Jessica and Justin hadn’t talked much Monday or Tuesday. Wednesday morning rolled around, the day they were leaving to go camping in the Smokey Mountains. Justin had gotten up early to pack up what they were going to need, letting Jessica sleep in.

As he was sitting downstairs with his mom and step-dad, his friends all showed up. He looked at his watch, noting it was already 10:15 and his girlfriend was still in bed.

“Go get her ass up man, we got shit to do!” Billy yelled.

“No need to yell,” they all heard and turned around. Jessica was walking down the stairs in a pair of jeans, a plaid button front shirt with the bottom tied. She had her hair parted and put in low pig-tails. “Y’all like?” she asked spinning around.

“What the hell is that?” Justin asked, eye brows scrunched together.

“You wanted a country girl, now you got one.”

The guys all laughed, Justin turning around and rolling his eyes.

”Payton is a country girl, you’re just a city girl trying to act country,” Justin’s grandma said, chuckling along with the guys.

“Excuse me?” Jessica asked, spinning to glare at her.

“No, no, no. We gotta get going,” Justin said, gently shoving Jessica to the door. He didn’t want any confrontations between his family and his girlfriend.

They walked out to his car and Jessica immediately climbed in. Justin turned around, looking at his friend’s trucks, longing for one again. He missed the old rusted black truck he’d had, what he learned how to drive in.

“Have fun in that little piece of shit,” Chase said laughing, climbing in his truck.

“Yeah, yeah. It won’t be that bad.”

“We’ll see,” Chase challenged and started his truck.

Justin just laughed as he climbed in and started his car.

~~

“Uncle Justin!” Kody shouted when they pulled in to the camp ground. She ran over and was in his arms before he could even put his car keys in his pocket.

“Hey squirt,” he said and kissed her head.

Jessica opened the car door and climbed out, glaring at her boyfriend and the little girl. She knew then it was going to be a long three days.

Justin insisted on having their tent near Payton and Kody’s which didn’t set well at all with Jessica. But instead of causing a problem, she just smiled and said ok. She even helped with setting their tent up and helping with setting all of their stuff up.

Their campsite was right along a creek, the sun setting over it. Kody was playing in the shallow water, catching minnows and looking for crawdads. Payton was sitting on the rocks, watching her daughter play as the guys got the fire going for dinner.

“Hey.”

Payton turned around and saw Justin walking toward her, a huge smile on his face. He still had that smile that made her heart skip a beat.

“Hey superstar.”

He sat down next to her, watching Kody. “She sure likes the water.”

“I think she’s part fish sometimes,” Payton laughed.

“She’d love the ocean.”

Payton turned to look at him. “We won’t ever know. I’m too broke for a vacation.” She looked down, the embarrassment evident on her face.

“Aw Pay. I’ll take you guys, don’t worry about it. You guys will love it,” he told her, an arm going around her shoulders.

“You don’t have to.”

”I know, but I want to. You’re my best friend, I can do that for you and Kody.”

She smiled at him and laid her head on his shoulder. “Thanks.”

Jessica was sitting at a picnic table, watching the whole scene in front of her. When her boyfriend’s arm went around the woman, she gasped, hands balling into fists.

“Relax woman. It’s all friendly, don’t get your panties in a bunch,” Billy said sitting next to her.

She turned at him glaring, her nose slightly tilted in the air. “I know.”

“Then what’s with the fists of rage?”

“I don’t trust or like her. It has nothing to do with Justin, it’s her.”

“Aww, don’t worry about Pay. She’s harmless. They grew up together and her best friend was gone for three years. She’s happy he’s back, that’s all.”

“That better be it.”

Billy sighed and walked away, figuring out that talking to her was useless. She had it set in her mind that Payton was a threat and that’s the way it was staying. She had every right to feel that way in her mind, but according to her boyfriend and his friends, there was nothing to worry about and she was being ridiculous. If only she knew the truth…

~~

The next morning, Payton woke up and Kody was gone. She sat straight up and threw open the fabric door of the tent and jumped out. She ran toward the water, then froze. The scene in front of her took her breath away.

