Chapter 39

The pathway leading back to the cabins was barely visible, with no lights lining the trail, there was only darkness. Luckily, we came prepared.

"Alright, flashlights on," Will said, clicking his on and waving the beam across the trail dramatically, as if he were in a horror movie.

Gabi rolled her eyes, flicking hers on. "Great. The last thing I need is you trying to scare me while we're walking in the middle of nowhere."

"Me? Scare you?" Will placed a hand over his chest mockingly. "I would never."

Macklin and I had our own flashlight, walking a little behind them as I shined it ahead to make sure I wouldn't trip over anything. The air was cool, the scent of pine heavy, and every so often, I could hear the distant hoot of an owl.

"Lex," Macklin said suddenly, his voice low and serious. "Look."

I slowly turn to face him, but before I could ask what he was doing—

"Boo."

I spun around, and Macklin was holding the flashlight directly under his chin, casting eerie shadows over his face. The way the light distorted his features made him look creepy, and for a split second, I actually surprisingly let out a startled gasp, stepping back in shock.

Macklin burst out laughing, doubling over as he clutched his stomach. "Oh my God, Lex. I didn't think you'd actually fall for that."

I exhaled sharply, placing a hand over my chest. "Macklin! That was not funny."

He smirked. "You literally jumped five feet in the air. That was the best part."

I crossed my arms, trying to glare at him, but the smile tugging at my lips betrayed me. I shoved him lightly. "Come on, let's hurry before Will and Gabi ditch us."

—

By the time we reached the campsite, Will was already getting the bonfire going. The scent of burning wood filled the space, mixing with the fresh pine.

Macklin and I immediately got to work on dinner. Hotdogs on the grill, canned chili warming up in a pot, and a bag of chips already sitting open on the foldable camping table.

"Man, camping food always hits different," Macklin said as he flipped a hotdog with the tongs.

"Because we're starving," Gabi pointed out, setting out the paper plates. "Everything tastes better when you've been outside all day."

Will had been finishing up his plate when, without warning, he stood up abruptly. "Be right back," he announced before disappearing into the cabin.

We all exchanged glances but didn't question it, continuing to eat around the fire but just a few seconds later, Will reappeared, holding a familiar package in his hands.

"Alright, let's get this party started."

He tore open the pack of glow sticks, shaking them in the air dramatically before cracking them to life. The neon lights glowed in bright blues, greens, and purples.

Gabi chuckled, snapping hers to life before looping a few around her wrists and one around her neck. "Honestly, not gonna lie... this is kinda fun."

Macklin cracked his glow sticks next, grinning as he placed one around my wrist and another around my neck. "There. Now if you wander off, at least we won't lose you."

I rolled my eyes. "Wow. Thanks for the concern."

We all finished accessorizing ourselves in neon before Will pulled out his JBL speaker, turning it on before blasting music.

"Alright, who's up for a game?" he called out.

I raised an eyebrow. "What kind of game?"

"Heads Up," Gabi said, holding up the box. "We got it from Target, remember?"

Macklin smirked. "Let's do it. I'll dominate."

"Sure, we'll see about that Celebrini" Gabi says, challenging him.

We all settled in, the glow of the bonfire flickering against our faces as we leaned in for the game. The first round started, and immediately, chaos ensued.

"Okay, it's an animal," Gabi said, looking at Will, who had the card against his forehead.

Will squinted. "Uh... a dog?"

"No, something else!"

"A bear?"

"Smaller. It's fluffy—"

"A bunny?"

Macklin groaned. "Come on, dude."

I laughed, clutching my stomach as Will continued to spiral. "A— A raccoon? A hamster?"

"It's a freaking cat, Will!" Gabi shouted.

Will threw his hands up as we all burst out laughing. "Damn it! I was close!"

Macklin nudged me. "Alright, your turn, Lex."

I held the phone to my forehead, and the second the timer started, Macklin leaned in.

"Okay, it's a movie. Super famous. Old but still iconic."

I furrowed my brows, tilting my head. "The Wizard of Oz?"

Macklin let out a dramatic groan. "No. Think... romance, tragedy, and an insanely famous scene."

Will grinned. "Yeah, and it has one of the most quoted lines in film history."

Gabi exclaimed "think about French girls!"

I blinked. "What? That doesn't help me at all."

Macklin sighed, grabbing my shoulders playfully. "Come on, Lex. You have to know this one."

I narrowed my eyes, racking my brain. "Gone with the Wind?"

Will scoffed. "Not even close."

Gabi leaned forward, wiggling her eyebrows. "It's about a love story on a trip... but things go horribly wrong."

"The impossible!"

Macklin buried his face in his hands while Will shook his head. "Lex. Think."

Gabi gave me another clue. "There's a huge ship. A very dramatic ending and like, a ridiculous amount of people crying when it came out."

