First Impressions

"Sleeping bags! You made me forget sleeping bags!" I smack Brad in the head. It wasn't that hard, but I got my point straight across.

"Autum, it's not that bad." Shale says, tying her hair back for bed.

The day actually went by fairly quickly. Brad and Trev tried to go fishing, but didn't catch anything, so we all munched away on the snacks that I brought. I've never used so much self restraint during a course of food ever in my life.

"Yes it is! Do you honestly think that you and I can fit in that little thing?" I point, gesturing towards her tiny sleeping bag. She just sighed and rolled her eyes. "I am going to freeze to death."

My conclusion was verified when a gust of wind blew past us. I stalk into the tent, putting on all of my long sleeved shirts, jeans and shorts, and socks to insure that I might be able to produce a little bit of body heat. With all of that on, I lye down on the hard ground while the guys go to their tent and Shale comes in with her pjs on.

I curl up into a ball and allow my eyes to close. After a couple minutes of silence, I hear the pounding of feet and hear our tent entrance being unzipped. I open my eyes to see Brad glaring at Trev, both of them having their sleeping bags draped over their shoulders.

"What happened?" Shale asks, sitting up.

"Trev forgot about this cheese that he left in the tent on our last trip. It smells horrible." Brad says, wrinkling his nose. I let out a snort of laughter.

"I'm sorry. I thought Fiddles got it." Trev replies, referring to his pet mouse. Another snort.

"Shut up, Autum. We're sleeping with you guys." Brad says, choosing a spot between Shale and me, and then Trev lies beside Brad and Shale. I struggle to get comfortable, being squished by Brad and the wall of the tent.

"Do you want to get inside?" Brad asks monotony, lifting up an opening to his sleeping bag. I shed off a couple layers of pants, socks, and shirts before climbing inside with him, finding it already warmed up. But I'm still squished.

"Okay! This is not going to work!" Shale yells, sitting up. She eyes the position with Brad before suggesting an idea. "Alright, only two of us can stay in this tent. And since Brad and Autum are already cozy with each other, its rock, paper, scissors for the tent. Brad and Autum against Me and Trev."

"What?!" I screech, trying to sit up but only end up flopping back down. Trev agrees, which puts Brad and me in a predicament.

"Fine." I mutter, even though I didn't have a problem with it. Brad and I are friends, but of opposite genders. I think it's just the fact that I have no problem with him anymore and that I know he probably won't try anything. There's an aurora about him that makes me feel comfortable around him, and I like it.

Trev and I rock, paper, scissors for the tent.

"Yes! Finally!" Trev celebrates triumphantly over his victory. I grumble under my breath and get out of the warm sleeping bag with Brad, stalking out of the tent.

"I'm going to hurt. I'm going to hurt him so hurtfully like he's never been hurt before!" I rant. Brad tosses his sleeping bed down beside the fire embers, probably hoping to catch at least a little heat. We both crawl into it, me on my respectable side and him on his.

Another breeze goes by, making me shiver.

I shift onto my side, having my back to Brad. I jump a little bit when I feel hands snake around my stomach and waist, clutching me and pulling me closer until I hit a solid object. I wiggle a little bit before turning my head so I can at least see Brad out of my peripheral vision. His gray eyes stare at me intently, his head lifted off of the ground so he could do so.
His black hair strays down into his eyes a little bit, making them pop out more.

"What?" I ask with a slight yawn. He just pulls me even closer, tangling our legs together.

"I'm cold." He mumbles before burying his face into the back of my neck. I turn my head back around and rest it on my arm, the other one overlapping Brad's arms.

"Me too." I reply, closing my eyes. I try to sleep. I really do try. But it doesn't come. Brad keeps distracting me from it, what with his breathing on the back of my neck and his arms encircled around me and his wrapped around mine, it's hard. I move over onto my back and decide to just look at the sky.

Brad apparently was having a hard time getting to sleep too because he opens his eyes and lies on his back too. He pulls me over to him, allowing me to rest the back of my head on his arm. I just sigh and watch the twinkling stars and the moon and the little group of clouds surrounding it.

"Autum, who do you like?" Brad asks softly. I look over at him, but his eyes are trained on the sky, so I look back.

"I like a lot of people. Mom, Trev, Shale, Tash, Shel-"

"No, who do you like?" Brad emphasizes more on the word like. I stay quiet for a couple of minutes.

Who did I like? It's a little sad when I don't even know. I mean, I keep getting this Zap-y feeling from Brad, and it feels good when it happens, but do I like him? I look over at Brad, who has looked away from the sky and at me. When I don't say anything, he sighs and starts speaking.

"Remember when we first met?" He asks. I nod and smirk at the thought. "What was your first impression of me?"

"That you were a conceited, arrogant, mean, little boy with a terrible childhood with a terrific mother." I state bluntly, trying to keep the laughter out of my voice. He chuckles.

"And now?"

"I don't mind it too much." He rolls his eyes at my answer. "Okay, so I didn't exactly think that highly of you when we first met. Your room scared me, your ex girlfriend creeped me out, and the only good thing I could actually see about you at that moment was that you were gorgeous."

"You thought I was gorgeous?" Brad asks, a sly smile making its way onto his lips while he raises an eyebrow.

"Don't flatter yourself. I was very hormonal when we met." I comment before continuing. "But now, you're not exactly that bad. I mean, unknown forces have obviously made us friends because I think you're a good guy. A little. Not as bad."

"But I think you have a very good smile and I like it when you laugh." I smile, finishing my thoughts. "Oh, and you're eyes. Cu-ute!"

He just chuckles and rolls his eyes before locking them with mine.

"My first impression of you was . . . stupid. I thought you were stupid and annoying and obnoxious and bullheaded and-"

"Point please." I intervene.

"Right. Well, you're still bullheaded and obnoxious, but in a good way. You're not stupid or annoying, just a free spirit. I mean, I saw you dancing around naked in your room." He laughs. "And the ideas you come up with, like getting that tape out of the baby and acting like we were a couple at the mall. Everything you do is so unpredictable."

"The way you act and everything, its changed people." Brad says. "You changed my dad. You changed Shelby and you brought Shale and Trev closer together so they might actually do something. You even changed me."

"Aw, I'm blushing." I mutter. He laughs again. "Wait! I said physical features that I like about you; you have to tell me now. It's not right if you don't."

He sighs again before looking at me.

"I love your eyes, your black hair, the way you scratch the left side of your nose when you lie, the way you act all tough, your cute nose, and your lips." He lists off. "Is that enough."

"I think it'll do for now." I verdict. "I guess I am happy that we moved here, otherwise I wouldn't have an awesome friend like you."

I grin, but it stops when I see Brad's eyes change slightly.

"What's wrong?" I ask. He pulls me against him so that we're chest to chest and his breath touches my lips.

"Autum . . ." He kisses me. I know that there's something different about this kiss than the others, something more meaningful.

Brad. That's who I like.

I like Brad.

Zap.

I close my eyes and accept the kiss, moving my lips with his.

Zap.

He pulls me even closer, resting his hand on my lower back where it can draw circles while his other one buries itself in my hair.

Zap.

He nibbles on my lip, tickling me before pulling away and looking me in the eyes with so much emotion it was practically unbearable.

"I like you, Autum."

Zap.