New Beginnings (Camp Camp fanfiction)

The First Day

The morning passes by in a blur of kids Max doesn't care about introducing themselves. He pretends to be interested, still trained to behave in school or else face the consequences at home. He may have been a little terror at Camp Camp, but he was, in all actuality, a good student that the teachers at his old school had liked.

He already had Nikki and Neil there, so he didn't have to bother himself with finding somewhat okay-ish people to sit with at lunch. He sat right between his two friends, who both loyally fought away the people who only wanted to bother the new kid. Neil keeps making worried glances over to Max all throughout lunch, which is pretty normal for him to a certain extent. Nikki, on the other hand, is nothing like herself. She keeps staring out the widows longingly, looking kind of dead inside. Max, much like Neil, acts like his usual self. He scowls at his tray, violently stabbing his food before shoving it into his mouth unceremoniously. He also steals some food from Nikki and Neil's trays when they aren't looking.

Recess is similar to lunch, but also different. Nikki gets back much of her normal color, running and somersaulting over the grass as giggles overtake her. The guys find a secluded corner in the shade and don't talk much. Neil continues giving him concerned looks throughout recess, fidgeting as Max feels his gaze on him. Max tries to ignore it, much like he tries to ignore the weird fluttery feeling in his stomach as he watched Nikki that intensifies whenever her unusual magenta eyes meet his own. But eventually, he can't ignore his staring anymore.

"If you want to ask, just fucking ask." He snaps, although he keeps his eyes carefully trained on their female companion as she continues her carefree running and jumping. Neil looks startled out of the corner of his eye, quickly scrambling around as if he dropped something. Max smirks slightly at his friend's flustered state. "It's about my parents, right? Don't be a bitch and just ask."

Neil splutters for a second, trying to put his thoughts into words before he finally just blurts out part of a sentence. "What was it like being--" He stops himself, quickly covering his mouth with his hand as he realizes that probably isn't a good thing to ask. "I-I mean! I didn't-- Oh geez, Max, you don't have to an--" This time he's cut off by Max, who turns to face him fully.

"What was it like being abused? Is that what you want to know?" He asks, his tone challenging but not threatening. Max sighs, shrugging as he leans back against the school building. "It kinda sucked, but you get used to it. It's like when the school bully starts beating you up when you leave every day. You just sort of... Live with it. Learn to avoid him. But you never, ever, hit him back." He says, unable to hide the ghost of emotion that clouds his eyes for a moment. He continues just a nonchalantly as he had began. "Like I said, you just live with it." He shrugs again, trying to make up for his moment of vulnerability.

The brunette gazes at him open-mouthed for a moment, not quite believing it. That's honestly the most real thing he's ever heard come from the other boy's mouth. The other boy who knows too much about the bad things and the bad people in life. The other boy who's already been through so much more than he deserves. His heart pangs for his friend and for the loss of his childhood.

After a moment, Neil clears his throat, swallowing the lump that had formed. "So, uh, how have David and Gwen been? Are they... Are they better?" He asks, instantly hating the stupid question, because he already knows the answer. David absolutely adores Max, which is why he always tried so hard to help him. He adores all the campers. Of course he's going to be a great guardian to Max.

The boy in question snickers at his question. "Are they better? Seriously, Neil? For a smart guy, you can be really dumb sometimes." He shakes his head with a slight smirk. "Of course they're better. It'd be hard not to be. They're frustrating, though. I mean, David is David, and Gwen's kind of a bitch." He says with yet another shrug.

Before they know it, the teachers are calling the kids back because recess is over. Max stands up, his hand accidentally brushing against Neil's. Neil notes the strange jump his heart made and plans to ask his parents about it tonight. Maybe he's sick.

They meet up with Nikki on the way to line up, and she looks absolutely miserable as she continuously looks back at the patch of grass behind her and whines. She shuffles her feet as slowly as possible, Max keeping the same pace as her because God knows he doesn't want to go back to class.

Neil takes hold of both of their wrists, noticing that his skin prickles a bit where it touches Max's, but it doesn't when it touches Nikki's. Weird. Maybe he won't say anything to his parents tonight. He might have to miss school if he says something.

Neil leads his two friends, both of them not outright pulling against him, but also not fully going along with him. He sighs. This is going to be a long year.

Max looks up at his friends, hiding the small smile that threatens to creep onto his face. He had never really had friends before; He was too worried he'd let something slip at first. But then that gave way to seeming apathetic, which doesn't work well when you're trying to make friends. But now he has two people that are as different as night and day, but they're his friends, and Max honestly wouldn't trade them for the world.

So all in all, his first day at his new school honestly wasn't as bad as he had thought; Not that you'd ever get him to admit to that.