Mikki and Jeremy belong to KikiJuanita. The other unrecognizable characters belong to me and the ones you do recognize belong to their rightful owners. Enjoy.
"Are you sure about this?" Jeff asked his sister. Jeff and Sugar had come over for dinner, along with Mikki. Onyx had just finished explaining to them that she would be gone for the weekend as she was going camping with Clint.
"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked, looking across the table at her brother. "I've been camping before, plenty of times," she reminded him.
"I know this," Jeff sighed, nodding his head. "Look, I like Clint, if I didn't I wouldn't have helped him when he came to me, but I don't want you to be rushing into things with him," he explained a bit further. He worries for his sister, knows how easily and how well she can hide her true feelings over things, and how she can seem fine but still stressed over the damage the last relationship caused her.
"I promise you, Jeff, I am not rushing into things with him. I have come to terms with what happened with Hunter and I have accepted that it wasn't all my fault. I have things to work on, but I am not letting what happened with Hunter dictate what I do with Clint. Besides I am taking things with him as slow as I need them to be," she told her brother and those around them. "Whatever I decide to do with Clint is on me and what I think is right and not what you feel is right for me," she stated.
"Is it that wrong to look out for my sister?" He questioned.
"I never said it was wrong, Jeff," she stressed, pushing her plate away, losing her appetite over the bickering with her brother. "I worry about you too, but I am not sitting here telling you how to be with Sugar. You need to trust me and trust that I know what I am doing. Is it that hard for you to want me to be happy?" She asked, downing the water in her glass. She needed to be drinking more water, so she was trying to do just that.
"No, it's not that hard," Jeff told her, feeling guilty that she would even think like that. "I trust you, Onyx and we're not going through that again. It's never fun seeing you hurt where I can't do anything to help you," he stressed, wanting her to see where he is coming from.
"I know how hard it is to deal with an overbearing older brother," Mikki said, feeling it best to intervene in the siblings spat going on before it turned into a full-blown fight where they said things they would only later come to regret saying. "And I've had this talk with him. Jeff, only wants you to be happy and to make sure that Clint is what makes you happy," she said looking to Onyx. Before turning her attention to Jeff. "And your sister wants you to better trust her judgement on this and that if Clint didn't make her happy, she wouldn't be trying to figure out where things are going with him," she stated, wanting them both to see that it isn't something to be fighting about.
"If Clint didn't make me happy, I wouldn't be spending my free time with him, Jeff. He makes me feel alive," she shared with a smile.
"That is all that I want for you," Jeff stated. "And I will mind my business about your personal life from now on," he confessed.
"Why would you do a crazy thing like that for?" Onyx asked. "You may annoy the heck out of me with second guessing my choices but by doing so, you make me think twice. I have your voice stuck in my head reminding me on things only you would do," she said shaking her head. She didn't want her brother to stop speaking his mind about what she did, she liked hearing his opinion even if it wasn't what she wants to be hearing.
"I am disappointed that I have to wait even longer before we have our monthly night out," Seb sighed, half of a teasing smile on his face.
"We'll get to it this month," Onyx promised him. It was something they did since they went to different schools growing up and it stuck through the years even if they did spend a good chunk of their time together and now live together. It was still hard to find time with their own lives going on. "How is Jeremy?" She asked then.
"Good," Seb nodded. "He keeps bugging me about when I'll be bringing Mikki home to meet the family," he tacked on. He had tried to find the perfect time to do so, but he couldn't get anything to align the way they needed to.
"That is an excellent question," Onyx nodded. "The same as when are you going to meet the rest of Mik's family?" She asked.
"Can we not?" Seb asked.
"It's something that we have been in disagreement over for the past few weeks," Mikki sighed. They were making it harder than it needed to be.
"It's not that easy," Seb sighed, shaking his head. "I only have a select few days off, I don't want to cancel on the kids I am helping at the center and tutoring. I don't see the point in going there only to turn right back around because I have work to do," he explained.
"I know it isn't ideal," Onyx said, licking her lips. "What if over winter break you go to one parents place then a few months later over spring break, you go to the other," she suggested.
"Isn't it a short spring break this year?" He asked, Onyx shrugged, not sure how long their spring break would be for.
"You could take a few days off at that time," she pointed out.
"Sebastian Smythe take days off of work when he isn't dying of a sickness is unheard of," Jeff laughed.
"You could spend half your time at one place over winter break and spend the last half at the other place, both of you efficiently meeting the parents and family members at the same time," Sugar commented, giving them another option.
