Trigger Warning: There is a descriptive sex scene in this chapter. The story may or may not continue to earn its Mature rating from this point onward.

Kissing her once more, I watched her go into her cabin before turning around. I only got a few steps into the yard when I saw Jade standing under the covered porch, arms crossed.

She'd seen us.

Chapter 3

I felt guilty for only a moment. Irritated, I tried to walk past her. She grabbed my arm and pushed me away from the door, so I was standing under the awning with her.

"Is that why you won't get back together?" She kept her voice low, but sharp. The accusatory tone irked me more than the confrontation.

"I get to decide if I want to get back together with you, Jade. I told you, I don't want that. That I happen to be seeing Petra isn't relevant."

"Sure feels relevant." She muttered, her voice raising with every word. "And who the hell is Petra? We've been here for one night. How could you possibly already be seeing someone?"

"We both went to middle school with her."

She still looked confused. Sighing, I pulled out my phone and showed Jade Petra's picture. Her expression seemed to convey recognition and mild sheepishness. "Oh. Her."

"She was one of the women you blocked. Along with two family friends, a cousin and my lab partner for my entire Freshman year."

She avoided my gaze. "Well, if you're actually interested in her, maybe I was right to block her."

Anger flared in me. I had to shut my eyes and take several breaths, before I say something I'll really regret. When I looked at her, I found her giving me that same defiant glare I remember so well. "That line tells me all I need to know. You haven't changed. Who is part of my life was never your decision to make."

"That's not what I meant..." She tried reaching for my hand. I jerked away.

"It doesn't matter, Jade." I held up both hands. "Whatever you meant, I don't want to hear it. I want to get through the rest of the week and leave you in my past for good."

She flinched like I'd hit her. Her face contorted as she warred between sadness and anger. "Why? I came back for you."

"You have to understand as well as I do...It's too late." I could see the conversation would go nowhere. Just more of this cycle. Slipping around her, I walked inside, past my eavesdropping friends and up into my room.

I went right to bed. No one attempted to get me to come out of my room, all guessing that it would be futile. Early the next morning, I got dressed and tried to sneak out, only to find Andre waiting for me. He looked somber.

I sighed. If he heard my fight with Jade, he knows she wouldn't necessarily be in a state to accept his feelings. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't know she would do this."

He shrugged. "It's not your fault."

"You don't sound like you mean that." I sat on the couch, across from the chair he occupied.

He grimaced. "I've spent the last two days trying to make a decision. I thought I'd made it, then this happened."

"I want to reassure you, Andre, I really do. But, the truth is, Jade hasn't changed. She is exactly who she used to be. I never thought she was the good choice for your feelings. Tori is. She really cares about you, Andre. Don't ruin your chances with her on something that could never be."

He looked down, clearly crushed. "I just wish it were my choice."

"I gestured to the stairs." It still can be. If you want to try, try. I'm just giving you my honest opinion. You have to decide if you want to hear it."

Andre stood up, nervous energy visibly coursing through him. "I need to take a walk."

He headed for the door. I ran after him. "Hey, wait!"

I reached into my pocket and handed him my container of bear mace. He raised a brow. "You think I'm gonna need it?"

"It's more likely than you think. Just keep it on you."

Nodding, he gave me a small smile before leaving the cabin.

I turned around as I heard someone coming down the steps. Tori yawned. "Did Andre leave?"

"Yeah, just now. He's taking a walk. Needs some alone time."

She ignored my statement and started right in. "So, last night happened. What was that all about?"

I sighed. "Jade saw me kissing Petra."

"Wait, kissing?" Looking over her shoulder, she spoke in a low tone. "Really? You and Petra?"

I nodded. "I certainly hope so."

Tori looked guilty. "I'm sorry. When I agreed to send you Jade's way, I didn't know you were already with Petra. I figured I'd help her shoot her shot."

"She shot, alright."

"Don't let this ruin the week, please." Tori put her hands together in the prayer position. "With things so dicey between everyone, I really want to spend the next few days doing damage control."

"I really do admire your optimism...As far as Jade and I are concerned, you can just leave the mess. I cannot realistically keep my ex in my life. Especially one that's so volatile."

"I wouldn't call Jade volatile...Maybe, easily irritated."

