“Actually it’s not really a lake it’s a reservoir but, whatever. It’s got a name but even after growing up here I can never remember it. It’s a Ute word... That makes me sound ignorant as fuck doesn’t it?”

Aden peeled his gaze reluctantly away from the picture-perfect view. “No more ignorant than I’ve already made myself out to be.”

“Good point.” She let him stand there for a moment longer before heading off again, saying as she went, “You have all day to admire the lake. Let’s get you a campsite first.”

He followed her, denying the pull of the water on him like a magnet and heading in the opposite direction past one of the only solid structures in the area. It was a wooden cabin, wedged into the treeline. On the front porch there was a sign that read “Pine Creek Campground - Dining and General Supplies”. Aden paused to look at it, then continued to follow as she past by, asking, “So is this like, a summer job for you or?”

She scoffed. “I wish it was only for the summer.”

“Wait, so you live here?”

“Year round. My family owns the campgrounds. By family I mean me and my mom basically. Use to be more of us but her siblings had other endeavours they wanted to pursue. Not everyone wants to hang out in the Colorado wilderness for the rest of their lives, ya know?”

It was Aden’s turn to scoff, taking a glance back in the direction of the lake. “I don’t see why not.”

She grinned, shrugging a little. “I guess it has it’s perks. But the seclusion in the winter can kinda get to most people. Drives you a little crazy.”

“I can see that.” He tested his luck, poking fun at her.

She acted appalled. “You’re one to talk,” she fired back, tugging at the sleeve of his wet tee-shirt, resisting a smirk.

They rounded the cabin and the campgrounds came into sight. Rows of tents of different shapes and sizes lined a path down to the water, a few trailers tucked away into a slightly more forested area, and a number of fire pits set up sporadically for use. There had to be at least twenty families already arrived. Not all of them were at their tents, he imagine they were all out swimming, boating, hiking, whatever other things that outdoorsy people like to do, but some were lounging around in the sun or preparing food and Aden froze up for a moment.

“There are a lot of people here already.”

“Yeah, we get pretty full during the summer usually. A few years back we had one bad year, the lake was sorta flooded because we got so much snow that winter. Half the grounds were wet. We’re still sorta making up for it. Mom is hoping this summer is gunna be a clear one so we can have some steady business.”

Aden hadn’t quite made the connection that there would be other people at a campground. It was stupid, but until this girl everything about this place had felt so secluded. Returning to a bit of civilization stirred his worries. There were so many people here. Too many. What if…

“You know, on second thought, maybe I should just skip the campsite. I’m not staying long, and it looks like you guys are pretty full. Maybe it’s better that I just, camp out by the creek or something? I mean I already spent the night out there and it wasn’t so bad. It just seems like maybe you need the space…”

She was suspicious of his rambling. “What’s your issue? Clamming up the moment you see a crowd. Are you one of those hermit, socially anxious types?”

Social anxiety. That was a good excuse. Aden brushed off her curiosity with a bit of a self-deprecating laugh. “You got me. Kinda came out here to get away from people.” The lie tasted bitter, and her expression made it worse.

“Well… alright then.” Her disappointment was palpable. The smile that had been glued to her face fell a fraction, but she pushed it away after a second, as if the negativity had never been there. “At least let me make you lunch or something? We can check in the lost and found for some dry clothes. It’s the least I can do, considering.”

Aden agreed, following her into the cabin. They found a change of clothes and Aden switched out his wet outfit while the girl got them something to eat. He joined her in the cabin’s “personnel” kitchen, in a pair of jeans that were slightly too big and a thin long-sleeve that wasn’t his color.

She fed him garlic bread sticks with a sizable bowl of hearty stew. She explained, with her own bowl in hand, that it was left over from what her mother had prepared the night before for the campers that wanted it. “My entire diet is leftovers, but it’s not so bad. My mom is a decent cook, she has to be since we don’t charge for setting up here.”

It wasn’t bad at all. It had been a while since Aden had a warm meal. Since back in Arizona… He tried not to eat too quickly, but he was more hungry than he thought and it was gone in a matter of minutes. He didn’t ask for seconds, but she insisted so he finished off another bowl before reaching for his bag and sorting through the last bit of his money.

“How much do you usually charge for a meal here?”

She was instantly shaking her head. “Don’t worry about it, it was leftovers-.”

“I have a couple dollars, I want to pay.” Aden insisted, holding out the bills.

She sighed, looking down as she played her spoon around in the last bit of her soup. There was that disappointment again. She was doing a good job hiding it, but Aden had always been pretty good at catching those looks. “Listen, SoCal. I dunno what your deal is. A lot of people come through here, who are kinda down on their luck, and I get the vibe that there’s more going on with you than you’re letting on. That’s cool, I’m not here to get in your business, we all got our shit, ya know? But I wouldn’t feel right taking your money. Use that to get to wherever you’re going. You shouldn’t get stuck here if you don’t want to be. This is obviously just a pit stop for you.”

Wow. She had a knack for making a guy feel guilty. Aden cleared his throat, pocketing the bills he had been offering and letting his shoulders fall. “Ok. Well… thanks. For the food, and the clothes, then.”

She smiled, not quite as big as before, and nodded. “No problem.”

“I guess I’ll go then. I don’t want to be in the way.” Why did this feel like this was some sort of break up? He had spent barely a few hours with her. He didn’t even know her name. She was the reason his socks were still damp. He paused at the door, hiking his bag up his shoulder a little. “Uh… see ya, I guess.”

“Yeah, alright. Take care, blondie.”

Aden scoffed out a laugh. “It’s uh-, it’s Aden.” He mentally scolded himself. He probably shouldn’t have told her, he hadn’t told anyone his name since leaving Santa Monica, but he couldn’t help it. It felt wrong not to.

She smiled, wide this time. “Corey.”

Aden made it back to his previous spot near the edge of the creek, and settled down as the sun started setting. He’d head back down to the city the following day, after giving his feet another night’s rest. They had been less swollen and sore on the way back, so he was hoping they’d be alright in the morning again.

He had felt fine after leaving the campgrounds, better than fine even, but the moment he stopped moving and the quiet of the forest took over, Aden’s emotions caught up with him. He had a surprising amount of them that day, and that was an unusual occurrence, consider he had tried his hardest to be numb since leaving home.

He had grown use to being lonely. It was a constant for him, for a long time. Even before leaving, before the storm, before Cassie. It was easier, being friends with his loneliness. The rain really wasn’t so bad. In fact, he had always kind of liked it.

Aden realized, looking up at the vast sky of stars that had awed him the night before but were now making him feel small and fragile, that he had broken his rules. He let his guards down, and allowed himself to forget being lonely for a moment with Corey, and now it had crept back up on him.

The storm caught up with him just like his emotions, in the middle of the night. His new, second-hand outfit was soaked through just like the first in no time, and he couldn’t really tell anymore which streams of water on his face were rain and which were tears.

Wrapped up with his face hidden in his knees, Aden didn’t see the flashlight beam, and through the noise of the heavy rain and static of his own thoughts, he barely heard the approaching footsteps accompany it. She had to yell over the wind and the rushing river to be heard.

“Aden?” Corey was bundled up tight in a rain jacket, her face written with concern, but she smiled when he looked up.