CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Reunion

Jake's Point of View

The grumbles got louder and louder as we go deeper into the cave. By the tenth one, it sounded more like a person screaming.

And then it hit me: Jackson.

"Jackson!" I began to shout. "Is that you?"

Jackson's voice became clearer. "Yeah, it's me! I got lost here! Help!" He was on the other side.

After that, everyone started yelling. Everyone, that is, except Bess.

"We're right here on the other side!"

"We'll come help you!"

"How did you get there?"

"Just wait, Son, we're coming!"

"Try to find your way, man!"

"Dude, stay calm!"

Everyone got quiet, because I whistled. "This is not going to help. How about if we just try to smash the wall again?"

Lilly shrugged. "Yeah, I guess that's going to work."

"On three," said Miley.

"One," Oliver started.

"Two," Mr. Stewart continued.

"Three!" I called and we headed for the wall, smashing it again to pieces.

But what we saw surprised us. Jackson wasn't there.

I looked at Miley, and she looked back. Then we looked around. Everyone was stunned. Where had Jackson gone?
Suddenly someone cleared his throat. "Right here, y'all."

We turned around.

"Jackson!" Miley ran to hug her brother. Pretty much everyone did, even Sean. But certainly not Bess. I don't know what kind of problems that girl has.

Oliver sighed. "Now can we go out of this freaking cave, before someone gets lost again?"

Everyone burst out laughing. Again, except Bess.

"Absolutely!" Miley said.

When we made our way out of the tent, I realized that we've spent four hours there, and that it was already late in the afternoon. We rested in Lilly and Oliver's campground.

"How do we celebrate this reunion?" Dad asked.

"I have some canned sodas in my cooler," Lilly offered. "And marshmallows."

"Then go get 'em," Jackson ordered. "I'm getting hungry."

Lilly passed out the sodas and marshmallows. I declined her offer, and so did Miley. I turned to her. "Miles, we need to talk."

"Yeah, we do." Miley led me to our campground, leaving everybody staring at us. We noticed that Bess and Sean weren't in sight. Maybe they talked privately, too.

"Miley, I'm really, really sorry. That thing in the cave, that was just the beginning of our make-up. We have a lot to talk about," I said.

"I agree," Miley replied. "But before that..."

I read her mind. She wanted a kiss. I leaned in and gave her one. She kissed right back.

Miley pulled back. "Okay, now we can talk."

I cleared my throat. "You really didn't believe me when I said that Bess forced that kiss, did you?"

"I really did not," Miley responded. "I mean, you slay zombies on national television, but you can't even stop forced kisses? Please."

I laughed. "Believe me, I tried my best."

"I really don't know the deal with Bess," Miley said.

"We don't have to talk about her," I told her. "Oh, yeah, about that thing in the cave, with you calling me your boyfriend. All I have to say is..." I trailed off.

"What?" Miley asked.

"Am I?"

"Are you what?" Miley asked again.

"Your boyfriend," I said.

Miley grinned. She nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

I reached out and held her hand. "What about Oliver? And Lilly?"

"They're together now, remember?" Miley reminded me.

"Oh, right," I said.

Lilly walked up to us. "Here, brought you some sodas," she told us.

Miley grabbed a can, and so did I. "Hey, Lil," I said.

"Hi," Lilly replied. "Hey, Jake, you don't mind if I talk to Miley privately for a while, would you?"

"Nah, I don't mind," I said.

Lilly smiled. "Thanks." She turned to Miley, and they started talking. The only thing that I heard was Lilly saying, "So, are you guys together now?" to which Miley replied, "Yeah." I walked away then.

I went up to Lilly and Oliver's campground and sat beside Oliver. "Hey, man," I said.

"What's up?" Oliver replied.

I shrugged. "Nothing much. Just talked to Miley. Everything's fine now. You?"

"Same," Oliver said. "Lilly and I got into this huge misunderstanding but we made up right before entering that darned cave."

"Where are Sean and Bess?" I asked him.

"Talking in Sean's campground," Oliver answered.

As if on cue, Sean and Bess appeared. Bess, I noticed, was in tears again.

"Hey," I greeted.

"Hey," Sean responded. "Aren't you that Zombie Slayer on Zombie High?"

"Yeah, dude, he is," Oliver said.

"So, going home?" I asked Sean.

"If we find Bess's family," Sean said.

"Where do you live, anyway?" Oliver said.

"New Jersey," Sean replied.

"Oh, cool," I told him. "I filmed a movie there last year."

"I know, I saw you," Sean answered. "It's the one with Ashley Tisdale, right?"

I nodded, and saw Bess leading some man, woman and two teenaged twin boys into the campsite.

Sean stood up. "Oh, hi, Mr. and Mrs. Calloway," he said.

I paused. Bess's last name is Calloway. Bess Calloway... Why does it sound so familiar? I thought. And then it hit me. Bess had been my girlfriend a year ago. My first one, actually. But why didn't I recognize her?

I almost laughed. The obvious answer was plastic surgery and hair dye. You see, Bess, who was a platinum blonde then, had a small role in the said movie that Ashley Tisdale and I filmed. She and I dated for a while, but then we eventually broke up. I guess this is what you call revenge. You know, what she did to Miley and I.

It was already five-thirty. Mr. Stewart announced that we'd be going home twelve hours and thirty minutes from now. I'd better go make sure everything was ready. I went down to our own campsite and went into my tent. Miley and Lilly must have been inside Miley's tent.

I pulled out Lilly's skateboard and walked into Miley's tent. "Hey, Lilly, this is yours, right?" I told her.

She gasped, shrieked and grabbed it from me. "Yeah, thanks!"

I smiled. I guess this trip made us all closer somehow.

(A/N: Thanks for the awesome reviews again! Happy Campers is nearing its end, and all I can say is that it's been fun bonding with you all. But we still have Seven Minutes in Heaven! 'Til the next chapter...)