"Well, she makes me volatile." I conceded. "There are a lot of reasons keeping in touch with Petra would have been important. Having Jade decide that friendship for me did a lot of damage."

I could see how upset my response made Tori. In the end, she nodded. "I understand. I'll leave you two alone. Let's just figure out what's up with Cat and Robbie."

"Did you get the chance to talk to her some more?"

"I talked to her and Andre talked to Robbie. We're trying to get a feel for what Robbie knows without alerting him. Apparently, he had some sort of argument with Cat about something. They don't typically fight, so it threw Robbie off."

"About what?"

"Robbie wouldn't say. I'll let you know as soon as any of us know." Tori checked her phone. "The shop should be open. Help me pick up breakfast."

"I was gonna see Petra..."

"It's eight in the morning. Let the girl sleep. I don't think she's going anywhere." Tori nudged me. Grabbing the keys, she led the way out of the cabin and up the drive. We crossed the campgrounds and went into the recreation center. At the back, in its own large room, was the camp shop, just opening up. A table of fresh donuts and hot coffee waited, compliments of the camp. Anything else would cost money.

Checking things over, I picked out some snacks for the kitchen while Tori got the morning's meal. Paying, we headed back, taking our time.

"I'm sorry about disappearing last night. I didn't realize so much time had passed." I apologized.

"We were taking bets." Tori teased. "Lost in the woods or eaten by a bear."

"And what was your bet?"

"Lost." She smirked. "I saw you running back to the cabin, yesterday. I think you could outrun a bear."

"Don't run around bears." I warned her. "Stand your ground and make yourself big. Especially with black bears. Worst case, play dead."

"Climb a tree?" She asked, her voice mousy.

"Maybe." I scratched my head with my free hand. "I think bears can climb."

"Is Andre gonna be safe?" Tori looked at the trail as we passed it, clearly concerned. I smiled. If Andre could see her now, he'd see what I can. She really does care for him. He's the only one she lights up for.

"He's got the bear mace. We should get more from the shop."

"Are those donuts?" Cat and Robbie ran outside and swarmed Tori, taking the donuts and coffee tote from her hands.

"I've got hamburger, brauts, buns and chips." I held up the bags. "We'll grill for lunch, weather permitting. With last night's storm, the bonfire might not be able to be lit until things dry out."

Inside, I traded the food bags for a couple donuts and a fresh cup of coffee. Eating, I checked my phone, finding a text from Petra.

Message:

Greta has to get back to town for work, so she'll be leaving by late afternoon. I'll be spending the day with her. As soon as she leaves, you can come by. We'll have dinner and watch a movie. -Petra

I smiled at my phone. Tori raised a brow from across the table, a smile on her face. I looked around, finding Jade and Luke nowhere to be found. I kept my voice low. "Where is everybody else?"

Cat answered. "Still sleeping. I tried to go talk to Jade and she yelled at me."

I gave Cat an apologetic look. Any especially bad mood on Jade's part is my fault, technically. "Just give her some time. She'll come out and you two can spend time together"

"Are you two fighting?" Cat asked. She quickly glanced at Robbie before looking back at me.

"Kind of." I frowned, dropping to a practical whisper. As chatty as Tori and Robbie are, the latter shouldn't overhear. "What about you and Robbie? Is there something wrong?"

Cat's eyes shined with tears. She spent several seconds looking at the table, lost in thought. "...I don't trust him."

"With what?" I leaned in. This is the most direct answer any of us have gotten from her.

"With me..." She continued. "...with everything."

"After this, we should go back to the recreation center." Robbie suggested, cutting off any further chance of Cat opening up. "I still wanna check out that sauna."

"Definitely." Cat grinned at Robbie. I had to take a moment to marvel at her ability to put on a convincing act. I don't think she could have done so in high school.

"I'm game if everyone else is." Luke rounded the corner, overhearing. He grabbed a donut.

"Jade not up?" Tori asked.

"Nah, this is too early for her. She'll probably roll out of bed around noon."

I examined Luke, trying to get a feel for him as a person. He's a lot more relaxed and sociable than Jade. He doesn't have any qualms doing things without her, giving more weight to Jade's assurance that he's aware his role is to act as something to make me jealous. I'm pretty sure I saw him flirting with a girl at the recreation center, yesterday. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they're just friends and have always been.

