Metamorphosis

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

Chapter 25 (Solidified)

Trina made her way to the office of Dr. Frank Wyatt, half expecting to be in some amount of trouble. Lindsay told her the man wished to speak with her about the relationship she had with Jason, and he seemed have a sense of urgency in the order.

She understood why; Jason was the top counselor here and she was just a camper. Counselors, especially people in charge like Jason was, were probably not supposed to date campers.

So it was with a great deal of nervousness that she opened the door to the main cabin. To her surprise, the first people she saw were Jenny and Ross seated at the round table outside of Dr. Wyatt's door. A sudden feeling of tightness struck her chest and her lips pulled back into her cheeks as anger and nausea swirled within her stomach.

"What are you doing here?" Her eyes fell to Ross and her muscles tightened. Ross frowned and Jenny threw her head up. The couple were seated side by side, leaning into one another, and their outer hands were folded together on the table directly between them.

There was a simple answer to her question, but seeing Ross was never easy. "He was called over by Mr. Wyatt," Jenny replied. The girl turned her eyes towards her boyfriend and dropped her shoulders. "I told Mr. Wyatt about our relationship, and because he's a worker at the rehab clinic, Dr. Wyatt needed to speak with us immediately regarding that."

"Oh." She relaxed and pushed her hands into the pockets of her jeans. Trina approached the table hesitantly, keeping her eyes focused on Ross. "Sorry, I'm still just a little…" The anger she had towards him was fragrant, and every bone in her fiber still wanted to scream and accuse.

It wasn't fair what he tried to do to her, and now he was dating Jenny of all people and suddenly he was a different man. She was happy for Jenny, glad that Ross was shaping up, but she still wanted to curse the man for not being this way with her.

"I get it," Ross said while raising his hand up. The man let out a sigh and looked towards the door. "I understand, and I'm not here to talk to you, alright? I um, I hope that didn't come across the wrong way. I don't want to sound hateful, I just-"

"Be here for your girlfriend, I'm not bothered." She sat across from Jenny, peering into the girl's eyes. "He's treating you right?" Jenny curled her lips up and nodded once. "Good. Are the two of you in trouble with Dr. Wyatt?"

"Not much," Jenny replied, "He's upset we didn't come clean about the relationship whenever it first started. He made clear I was not allowed to go to the clinic where Ross works, and Ross is to ensure none of the patients there come here. Those are the rules, and as long as we abide by them, we're fine."

"Okay." She closed her eyes and folded her hands on the table. Relief swept through her like a cleansing light, giving her more comfort towards the idea of meeting with the camp director. "That's good news. Maybe that means he'll be okay with-" She stopped abruptly, unsure if she ought to divulge to Jenny her relationship with Jason.

Trina crossed her arms and looked off to the side. "Um…" Her shoulders rose and her eyes drifted towards the director's office door. She saw Jason through the window, his back was turned towards the door and he was facing Dr. Wyatt, who was sitting on the edge of his desk.

"You and Jason, right?" Her heart stopped and her eyes shot over to Jenny. "Everyone knows already, it's okay." A blush rose to her cheeks and her mouth fell open as Jenny appeared to shrug off the fact that Trina was dating her ex. "I knew you two would get together, it honestly wasn't hard to see. Almost everybody talked about it."

"What do you mean 'everyone talked about it'?" It wasn't a surprise since she already knew people would talk about it, but the fact that they'd done so before she was with Jason romantically was startling. "How could they have talked about it before we even got together?"

"Just the looks you two had, the gestures." Jenny leaned sideways and moved her hand up to use it as a perch for her chin. "Did you really think nobody was watching the sneak glances you two shot at each other on a constant basis? Then I think there was a moment you had in the weight room…"

She pursed her lips and leaned her head back slowly, taken aback by the revelation. Jenny smiled at her and rolled her head upright. "You told me once that life isn't a novel, but I'm going to be honest, you two kind of have become like a storybook to read for the people of the camp that are just plain bored."

Her right eyebrow shot up and her fingers closed in a sudden motion into her palm. "What?" Jenny lowered her hand and shrugged.

"Jason. Except Dr. Wyatt, he's pretty much in charge of this camp. He's like the commander, the captain that keeps this camp afloat. The prince, if you want to put it that way. I mean our camp looks like a fortified castle, and then Dr. Wyatt's like the king of the castle, so it serves that Jason is the prince."

Trina glanced at Ross, who was staring with amusement at his girlfriend. Jenny cleared her throat and snapped her fingers once. "Then there's you." Her eyes flickered back to Jenny and squinted. "The girl that came, unsure of herself and didn't exactly fit in at first. Feeling like a nobody, and let's be honest, no one here knew you."

