✤ The grave below the flowers ✤ (CRAIG OF THE CREEK)

Field trip kiss

"Tony, don't be stupid. You know Miss Shannon grew up and couldn't be a scout anymore. She's probably too busy with college and stuff to come back."

Jason was blunt. He didn't care for sugarcoating as if this were Boris on the phone. But still, Jason would've been just as honest.

He didn't feel like recalling the memory of Shannon leaving. Her leave being after Rosemary's death was only salt on the wound.

Jason grabbed Pearl from his bed and fiddled with her tentacles with one hand, Tony's words went in one ear and out the other.

A week since then passed, Jason's bags for the trip were filling up from the day of the trip coming closer.

Yet Craig laid outside The Stump with a bored expression, Xavier sitting beside him mirroring the same boredness.

"I wonder what they do at those Forest scout trips..."

Xavier turned over on his side and began playing with a piece of grass until it broke in half. It was a minimal effort at starting a conversation and quenching his boredom.

"Why don't you ask Jason?"

"Doesn't he hate me?"

"Oh, forget about that...I'm sure, he doesn't hate you-"

"Don't pity me. He does. I tried calling him on the phone, but he hung up, something about 'needing to leave' suddenly."

"Well, I'm sure something came up..."

"Yeah, how much he hates me,"

"Well, you don't know if he was lying. Maybe something really did come up. Maybe I can talk to him, he doesn't hate me."

Craig earned a small laugh from Xavier with the final sentence.

"The only thing I heard about Junior Forest Scouts was Cheyenne complaining about some Forest Scouts knocking on our door trying to sell her, cookies. I remember them being a bunch of girls but sometimes I think one of them may have been Jason, Tony or Boris those few times. Never thought of them as salesmen. Maybe I can ask them when they get back from that trip they're going on tomorrow."

"Wait, that's tomorrow?"

"You already forgot? Craig, you're the one who told me when he's leaving..."

Craig could hear the cringe in Xavier's voice as he laid back down on his back. Only for Craig to sit up.

"He's leaving tomorrow?!"

"Yes! Is anybody in there?!" Xavier went up to his knees and began lightly knocking on Craig's head and speaking to his temple.

Craig waved Xavier's hand away and groaned.

Xavier sat there, confused while watching Craig.

After giving it a few more moments to sink in, Xavier looked off to the side while mouthing an "oh."

"I thought I'd have more time to tell him!"

"Snooze, you lose."

"Xavier!"

"Fine, maybe he's somewhere at the creek I don't know. Maybe he's at home packing, not sure."

Xavier laid back down and placed his lower forearms behind his head for support and shut his eyes peacefully.

"You aren't coming?"

"I already told Jason how I felt, and you know how that turned out."

"Right...Alright, cya..."