"That could work," Onyx nodded.
"You wouldn't mind?" Seb asked looking at her.
"Why would I?" She laughed. "I'll be there to help your girlfriend deal with Jeremy," she pointed out.
"Mind filling me in on why you're more concerned about that working with your best friend over that of your girlfriend?" Mikki asked, looking at her boyfriend.
"She celebrates with us on Christmas Eve, as we have a semi big meal and open a few gifts, before she goes and celebrates with her own family as she is considered apart of my family," he explained.
"It's nothing personal," Onyx said, jumping in not wanting Mikki to feel like she wasn't valued here as Seb should have been worried if it worked out best for Mikki. "It's a tradition they started when I became friends with Seb and wouldn't ever go home, as I had two Christmases on the actually day that they wanted to do something special for me. So, Seb just wanted to make sure that I was okay with either sharing that day with you or that I am okay with him not being there," she clarified for Mikki.
"That makes sense," Mikki nodded. "And I would feel horrible to make Seb miss that. But we can work something out where he'll be able to have that day with you," she assured Onyx.
"I won't make plans until I know what you two are doing," Onyx smiled. "That reminds me, when do you get to meet the parents?" She asked looking at her brother.
"Next month," Jeff nodded. "Any tips?" He asked.
"Sweetie, I told you that you have nothing to be worrying about," Sugar said, resting a hand on her boyfriend's leg.
"Her parents are cool," Onyx nodded. She never had a problem with her friends family, yet things were a bit different. "Just be you Jeff, don't go out of your way to impress them. They'll know if you are being fake, they deal with that sort of thing daily," Onyx advised him.
"Noted," Jeff nodded. "We still down for the game next week?" He asked looking over at Sebastian. They may not have been the best of friends growing up, but over the years they have become friends to a certain degree, he didn't think he would ever be as close as his sister is to Seb, and that was okay with him.
"Of course," Seb laughed. "My team is gonna take your team down," he challenged.
"You've said that the last three years and you have yet to win," Jeff laughed.
"What am I missing here?" Mikki questioned, looking at those around the table, Sugar just as lost as she is.
"They have a baseball team for charity and next week is when they start the tournament. Did your boyfriend's not tell you any of this?" Onyx asked once she explained it to them both.
"He did not," Mikki said, shaking her head.
"I don't recall, Jeff saying anything of the sort," Sugar commented.
"You can't say that. Because I told you I had a game to practice for," Jeff defended himself.
"As did I," Seb said. "You just never asked for what and it never really occurred to me to explain it in full until next week," he shrugged.
"You guys are kinda failing in the boyfriend department with not explaining it to them a heck of a lot sooner. Not wait until the day of the game," Onyx said, shaking her head. "Someone needs to keep me updated since I won't be here," she said.
"We've got you covered," Mikki told her with a smile. Sugar agreeing with a nod.
"Do you think Clint would be up to playing?" Jeff questioned.
"What makes you think that you get him on your team?" Seb questioned, looking over at Jeff.
My brother and best friend are fighting over you! She sent to Clint, typing under the table as they had agreed not to have phones at the table while they eat and catch up.
Seriously? Clint sent back to her, followed with. Over what exactly?
They have a baseball tournament next week. They both want you on their team. She explained to him in a text.
What team is the better team? What team should I even be on? He sent to her.
I can't tell you what team to pick. However, Jeff's team has won the last three years. Seb wants to dethrone him. So if you're any good be on Seb's team if you suck be on my brother's team. She quickly shot off to him. She really wanted to see her best friend win for a change.
Tell them I'll know for sure in a few days. Gotta practice to see what team I need to be on.
"He says he'll decided in a few days and to stop fighting over him as it isn't pretty," Onyx told them, getting up from the table to place her plate in the sink, now that she has found some sort of appetite and ate her food. "Now I am going to leave you guys alone so you can do couple things," she said making the move to the hallway.
"You don't have to go hide in your room," Seb told her.
"We have to go anyway, we have a movie date to be getting to," Jeff said, getting up and helping Sugar up before taking their dirty dishes to the sink.
"Enjoy the movie," Onyx called from next to her bedroom door. "And Seb I'm not hiding I do have to pack for my camping trip," she reminded her friend.
"Yeah but it's days away," he retorted with. "You sure you want to skip out on the movie?" He asked, as Mikki brought a movie with for them to watch.