Trina dropped her hands to her waist and twisted her lips into a slant. "Sure, but I wouldn't say a nobody."

"A guest in the king's castle with all his folk, a different face that caught the eye of the prince from his tower. He was charmed the minute he saw you, and you him." She blushed and let her mind drift back to the initial argument she had with Jason.

"I wouldn't call that 'charmed', but we certainly got each other's attention."

"There are a lot of relationships that happen over summer, but not many usually surface at this kind of camp. Certainly no one's ever dated the 'prince', because nobody ever caught his eye until now. So everyone, or at least those who are really bored and aren't in a relationship at this point, is watching and wondering how you two are progressing."

"That is…just a little bit creepy, actually. Though, slightly flattering." Jenny straightened her posture and pat the table with her hand.

"Yeah, now if only the prince and his lady would allow themselves to fall in love and move past whatever past hurts they may be suffering, they might live happily ever after."

"Life is still not a novel, Jenny."

"No you're right, it isn't a novel." Jenny's mouth slid into a bright smirk and her eyebrows flattened into a straight line. "It's better than one." The office door opened up and Jason stepped out. Trina looked up, meeting his eyes and holding a breath as he motioned for her to come into the office. "Looks like the king awaits, your majesty…"

Trina craned her neck and rose from the table. "Yeah, how about not calling me that ever again, please."

She walked up to Jason and flashed a smile as he placed his strong hand at the small of her back. "They're not causing any trouble are they?" He whispered. She shook her head and willed him to guide her into the office.

When she looked at Dr. Wyatt, she was shocked to see a crown on his head. It was plastic, but made her do a double take. She started to point and the man quickly removed it, laughing nervously.

"Sorry about that," Dr. Wyatt said, "My granddaughter was visiting for her birthday and insisted that I wear that while in my office." Trina twisted her head over her shoulder, glaring at Jenny through the window and silently cursing the girl for planting an image in her head.

She laced her fingers with Jason's and studied the director for a few seconds. The silence that surrounded them fueled her already frayed nervous, and for a moment she feared being told they couldn't continue their relationship.

"Are we in trouble?" Trina asked abruptly. Dr. Wyatt furrowed his brow and moved his hand up to his grey goatee.

"In trouble? No. I did want to discuss this relationship that seems to be between you. Jason tells me there is nothing for me to worry about, that the two of you are handling this in the best, most mature way possible."

The man jumped onto his feet and curled his hands around the sides of his waist. Two smile lines appeared around his lips, and his bushy eyebrows pushed the skin of his forehead into folds. "I wanted to make sure as well that it doesn't interfere with the classes, that's all."

"I wouldn't do anything to keep him from doing his job."

"I hope not, but it's understood." He lowered his hand and moved his gaze into hers. "Relationships are hard work, they require a lot of sacrifice, a lot of time and a lot of patience. If this is a real thing, if it is not just a fling, then I am in full support as long as ground rules are made and understood while you are on camp grounds."

Jason's hand squeezed hers and drew her eyes towards his face. "It's not just a fling," he said. Her heart skipped a beat and beneath her she felt the ground turn to air. "It's more than that for me. It doesn't cloud my judgement teaching my classes and it won't interfere with my work, but my feelings for her are real and she comes first. I…" He turned his head to her and his gaze softened upon connecting with hers.

His chest started to expand and his mouth curled into a smile. "I fully intend to continue our relationship." Trina felt a sudden jolt in her chest and she remembered that they only had what felt like a short time before the end of camp.

"What about after camp?" She asked. "I-I mean when we have to return home."

"We're both in California. I'd find you."

"You would look for me? If we got separated?"

"Without a doubt."

"I would hunt you down if you didn't…" Jason laughed and Trina started to lean up to kiss him, but stopped upon remembering where they were. So instead, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and turned to face Dr. Wyatt. "So it's okay that we're together? What conditions do you have?"

"It's perfectly acceptable," Dr. Wyatt replied, "And the conditions are simple. Keep your relationship within the confines of your own private areas. You can be a couple in the classroom if you like, just as long as you're not acting with too much PDA."

That was easy enough since neither of them liked PDA. They already tried to keep their relationship behind closed doors. "Okay." She put her head to Jason's shoulder and let her arm sway gently with his. "I promise not to distract him from his job either. I know he's still in charge of the camp and has a lot to do. If anything, I'll make sure he gets his work done."

Jason coughed and Trina flashed a smirk. "Well." Dr. Wyatt's grin spread out and he folded his arms across his chest. "That's good to know, at least someone else will ensure he gets his daily paperwork done on time." Trina raised an eyebrow and Jason rubbed the back of his head.

