as an old schoolteacher, and the squirrels playing tag all around. Jade looked up, startled, as a flash of lighting streaked across the cloud-ladden sky. This wasn't the forest she knew, she didn't like these new woods. She grabbed Beck's hand. "When had he let go?" she wondered, and squeezed his fingers as another roll of thunder growled in her ear. Then, it started raining. Slow and light at first, gradually falling thicker and faster as if the giant had started to cry. Jade was scared, simple as that. She kept her eyes on Beck as he lead the way, his T-shirt soaked, clinging to his back as he held back a branch for Jade to pass through. Jade hated herself for being so afraid of something as benign as a little storm, but she found herself clinging to Beck as he pushed through the underbrush that was grabbing at their ankles. The rain had made the leaves and pine needles littering the floor slick, and Jade found herself sliding down a slope. Unable to catch herself, Jade fell before Beck had time to shift his weight and stop her. Jumping up, Jade heard Beck shout something out into the steady sheet of rain, but the wind ripped the words from his mouth, playfully shoving them away from Jade, back into the woods they'd come from, following the current the wind had created. "I'm fine." She shouted, assuming he'd asked if she was hurt. Finally, Jade's shoulders slumped in relief, breaking through the greenbelt, Jade's porch light waved through the rain like a friendly beacon. Shivering, with Beck's strong arms around her, Jade made her way up the familiar driveway. Beck grabbed her shoulders and twisted Jade around to face him. "Take a warm shower and get in bed. I'll call you so you'll know I got home safe." He yelled into the wind, squinting into the rain pouring down their faces. Jade nodded, her lips to cold to move. As Beck leaned down, Jade closed her eyes instinctively, feeling Beck press into her body. Blinding pain shot through them, Beck squeezed Jade's arms harder then he ever had before, his nails biting into her shoulders, leaving crescent moon scars. Beck felt his knees give out, he and Jade collapsed, the rain pounding on them, Jade's scream reverberating through Beck's scull and he blacked out.
Waking up was hard. This bed was soft and Jade was so tired. She tried anyways and bright sunlight poked her hard in both eyes. "OW!" She yelped rubbing her eyes and trying to keep then open. Heavy footsteps made their way toward, her growing louder, suddenly the door burst open and Jade's mother flew into the room. "Your up. How do you feel? Are you thirsty? I need you to talk, Jade." Jade's mother spoke a mile a minute. "How can I speak with you bombarding me like that mom?" Jade grimaced. "I'm tired. Water?" Jade asked hopefully. "Of course, I'll get some, stay lying down, Jade." Her mother instructed.
Waking up was hard. But Beck's eyes flew open and he tripped trying to get off of the couch he was on. His head felt like someone had thrown and anvil at it and his body felt full lead. He raised himself off the floor and fell right back down again. "Bad idea." He mumbled, grabbing his head as the room began swimming. Footsteps echoed down the hall off to his right followed by the voices of their owners. "She's just woken up and wants some water. She seems fine. How's Beck?" "He's still sleeping. I'm afraid to wake him." At the sound of his name, Beck tried to get on the couch and succeeded. "I'm here." He called out. His voice rang tired through the room, more weary then he expected it to. Jade's mother and Beck's own shuffled into the room, following a brief scuffle at the door, as they tried to enter at the same time. Beck's mother rushed to his side feeling his forehead. "How do you feel darling, are you tired? I knew something must have happened after the rain started and you still weren't home. Oh! My poor boy!" She exclaimed, gathering him into a hug. "Erm. Mom? What, um, what did happen?" Beck pried his mother off of him, searching her face. "Beck, you and Jade, you got struck by lightning. Do you remember the storm?" Beck's mother questioned. Lightning? The storm? Jade. The storm. . . "JADE!" Beck exclaimed, turning his words into thoughts. "Jade! Jade? Is she ok? Where is she? Her room? JADE?" Beck struggled back off the couch, stumbled past the mother's attempts to reassure him, down the hall, and into Jade's bedroom. She looked fine, reclining on her pillows, her hair wavy from air drying after the rain. She looked around startled as Beck barged in. "Beck?" She questioned, "What are you doing here?" "Your. I'm, here. You, I, we. Jade! We got stuck by lightning! Remember? Right as we kissed?" Beck shouted, searching her face in wonder. "Lightning?" She repeated. "Beck, some people search their whole lives for that spark. I guess we found it." She sighed. "I, I, what?" Beck asked, confused. "Beck," Jade winked at him with a smile. "Were pretty electrifying.