“Here’s another one squirt,” Justin said, putting a crawdad in a bucket as Kody giggled. They were up catching crawdads and playing in the water together, no one else up yet.

Justin glanced up, realizing Payton was standing there. He smiled and waved to her. “I heard her up and moving around, figured I’d let you get some sleep.”

She smiled. “Thanks. Next time tell me though, I about had a heart attack.”

The two of them sat there watching Kody for a good hour before the rest of the group started waking up and moving around.

“Hey girl, what’s for breakfast?” Kevin asked, sitting next to her.

“Whatever you brought to eat,” she laughed.

“That ain’t right, you’re supposed to cook for us,” he joked.

“I’ll cook for y’all when hell freezes over.”

That made Justin laugh. He had missed his friends and being home more than he’d thought.

“You’re girlfriend is over there waiting on you,” Kevin told Justin, and the smile on Justin’s face slowly faded.

“What’s she waiting on?”

“I don’t know. She’s been sitting there for the past half hour or so just glaring at you over here.”

Justin rolled his eyes, Payton and Kevin laughing. “I’ll be so glad when she leaves,” he whispered getting up.

When he was gone, Kevin looked at Payton. “That girl hates you.”

“Like I care? I don’t much care for her myself really.”

“Be nice to her Payton. I know she hasn’t given you much reason to, but please, for us? For Justin? I don’t want to see-“

“As long as she keeps away from me or her mouth shut around me, I’m not going to do or say anything to her, ok? Stop worrying. I’d love to hit her, but I won’t. Unless she gives me a reason to.”

“Pay, that’s his girlfriend. It’d just cause more tension between the two of you if you did it, whether she deserved it or not.”

Payton sighed and rolled her eyes, knowing he was right. “Fine, fine,” she whispered getting up. “Come on kiddo, let’s go get some breakfast so we can go play in the big part of the water in a little bit.”

Kody came running over and grabbed her mom’s hand. They walked back over to the picnic table where they were going to eat their breakfast. And laugh at Justin trying to please and take care of his girlfriend.

~~

After playing in the water all day, and drinking, the group made it back to their campsite as the sun was setting. Most of the guys were completely plastered, except for Justin and Bobby. Payton of course wasn’t because she had her daughter, and Jessica…well she wouldn’t touch beer.

After they ate, Payton took Kody in to lay down and the little girl fell asleep as soon as she laid down. Payton smiled and quietly made her way back out to the fire where everyone was sitting around. Payton sat in a chair between Bobby and Jessica, scooting it closer to Bobby. She was testing herself, and she wasn’t sure she’d pass that test.

They got talking about past camping trips for a few years ago, and the ones from the years Justin was gone. Jessica sat there listening, not saying a word, totally appalled at how her boyfriend had acted before.

“Oh, you guys remember the one night like five years ago when Justin scared the hell out of Payton? He had her thinking there was a bear outside of her tent. That girl screamed louder than I think she ever had in her life and about pissed in her pants,” Billy reminded them all, everyone laughing. Except Jessica.

Payton looked over at Justin around his girlfriend. “I still don’t forgive you for that, asshole,” and she laughed.

“Hey, you said paybacks are a bitch, I still haven’t seen a good one for that!”

“Oh, it’s coming, just wait,” she said, trying not to laugh.

“Bring it on then honey,” he said standing up.

The two started a wrestling match, all the guys laughing and yelling at Payton to beat him. Jessica sat there, her mouth hung open at how immature her boyfriend was being.

“You give up yet?” he asked tickling her.

“Kiss my ass,” she gasped out breathless from laughing so hard.

“Drop ‘em and bend over then princess,” he said laughing at letting her up.

She stoop up in front of him as he knelt behind her, and she unbuttoned the button on her shorts.

That’s when Jessica stood up. “Ok, enough of the immaturity, and for God’s sake, leave your clothes on.”

They both froze and looked up at her, smiles frozen on their faces. The look on Jessica’s face could kill.

“We’re just playing around hon,” Justin said, not moving.

“Yeah obviously, since Miss One of the Guys over there was ready to take her clothes off for you.”

Payton’s jaw dropped, and all of the guys, including Justin, let out moans, their shoulders dropping.

