We Say Summer

Alex stared out the window, he watched as the roads passed him by. It was a long journey, but their manager insisted they took the tour bus rather than flying or even driving themselves. Alex stood up, stretching and shaking his brown hair, the strands flying around. Jack popped his head through from the bedrooms, looking to see if the coast was clear.

"Is Merrick going around?" He asked, eying suspiciously around him. Alex laughed lightly and shook his head.

"I haven't seen him pass this way-"

"GOT YOU!" Zack screamed, jumping out from under chair and squirting Jack in the face. Jack screamed like a girl and threw his hands up to his face, covering it and running away before Zack could soak him anymore.

"You are terrible," Alex laughed and Zack grinned at him.

"He deserves it though!" Zack shouted and ran through to the bunks, waiting for Jack to plan his next plan.

Alex sighed at his friends, taken back at how normal they were being. Didn't they realise they were going back to Cape Coral? The place which changed their lives? As the thought ran through Alex's head, he shook it. It never changed their lives, just made them better performers. But to Alex, it was more. So much more.

The bus came to a stop, it obviously stopping to fill up. Just as the brakes were applied, Jack came out of the sleeping area, screaming like a mad man. He waved his lanky arms in the air and rushed past Alex, screaming something about ice cream.

"Are you okay?" Matt Flyzik asked, appearing from the front of the bus. Alex looked up at him, his brown eyes meeting the darker shade of brown of Matt's. He was tall, and had short dark hair. His ears were stretched to an unbelievable size and the silver lip piercing at the side of his mouth always caught the light and blinded everyone.

Alex nodded his head, and tried to force a smile. Everybody knew about Alex's summer romance. "Yeah, I'm just fine," he sighed and Matt shook his head.

"Nobody likes a depressed Alex," he started and Alex shrugged his shoulders.

"We shouldn't have done this-"

"But everyone loved it last summer, and it was good for the kids around the world that came to the camp just to see you."

Alex nodded his head, a warm feeling jumping into his stomach. Matt was right, kids had come from all around the world and yes, they were there to help them. It was a wonderful feeling, why hadn't he realised that was what he was there to do this time round?

"I'm just scared in case she's there," Alex said, and Matt placed a hand on his shoulder, looking at him.

"Everything will be fine."

___________________

The tour bus turned off onto the small track that lead to the camp. Alex's stomach turned, jumping and rolling around causing him to feel sick. He didn't want to be here, he just wanted to go back to last summer and pretend they could have just gotten along and continued to see each other. But that wasn't going to happen.

He let himself get lost in the familiar feeling of driving up past the trees, their leaves had turned a fantastic bright green and were much taller now. The tips of the trees and branches reached out over the road and touched, getting lost in each other.

Jack appeared beside Alex, looking out of the window with him. He smiled at his band mate and Alex half-smiled back, scared in case Jack mentioned her. But he didn't. He seemed to understand what Alex was going through, and this time, he wasn't going to make any jokes.

"It's still beautiful!" Jack said merrily, his face lighting up when he saw the waterfall. And that's when Alex mentally kick himself. That waterfall, the source of everything good that had happened during the previous summer. How could he have forgotten about it?

The bus drove a bit further on, James had appeared. His hair still short and his skin still a light tan colour waved them in, showing them where to park. He was smiling, a big, bright welcoming smile that showed them they were always welcome here.

The bus came to a stop, and Alex prepared himself, ready to greet James. The kids weren't here yet, but that didn't stop Alex from feeling out of place. He needed to get familiar with this place again, get ready to make new memories. The bus door opened, and Jack went screaming past Alex again, Zack hot on his tail, ready to attack him once they were on ground. Rian laughed and ran after them, Alex seemed to be the only one that wasn't excited.

He stepped off the bus a while after them, the band members running around exploring the place already. James smiled at him, his face was soft and warm, just like it had been the first day.

"Hello Alex, you're looking well," he said and Alex smiled lightly at him. He knew James was speaking rubbish, but he was a motivator, and this was what he did.

"Thanks. Hello to you too. How've you been?" He asked, but before James could answer, Alex's face fell and he saw who he wasn't prepared for.

He could never prepare for the day he saw Danielle Jacobson again.