Your eyes snap open as the bus hits a bump, jarring you awake. Blinking the sleep from your eyes, you sit up and stretch. As you look around, you catch sight of your best friend in the aisle seat beside you.

He grins.

You rub your eyes and look out the window to see a blur of trees whipping past.

Your Bio class is on a camping field trip to spend the weekend studying pollution at one of your local state parks. Translation: Your class is free labor, cleaning up all the trash left behind by the last round of tourists. You don't mind. Given a choice, you'd rather be out here than back in the city, even if they are putting you to work.

You've always loved nature, even if you're mom hates it in the extreme. So you'll take any chance you get to escape the limitations imposed by her outdoor-a-phobia.

Gabe's grin turns wicked.

You scowl, but still self-consciously rub the side of your mouth.

He laughs.

You fix a glare on him.

He raises his hands in mock surrender.

You roll your eyes but your retort is interrupted by the bus squealing to a a halt. You've arrived.

Everyone tumbles out of the bus, eager to get their blood flowing again after the long ride. You know that you really should help your classmates unpack and start pitching tents but, after hours in a crowded bus, you could really use some space. Gabe's always said that you have an extra large personal bubble.

You drift from the herd and start heading out towards the woods.

The mischievous glint in his eyes suggests he already knows the answer, but he can't resist the opportunity to tease you.

Well two can play that game.

He snorts in disbelief, but doesn't call you out. Gabe's good at helping you get your space when you need it.

But you'll try to pick up a few sticks while you're out decompressing, just in case anyone else asks.

The further you get from the crowd of people, the more you relax. Once out of earshot, surrounded only by the the sounds of the forest, you take a deep cleansing breath. And smell water.

You love water. Rivers, lakes, streams, any natural body of water gives you a sense of peace, though your mom won't come within fifty feet of it and gets panicky whenever you're even that close. But she isn't here right now.

Mouth curving up into a smile, you follow the scent to a pristine lake. It's gorgeous. Part of you wishes, you could spend the entire trip right here.

Cole's voice cuts through your reverie, upsetting your equilibrium.

Looking over, you can see him and his bestie Dale approaching your lake. The class's self-proclaimed juvenile deliquents.

You reply casually, hoping the suggestion of doing actual work will speed them on their way.

Cole raises a brow at your empty arms.

Of course, you'd catch the normally stoned-out-of-his-mind Cole at his one sober and observant moment.

You pick a random direction away from the lake and point.

You stare at Dale in confusion for a moment. Right. Dale as delusions of belonging to hip hop culture. Fortunately, his gaze clues you in as you follow his line of sight to the pendant around your neck.

It's probably worthless, just an aquamarine-tinted quartz on a chain, but it has a lot of sentimental value to you. Your mom has the matching pendant and insists that you both never take them off. Ever.

You've always taken that to symbolize your mother-daughter bond, a big deal as you never knew your dad, and have worn it without removing it for as long as you can remember.

He lurches forward, snatching the crystal hard enough to break the chain.

You jump for it, but he uses his superior height to hold it up out of your reach.

Cole snorts back a laugh.

Dale snickers.

You snap, going for another ineffectual swipe.

They both laugh.

Until you kick Dale in the shin.

He's cursing a blue streak, but his arm comes down, putting your pendant within reach.

You're just about to grab it when Cole catches you by the wrist.

Then you drive your knee into his groin and his grip releases as he sinks to the ground with a groan.

Dale stalks towards you with genuine menace and you back up to the water's edge.

You about melt in relief at the sound of Gabe's voice as he stomps towards the both of you, expression uncharacteristically serious.

Dale scowls.

You can see pride war with cowardice on Dale's face until, ultimately, pride wins out.

In the hopes of sucker punching Gabe he yanks his arm back, elbow connecting with the side of your head.

Stars burst in front of your eyes and you feel like your falling, the sound of a splash echoing in the distance. Swallowed by the cold, your vision goes dark.