"Okay, let's get ready." Robbie hopped up. Taking Cat's hand, he dragged her towards the stairs. Anyone could tell she wasn't comfortable.

I instinctively grabbed her other hand. "Hey, you go ahead. I was meaning to talk to Cat about your birthday. It's next month, right?"

Robbie grinned. "Yupp. I'll be twenty-three."

Cat gave me a grateful look as Robbie left. I stood by her for the whole time Robbie was getting ready. When he returned, Cat quickly ran up and locked herself in the room. I leaned in to Tori. "You did offer her a chance to bunk with you, right?"

"I did. She turned me down. They've been sharing a room this whole time."

"Tell her you miss spending time with her. Phrase it like a request. She'll probably jump at the chance." I suggested.

"I'll try."

Andre returned from his walk, looking much better. He gave me a silent hug before going to change into his trunks. When we all were ready, we headed for the campgrounds. On the way, I texted Petra.

Message:

I'll see you soon. What movie should we watch? -Beck

Message:

Friday the 13th? ;)

I laughed, catching Tori's attention. She nudged me. "That Petra?"

Andre raised a brow. "So, Jade was right?"

Tori linked arms with Andre, filling him in on everything I've told her about Petra. Something about this news seems to relieve Andre. Maybe, because it guarantees I won't change my mind about Jade.

"Why not invite her?" Andre asked.

"She's spending the day with her friend, Greta. I'll see her tonight."

Tori's eyes widened in mild surprise, her lips twitching. "Tonight? As in.."

"As in dinner and a movie." I smirked.

"That's so cute." Tori teased. "Bring her by, tomorrow. Oh, wait...Jade."

I checked Andre's expression at the mention of Jade. It seemed to have no affect while Tori's on his arm.

"We could do a double date." Andre suggested. "Beck with Petra and you with...me."

Tori seemed authentically surprised. It quickly switched to clear elation. "That sounds great. The four of us can finally take a walk. Really explore the area."

"I'll see if Petra's up for it." I smiled. Andre finally made a move. Hopefully, Tori registers it as an actual date.

"But, what about bears?"

"Bear mace. We picked some more from the shop." I reminded her.

At the recreation center, we signed up for a time slot in the sauna and swam in the pool for the wait. Tori spent the whole time sticking to Andre. In the sauna, Luke got more chatty with me.

"So, Jade's a little sullen. Nothing too bad."

"She really dragged you along as a prop?" I had to ask.

Luke laughed. "Yeah, she did. So, I'm on the market. Any of your other friends available?"

I pointed at Cat and Tori. "Dating and seeing someone. Sorry."

"Ah bummer...Don't get me wrong about Jade. She's hot. I just don't vibe with her on a romantic level."

"How'd you meet her?"

"We work on the show together." He said, referring to the late night occult show Jade co-hosts. I tried to remember any episodes I saw of it. "She's on camera, I'm the one operating it."

"Ah...Hey, either way, you're welcome here." I assured him. Luke does seem to have that fun-loving component our friend group needs. Someone to keep everyone in high spirits, even when drama seems to always be a factor.

Tori pulled Luke into a conversation after that. For the rest of the morning, we stayed around the recreation center. Afterward, we went back and grilled. Jade eventually came out of here room, quiet. No one pressed her to talk, giving her the chance to just exist in the same room.

After I ate, I showered and headed for the door. I found Jade sitting on the porch. She looked up at me, tired. "You going to see her?"

I tried to think of any way to respond to that. Giving up on avoiding irritating her, I just answered honestly. "Yes."

She nodded. She stood up slowly, entering the cabin. I waited a moment, shocked by the lack of proper response. Maybe, it wasn't fair to say Jade hasn't changed. Five years ago, she wouldn't have hesitated to be confrontational.

The sound of voices through the trees pulled me from my thoughts. Walking over, I found Petra helping Greta load her suitcase in the trunk of a little brown hatchback. Greta offered me a kind enough smile. Petra walked past her and kissed me.

"Hey." She grinned.

"You look beautiful." I stepped back, admiring her choice of dress—green and black striped, with black tights and converses. The mossy green accents complimented her hair and eyes.

