When Mr. Caulter arrives; we get on the bus and go to the starting point of the trip. I can't say that I'm excited, but it's definitely something new. I've never gone camping before. And here is the whole new world - woods, tents, and bonfires. Well... that's how I imagine it.

Logan is sitting in the back, chatting with Mitch and Mike. They are noisy as always. Nothing changes. I sit a couple of seats away, look at the window and try to keep myself distracted. But moving pictures behind the window only spur the thinking process.

I haven't felt so lonely before. Shining changed something in me. I glance at Logan and catch his eye. I can't say what's in his eyes; he's just looking at me but keeps talking to Mitch. I turn away.

I think I need to find new friends... Any friends... A friend will be enough. And the camping trip is a good opportunity. I just need to be more... mmm... sociable. And then I will not be concentrating on Logan and all that.

When we get off the bus; Mr. Caulter counts us. Two more teachers are joining our trip to watch over us - Liana Bayley and Cameron Smith.

"Please, stick together. Do not fall behind. After two miles we'll set up a camp," says Caulter.

And we start walking. Students go in groups, and I walk alone. And again I feel it not like before.

My backpack is not heavy, but it seems so because of my shoulder. I should have known better than to crash into the man 45 pounds heavier than me.

So these two miles weren't easy for me. But I must admit - the places were beautiful. I've never been here before. But it was very inconvenient to glance around, I tried to keep up. Logan and his friends were far ahead. When we stopped, I was bathed with sweat...

I put my backpack on the ground and drink half a bottle of water. Logan passes me by while I'm drinking. His phone falls out of his pocket, I wave and almost spill out the water trying to get his attention. But he doesn't seem to notice me and stops next to Mike and Mitch.

I put the bottle away, pick up Logan's phone and approach his group.

"Now let's pitch the tents," Mr. Caulter commands. "Split into teams of 4 people. With these people, you will share the tent."

"You dropped it," I say to Logan and hand him the phone. He takes it, and at this moment Mr. Caulter comes up and puts a big sack on the ground in front of us.

"Here is your tent for four," he says.

"I'm not with..." I say but trail off. Because having looked around, I realized that all groups were full and I stuck with these guys. I look at Mitch and Mike, then at Logan. He doesn't look displeased, unlike Mike and Mitch.

I've already said that I'm cursed, haven't I?

"You have an instruction on how to set up the tent. So get to it. It's not a competition," Caulter continues. "But the sooner you're done, the sooner the lecture starts and the sooner it ends! Next, there will be dinner and free time."

"Judging by the look, Stone, you know a lot about camping," cackles Mitch.

Logan picks up the pegs from the ground silently and goes to hammer them. Mitch and Mike join him. After 20 minutes or so our tent is ready. Guys put their things in it. And I don't really want to... Damn... Why didn't I say anything? Why didn't I choose the group for me? I mean, any group would be better than this!

Okay, okay... Maybe, I overthink it. I had no problems with Mitch or Mike. They never joined Logan when he was rude or violent to me, but never tried to stop him either. If I'm to be more sociable, maybe I should start with the most difficult task. And I'm not saying I will befriend Mike and Mitch but to be able to communicate with them would be a good start. I guess...

Caulter gathers everyone in a clearing and gives a lecture on botany, showing us local plants, birds, and talking about the animals that live here.

"We won't go down to the lake today. It will be tomorrow," he says. "Now let's light a fire and have dinner."

 Cameron and Caulter build a fire. We sit around and eat simple camp food - baked potatoes and canned beans.

Twilight quickly turned into impenetrable darkness. The black sky stretched overhead. The faces of the guys are illuminated by the orange glow of the fire, and it seems that each of them has shining now. The fire is mesmerizing, dousing me with waves of heat. And... it's weird... it reminds me of how I used to feel shining... oh well, the heat from the fire is nice too!

Logan is sitting a few people away from me. I look at him, he looks back, and I wonder if he still feels the same... Does he feel these waves when I'm around? Does he feel the peace and happiness that I felt?

Why am I even thinking about this? I had shining not for long. But it definitely left its mark on the memory. Everyone goes to their tents, but I hesitate.

Gradually fatigue takes over. I get up from my seat and go to the tent. Guys are talking about something, but when I come in, they stop talking and look at me. I take a sleeping bag out of my backpack and spread it near the right wall of the tent.

"Hey Stone, do you have a spare sleeping bag?" asks Mitch, I look back at him.

"Um... No," I answer and immediately guess that it is Logan who does not have it.

My sleeping bag can be unzipped and used as a blanket for two, but I'm not stupid enough to suggest it. So I turn to the wall and close my eyes. Of course, I don't fall asleep right away. The guys continue to talk in an undertone. They discuss the girls from the class, the possibility of getting into their tent, and some other nonsense. But in the end, they lay down. Logan is behind me.

Sneaky bastard. He knows that closeness to me will keep him warm. And he will sleep well. It takes nothing of me. It's a strange feeling inside... that my existence does good to someone... funny.

"Hey... Laticia texted me back," says Mitch exited. "They are coming!"

"Now?" asks Logan. "I thought you were over."

"We are on and off, you know. Like you and Nina," says Mitch.

Logan exhales heavily. "We are not."

"Well, not now, obviously! But you refuse to show us your girl, firefly," Mitch teases him.

