Patrick and Dallon periodically peaked over at the two boys they had watched board the bus, careful not to catch their wandering gazes. Ryan was no help, being readily engaged in conversation with Ashley. They had started with a bit of space between them, but were now hip to hip on the seat.
The bus picked up one more set of kids, a girl with half dyed and half natural hair, as well as, a boy with kind of spiked up brown hair. After that, the ride to the hills where the camp was located began.
"This is nuts..." Patrick mumbled, scooting back in his seat. "I'll never convince that guy to sleep with me..."
"Well, sleep isn't going to the most enticing reason for him to come to your bed."
"Dallon!"
Dallon laughed, stealing a look at the boy that came with the one Patrick took attraction to. "Just sayin'."
"What if he doesn't even like boys?" Patrick worried lowly, "What if he already has a girlfriend or something!?"
"Patrick, calm down." Dallon replied, turning back to his friend. "You can hardly assume anything these days. Who knows his sexuality? Does anyone really know until they've experienced different types of love?" He shrugged, "We have a whole summer..."
Patrick nodded, but the worry didn't leave his thoughts. This was such a stupid summer mission. Maybe the innocent virgin jokes weren't so bad... He could live with them until it finally happened... Or he became a nun because the jokes rang with so much truth.
"It'll happen..." Patrick whispered with the shake of his head. He just had to really try... And hope.
- - -
Pete nudged Brendon as the bus made its way to the summer camp. "Whatchya get?" He asked the more energetic boy.
"Lots!" Brendon giggled, patting his bag. "I've got the giant, inflatable rubber duck, some illegal fireworks hidden in my pillow in case they search us, and most things in between."
"How in the hell did you get illegal fireworks!?"
Brendon shrugged. "Uncle."
Pete rolled his eyes, but made a mental note to ask more about Brendon's uncle when there were less ears around. He pulled up his own backpack and grinned at the other boy.
"Itching powder, silly string, super glue, and a hockey mask."
Brendon didn't look very impressed. "Weak, dude."
Pete let his bag drop to his feet with a light huff. "I don't have a pyromaniac uncle to sneak me illegal fireworks."
"Hey! They couldn't convict him in that arsonist case, remember?"
"Whatever, dude..." Pete sighed, sliding back into his seat. "I just want this done and over with... Maybe we can sneak out and just book it."
Brendon spun in his seat to look at the seats in the bus behind him as he answered. "You're forgetting role call." He said as he let out a soft giggle, "There's a cute giraffe in the back..."
"Sit down before the driver yells at you..." Pete muttered, smacking Brendon's butt with the back of his hand as the driver glared at him from the front mirror.
"Oh! Spank me and tell me I'm a bad boy." Brendon turned to Pete with a wink before biting the end of his finger. He giggled like a toddler as Pete swatted at his side, making him turn and sit down in his previous position.
"You're insane." Pete muttered again, crossing his arms over his chest.
Brendon rolled his eyes. "Would you have it any other way?" He asked, nudging his friend. "You know it would be boring!"
Pete couldn't help the smile that creeped onto his face with Brendon's remarks. He was right. When Pete's dad had first died, it was really Brendon who kept him smiling. Brendon was the one to listen to him rant, let him take charge of their plans for whatever day, and annoy Pete like a little brother.
"Bus driver, how much longer!?" A girl with red hair yelled from the back.
The bus driver just shot her a glare in the mirror before looking back at the road. The girl shrunk back in her seat.
"Cheery one, ain't she?" Pete muttered, watching Brendon play with loose strands of his hair.
"She's spending her summer busing teenagers to a camp in the middle of the woods. I wouldn't be the happiest either." Brendon yawned, twirling the strand of hair around his finger. "She could be out trying to get herself a man or woman right now..."
The bus driver shot a glare in their direction before turning up the bus' radio. The blue haired boy a few seats behind them groaned, sinking in his seat. Pete turned in Brendon's direction to look out the window.
The trees moved by quickly as the traveled down a winding road at the base of the hills. It made Pete think back to the moment when he first heard about what had happened to his dad...
"NINETY NINE BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL!" someone suddenly yelled from somewhere on the bus.
"WHO STARTED THAT, I WILL END YOU!" The voice of the red haired girl spoke up, loudly.
