_______________
Tin.
"I hope you're kidding..." I told Pete as I watch him set up his car to take his new friends in it.
He should have knew that this was going to happen, that Pete's car was going to be used as a means of transportation to reach the camp....very typical move of opportunists. I mean there is a bus from their faculty that they can use to go to camp, so why bother Pete?
"It's not a joke and it doesn't bother me so I offered to take them myself."
Of course he was going to offer himself, they have brain-washed him so much that he was already becoming their servant.
"They will dirty your car."
"Tin..."
"Well, do what you want. If you can't remove the stains later, don't complain too me." I said as I get in my car and for a second, I regret agreeing coming to this, I should have said no but then when I see these things surrounding Pete, I see more reason why I have to push away these people...of these animals.
I drive in the middle of the road as I look at the refreshing landscape, full of trees and mountains. As I look around, I saw a lake nearby, as well as great fauna. I have not enjoyed landscapes like these for a long time, it could be said that it is my first vacation in a long time.
Since I decided to focus only on my future, everything I have done is based on my studies and progress. I have taken it upon myself to follow in my family's footsteps and improve them, to reach a point of perfection where I cannot allow mistakes, much less vacations.
But hey, as I said, this will be the only exception I will make. If Pete won't take advantage of it, then I'll let those wolves eat him so he can finally learn his lesson.
When I finally arrive, after eight hours of travel, it was almost dark. The entrance to the camp is full of buses and students who arrive loaded with backpacks, obviously, I did not enter from the same side as them.
By having a different statute, we are provided with private parking and optimal cabins. I had to take it upon myself to research all the benefits I had to try not to feel overwhelmed by inept for so many days.
I see Pete's car parked with some guys starting to get their luggage out of his trunk, I enter and park next to him. Pete recognizes my car almost immediately and turns to greet me.
My face is indiscriminate as I looked at the monsters that he has at his side, especially for that certain Ae.
"Tin, you came," Pete greeted.
"Why did you allow them to load you with so much luggage? The car could have broke down in the middle of the road." I say while I look at Ae with contempt.
"If that had happened, we would have paid for the arrangements." His friend replied.
I can't help looking at him from head to toe and he notices that, his eyes get even redder with fury but it takes more than that to provoke any fear in me.
"I doubt it."
At that moment, an idiot who was trying to get his suitcase throws it to the ground and after the fall, I see Pete's car scratch.
"Can, you idiot!" One of his friends yells at him.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm going to pay for it!" The boy says while lowering his head countless times.
"Don't worry, you don't have to pay for it, it's just a zest." Replied Pete, just like what I expected from him. Naive.
"I warned you this would happen Pete." I said and Ae turned his eyes back to me.
"What's the matter with you? He said he was going to pay!" He yells.
I look at his clumsy friend and see his shirt worn down as well as his pants with a food stain on the side of his mouth.
"Of course..." I answer sarcastically and when I do, the clumsy boy finally looked at me, his look much worse than Ae's.
"You...!" He said, pointing at me with his finger. "...you're the one from the other day!"
What is this guy talking about? I do not know him.
"You almost ran me over! I could have died!" He continued but I don't really care about his ridiculous complaints.
I don't know who he is and I don't remember ever seeing him in my life. My brain doesn't waste time storing memories of useless people.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I said, downplaying it and went back to my friend.
"Will you leave some of your items in the car?"
"Hey, don't ignore me!" The child says again.
"Let it go Can, it's useless." Ae said, holding his friend.
Again, I ignored them.
"I'll wait for you at the 8:00 PM assembly, don't be late." I tell Pete and walked away from them. I can hear noises coming from behind me, most of them coming from that squeaky boy.
Hearing his voice again made me remember that he was the one from last week, the fool who crossed my path coming out of the parking lot.
Great, seems like the characters of friends Pete have is more worst than the last.
When I get to the cabin, I opened the door of the room that I reserved and saw that it is for two people. It is very well equipped, with refrigerators, table, chairs and even a smart TV...just as I asked. I quickly unpacked my things and arranged everything.