"I'd just ruin the movie for you, since I've seen it," she laughed. "And you've seen how I pack right?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, you better get a head start on that now," he laughed.
"Are the roads that rough that you can't take your own car?" He questioned, helping her load the camping supplies she told him that she would be bringing. Between the both of them they had everything they needed for a weekend of camping, except for the food and they would stop on their way.
"Why get my car full of dirt, when I can easily get your pick up here covered in mud?" She teased, tossing her bag into the back of the pick up, after she placed her purse in the cab.
"How can I argue with that logic?" He laughed, picking the heavier items up and placing them in the bed of the pick up. "Are you sure that you have everything?" He asked, noticing that she only had one bag of personal belongings.
"I have clothes and a pair of shoes, what else do I need?" She had her personal items as well. She was sleeping in the wilderness, not in some fancy hotel in a foreign country. She didn't need to plan for any sort of outing that didn't consist of fishing or hiking. "Unless you have this thing about sharing a tent," she said, not sure how he felt about sharing a tent, as she didn't see the need to bring more than one.
"I don't mind sharing a tent at all," he told her, checking to make sure that nothing would blow out while driving. "It's just that I've seen woman mostly my sister pack for a camping trip and it's been ten times what you packed," he explained his question away.
"I don't need a whole closet on a camping trip, just a few extra changes of clothes to last the weekend in case any get wet or muddy. I promise I have everything that I need," she assured him, going to get into the cab of the pick up, now that they had everything loaded.
"So about this baseball game," he commented once they were on the road, after they had stopped for food and what they wanted to drink while out there. A bit more alcohol than they really needed found their way to counter at the liquor store.
"What do you want to know?" She asked. "My brother knows the game, he played in little league growing up. He didn't have the passion for the sport once he got to like 7th grade," she explained. "It's something they've done for a few years now. It's just the fourth year where they get to be captain of the team. Have you thought about the team your going to be on?" She questioned him.
"Who do I need to suck up to?" He questioned with an underlying of a teasing tone.
"Both," she told him. "But this isn't about sucking up to them on my behalf," she told him. "This is about what you want to be doing. I suggest since I want to see my best friend finally beat my brother, that you join Seb's team if you rock at the game if not join my brother's and help him lose," she shared.
"You really want your brother to lose, don't you?" He asked with a chuckle.
"I do," she nodded. "I can only take so much of his gloating," she shared. "Wouldn't you want your sister to lose if it meant that your best friend got the win?" She asked him. She knew how close he is to his sister after they had both graduated high school and he stopped being such a dick to people. "Turn left on that dirt road," she told him.
He nodded, slowing the pick up and turning his blinker on, as he approached the dirt road. "I couldn't make a decision like that without being put in a predicament to make it," he told her. He really wouldn't know what to do in that scenario.
"I am happy for Jeff, I am," she assured him. "But it would be nice to see my best friend win for once," she shrugged. She was close to both Seb and Jeff that it is hard at times to pick between them. But in this case it was to pick Seb over her brother as he has had his fair share of wins where her best friend hasn't had a win as of yet.
"I get that," he said. "Where am I going?" He asked, not wanting to get lost along the way.
"It's still a few more miles ahead," she informed him. "For the record you don't have to play on either team, you don't even have to go and watch it," she stated.
"I think I'll play," he told her. "I know I don't have to, but honestly it sounds like fun and I don't mind," he assured her.
"If you're sure because they like you. And they're not going to hate you unless you hurt me. You make me ridiculously happy and that is all they want," she told him.
"I have no desire to hurt you, Onyx," he told her, stealing a small glance her way.
"I know this," she smiled, moving her hand to gently squeeze his thigh.
The last bit of the drive was done so with friendly chatter as she directed him towards the little camping spot, they'd be calling theirs for the next few days.
"I'll let you take that and I'll get the tent set up," he told her, seeing that her mom is trying to get ahold of her.
"Hey Mom," she smiled at him, answering the call to see what happened to be so important that couldn't wait a few days. "What's going on?" She questioned, slipping from the pick up, not wanting to get hot while talking on the phone.
"I didn't want to interrupt your camping trip. How is that going by the way, sweetie?" Her mom asked, not even worried about keeping her daughter on the phone longer than necessary.
"Things are good," she smiled, looking to see him struggling with the tent, which she chuckled at softly. "I am trying to take things slow, but I don't know if I can," she sighed, turning to look away from him. Things with Hunter still plagued her. Not so much of his cheating as she trusted Clint there, but it is more of the feelings she had for Hunter as she had loved the man deeply. And frankly she wasn't sure if she would ever stop loving him and that scared her a bit.