"Thanks." She blushed.

"You two have fun." Greta smirked. "Oh, hey...Petra, I think I might've left something in my room. Will you go get it?"

"Sure." Petra ran back inside.

Looking through the door, Greta approached me, her tone low. "I get the feeling you're a good guy. Look out for her. She shouldn't be around her ex."

I frowned. What's that supposed to mean? "Does she still have feelings for him?"

"God, no." Greta reassured me. "Just...Jason isn't a good person. He's fooled a lot of people. If you see him, get her away from him."

My relief was momentary. Something about her words had me worried for a different reason. "Okay..."

Petra hurried outside, handing Greta her phone charger. "You'll want this."

"Make sure to text me everyday." Greta hugged her. "Don't leave me convinced you've been eaten by a bear. And don't walk alone in the woods."

"Actually, if you're up for it, a couple of my friends want to meet you, Petra. Tori and Andre. We could go on a hiking date. See the sights in a group. We're armed with bear mace."

Greta smiled, relieved. "That's a great idea. Have fun. Stay safe."

"Drive safe." Petra saw Greta to her car door. Getting in, the latter backed up, turned and drove off. We waited a moment, until we could no longer hear the engine. Looking at each other, we smiled. "So...dinner?"

"A bit early." I checked the time on my phone.

"Yeah, I just ate. I figured Greta would take longer to leave. The sun should set in an hour. We can watch the movie, then."

I smirked. "So, we really are watching Friday the 13th."

"Actually, no. I was thinking we could watch one of my favorites." She took my hand and led me inside. She handed me a movie she left sitting on the coffee table. "Perfume: Story of a Murderer."

"Never seen it. But, if you like it, I'm sure it's good."

"Alright, get comfortable. We'll forget dinner and I'll make snacks." She ran into the kitchen.

I watched her flit about the kitchen for a bit before doing as she said. I read the movie description on the case. "Sounds like a slasher film."

"Not really." She answered from the kitchen. "It's dark and mysterious. Very beautiful, yet deadly."

"Gothic romance, you mean? Like Legend of Sleepy Hollow?"

"A little bit. The romance aspect isn't really as much of a plot point. Though, in the mind of the main character, his actions are fueled by something he believes to be love, but is closer to total obsession. Now, no more questions. I don't want to spoil the movie for you."

"Fine, fine...Just one more. Where does the perfume come in?"

She peaked out of the kitchen and pointed at me. "No questions."

She spent another fifteen minutes working. When she came into the living area, she presented a tray of popcorn, coke bottles, some bagged candy from the camp store and a plate of jalapeno poppers.

"Want me to put in the movie?" I offered.

"Sure." She got up, too, shutting the curtains, blocking out the setting sun, until the only light came from a tiny window above the front door. I put in the movie and returned to the couch before her. When she came to sit, I pulled her next to me, wrapping an arm around her.

"This okay?" I asked her, my other hand, brushing her hair out of her face.

She nodded, biting her lip. "Yes."

We kept each other's gaze a little too long. Turning towards the TV, she grabbed the remote and pressed play. For the next couple hours, we put our focus into the film.

I ended up enjoying it a lot. Every now and then, she'd lean over and give me a little detail about the work that went into a scene. I'm not sure if that kind of thing interests her or if she's guessed it interests me.

By the end of it, both of us were adjusting the way we were sitting.

"That was..." I started, trying to break the tension.

"I'm sorry." She blushed. "I forget how erotic the film can be to first time watchers."

She turned in my arms, her eyes on mine.

"It was a good movie." I shrugged, trying to be casual about it.

She smiled awkwardly. "I'm glad you like it. I watch it regularly."

"I should show you the script I wrote for a horror film. I set it in the nineteenth century. It was my first attempt at historical fiction."

"I'd love to read it."

Her eyes kept lowering, before returning to mine. Hooking a finger under her chin, I kissed her. Breaking away, I stared at her face, eyes closed, lips parted.

"Beautiful." I whispered it.

She opened her eyes partway and licked her lips. Leaning up, she kissed me again, throwing her arms around my neck. I instinctively grabbed her waist, pulling her even closer to me. I slipped my tongue into her mouth, the kiss getting heavier. Only this time, there's no one to interrupt it.

