Camping Trip

Chapter Three

"I'm locking the door." Aiden answered, "I'm sure Connor is hanging around somewhere outside."

A muscle in Lucas's tensed. "You know I came here because I was sorry about what I did."

"I could really tell how sorry you were from all that laughing." Aiden replied dryly.

"I didn't mean to."

"You're not stupid," Aiden replied tersely, "You knew what that switch would do and pulled it anyway. Now please, get out."

Lucas's face reddened. He stood up quickly and shot Aiden a glare that made him tense with the expectation of getting hit. "I am sorry." He slammed the door behind him.

Aiden jumped at the loud bang. He bet everyone heard that, and he'd be forced to tell Mandy what happened. He stared at the door a mixture of anger and confusion – mostly anger, but still, a little bit confused. He'd never had someone yell an apology at him before.

A plate of food had been set aside for him in the kitchen. He snuck around Mandy, so he wouldn't have to answer any questions, and found Evie by the fire pit outside.

"Mind if I sit here?" He nodded to the spot next to her.

She smiled and nodded.

"You're jaw's a bit mangled." Ben pointed his beer at him.

"'Mangled'?" Aiden repeated. "It's just red."

"Hm." Evie bent over his lap and looked at it, "It's swollen."

Lucas, roasting marshmallows across from them, glared over. Aiden just shot him the same look back, or his best imitation. Lucas must have been surprised, because he dropped his stick.

Linda, who sat next to Ben with a beer of her own, leaned forwards to see it. "It's bruising too."

"You're exaggerating." Aiden pushed Evie back and took a bite from his chicken. Pain stabbed his cheek. "Ow!"

"'Exaggerating' For sure." Linda laughed, "Do you want one?" She tossed him a bottle without waiting for an answer, "It'll numb it for you."

"I think I'll need more than one." He put the cold bottle against his jaw and held it there while he ate.

Linda and Ben drank and got more and more people to join in as they wondered out from their cabins, freshly showered and drawn to the fire. Aiden nursed his one beer. He wouldn't handle an early start well if he drank too much.

"So Aiden" Linda filled a sudden silence in conversation, "How is Sarah."

"Linda" He groaned, "Stop."

He was happy to do what he wanted last year, but he'd rather not talk about it with classmates around. It would get back home, and everyone would know. That's how it worked, and it wasn't that he had anything to hide – he just didn't think it was anyone else's business.

"Who's Sarah?" Evie questioned.

"His girlfriend."

Kal's head lifted from his phone, and he saw Lucas and Hugh turn their heads towards them. Of course, they were interested in gossip.

"I didn't know you have a girlfriend" Kal said.

"I don't."

"You two broke up?" Linda said, "I mean she was quiet, but a sweet girl."

Boring. Sarah was boring. Being away from home and having lost a lot of weight gave Aiden enough courage to try out new things. After the initial butterflies of trying something new faded, he'd lost all interest in her and realised she wasn't someone he'd have as a friend – never mind girlfriend.