Chapter 16

As Simon drove further away from the lively parts of California, Kimberly couldn t help but feel nervous; this was her first time going on such an adventurous trip, so she couldn t help but worry because she had no idea what to expect. "Hey, are you okay?" Ian quietly asked, giving her hand a light squeeze. "yeah." She replied, forcing a smile. The silence was short-lived by noises coming from the back. Leo and his girlfriend Amber were having a heated make out session at the back of the van, not caring about the rest. "Guys, keep it down. Will you?" Simon said with a chuckle in an attempt to stop the couple, but he was completely ignored. This brought a smile to Kimberly s face, she admired how open and carefree these friends were around each other, as the others went on with their business like something awkward wasn t going on at the back. Who was she to judge? She thought to herself when few hours ago, she was guilty of the same thing. She took her mind of the current situation and tried to bring up a conversation. "How long have you two been together?" she asked Simon, who she noticed was stealing glances at her from the rear view mirror. She knew he was only checking to see if she was okay because he was aware of her phobia of the woods, thanks to Ian who couldn t keep his mouth shut. "Seven years. Dated for two years and have been married for five years." Britney, Simon s wife replied with a bright smile. Kimberly could tell by her smile that she was ecstatic being married to the love of her life. Simon kissed Britney s knuckle, making her blush red. "Wow!" Kimberly mouthed, wondering if her and her fiancé would last that long. What if he gets tired of her? Stop, Kimberly. Stop. "Got kids?" Kimberly asked, distracting herself from the negative thoughts she was beginning to have. "Not yet, but we re planning towards it." Simon replied with a genuine smile, one that shows he couldn t wait to be a dad. "You guys are cute." She complimented, internally hoping that her and Ian would last for a life time. "Thanks, Kim." Britney cheerfully replied, earning a polite smile from Kimberly. "We look even better together." Ian mischievously whispered in her ear before tickling her, making her burst out in giggles. "I heard you." Simon said, trying to sound serious but failed miserably, as one could tell he was smiling. "What about them?" Kimberly asked, pointing at the couple behind, after recovering from her fit of giggles. "Leo and Amber met last year." Ian replied. "I see… No wonder they can t take their hands off each other." She commented, stealing a glance at the couple who were still swallowing each other s lips. How can they even make out for this long without taking a break? Kimberly wondered, when suddenly she heard Ian and Simon burst out in laughter. "Oh my God! Did I say that out loud?" she asked. Ian nodded, making her feel slightly embarrassed. "Okay, I need to shut up now." She remarked, resting her head on Ian s shoulder and closed her eyes for a quick nap. Hours later, they arrived at a small cabin in the woods. Ian and his friends rented the cabin for a whole week. Kimberly got out of the van to look at her surrounding. She felt goosebumps all over her body the moment her sneakers touched the ground. She wasn t even on her bare feet, yet she felt this way. The place was eerily quiet, she couldn t help but feel nervous. "Boo!" Leo roared in her ear, causing Kimberly to scream out in fear. He burst out in laughter from her reaction. "Quit that, Leo." Ian says, angrily shoving Leo "I was only kidding, man. Can t you take a joke?" Leo countered. "Go mess with someone else." "Hey, hey guys. That s enough." Simon interfered, standing between them. "It s okay." Kimberly assured Ian as she held his hand to prevent him from getting into a fight with his best friend. "You sure, you re okay?" he asked in a whisper, as he cupped her face in his hands. She nodded and Ian placed a kiss on her forehead. "Go inside." He said. Kimberly did as she was told. "Don t you ever pull such stunt again." Ian warned Leo, the moment Kimberly walked into the cabin and shut the door behind her, leaving the three men outside. "I m sorry, okay? I didn t think she d take it seriously." Leo explained, trying to defend his action. Ian glared at his friend one last time before getting their bags out of the trunk and going into the cabin.