The bus driver began adding to the chaos, yelling and turning the radio up still. Pete covered his ears, coming back to reality. He shook his head at Brendon, who was somehow snoring through all of this.
"Dude, what the hell?" He exclaimed, shaking his head at Brendon. This kid was insane...
"Look! There's camp waste of a summer!" A dark haired boy with a lip ring exclaimed, pointing out the front window.
Pete leaned forward to rest against the seat in front of him and look outside. There was the stereotypical camp set up ahead of them on a dirt road. Cabins were scattered throughout the trees, but just in front of them sat the main check in lodge. Standing on the porch of that log building was a man with a small poof of hair on top of his head.
Pete elbowed Brendon in the ribs, making the other boy grunt before curling into himself. "We're here."
"I hate you..." Brendon sort of laugh/cried, falling against the window.
Pete just rolled his eyes, pulling his bag up into his lap. The bus was slowing to a stop in front of the lodge and everyone was gathering their things. Brendon pouted with tired annoyance at Pete as they stood to get off the bus. It was slow, but soon everyone was trickling out and standing in a line. Pete observed the faces as the lined up to his side.
There was: an obvious couple (with a dark haired boy leaning against a white haired boy), a girl with two colors in her hair talking softly with excitement a boy with short and spiked brown hair, the blue haired boy from a few seats behind Pete and Brendon on the bus, and an irritated boy that kind of matched the facial features of the boy with white hair.
More people were unloading from the bus, but Brendon took his revenge opportunity to nudge Pete in the ribs. That successfully distracted him as he doubled over in pain.
Brendon leaned down by Pete's ear. "Payback's a bitch, Wentz." He whispered before standing upright again.
"Alright, everyone off the bus?" The man that had been standing on the Porch of the lodge asked as Pete stood upright, "Cool. I'm camp director, Joe Trohman."
There was a mumble of hellos in response as Joe grabbed a clipboard from somewhere behind him. He nodded as he stepped off the porch and into the afternoon sun.
"If you have any questions you can come to me or, my partner, Mr. Andy Hurley." Joe smiled, "He would be here, but he's currently taking care of a hornet nest by one of the cabins."
"Is it too late to go home?" Someone from the lineup of teens from the bus asked.
"You'll be fine. Andy is a trained medical professional, and we have a landline for emergencies." Joe assured the group before looking back down at his clipboard, "Now, you're all here to be camp councilors, correct?"
Another chorus of agreement.
"Good. Now, when I call your name, say here." Joe cleared his throat before starting, "Josh Dun!"
"Here." The blue haired boy raised his hand, an ear bud dangling from his ear.
"Ashley Frangipane?"
"Right here!" A girl with long, blue hair bounced on her heels from where she stood holding onto the arm of some brown haired kid.
"Frank Iero?"
"Here and queer." The dark haired boy leaning against the white haired boy smirked as he rose his hand.
"Language please, Mr. Iero." Joe warned, trying to hold back a small smile from the remark. He looked back down at his clipboard, "Tyler Joseph?"
"Present." A timid voice answered. Pete peaked down the line to see the boy next to the eager girl with two colors in her hair raising his hand slightly.
"Melanie Martinez?"
"Present, pretty, and punctual!" The girl with two colors giggled, waving her arm excitedly.
"Ryan Ross?"
"That's me." The boy that had linked arms with Ashley grinned.
"Patrick Stump?"
Pete couldn't help but snicker at the name. Stump? What kind of last name was that?
"Here, sir."
Pete looked down at the boy who spoke. He had brown hair that seemed to shine in the afternoon sun, and skin that could use a bit more sun. Pete tilted his head at the boy, who was now looking down and nervously kicking the ground.
"Pete Wentz!" Joe said, loudly, pulling Pete back to reality a bit suddenly.
"H-here!" Pete tripped over his words, hearing snickering coming from the line up.
"Thank you for coming back to earth, Mr. Wentz." Joe nodded, "Last but not least, Miss Hayley Williams?"
"Your local soulless councilor, at your service!" The red headed girl grinned, waving her arm in the air.
"Alright! That's everyone. Now, if you'll come this way, you'll be choosing your cabins." Joe smiled after marking off his clipboard. He motioned for everyone to follow him around the lodge.
Pete shifted his bag, stealing a glance at that Stump kid. For someone with a stupid last name, he didn't look too bad.