"I'm telling you it's someone of the teachers," smirks Mike.

"Shut up!" snaps Logan.

"Definitely!" Mitch replies. Logan gets up but doesn't have time to say anything as two girls enter the tent. It becomes really crowded. Mike is big and beefy, Mitch is tall. Logan is a bit smaller but still a big guy. And me. And two girls. Six people in one tent for four.

"Hey!" Laticia says.

"Come on, Dag, make some room," says Mike. Why do they call Logan "Dag"? From "Douglas"?

"I was going to sleep!" replies Logan.

"Are you tired, you poor thing?" The second girl says with pity in her voice as she's coming inside too. Her name is Sandy, as I recall.

This is actually Logan's usual company at school. I feel like a fifth wheel. And I would gladly get out but it's cold to sleep outside.

"Did you get it?" asks Mitch impatiently.

"Sure did," answers Sandy and takes out a bottle of alcohol from under her sweatshirt.

"Attagirl!" rejoices Mike. "Dag, get up, will ya?" Logan sits up unwillingly.

"You're Adam, right?" Sandy addresses me, I turn to face her and nod. "You got into a lucky tent!" she smiles.

Oh, I doubt that. But I don't say it out loud. I have to move closer to the wall. Mike, Mitch, Logan, Laticia, and Sandy sit around. They start drinking, passing the bottle. I lie right behind the girls. When the bottle gets to them, Sandy hands it to me, but I refuse.

"Don't waste it," says Mike.
 
"Oh come on, don't be such a brute." Laticia takes the bottle and takes a sip. "Just now Sarah told me that Caulter actually had a thing for Cameron."

"Shut up!" smirks Mitch.

"They were together but now... I wonder who picked Cameron to be a chaperon?" continues Laticia.

"Maybe he volunteered. Maybe he wants to make up. And they are making it up in their tent as we speak," giggles Sandy.

"Stop it!" snaps Mike jokingly.

"Why don't you drink, Logan?" asks Sandy. I can't see their faces so I don't know how Logan looks at her, but his voice is far from cheerful.
 
"Don't want."

"Still haven't recovered from the last time?" snickers Sandy. "Or shining makes you sober?"

"Shining makes him boring and a whiner," objects Mitch.

"Oh come on, the last time was fun... well, before you took your clothes off and showed Nina your fire. That was actually cruel of you!" exclaims Sandy. "If you had that thing for a long time you could... you know... go easy on her..."

"Go easy on her?" repeats Logan.

"Yeah, you know, like you cared..." adds Sandy. Logan doesn't answer.

"Forget about him. He such a buzz kill because now can't fuck anyone but his fire mate," gloats Mike. "Is she ugly, right? Or old? Or she keeps you on a leash?"

"Shut up!" snarls Logan. Sandy jumps.

"Hey..." she tries to calm him down, but he keeps talking to Mike.

"Why can't you just shut the fuck up?! It's none of your business who I fuck or why, ok? Keep your nose away, you get it?!"

"Or what?" asks Mike, hidden anger in his voice.

"Guys, come on!" Laticia makes another fruitless attempt to diffuse the tension.

"Or what?" repeats Mike louder and angrier.

If the fight starts, I will likely be crushed. So I unzip my sleeping bag and get up. It draws their attention to me.

"Oh sorry... I didn't mean to interrupt your exchange of threats. I just need to pee," I say, looking at them.

"Are you going to snitch on us, smart-ass?" asks Mike. His anger is boiling.

"Why would I?" I say dryly and open the tent. I take the sleeping bag with me 'cause I don't intend to go back. They won't let me sleep anyway.

I go towards the fire pit, where only coals are smoldering, and sit on one of the logs. I should have brought my own tent...

I look around trying to distract myself from thoughts about Logan, about how I'm gonna sleep here... I raise my head. The sky above is unbelievable. I have never seen so many stars. They are so bright... I'm mesmerized by the view. And suddenly someone plops beside me. It's Logan. I kinda liked when I could tell if he was close. Now he always manages to surprise me with his appearance.
 
"You mind?" he asks.

"You already sat down." I see him shifted and add. "I don't mind."

We are sitting in silence like so often we did before. But back there we both shone. Now it's only Logan, so this silence seems even more awkward to me. Logan throws a log into the coals, and it starts to burn, crackling.

"Do you think they'll finish soon?" I ask. Logan only shrugs and looks into the fire. We are sitting still for some more. I can't seem to keep my eyes open. Logan doesn't look drowsy at all.

"We can use it as a blanket, you know?" I say yawning. Logan looks at me and then gets up. My eyes are closing, I put my head on my laps. And I don't know how long I've slept. Logan shakes me awake.

"Come on," he says. I get up from the spot. But we go not to our tent. "Girls agreed to let us in."

"What girls?" I ask perplexedly.

"Annie and Sarah, they were with Laticia and Sandy. I don't think they'll be coming back tonight."

"Ok," I nod. Honestly, I couldn't care less. I just want a horizontal surface to sleep on it. That's all. So we come up to the tent, Logan opens the flap, and we get in.

"Sorry for the intrusion," I say. Annie nods and points to the other side of the tent.
 
"You can lay there."

"Thanks," says Logan. I fall asleep in an instant.