Too Perfect

 

Chapter 4:  Never Forget

 

We had been walking for about half an hour when Brian finally set me down after we had reached the distance he considered safe from the lodge.  He was such a goof, but I loved every minute of it.  We walked hand in hand, not saying much, just enjoying each others company.  Anita and A.J. were a bit farther ahead.
  

“I love you,” Brian said softly and suddenly.
   

I stopped a little surprised.  I mean he had told me countless times before, but there was something about the way he said it this time.
   

“What?” I asked.
   

“I love you,” he repeated looking into my eyes.
   

His normally bright blue eyes seemed dulled by fear and sadness.  He took my hands in his.
   

“Elyssa, I just want you to know how much a care about you. You mean so much to me.  I love you so much, never ever forget that,” he gently stroked my cheek and gingerly pulled a piece of stray hair away from my eyes. “I know it sounds corny but you are one of the best things that has ever happened to me.” His eyes seemed to glaze over.
   

“Bri, what’s wrong?” I asked a little bit concerned.
   

“I don’t know.  I just have this feeling that something really terrible is going to happen and I just wanted to make sure you knew how deeply I feel for you.”
   

“Don’t worry,” I assured him as I pulled him into a tight hug.  “I know and I love you too.” I said gently into his ear.  “I’m sure nothing is going to happen.”
   

“I hope you’re right.” he said giving me a faint smile.
   

“Yo guys, hurry up,” A.J. called from ahead.
   

So Brian and I continued our trek to the General Store.  We eventually got there and picked up what we needed. So we started to head back towards the lodge.  Brian and I were fairly quiet.  His talk of bad things happening had instilled a sense of foreboding into me.  After awhile I relaxed, I mean what could possibly happen?  Besides the fact that the clouds looked as though they were about to rain on us at any minute.
   

“Oh God, I’ll never forget the time your pants fell down at the MTV awards during the middle of your acceptance speech,” Anita said to A.J. giggling.
   

A.J. grimaced.  We were reminiscing about embarrassing moments.
   

“In front of millions of viewers worldwide and thousands of musical superstars.  I don’t think I’ll be forgetting it any time soon either.  I can’t believe people like Janet, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion saw my underwear.  I can still see *NSYNC rolling on the floor laughing and pointing.”
   

“They got to see your wonderful Backstreet Boxers.  Complete with pictures and signatures!” I said.
   

“Yeah, the next day they were on MTV accusing us of making some twisted publicity stunt.  I don’t know how they thought that we thought we would gain something out of that.  All I gained was ridicule, media and otherwise, for weeks.”
   

“I don’t think there is one Backstreet fan site that doesn’t have a picture of that,” I was about to remind A.J. of the time his pants fell down on the PPV concert.
   

That guy just couldn’t seem to keep his pants up, but Brian interrupted me.
   

“Do you guys hear that?” he asked.
   

We stopped and listened.
   

“I don’t hear nothing,” A.J. said.
   

Anita nodded in agreement.  I was about to tell Brian he was being paranoid when I did hear something.  Something that sounded like yelling, an argument perhaps.
   

“I do,” I nodded.
   

It wouldn’t have been strange except for the fact that there were no cabins for quite a distance.  It was a very odd place for someone to pick a fight, unless of course you didn’t want to be heard.  At that thought my whole body froze up.  Could Brian be right, did trouble lay ahead?
   

"No," I assured myself.  "I’m just overreacting."
   

Everyone else simply shrugged and we continued on.  We had been crossing a clearing in the woods and were approaching the forested area once again.  The voices became louder.  I tightened my grip on Brian’s hand.  I hoped to God that Brian’s feeling had been wrong.

 

***

 

 

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