I woke up to my sister poking me in the face. "Hazel I gave you a key for emergencies, not for a wake-up call," I was not a morning person. She opened the curtains letting sunlight into my room. So I pulled up my blankets like any gremlin would do.
"Will let me in any way so I didn't use the key," she stated and sat on the edge of my bed. "Get up, I have news and I want pancakes."
I rolled my eyes but got up and walked to the kitchen. "What kind?" I asked Hazel. "I like blueberry," Will chimed in sitting on the couch reading a small book.
"Yeah, blueberry pancakes," Hazel said sitting at the bar that faced the kitchen. "Ew, no I'll make blueberry waffles but not pancakes," I said getting out the ingredients.
I never understood why people liked pancakes they were just a rip off of waffles.
Could they hold the toppings?
No, they could not.
"Whatever Neek's, as long as they are good," Hazel smiled. She seemed in a better mood than normal. "Yeah Neek's make them good," Will said not looking up from his book.
I glared at him, I didn't mind the name 'Neek's' but only by Hazel. I got the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt mixing all the dry ingredients together. Then added in the buttermilk, vanilla, eggs, butter, and blueberries into the mixture.
"So what's the news?" I asked Hazel. She smiled and put her hands on the counter, meaning she meant business or it was something she was excited about.
"I'm kinda moving in with Frank," she said quickly. It took me a minute to register what she said. Before I could answer I saw Will out of the corner of my eye taking the spoon out of the bowl. "William no. That has raw egg in, get out of the kitchen!" I said.
Gods I sounded like a mother.
"Where does Frank live anyway?" I asked Hazel. "Well he has a house in Canada, but he has an apartment twenty minutes away!" she spoke.
"Then you can come over more and get him out of bed before noon?" Will asked throwing the spoon into the sink, no doubt licking it off after I said not to. Would it be rude to kick him?
"Exactly! We can have game night and since summer it's we can go to parks, and all that stuff," Hazel said excitedly.
It had been a while since I saw her this happy, she was never a sad person to begin with but she just seemed more carefree. "Well I'm happy for you and Frank," I said piling up the waffles onto a plate.
"Will get the toppings out of the fridge," I demand. He did as I said and got the butter, whip cream, maple syrup, and normal syrup. We all sat around the table enjoying the waffles. I wasn't all that hungry, I never was in the mornings.
I had half left not even wanting the half I ate. "Nico," Hazel's voice was warning. I hated when she said my name like that. It meant 'Eat the food or I'm going to feed it to you and embarrass you further.'
I took a few more bites of the sugary food on my plate until she smiled satisfied with the amount I ate.
"So Will, what are you going to school for?" Hazel asked.
We all cleaned up from breakfast and Will made coffee for us and tea for himself. "The medical field. I'm going to be a doctor someday," Will told her.
We sat outside to enjoy the 'nice day.' I hated it. It was too bright and I burned easily.
"Makes sense, you look like you could be a doctor," Hazel replied.
At first, I was going to ask her what she meant by that but looked over at Will instead. Yeah, he did look like he could be a doctor more of your tv cliche looking type with sparkling blue eyes, tan skin, and a smile that could light the way through Hell.
I don't know why I thought that and decided to ignore it. "What do you do?" he asked Hazel. She smiled, "I just finished my first year to become a psychologist."
Ever since I knew Hazel she has always wanted to help people and get them on a better path of life.
She was just that kind of person, to get up and say something if it meant helping others. She was the first to accept me for who I was no questions asked.
"Oh that's cool, what are you planning on specializing in?" Will asked. They both pretty much nerded out about everything anything to do with medical things. Hazel has to have some medical schooling and Will gave her pointers on how to write the perfect notes.
It involved a lot of neon colors and highlighters. "I'm going in to get some sunscreen," I state and go inside.
I will never understand how people who pretty much just met could talk like best friends. I can't even do that with my friends I've known for years.
I walked to the bathroom and grabbed the sunscreen.
Don't judge me, I burn easily and hate the feeling of being burnt. I layer on the SPF ninety and make sure it's all rubbed in before going outside again.
Hazel and Will were now on the topic of hiking; how do you get there in five minutes is beyond me. "I think it'd be cool to go camping at the campsite oh what was it called?" Hazel looked at me.
"Nico, you remember the camping trip dad forced us to go on because he wanted to impress Persephone?" I nodded.
Who forgets a camping trip from Hell?
Most everything went wrong. The car stopped working on our way there and then when we finally got there all me and my dad could do is fight.
"Yeah, I'd remember the time dad left me in a creek and I almost drowned. But at least I learned how to swim that day," I said bitterly not over that stupid trip.
"He didn't know you couldn't swim," Hazel spoke softly.
"Wait your dad just left you in the creek to drown?" Will asked shocked.
"Yes," I said. Hazel shook her head, "Do you remember the name of the place or not?" I shook my head. "Nope, all I remember is it was off the highway near dads."
"It's really nice despite what my brother says. It's not crowded so it's like you're alone in your own world there," Hazel said clearly having better memories than I did of the place.
"We should go camping Neek's," Hazel said with stars in her eyes. Why was it when Hazel said something like that I just couldn't say no despite how badly I didn't what to go. She looked so happy I couldn't say no, not to those eyes.
"If I say yes, we are not staying long," I said. "Two weeks," Hazel said. "One at max," I said. There was no way I was going to spend two weeks in the fucking woods for what she said would be 'fun'.
"Fine one week. Will, you want to tag along?" she turned to the blonde. "I wouldn't want to intrude," he said. I was disappointed, I kinda wanted him to go along at least then I won't be stuck with Hazel and Frank leaving me to be the welcomed third wheel.
"Don't be silly, you're going. I'll check mine and Franks schedule and hopefully, we can pick a time after schools done for summer break?"
Will and I nodded in agreement. "Sounds good to me," Will said in a slightly thicker country accent.
I can't believe Hazel just set us up to go camping like this.
