7.

"Look, even dorks know how to find someone." Kevin's voice instantly annoyed me. Of course, he had to find a way to annoy me. I could only forget about my problems for so long.

I rolled my eyes and replied.

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes I can, at least I know how to do more than stutter and look stupid."

Everyone around me laughed, it made Kevin even more mad than he ever had been before.

"As if, the only way you can get anyone is because they take pity on you, or you must have something over this poor loser so he doesn't have a choice." Kevin took a step closer to me, he was way taller than me so this was probably some attempt to be more intimidating. 

"Don't say even one more word to her." Jake's voice sounded like he was ready to devour Kevin if he even looked wrong at me. He must stand close behind me because I could feel his warmth. 

"Just because you couldn't be with her doesn't give you any right to bully her, trying to make her insecure enough so maybe she would even consider a loser like you is the weakest thing to do." 

"As if I would even want to be seen with a freak like her." Kevin got red in the face and started to look a little nervous. He quickly recovered, now forgetting I was his target and shifting his focus on Jake while Jake slowly took my position.

"You wish you could, maybe those two fools won't tell you because they're yes men, but you're being obvious Wagner, so I warn you one last time to shut up and leave her alone, don't even look at her." Jake almost growled now obviously done with Kevin's behaviour while he barely did anything compared to his usual tactics.

"Let's leave, it smells like losers here anyway." While Kevin left the line with his friends Jake stood closer to me, looking at me trying to find out if it was okay to come closer. I smiled and grabbed Jake's hand, surprised by how warm it felt, how right it felt to hold his hand.

We sat down in the Macho Nacho's restaurant where I chose macho nachos, a kid's menu of cheese quesadillas.

"Wait, that's all you eat?" Jake asked, pointing to my order when it was ready. "You do know this is a lot already right?" I asked him while I raised one eyebrow, knowing this was more than I usually ate over an entire day.

"This is nothing, we don't live in the Netherlands anymore," There was enough food on his tray to feed a small army.

"How are you planning to eat all of that?" I asked horrified by what I saw.

"Bite by bite" Jake had a big smile on his face.

"Boys in puberty are a scary thing," we walked to the table Miss Davis was eating at.

When it was time to leave Jake didn't have to ask if I wanted to sit next to him anymore, while I held his hand I led him to two empty seats and took the seat by the window.

The entire time we sat on the bus we didn't speak a word, Jake held my hand while I leaned with my head on his shoulder. When we arrived at the camp we had two hours left for that day, the first hour we were free to stretch our legs and roam the camping site.

Jake found me, we walked around and found a place behind a hill where no one was. The sun was setting and Jake took off his jacket and laid it out for me to sit on. When I sat down Jake sat down next to me.

"What's on your mind?" Jake wanted to know.

"That I'm tired," I answered honestly.

"I feel you," Jake said. We just sat in silence.

Jake had his arm around me, and I laid my head on his shoulder. When the sun was under it was time to sit by the campfire.

That night I couldn't sleep when I sneaked outside to go to the bathroom, and maybe if I got away with it sitting outside for a bit I bumped right into Andrew.

"Sneaking around alone at night?' Andrew looked down at me since he was so much taller than me. 

"I couldn't sleep." I sat down next to him by the place where the campfire used to burn.

"Penny for your thoughts?" 

"Trying to figure out feelings."

"While you already date someone? Stone cold Miss Mercier." 

"Well, I do like him I guess, but it's also new to me. It's kind of funny," I continued without giving Andrew a chance to answer that. "I have lived in two continents, multiple counties, and a boy I have known as long as I remember makes me uncertain and scared."

"Feelings can be very scary indeed, I know what you mean." Andrew got a sad look in his eyes. 

"I know that look, tell me." I poked him between his ribs.

"Okay, Okay, this just makes me think of myself. Not like I ever fell for someone I knew for that long but, I always was a little late with that kind of stuff. All of a sudden there was a girl I started to like recently. We're just friends, but I reconized myself in those words. It's all normal, just try to enjoy it too, try to at least figure out what you want no matter what, okay shorty?" In reply to that, I rolled my eyes, but I knew he was right.

"What if it makes me weak?" My voice was soft, almost a whisper. "And then when I do let myself in with it all he simply figured out there are other girls out there, prettier girls."

"Are you serious?" Andrew asked with a surprised look on his face.

"Dead serious."

"Any guy should be glad to be with you."

You sound like my best friend, I interrupted him while I rolled my eyes.

Andrew smirked and combed his hand through his hair before he continued. "Also, have you seen the way he looks at you? There is no one else shorty." 

"Quit calling me that." I playfully punched Andrew's arm.

"Not a chance shorty," he teased with a broad smile on his face. I went back to my cabin after we talked some more and finally fell asleep.

The next morning I tried to wait for everyone else to be gone first before getting ready, but while I put on a new top I was greeted by an insult.

"Morning freak." I ignored it and rolled my eyes.

"Look who feels like she's too good for us now she has a boyfriend," I heard Ashley's voice while I felt I was being pushed. Immediately I turned around and threw Jessica on the ground.

"Touch me once again and I will hurt you." While Kendra and Ashley yelled. A few teachers entered the cabin minutes later, separating us and bringing me to the cafeteria while the other girls were being held in the cabin.

"What happened?" As soon as I walked out of the cafeteria Jake found me.

"I just defended myself."

"Are you okay?" Jake inspected if I had any bruises. While he did so I saw the look in his eyes, over just being pushed he looked like he was genuinely concerned, as if I was something of great value and he wanted to inspect if nothing even scratched it.

"I'm fine." Jake pulled me into a hug and while I tried to push him away, he didn't let me push him away. 

"Someone was mad because she thought we were dating," I admitted. 

"Really? Who?"

"Isn't important I can handle my own." Jake sighed and grabbed my hand.

"But I do want to talk about what's here," I said softly. Jake seemed to tense up but I said nothing.

"Okay," Jake said after a moment of silence. It sounded more like a sigh as if he was in between being bothered by it and a bit scared. 

"So, what are we?"

"What do you want this to be?" Jake asked me in return. While I didn't immediately have an answer I looked at his face. Never before did I think of his eyes as warm, they were just brown, a colour but when I looked at him now I saw warmth in his eyes, I saw how his cheekbones made his face not too round like a real babyface but also not too masculine.

"To be completely honest, this is all new to me." 

"Well, if you don't object, I'd like to be yours, let's figure out what you like then," Jake answered after a short silence and pulled me closer.