“Excuse me?” Payton asked, stepping closer to her.

“Do not take your clothes off in front of my boyfriend.”

“In case you didn’t hear, he was kissing my ass. That doesn’t mean I was taking my clothes off for him. Believe it or not, some of us girls in the world don’t want to drop our panties at the second he’s near us.”

It was Justin’s turn for his jaw to drop, surprised at what Payton said.

“Oh, go back to your trailer, raise your daughter, be one of the guys, never get married, or whatever it is you do. But you will leave my man alone.”

Payton turned around, looking at Justin, a smile on her face. He knew what was about to happen. He gave a half of a laugh, and a shoulder shrug. She faced the snotty woman in front of her, a smug smile on her face.

Before Jessica knew what happened, Payton hit her and she landed on the ground, blood trickling from her nose.

“What the hell!” she shouted at Payton.

Payton went to lunged for her, but Jessica saw her boyfriend behind Payton, holding her back, trying to drag her away.

Billy and Chase were at Jessica’s side, a wet paper towel being held against her nose. “Leave me alone!” she yelled at them, trying to stand up on her own. “I can do it myself.”

Justin drug Payton away from everyone and sat her on the ground. “Calm down woman!” he yelled at her.

“I’m gonna kill that little stuck-up bitch, I swear to God Justin!”

“No you’re not, now calm down, damn it.”

She sat there for a moment, breathing deep to calm herself down. She looked up at Justin, and instantly felt regret at what she had done. “Justin, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-“

”Payton, its fine. I kept telling her she was going to end up shown up for thinking she’s better than everyone and everything around here. I’m not mad at all if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Kevin said it’d cause more tension between us and that’s the last thing I want-“ She was cut off as he roughly pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers. She fought it for all of five seconds before giving in and kissing him back.

“You calmed down now?” he whispered, his face only inches from hers.

She shook her head yes slowly, her eyes never leaving his.

“I’ve wanted to do that for awhile now,” he whispered, and licked his lips.

She smiled, the smile he’d fallen in love with the first time he saw it. “Why?”

“That night Payton. I’ve been dreaming about it every night since I came back. I wanted to feel your lips on mine again.”

“You have a girlfriend Justin. You shouldn’t-“

“I don’t care Payton. The feelings for her aren’t what I thought they were. It’s complicated.”

“You guys doing ok?” they heard Bobby shout, walking toward them.

They quickly scooted away from each other before he came into view. “You calmed down yet girl?”

“I’m fine.”

He looked at Justin. “You better go see her, she’s flipping out. Says she wants to leave right now and she wants to go back home and get the hell out of here and you’re going with her.”

Justin sighed and got up. “Like hell I’m leaving, she can leave tonight if she’ll just stop being a bitch,” he whispered, then walked back toward his girlfriend.

Bobby looked toward Payton, a huge smile on his face. “Way to go girl!”

Payton laughed. “She had it coming.”

”Yeah, but now she wants Justin to leave with her.”

”I’ll leave. You guys need to catch up and stuff still. It’s no big deal.”

“Payton,” he whispered.

She turned around and he was glaring at her. “What?”

“Let him go if that’s what he wants. You shouldn’t have to leave because of her.”

Payton laughed. “I’m not leaving because of her. I’m leaving so he doesn’t. So she doesn’t drag him away and we never see him again.”

Bobby just glared at her, a knowing look on his face. “You don’t want him to leave for other reasons.”

Payton rolled her eyes. “Whatever Bobby. I’ve missed my best friend and don’t want him to leave because of that stupid bitch.”

“Fine, fine. I’m not going to argue with you.”

They walked back over to the fire, where the park ranger was standing, and talking to Kevin, Justin and Chase.

“What’s going on?” Payton asked walking over.

The young park ranger glanced at her quickly, then looked back at her gawking. “We got a complaint about this campsite. Since no one will say exactly who it was, we have to ask all of you to leave.”

“But we paid for one more night,” she told him, arms crossing over her chest.

“I’m sorry but we have to have you leave.”

“What if we aren’t ready?”

”Then we’ll have to call the sheriff’s department to come and either force you to leave or arrest all of you.”