By the time I finish, I saw on the wall clock that it is about 8:00 PM, so I went to one of the external rooms for the assembly on American Economics that will be given by an important businessman.
Upon arrival, I reserved a place for Pete, but after 20 minutes, I still don't know anything about him. The talk has started and a lot of valuable information is being missed by him while he is spending a few more minutes with those fools.
"Tin...sorry." He said when he arrives.
I immediately rolled my eyes seeing the mark on his neck. Does he have a huge mosquito sucking his neck?
"I see you haven't wasted your time." I told him, my eyes concentrating on that specific point on his neck that he can't hide, he instantly blushes and lowers his head.
"I'm withdrawing what I said if you're already losing it...just get out your notebook and focus yourself in taking notes."
After 20 minutes, a girl in front of us turns around and handed us a paper.
"Read it and pass it on." She whispers to us under her breath.
"Campfire at 10 PM, a few meters from the left side of the lake" Pete reads the letter and hands it to the next person.
"Don't even think about it." I said, raising an eyebrow.
"It would be good to meet more people from other places and other careers..."
"You don't need to know more crows than you already have around you."
"Tin, accompany me...I don't want to go alone."
"Why don't you tell your friend to pick you up?" I asked him, trying to stay focused on the speech.
"I don't want to bother him and he also has own his friends...please..." He said almost pleading.
Sigh.
"You really have become a problem for me..." I answered and hearing that is enough to make him smile. "It will only be 20 minutes, if there is nothing good we leave."
"Yes!" He responds with an almost indescribable happiness.
What will I do with this boy...
***
Can
"Wait for me..." I spoke with fear in the middle of the dark. When I finally reach Good, I cling tightly to his arm.
"This place really scares me." I said and looked around me, the forest is beautiful during the day, but definitely not at night.
Branches creak when stepped on, and I swear I can hear weird noises coming from the trees.
"Can, do not be afraid, there are only some hares and birds circling." Ae tells me is also in a hurry.
Why? Because he wants to see Pete at the campfire.
"Are you sure?" Good asks, he is shaking with fear like me.
"Mm...I don't know, I heard someone died last year." Pond says suddenly and with a chilling voice.
"Pond! Stop scaring them!" Ae yells at him as he gives him a smack, causing him to stumble against the grass. At that moment, Good and I started laughing so hard that we also tripped over some branches.
"Aay!" We screamed as we fall on the wet mud.
"Hell!" Good says. "Did you really have to hold on to me?"
I try to get up, I'm a mess...I'm all dirty now, just...perfect.
"It's not my fault if you don't see where you're going!" I tell him, at least he's the same as me. Pond is also a bit dirty but that doesn't stop him from making fun of us.
"You fools, look at your clothes! How can I join when you look like this?" Ae scolds us.
"Quiet friend, we look bad so that your beloved Pete can see you more groomed, it is a strategy!" Pond answers, surrounding Ae with his arms.
"Let go! You're going to get me dirty!" Ae says while throwing Pond back to the ground.
When we get to the campfire, I arrive not only dirty but also very hungry. A crowd of 70 people are around the fire and I can smell roast beef not far from them. My stomach growls, asking for food right away.
"Sorry guys, my stomach is calling!" I tell them as I let go of Good, following that incredible scent.
When I get to the place where they cook the meat, there is a long line of guys waiting with a plate in hand.
"Can?" Someone called me from behind. I turned around and saw my sister with a friend, they both have a plate with meat. I run my tongue over my lips when I have them so close. "Why are you dirty?"
"I fell into the mud when I was coming here." I answered with shame and I can see how her friend stifles her laughter while my sister rolled her eyes.
"God, really Can...you are very special brother." Lemon says.
"Hey! More respect! Do not forget that I am the oldest!" I answered, my stomach cracks again but this time louder. The girls start laughing and I blush.
Why are you betraying me now, stomach? Don't you see that it is already bad enough when I look like this?
"Do you want meat?" Lemon says as she makes the plate dance in front of me.
I nod, almost drooling, and follow the plate with my eyes.
"Well, get yours!" She answers and takes the plate away from me, just like her and her friend, they both laugh. Sisters...what were my parents thinking when they decided to bring her into the world?
