Marshmallows Roasting Over an Open Fire
By The Angel
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Chris walked back into the Mess Hall, where everyone was just about ready to go back. He hadn't eaten is dinner. It was just as well, as like every other night, it didn't seem appetizing at all. They were going to eat marshmallows in a half-hour anyway.
"How did it go?" Christy as she spotted him. Her dots of freckles seemed like red little stars to Chris. Maybe he was losing it. "Not as well as I wanted it to go." He said, depressed. Christy frowned. "Damn—I mean, darn. What happened?"
Chris smiled at her innocence. "Well, I ended up calling her a rich, selfish bitch." She grabbed the edge of her denim jacket. "Ooh…That's…Not good." She frowned. "Look, Chris, I appreciate you trying to defend my honor—Really, I do—But, Stephanie is still my friend, and I forgive her. Let her cool off."
"I admire your calm approach to everything."
"So does everyone else."
Chris chuckled. "I just don't get it Christy. I don't get women." She gave him a glare, and he smiled nervously. "I mean, I get you, you're the only one I get. But I don't get Stephanie." Christy chuckled. "You're such a male. And I mean it in a good way," She said, when she noticed his glare.
"I mean, really, Christy— I know she doesn't like me in that way—How do you girls say it?" He asked her.
"Romantically. How do you say it?"
"I—Er—" Chris giggled at the thought.
Christy rolled her eyes. "Anyway, you were saying?"
He cleared his throat. "Ahem. Yes. Anyway, she doesn't like me romantically, and I don't like her romantically. So why does she get so damn upset when I asked you to the dance?"
"Work with me Chris. She's jealous. And she does like you."
"But she said—"
"Forget what she said! Do you really think that Stephanie is going to tell you if she likes you, dumb ass?"
"Um…Yeah."
"You have no clue what goes on with women, do you?"
"Nope."
===
That night, as the marshmallows roasted over an open fire, Chris sat with Christy. Christy sat across the logs from Stephanie. Stephanie miserably pierced marshmallow after marshmallow onto her stick. She had no idea what she was doing.
"Stephanie, dear, you have eighteen marshmallows on that stick." Grace said, concerned for Stephanie's well being. Stephanie looked to her stick and indeed saw that she had her stick covered with marshmallows. "I am not really hungry," Stephanie said quietly.
Grace sighed. "Okay, dear. Give me your stick. You can go back to the cabin." Stephanie nodded and handed her stick over. As she got up, she brushed off her shorts and glared at Chris. He frowned, and continued to ignore it.
Stephanie walked into the cabin and filed into her bed. There was an envelope waiting for her. "What's this?" She mumbled to her delicately. She tore it open. It was such a pretty envelope.
Dear Stephanie,
Hi sweetie! How are you enjoying Camp Tin Trees? I am sure you made tons of friends. Your father and I are in San Francisco now for Summerslam. Shane's here too. He's fighting Dad, isn't that wonderful? Your brother in the wrestling business! Anyway, the PPV is about to start! I love you honey. Please write back to us in Connecticut.
Love, Mom
Stephanie frowned. She took out a piece of loose leaf from her notebook. She jotted down a quick "everything is fine, I made a nice friend named Christy, and this boy Chris and I have a budding relationship. Glad to hear everything is okay."
She folded it. Then she silently cried herself to sleep.