Disease
Chapter 1: Unfamiliar

“I’m sorry about what happened earlier, Myla. We should’ve come back sooner.” Elora said as we made our way inside the car. I lightly smiled at her squeezing her hand.

“It’s fine. No harm done.” I got inside the backseat, my gaze traveling to the officer that responded to our help earlier walking past us. As much as I hate him for judging and not believing me sooner I feel sorry for him. He now has this bandage in his wrists right where he was bitten by the man earlier. He also looked sick with his chapped lips and pale complexion. He might’ve lost a lot of blood. There is even a slight discoloration in his arms. I could slowly see the veins showing. Almost just like the man who attacked me earlier.

“Officer.” we greeted him as he just nodded at us before making his way inside the precinct.

Elora and I just eyed each other as she shrugged at me. I just took my seat as Elora circled the car to get to hers. Logan is already seated in the driver’s seat, done with his call.

“You okay Myla?” he asked as I nodded.

“Yeah. You?”

“Yeah. I just called the rest of the gang. They are already there waiting for us.”

“Really?”

He nodded, “They were worried and almost came here to get us thinking we need to get bailed.”

Logan also invited a few of his friends and teammates and they are in a different vehicle because they also have to stop by to pick up the rest of the gang. Logan plays basketball that’s why Elora and I are always at the games watching him play. I met a few of them over the years at university but I didn’t get along with them very well because they are too loud so I stayed clear of that part of my best friend’s life. Maybe that’s really a part of growing up because Elora also had met a few more friends in her degree. I met them a few times and they are amazing. I just didn’t get close to them as close as Elora and I do.

I giggled, “Well our summer vacation won’t be complete if one of us didn’t get arrested.”

Logan laughed alongside me, “Yeah, that would be epic.”

“What did I miss?” Elora asked as she slid into her seat.

“Nothing Logan and just joking how one of us should get arrested to complete the summer vacation.”

“Well that’s already a big check in our bucket list then.” we all laugh together as the tension with the encounter slowly disappears as we finally continue with our drive.

A few hours later we finally arrived at the woods. Logan drove us into the dirt road as things started to get bumpy. We giggled pretending that we were on an amusement park ride teasing Logan with his poor driving skills. I think we bruised his ego because he then began driving faster than he had been making the drive bumpier than it was. The next thing we know we can finally see the wooden cabin from a distance. Logan slowed the car as we saw the rest of our friends waving at us. Some of them are standing inside their car looking at us from the sun roof while the rest are already out bringing out their luggage up to the cabin.

Logan pulled the car to a stop as Elora quickly got out greeting the girls that ran towards her. I stepped out smiling at them as they made small talk to my best friend before greeting me as Logan was welcomed by the boys. I waved at them as they greeted me before rounding the car to get my stuff. Logan already made his way up the wooden cabin as he has the key to the house and the rest of the gang looks like they’ve already been waiting too long for us to arrive.

I carried my duffle bag, note tried to, from the jeep to the wooden cabin when I groaned seeing the flight of stairs. I’ve never been in this cabin but I’ve seen pictures of it from Elora when they spent a summer here before. We normally agreed to have a vacation on the beach during our group vacations but this time we thought a change of scenery would be better for us. So, this time Elora suggested that they’d bring me to the cabin this time. Elora said that it was a private sanctuary for her and Logan so they can ‘enjoy’ themselves as a couple but now they are opening the doors for us since it is our last summer before college. Now from here we are just a few minutes away from the lake.

I felt a presence behind me before the next thing I knew the bag that I was carrying was lifted up from my grasp. I look up to see Jaden, Logan’s teammate smiling at me. He was so tall that I almost had a stiff neck looking at his face. My height is just average to girls my age and Logan’s teammates height is way taller than average men’s being the athletes that they are. Jaden himself is compared to the rest of the guys.

“Thanks.” I said letting out a heavy breath. I have been a very unfit person ever since before so simple things like this makes me tired easily.

“No problem.” he said grinning as he carried my bag along with his. My gaze followed him as he climbed up the stairs as I stayed there rooted at the spot catching my breath before I felt another person’s presence behind me and I saw an unfamiliar man standing at the foot of the stairs. I’m sure that he isn’t Logan’s teammate. He looked at me with a bored expression before walking towards me in the middle of the stairs making my heart beat raise. Because of the encounter earlier I thought he was another one of them but when he reached the step where I was standing he furrowed my brows at me acting confused before continuing walking up. I flexed a brow crossing my arms to my chest annoyed at the man as Elora finally joined me wrapping her arms around mine like she usually does when we see each other.

“Who is that guy?” I asked her.

“She is Logan’s family friend. He is from the university he used to go to.”

Logan told us that he moved to our university to get away from his parents because they were planning to legally separate and he didn’t want to get caught in the middle of it but I didn’t know he also left a friend behind. He never mentioned him even once before. There might be a reason why.

“I can’t recall Logan telling us about him.”

“Well they kind of drifted apart when Logan moved. He just recently met him in a gala that his mother hosted so they kind of caught up and now he invited him here. He already graduated and is now working.”

I nodded, “I see.”

No wonder he looked at me as if he was judging me. He acts as if he is the ‘adult’ in the group being the only non-college student amongst us.

“Let’s go. I already saved a room for you! It has the view of the lake from the window.” Elora said as he tugged me up the cabin. When we got inside the rest of our stuff was already in the living room. The boys who carried it are standing around it talking as if they are having a ritual waiting for something to emerge from the bags. As we joined them I heard the rest of the girls giggling behind us.

Logan clapped being the ‘leader’ of the group. He owns the place so his rules I guess. Seems like everyone agrees with it too. The boys naturally would follow him after all he is their team captain and practically older than all of us.

“So, room arrangements.” he said, “We have 8 rooms in total so the rest of you have to share. Me and Elora would take the farthest one on the left right beside Myla’s. The rest of you can decide which one you like to take and whom you want to have the room with.”

“Hey! How come Myla has a pick of her room already?” Jaden whined as I just rolled my eyes at him as the rest of the gang just shook their heads disapprovingly. He has always been like this ever since we were first years. He never grew up. He is like a child in a man’s body and up until now it seems like everyone is still not used to it.

“Well she is my girlfriend’s best friend and our future maid of honor that’s why. Any complaints?”

In the corner of my eye I saw my best friend blushing. She told me before that Logan and her finally had the ‘talk’ and both of them decided to get married right after college and finally established their careers but it looks like she is still surprised with the idea of having a wedding.

Jaden just groaned before moving his attention to mine wiggling his brows, “You want to share a room Myla? For sure that room would have the best view.”

“There are twelve of us, two of you guys can have a room of your own and if Myla wants to then so be it.” Logan replied looking a bit annoyed.

“Fine, then. I’ll race you guys!” Jaden said as he ran up the stairs as the rest of the gang hurriedly got up to pick the rest of the room.