The Singer and the Teacher

I spent my days in Florida with Derek much like we spent our days in San Francisco. We walked the beaches, he showed me around Tallahassee, he played me songs on the piano and he let me teach him some phrases in Greek. I don't think much time passed when we weren't talking; silence was nice, but not when you knew your time was limited. At best, we had a month and a half until I had to report back into school to set up my curriculum. Since all this free time was put upon us, Derek's band planned a week and a half camping trip, leaving one week until I had to go back to California.

"No, you have to take a shovel and bury it in the woods," I teased Jake, who was asking if they had bathrooms at the campsite or if we had to bring our own bathroom stuff. "If you don't, bears will come and destroy the place."

"Where did you say you were originally from? Oregon? Well, there aren't any bears in Florida," he said, but the look of uncertainty on his face made me laugh when he walked away.

"Oh, stop messing with him," said Derek, slipping his arm around my waist. "But just in case, is there a god we should burn an offering for?"

"Zeus is always a good option," I said thoughtfully, tapping my lips. "Pan is the god of nature, so he would be my best bet."

"Do the gods like Cheetos?"

I was laughing so hard I couldn't speak until we were in Derek's car.

* * *

When we reached our campsite, both Alex and Adriene went to the fire pit to fight over which of them would start the fire. Adriene seemed to have caught on that if she just told Alex what to do, it would irritate him and she would get to do it herself. Of course there was a roaring fire in a matter of minutes and not a speck of black on her clothes. She offered me a big smile before digging a knife out of her purse and disappearing into a clump of trees.

"She's a savage, don't let her play mind games with you," said Alex with a smirk.

"I like her a lot," I admitted, folding my arms across my chest and watching the trees rustle from Adriene's unpleasant assault. "She's so different from anyone I've ever met."

"She's different, that's for sure," he replied, chuckling. "I approve wholeheartedly."

"Thanks, Alex. Really," I said, feeling a weight lift off of my shoulders. If my band mates didn't like her, it would have been hell.

"Jeremy!" Adriene called, a bundle of sticks under one arm and her knife in the other. "I have the roasting sticks!" She took one of the camp chairs by the fire and started taking the smaller twigs and leaves from each stick, sharpened the tip and stuck the tips in the fire for a few seconds before setting it aside.

There was a kind of peace when I watched her work. She didn't complain and she didn't talk; her brown hair was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail so you could see her nose that wasn't so straight anymore and the smudge of charcoal on her cheek. Once she was finished with the roasting sticks, she squatted next to the fire, prodding it with a different stick and adding wood.

That's when I saw it; in my mind's eye, her skin was sun-darkened and wrinkled, and her hair a silvery gray held back in a bun instead. She turned to me and smiled, lighting up her aged face. It was the smile you gave to the person who you vowed to be with forever, and it was another day that we were alive. I saw myself taking her by the hand, both of us walking down a cobblestone alleyway to nowhere and everywhere. Together.

* * *

Something had changed in Derek during the first few days of camping. He was staring at me like he thought I'd disappear in a puff of smoke. I had insisted on my own tent, which caused him to insist that his tent be next door. All in all, I felt more loved than usual.

"Hey, I think it's time for marshmallows," I said, leaning back in my camp chair and patting my stomach. It was dark and we had all finished our hot dogs or tofu equivalent, but something about a fire made me eat like a horse.

"I'm surprised you're not fat," said Alex bluntly, and I shrugged.

"Not anymore," I said, getting up and finding the marshmallows myself. "That was a long time ago. It's a sensitive subject. Let's not talk about it anymore." I saw him shift in his chair uncomfortably.

"I don't think we should avoid the tour subject, though," said Jeremy, beckoning for a marshmallow. "You're going to be at our San Francisco date, right?"

"Of course! I wouldn't miss it for the world!" I exclaimed, holding my marshmallow just above the flames for perfect toasting.

They chattered on about all of the different stops, where they wanted to come out and sign things for fans and what they were going to do on their days off. I listened quietly and ate marshmallows until I thought I was going to puke.

Alex, Brooks and Jeremy had all left for bed, leaving Derek and I alone by the fire that had burned down to coals.

"Night guys," I said, waving to them as they retreated into their tents. "Wow. The stars are bright out here."

"Yeah, we never get to see them in the city," said Derek, looking up at the dark sky. "I can't imagine what they'd look like in your hometown in Oregon."

"Maybe you won't have to imagine," I suggested, and he jerked his head back down to look at me. "Nothing is stopping you from visiting my hometown with me one day."

"I guess you've got a point," he said, a small smile occupying his face. "I think I want to spend forever with you, Adriene."

"Well, as long as you're still thinking about it, I'll keep that in mind when I pick out my future," I replied, sounding very nonchalant but feeling very much the opposite. Blood rushed through my veins as my heart pumped harder, and I could feel it throbbing in my ears. I forced myself to focus on the small flames and the red of the coals, but he had gotten up from his chair and knelt on both knees in front of me.

"I'm not asking you to answer me right now," he started, pausing for a moment. "I just wanted to let you know that I think this is meant to be. We can avoid it all we want, but it's going to follow us and we won't be able to forget nights like these." I let him hold my hands and stare up into my face even though I was looking down at my lap and our clasped hands. I started this, I thought, keeping my breathing even.

"You make me very nervous, agóri tragoudistí̱s," I said, forcing the words from my mouth. "I can't answer you right now. But that doesn't mean that I never will."

That seemed to satisfy him. He kissed my lips lightly, and then my forehead before standing up and going to his tent. I was grateful that he left me alone; he knew that I needed to think. I used my poking stick to stir the coals, staring into them more intensely than before.

"Lady Hestia, what am I going to do?" I asked, a tiny sliver of myself hoping that the goddess would show herself beside the fire and give me advice. "I should probably ask Lady Aphrodite."

I let the coals be and decided to lay down in my tent and let my mind reel.

What just happened?