I snapped my fingers. "Titanic!"

Macklin threw his hands up. "Yes! Finally!"

I grinned. "I don't know why that took me so long."

Will laughed. "Yeah, I don't know either. I was about to lose faith in you."

We kept playing, teasing each other, laughing too hard at dumb guesses, and letting the night stretch on in easy, comfortable chaos.

———

As night fell, I exchanged a quiet goodbye with Will and Gabby, who headed toward their cabin under the dim glow of lanterns scattered around the area.

"Goodnight, guys," Macklin called out, giving a wave.

"Goodnight!" Gabby returned with a grin, her arm linked with Will's as they walked hand in hand toward the cabin just a short distance away.

The crisp air wrapped around us, carrying the fresh scent of pine and the lingering smokiness from the fire. It was peaceful in a way I hadn't expected.

As we approached our cabin, the soft rustling of trees and nearby crickets were the only sounds breaking the peace.

"I think it's just what we needed," Macklin said, his tone softer now. We reached the door, and he pulled it open, stepping aside so I could go in first.

Macklin closed the door behind us, and suddenly, the space felt more intimate. He walked over to the small light fixture by the wall, dimming it so the room was in a warm, golden glow.

"I'll go shower first?" he said, nodding toward the bathroom.

I smiled, already feeling the exhaustion in my limbs. "Sounds good. I'll be quick after you."

As he disappeared into the bathroom, I let out a quiet breath, glancing around the cabin.

After Macklin finished his shower, I slipped into the bathroom, letting the warm water soothe my tired muscles. The steam filled the small space, fogging up the mirror as I let my mind drift. The trip had been perfect so far.

When I emerged, feeling refreshed in a matching satin pair of shorts and a tank top, Macklin was already lying on the bed, propped against the headboard with his phone in hand. He looked up when he heard the bathroom door open, his lips quirking into a smile.

"That was fast," he noted, his voice softer in the quiet cabin.

"I tried to hurry up so we can lay together," I teased, climbing into bed beside him.

Macklin shifted, making room before immediately pulling me close. I sighed, relaxing into his warmth as I rested my head on his chest.

The silence between us was comfortable, the steady sound of his breathing immediately calms my nerves.

"I'm really glad we're doing this," I murmured. "This whole trip. It's been perfect."

Macklin's arm tightened around my waist, and he let out a content sigh. "Yeah," he agreed. "I've been thinking the same thing. It's a nice break. We've been running around so much lately, it feels good to just take a step back."

We lay there for a while, the peace of the moment wrapping around us like a blanket. The world outside felt far away, like it didn't exist outside the walls of this cabin.

Eventually, Macklin shifted slightly, his hand resting on my waist as he tilted his head to look at me. "You know," he said, his voice lower now, almost playful, "it's kind of nice, having this cabin all to ourselves, right in the middle of nowhere. No one around, no distractions."

My heart skipped a beat, warmth creeping up my neck at the implication behind his words. I looked up at him, eyes wide, pretending. "Macklin, are you trying to kill me?"

He chuckled, his thumb tracing small circles on my waist. His expression softened, his voice dipping into something more serious. "No. I'm just saying that for once, we can just relax, you know? Just you and me, no other priorities that are putting pressure on us."

Something about the sincerity in his voice made my breath catch. The space between us felt suddenly smaller, the warmth of his body pressing against mine in a way that sent my heart racing.

"I'm happy to be with you," he added softly.

I swallowed, my heart pounding. "I'm happy to be with you, too," I whispered, my fingers grazing his chest.

Warning: the following scene is mature but does not reach the level of smut.

Without thinking, I pulled him in for a kiss. His lips met mine softly at first, warm and gentle. The kiss deepened, making it slow and passionate, like we were memorizing every second of it.

He flipped us over so that he was completely on top of me. As our bodies shifted closer, the heat between us built. My hands wandered, my fingers threading through his damp hair as his arms tightened around me. Our breaths mixed as it felt like there was nothing else going on in the world. In this moment, it was just us.

Macklin pulled away just enough to search my face, his voice barely a whisper. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Macklin, I-I've never done this before"

"We don't have to do it if you're not ready" he slightly pulls away as concern lines his face and his eyebrows furrow together.

I swallowed, my pulse quickening. "I want to," I breathed. "I'm sure, I trust you."

"I'll be gentle, you can always tell me to stop" he murmured sincerely, capturing my lips again, this time with more passion.

-=+=-

Boombayah

Do I mark this fanfic as mature?

A/N sorry idk how to write smut well and since Macklin is still young I wasn't sure if it was right to do so.

Maybe when I finish this fanfic and if a lot of people want me to include it, I can do a special separate chapter *and when Macklin is a lil older*