Without any other remedy, I ended up lining up in the long line, but when I arrived at my destination, the meat that are remaining are small, almost tough and cold. I find myself somewhat disappointed but I cannot complain, at this moment, my stomach asks me for cardboard, grass or whatever to fill it.
I walk back to the campfire and looked for my friends. The fire is almost out and there are few boys left, around 30 people, forming a circle.
I saw Ae and Pond near but I do not see Good, he must have gone to sleep, he is not someone who stays awake late at night and neither do I, but being in a vacation, I can not waste anything.
"Hey!" I called them when I see arrived. Pond sees me and gestures for me to sit next to him. As I sit, I saw that I have Pete in front of me and his idiot friend seated beside him.
Damn unbearable, smug, conceited...Can calm down, it's your vacation, don't ruin it, enjoy...
The way he looks at me, like I'm an insect, doesn't help at all. But seeing how Ae tries to calm himself down, I'm not going to be the one to start an argument in front of many people I don't know.
"Well, since there are quite a few of us..." Says a girl with red hair, I think I've seen her sometimes in my faculty, "...let's play!"
"Play what?" Pond asks.
"Duh! The bottle game of course!" The girl answers.
"Game of the bottle, what is that?" I ask innocently and everyone begins to laugh, my sister covers her face as if she was disappointed in me.
Did I ask a silly question?
"Friend, you really are very special." Pond tells me.
"Don't mind him!" Answers the redhead, it seems that she had something with Pond because of the way they look at each other, are they rivals?
"Let me explain, the bottle game consists of a bottle that is rotated in the middle of the round, when it finished turning, the people who are pointed by both the base and the tip should kiss." The red-haired says.
Woah...what a strange game.
"And why would someone have to kiss on the order of a bottle? It doesn't make sense." I asked and everyone laughs again.
I don't understand why my questions are so funny to them.
"Because that's the game." Ae answers and I see how his gaze goes to Pete.
"This is ridiculous." I hear them say and when I see where the voice is coming from, I realize that it is Pete's friend who has spoken.
"And why are you here if you don't want to play?" I ask him in a bad way. He gives me that death stare again and when he is about to stand up, Pete forces him to stay by his side, almost pleading.
One thing I don't understand how someone as good as Pete can have a friend like that.
"Okay let's play." Says the girl, places a bottle in the middle of everyone and begins to turn it. It only takes a few seconds until it stops, I see the people it is pointing to a girl and a girl, I don't know them, must be from other faculties.
Everyone screams and yells excitedly, what then happen is that they both approach the middle and kissed in such a simple and simple way, without any feelings for the other and only because a bottle orders them.
Seeing this, I don't think I can play this game.
As the minutes and turns of the bottles pass, several people approach the middle and kissed, some laugh at the person who has touched them, others blush but none refuses.
No one has touched me yet, neither does Pond, although he is expectantly looking at all the women in the round and winking at them when he can while Ae just looks at Pete at all times and Pete does the same to him.
At that moment, I see how the bottle stops in front of Ae and Pete. Pond elbows Ae and the women start screaming with delight. Even my sister, who quickly takes out her cell phone to take a picture of the moment, being a fujoshi with years of experience really make her prepared for these things.
Ae blushes just like Pete as they both approach the center slowly.
"Don't forget Ae that without a tongue, it's not a kiss!" Pond shouts from behind as he laughs and the girl who turns the bottle throws sand on him, I think she likes Pond.
I refocus my eyes on both of them and when their lips meet, they almost look like a real couple. Their kiss seems to convey love, a kiss that lasts a few seconds and when they finish, they both separate smiling.
Pete returns to the side of his idiot friend who looks at him while raising his eyebrow.
"Wow...that was..." Says the redhead and then sighs as if she were in love.
Again the bottle rolls and with more security, I convince myself that I cannot play this game, to do this game, I have to know how to kiss and I have never kissed anyone.
I am about to get up and go when I see that the bottle has stopped with the base pointed at me. I am stunned when I see that it is my turn and when I follow the length until I reach the top to see who I was paired with.
This all have to be a bloody joke.
_______________
♡💚♡