Justin spoke up at that. “It’s fine, we’ll leave cooperatively. Give us some time to get everything packed up.”

“We can give you folks an hour, that’s about it.”

”Thank you,” Justin said as the ranger walked away.

The guys all turned to Payton, causing her to look down. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

“Don’t worry about it, we wouldn’t rat you out. We can just have a fishing trip in the morning,” Bobby said and they all agreed. Except Payton.

“I’m just gonna stay home for this one. You guys need your guy time, I got some stuff that needs to be done around the house anyways.”

Bobby glanced between her and Justin. He looked like he was about to cry, she looked like she was ready to hit someone else. Everyone was wishing the two of them would just sit down and talk about everything to get rid of the awkwardness.

“You sure?” Justin asked, looking at Payton.

She smiled. “Yeah. Kody might like some mommy time too since I’m supposed to be off until Monday morning.”

They all sat to packing up their belongings, Jessica sitting in the car the whole time. She refused to talk to any of them, and anytime Justin said anything she just glared at him. She’d said all she needed to and her plan was to be on the first plane back to California tomorrow morning. The two of them.

On the way back to his mom’s house, he told her of the plan to go fishing in the morning.

“No Justin! You are not leaving me for that bunch of losers again!”

“We are going fishing in the morning since we had to leave tonight. They all took off work to spend time together and since we had to leave, we’re doing it around town.”

She glared at him. “If you go tomorrow, I will not be there when you get back,” she spit out at him through clinched teeth.

He just shrugged. “If that’s how you feel I’m not going to stop you. I came home to see my friends and spend time with them. Not to bend to your every wish and command.”

She huffed at him, rolling her eyes. “I’m not kidding Justin. I will be gone when you get back if you go tomorrow! Especially if that little bitch is going too!”

Justin pulled over on the side of the highway and turned to her, the look he had on his face scaring at her. “Her name is Payton. You will not disrespect her again, do you understand me? She is my best friend and was around long before you were. You make me choose, you already know who I’m picking. Girlfriends can be replaced, best friends aren’t so easy to come by.”

She grabbed his shirt front tightly, her face inches from his. “You listen to me. I will not be made a fool. Not by her, not by you, your friends or your family. This whole thing you got going here is a joke. This isn’t life, this is a bad movie. I can’t believe you call this home, I would be ashamed.”

He yanked her arm off of his shirt and looked at her. “This is life, if you don’t like it I won’t make the mistake of bring you with me again. I’m not changing shit because you don’t like it.”

He got back on the road and sped most of the way back to the house. He didn’t want to be near her, he didn’t want to hear her or see her. Right now he was wishing he’d never met her.

When they got back to the house, she stormed off up to the bedroom as Lynn walked downstairs.

”What are you doing back already? And at 3 AM?”

He laughed. “Payton hit Jess. The park ranger made us leave because there was a complaint.”

The smile on his moms face was priceless. “Good for Payton.”

“Jess is probably leaving tomorrow, if she does don’t even bother saying anything to her. We had words and she didn’t like what I had to say. Told me if I went fishing in the morning with the guys she was leaving. So, I’m going, she’s probably leaving, the end of Justin’s problems for now.” He was smiling the whole time, not upset in the least.

His mom knew he didn’t care. She knew her son well enough to know he’d pretty much lost interest in her, he just didn’t have the heart to break up with her totally yet.

“OK honey. We won’t be here tomorrow so she’ll be here alone. Easy as pie.”

”I’m sleeping in the guest room, I don’t even want to see her or be around her. I don’t care if there’s sheets on the bed or not.”

”There’s some on there, don’t know how fresh they are though.”

”It’ll do for tonight. Good night mama.” He gave his mom a hug and kiss before walking upstairs.

He couldn’t wait for tomorrow to see if she was telling him the truth about leaving. He really couldn’t wait for her to be gone. The guilty feelings of not loving her but not telling her crossed his mind, but knew now was not the time to end it. She would run straight to the press with a bunch of bullshit lies and he really didn’t want that right now. ‘Only a few more weeks’ he thought to himself before falling asleep.