"So I procrastinate from time to time. Sue me."

"Which is odd because when you do work, you throw everything into your work and it consumes you." Dr. Wyatt pushed his hand back on the desk and leaned against the edge. Trina pushed her lower lip out a bit and looked with curiosity at the director. "Maybe you can break your boyfriend of that habit, Miss Vega?"

"I can try."

Satisfied that they had a green light from the camp's director, he let them leave. As they walked past the table where Jenny and Ross were seated, she stopped and turned to the girl. "You knew he was wearing the plastic crown, didn't you?" A sly smirk spread across Jenny's face and her eyebrows danced on her forehead.

"Does the king of the castle approve of your blossoming romance with the Prince?" Jenny rolled her head to the right, then extended her hand. "Come you two, sit down. We-I want to talk to you." Trina hesitated and looked to Jason for him to make that decision. "Please?"

Jason furrowed his brow and looked at Ross, breathing in slowly. "I don't know," he answered. His voice was deeper than usual. Trina moved her head back in surprise and raised an eyebrow. "I have little to say to you, less to him." Ross's lips parted briefly and his eyebrows meshed together.

"So you know about that…" Trina moved closer to Jason, wrapping her arm tightly around his. "I do want to speak with you, regardless. I hope you two don't mind." Trina squinted her eyes and her grip around Jason's arm grew tighter.

"I won't go off alone with you, if that's what you're asking."

"No, just a few tables away. Jenny wants to talk to Trina as well, she has some things to say." Ross stood up and made his way to a table out of earshot. Jason's jaw grew tight and he looked towards Trina. She was unsure of this conversation herself, but she did want to hear what Jenny had to say.

"This is the best time," Jenny said with a meek voice. "If you're not comfortable, we understand. It's just, we need to do this, and I think a part of you guys know it needs to be done."

Jenny stood up and walked towards Jason. Trina could feel him tensing up, but she didn't know how to make him relax. The girl breathed in deep and reached for their hands, cupping them with hers. "Let us bury this. Let us move on."

"How do you mean?"

"Ross feels a lot of guilt, and so do I." Jenny turned her head towards her boyfriend, pursing her lips and letting her eyelids fall halfway. "That guilt consumes him, a big part of why I did what I did was because I felt like he was avoiding me. I know better now, and I feel like all of us need to have this talk in order for the both of you to allow yourselves to be happy and for Ross and myself to be happy."

"Excuse me?"

"Just-trust us, okay?" Jason chuckled dryly and glanced at Trina. She started to shake her head, but stopped to glance at Ross.

The man was leaning back in his chair, his right hand tapped the table while sore eyes peered out the nearby window. While she was still angry with him, she knew because he felt remorse, he didn't deserve to suffer while she was beginning to move on. Rather, Jenny didn't deserve to be in a relationship with a man that couldn't emotionally be there because of whatever guilt was consuming him.

"Fine." She breathed out and shut her eyes. "What does he want with Jason, though? I don't want the two of them together…I don't want-"

"That's why we're a few tables away." Jenny looked at Ross, then to Jason. "Ross will not start anything, Jason. Will you be able to talk to him without anger?" Jason crinkled his nose and shrugged.

"I don't know about the anger part, but I can at least try to talk with some civility. Why does he even want to talk to me?"

"Same reason I want to talk to Trina, if you'll allow that." Trina slowly relaxed her grip on Jason's arm, but kept quiet from the uncertainty of the situation. "I promise we don't have stories to share, and I know we'll never be friends, but we don't want to leave any lingering emotions…Ross said his spill before, and Trina? You don't need to speak to him again, you know he regrets his actions just the same…and Jason?"

"What?"

Jenny moved her hand to her chest and her thin eyebrows slid together. "I'm really sorry, during our relationship, the things I did and the way I was. You didn't deserve what I put you through, especially not with how your father was, and I regret ever hurting you." Jason sighed and looked off to the side. "As for Ross? He just wants to make sure you won't do anything to screw up what you have with Trina…"

"Seriously?"

"Just talk to him. If Trina allows that. We understand if you don't."

It took her a moment, but she let go of Jason's arm with a heavy sigh. As long as she knew she could watch them, she would be okay with this. "Let's talk, then. First sign of trouble, we're done."

"That's fair."

"Good," Jason replied under his breath. "Our conditions, though. Like Trina said, first trouble and we're finished." Jenny closed her eyes and nodded, then started to smile.

"This will be good for all of us, I think. We need this, you both need this and so do we…"

What are your thoughts?