The Rough and the Reckless [Book 1,BoyxBoy]

The Rough and the Reckless [Chapter 6]

Joe's POV

The summer had come around quickly, which also meant that a weeks holiday from school came too. For the first few days of the holiday, me and my friends Tyler and Jared planned to go camping. 

"Are you sure this is a good idea Joe?" my dad asked. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow and he raised his hands in defence. "Just checking that's all!" I laughed at him as he grinned and walked off to go find his fiancée; my English teacher. I was sure I'd never get over that one. I made sure I had everything I'd need in my bag; six-man tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, pillows, food, and all the other essentials. I nodded once I had checked and slung the bag over my shoulders, walking from my dark room and down the stairs. My dad greeted me at the bottom, his arm around Miss Lockerby's waist. I almost shivered, but restrained myself. 

"Ready to go?" Dad asked. I nodded and grinned, racing down the stairs, almost tripping over the lace of my hiking boots. Miss Lockerby stopped me before I went out the front door. 

"Be careful okay?" she warned, like my mother used to. I nodded and smiled weakly. I couldn't get use to her living in our house, never mind caring for me. As soon as she let go I raced out to the car and dumped my bag in the boot, before getting into the passenger side of the car. My father started the engine and we rolled off down the road.  

The car ride was fairly quiet, a comfortable silence filling the air, with small amounts of small-talk filling awkward gaps. We reached the meeting point quite quickly; and to my amazement, the other two were actually on-time. I stepped out of the car and grinned at them, before going round the back and getting my bag. I waved briefly at my dad before he left an then turn to the boys. 

"Right, let's get going!" I yelled and we began the long walk through the forest to the campsite. 

The walk was rather peaceful, an enjoyable experience. 

"I haven't seen a lot of you lately, Joe" Tyler said, starting casual conversation, "been busy?" 

"Yeah, kickboxing and all" I answered coolly. That was a lie; i'd spent a lot of my time with Izazya for the past few weeks.  

"I saw you with that Izazya kid the other day" Jared butted in. I smiled slightly. 

"Yeah, he's helping me train" I lied. I saw Tyler raise an eyebrow. 

"Since when did you buddy up with tough guy?" Tyler asked. I shrugged. 

"Guess I just got to know him" I answered. 

"Yeah, but how?" Jared joined.  

"I tripped him in the hallway." I muttered. I saw Jared smirk and look at Tyler. 

"Want to tell us something Joe?" they asked. I smirked. 

"Yeah I do actually."  

"I TOLD you he was gay!" Tyler yelled at Jared. I muffled a laugh. 

"Actually," I said in a calm voice, "I was going to say we're here" I pointed at the campsite as Tyler's facial expression dropped and Jared laughed, walking off to go find a good spot to set up camp for the next few days. I walked over to Tyler and patted him on the back before walking over to Jared and helping him find a good spot, leaving Tyler to fend for himself. 

Tyler eventually joined us in setting up camp, after his sulk was over. We pitched out tent and set out our sleeping bags in our 'rooms' and made sure everything as neat; well, I did anyway. My clothes were all folded neatly into one of the pockets in the fabric walls and my sleeping bag and pillow were against the wall furthest away from the door. My rucksack had been emptied of all food and cooking equipment and eating stuff too, like the plastic bowl, knife, fork, spoon and cup set I had brought. I crawled out of my room and went to see Tyler's. It was a huge mess. His clothes were piled in a corner, his sleeping bag thrown on the floor with his pillow on it and his sleeping mat halfway up the wall. He was currently searching his bag for food. 

"Tyler, if you plan on staying like that for at least two days, god help you!" I said sarcastically. Tyler looked up at me and grinned. 

"I don't, I'm not that stupid," he replied, "obviously I'm going to move my clothes."We both burst into laughter and I spent the next twenty minutes helping him sort out his room until we were both satisfied.  

"Thanks, man" Tyler said after we sorted everything and I nodded, crawling back out of his room IMO the center (or living area as we called it), leaving him to search for his food. 

"Jared, do you need any help with anything?" I called, tapping on the fabric of his room. 

"Nope!" he yelled back, "almost done, you can't start dinner though if you want?" 

"Sure!" I said enthusiastically, setting up the small camping stove and gas cylinder, "what are we having?" 

"What's on the menu?" I heard Tyler call. I looked through our huge pile of food which would keep us going for days, never mind the emergency food I had in the bottom of my rucksack, and I was sure that the guys would have brought some too. I began rifling through the food until I found three packets of rice, some pot noodles, cheese, bread, a packet of tomato and basil 'easy cook' pasta and two litres of coke. 

"Well, it's either a pot noodle, a cheese sandwich, pasta or rice" I replied. 

"May as well have cheese sandwiches" Jared called out, "we can indulge tonight" 

"Yeah!" I heard Tyler agree. 

"Do you want coke with that?" 

"Hell yes!" I heard the boys yell in unison and I laughed. 

"Oh, I do treat you well." I said with a grin and began preparing our very simple lunch.