Victoria meets the Lewis brothers

Back at Silver Lake, Victoria was on her way back to the cabin after having completed two laps around the lake’s border. Feeling a bit tired, she decided to sit down on the small beach around the lake’s waters.

As the young blonde stared at Silver Lake’s calm waters, someone cleared their throat and plopped down beside her, startling the girl. She turned to her left to find none other than Dustin Lewis, her ex-boyfriend.

“Good morning,” He smiled at her. “Saw you jogging and figured we could talk some more, is that ok?”

Still a bit spooked, Victoria turned her head back to see the cabin where Dustin, Hannah and the others were staying. “I was so distracted I didn’t even see where I was running,” She thought, turning her attention back to Dustin with a small smile. “Sure, what do you want to talk about?”

Dustin expression became awkward as he scratched the back of his neck. “Well, first of all, I wanted to say I’m sorry for trying to kiss you last night, Vicky,” He finally said. “I missed you like hell, but I had no right to assume anything, you know?”

Victoria returned his smile. “It’s okay, I know very well how those ‘spur of the moment’ things can cloud our judgment.” She said, thinking back for a brief second to what she did to Zack on that night at the cave, something she was beginning to regret deeply.

“Thanks, that really makes me feel better,” Dustin said, turning to look at the lake for a couple seconds before a chuckle made its way past his lips. At Victoria’s inquisitive look, he raised an eyebrow. “You, doing ‘spur of the moment’ things? How brazen of you, Vicky.”

Victoria gasped mockingly. “How dare you, I’m a saint!” She argued with a smile.

“Oh, yeah, you’re still afraid the almighty God will strike you down any second if you do any wrong?” Dustin teased, smiling down at her warmly.

Vicky gaped her mouth and hit his arm in a playful manner. “Don’t joke about that, have you forgotten that’s how we met?” She asked in mock anger. “Although I don’t suppose I had too much of a choice, don’t you think?”

Dustin grinned. “True, how’s Reverend Walker doing these days?” He asked. “I gotta say I miss our heated debates.”

“He’s okay, the church keeps him occupied and mom helps him in any way she can,” Victoria answered. “But I guess that if you ask him, he may resent you deep down because of me not helping there too much as I used to.”

About a year ago, Victoria and Dustin met at her father’s church and they quickly hit it off, starting to date a month later. Her parents were very happy that she was a relationship with such a nice boy and incentivized it as much as they could. Then, two months later, one before Dustin’s family moved away, he began to question his spiritual beliefs to the point of becoming an atheist.

Surprisingly enough, that fact didn’t generate friction with Vicky’s parents, who allowed for their relationship to continue. The unexpected side effect was that, after several chats between the two of them, Victoria began to see some merit on a few of Dustin’s viewpoints. Before her parents could blink, the damage was already made, and even if she didn’t go to the same **** Dustin had, her life became a lot more balanced between religion and her studies as a result. Her grades, which were tied with Zack’s for best of their year, got even higher and baffled the teachers.

“My mom still has a soft spot for you, though,” Victoria smiled up at him. “She’s always going on about what a nice little kid you were.”

Dustin chuckled and then his face became way more serious than a few moments ago, although his brown eyes still had that warm gaze Vicky got so used during their time together.

“What about you?” He whispered softly.

Victoria felt herself melting away at that question. Meeting Dustin again had been on her mind for so long that, had the past week never happened, their meeting the night before could very well fall into the magical category. An image of Zack flashed inside her head, her now negative opinion of him faltering for a second.

Dustin sighed, seeming to have had read her mind. “Ah, yes, you and Zachary, how could I forget? Peter and I had to take you down to your cabin last night ‘cause you couldn’t stop crying.”

His calm and controlled voice made Victoria’s lips tremble, making her look down at their feet before lifting her eyes again. “Yes,” She said in a whisper, a single tear falling down her left eye. “But he chose to throw everything away for Kendra, so it doesn’t matter now.”

The younger Lewis actually let out a small smile. “You know, it makes sense that smart people end up flocking together, he’d be good for you, I guess,” Dustin said, sneaking a glance to the lake as he frowned. “I still don’t understand what happened, Kendra never leaves my brother’s side.”

As if the mere mention of his name was capable of summoning him, none other than Shawn Lewis descended to the beach, a smirk plastered over his face.

“Brother, Victoria!” He drawled. “How nice of a morning to run into the two of you like this.”

“What do you want, Shawn?” Dustin asked, clearly annoyed.

Shawn looked at his younger brother for a brief second and then turned to Victoria, ignoring the question. “Couldn’t help but notice you’ve been jogging for quite a while, Victoria,” He said. “Gotta say it has been doing wonders for your figure.”

The blonde immediately became wary of the lecherous look Shawn was sending her way, a fact that always worried her when she was dating Dustin. Nevertheless, she gave him a small, polite smile. “Uhn, thanks, jogging helps me to clear my head.”

“Good for you,” Shawn grinned. “After what the guy who came with you to our cabin last night did to Kendra, I don’t blame you for needing that.”

“Shawn, be nice!” Dustin snapped. “She doesn’t need people reminding her of that everywhere she goes!”

Shawn held out his hands, a smirk on his face. “Easy, Dustin, no need to shout,” He drawled before turning around. “Well, I’ll leave you two to yourselves.”

“Will you go to the BBQ later?” Dustin asked.

“Perhaps.” Shawn replied, walking away without looking back.

“Sorry about him,” Dustin turned to his blonde companion. “Sometimes I think Shawn has no manners at all.”

“It’s okay, thanks for defending me,” Victoria smiled. “I wish that, considering everything, we can still be friends, Dust.”

Dustin returned her smile. “Always, Vicky.” He answered before the two of them turned to stare at the lake once again.