"Sweetie, you don't have to take it slow if that isn't what you want. You decide how fast you want to move with him," her mom told her.
"I know," she sighed. "It's just that I don't know if I will ever move past the love I have for Hunter," she told her mom.
"Honey, you may never fully get over that love for Hunter, but that's okay, you just make room for any new love and you won't ever know if you don't try," her mom said, giving her some mom wisdom.
"Maybe you're right," Onyx sighed, turning back to see that he was still struggling a bit with the tent as it's easier to put a tent up with two people and not one. "I know you didn't call just to talk about my problems," she laughed softly.
"I could've," her mom said offended. "I call to see how things are going," she intently told her daughter.
"I know, mom and that's not what I meant. You wouldn't call and interrupt my camping trip to just to check in. You have something important to say," Onyx clarified.
"I do." Onyx could hear the smile her mom wore. "Lydia asked me to marry her," Jade told her daughter.
"Mom, that's great," Onyx beamed. "You did say yes, right?" She questioned her mom.
"What do you think?" She asked her daughter with a duh tone. "We want you and Jeff to stand up there with us."
"Of course I will, Mom."
"The wedding is going to be a small affair on the 19th. It's crucial that you be here by the 16th," she warned her daughter.
"I'll be there," she laughed into the phone. "I'll even bring a plus one," she told her mom.
"I am serious, Onyx. You have to be willing to love again and not let what bit of love you hold for Hunter keep you from loving Clint," she sternly told her daughter.
"I won't," Onyx told her mom. "Tell that fiancée of yours congratulations. Bye Mom," she said ending the call getting a bye in return.
"Is that how we pop a tent?" She asked with a laugh, slipping her phone into her pocket, seeing he had the tent half way up.
"There are so many ways I can reply to that," he chuckled, watching her gaze go from the tent to his own pants. "And not like that," he laughed. "What'd your mom need?" He asked, going back to finishing the tent.
"Motherly advice," she shrugged, stepping in to help you. "And it was the first thing that came to mind after I said it," she laughed. "Such a shame," she told him shaking his head. "She's getting married next month and you get to be my plus one," she told him.
"When exactly?" He asked, hoping that it didn't interfere with his best friends wedding.
"The 16th through the 19th. Is that going to be a problem?" She asked.
"Nope," he smiled shaking his head. "You'll just have to repay me by being my plus one the week before that," he countered with.
"I think I can spare a few days," she smiled. "Now let's get this set up before the rain starts," she told him, seeing the dark clouds moving their way.
"We can call it and try again another weekend," he commented, watching the heavy rainfall hit the windshield of the pick up.
They had gotten the tent up on time and it started out as a light sprinkle for all of five minutes before it started pouring, rain water making its way into the tent soaking everything in its path. A quick listen to the forecast on the radio told them the nice weather for the weekend was done for as a storm would be staying around all weekend.
"Or we can find a hotel and take our camp out there," she suggested.
"How about we go back to mine, and we just don't tell the rest of them we've come back early," he said with a sigh, knowing he would get drenched having to get the tent taken down.
"Wouldn't that be cheating?" She asked eyeing him up.
"Sort of, maybe," he chuckled. "It's better than sitting here where we can't even cook our food or even leave this truck," he pointed out.
"True and it's not like they have to know we didn't really camp," she thought out loud. "Let's get the tent taken down," she commented, jumping from the pick up making a mad dash for the tent to taking it down, Clint quick to join her.
A few minutes later they were getting back inside the pick up with their bags holding dry clothes, as they stripped their soaked ones off, to busy getting dry and warming up from the cold rain water to steal any glances at the other one.
With their wet clothes laying in a puddle on the floor board and the heater turned down they headed back to the city to have a camp out at Clint's place, hoping to get past Jeff in the process.
"We can make a fort in the living room and make S'mores on the stove. We don't even have to turn the TV on or the lights," he commented when they got closer to the city.
"I am holding you to all of that," she laughed.
Just like he said, they built a fort in the middle of his living room, enjoyed oven roasted S'mores. They may not have camped out in the woods but they made do with what they had and had a fun weekend, their phones staying put on the kitchen counter.
The one thing she learned from her fort building weekend with Clint is that maybe, just maybe she is ready to take what she has with him to that level of a real relationship.