She made a noise that almost sounded like a moan. Encouraged, I pulled her up into my lap. I gently squeezed her waist with one hand, the other coming up to hold her face. Some little bit of reason was trying to speak up, reminding me to tone it down.

With great reluctance, I broke the kiss. I examined her face. She looked confused. "Didn't you want to..?"

"I do." I assured her. "I don't want to rush you, Petra. That's what ruined your last relationship. Let's take our time, if it's what you need."

She stared back at me, her confusion giving way to something else. She leaned in and resumed the kiss with renewed fervor, her hands coming to the buttons of my shirt. Taking the hint, I pulled her further on to my lap, so she was straddling me. She made quick work of my shirt, pulling it open and down my arms. I lowered my hands, gripping her hips.

I located the hem of her dress, lifting it slowly, giving her time to change her mind. She helped me with it, tossing it aside with my shirt. I leaned back to admire her. She reached back and unhooked her bra, pulled it off. She nervously reached for my hand, bringing it to cup her breast.

"I want you." She assured me. "Don't hold back."

I pulled her back in, kissing her intensely. I laid her down on the couch, hovering over her, my mouth trailing down her neck. I took one of her nipples in my mouth, bringing my hand to the other. She moaned, eyes closed. I pulled her underwear off. Parting her thighs, I put my face between her legs, licking up her slit.

She threw her head back, fingers buried in my hair. She muttered obscenities under her breath as I focused my tongue on her clit. I brought my fingers to her opening, my eyes on her blissful face. She looked down at me, nodding in approval. Licking her clit again, I pushed a finger slowly inside her.

The cabin filled with the sounds of her moans as I focused on her pleasure. Adding a second finger, I sucked at the skin around her clit. Her body tightened as she came onto my hand. She shook, breathing heavily. I pulled my fingers out, not taking my eyes off her face for a second.

She opened her eyes, smirking. She leaned up and pulled me back on top of her, working to remove my jeans, taking my boxers with them. I settled myself between her legs.

"You're so beautiful." I kissed her. She licked my lips, tasting herself on me.

"Please, don't stop." She whispered. She reached up, opening the drawer of the side table above us. She pulled out a condom and handed it to me.

I smirked as I put it on. I leaned in, reaching between us, positioning myself. Rubbing the head along her, I slowly pushed in, stopping halfway. I gasped. "Are you okay?"

She wrapped her legs around my hips, pulling me inside her, up to the hilt. I let out a groan. "God, Petra..."

She kissed me again, shaking. Adjusting how she was laying, she nodded. "M-move."

I swallowed heavily. Pulling out halfway, I pushed back in. I found a steady pace, focusing on time, rather than speed or force. She moaned louder, her insides tightening around me. Within a few minutes, neither of us could resist picking up the pace. I moaned in her ear.

"I'm close." I shuddered.

She reached between us and rubbed her clit, quickly bringing herself to her second orgasm more easily than she reached her first. The feeling of her tightening around me had me cumming, too. We rode the waves of our orgasms together, latched on, me still moving slightly, little noises escaping her lips. Coming to a stop, I nearly fell on top of her. I adjusted, pulling us to our sides. I slipped out of her.

She kissed me softly. "I loved that. You're better than you think you are."

"I wasn't trying to hesitate so much." I stroked her hair. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"Trust me, you didn't." She smiled, closing her eyes. "I think...I don't know. Maybe, I needed this more than I thought. Not just the sex...The intimacy."

"I think I did, too." I shut my eyes, trying to assess my own emotions. I've had girls in bed, before. That's not a factor. It's... "A connection."

I opened my eyes, finding her looking at me. She smiled. "Exactly."

I brushed her hair back. Her eyes, barely visible by the dim light of the TV, told me more about myself than I've ever known.

"I want you, Petra."

"Again?" She smirked.

I grinned. "I mean...I want you in my life. I want to be with you. Not just for a short time. I want us."

Her smile settled into something smaller. "That sounds like a lot of commitment."

"Only as much as you're willing to accept from me." I reminded her. "Your pace, remember?"

She nodded. "I'm good with this pace."

"I would hope so." I kissed her deeply. She giggled against my mouth.

"So..." She smiled. "...dinner or—?"

I kissed her.