As we loaded into the bus I took a seat in the back next to Chuckie, Phil and Lil sat in the seats next to us and Kimi sat in front of us next to Suzie. Angelica was sitting further up front near the adults.
I noticed immediately how mom chose a seat next to Betty, Phil and Lil's mom, and how dad chose a seat next to Howard, Phil and Lil's dad.
I shook my head as the conversations of the bus rose up louder as we set out. The summer vibe was high amongst the teenagers; we would get to go out and away from the society that bordered us with rules. I would hopefully get a chance to be alone with Chuckie; it was an exciting thought, but probably one not to entertain.
"Oh my god I'm so excited!" Kimi said as she leaned over the back seat to look at me. I grinned up at her.
"Yeah, me too," I replied grinning. Kimi giggled lightly and happily as she turned to talk to Suzie, I smiled and turned to Chuckie, "What about you, are you excited?" I asked, he shrugged; he was staring blankly out the window, I felt concern fly through me, "Hey Chuckie, what's wrong?" I asked; he glanced at me briefly before looking back out.
"Nothing, it's just that…nature and I don't exactly get along that well," he murmured.
I giggled slightly, "Oh Chuckie, don't worry, nothing bad is gonna happen," I said optimistically.
He looked at me, "But what if I drown, or fall down the mountain, or a mountain lion kills me!" he said hysterically.
"Chuckie, there's no mountain lions, because we're not going to the mountains, just into the forest," I said smiling.
"Exactly! Who knows what's out there!" he said, his eyes were starting to widen with fear. I grabbed his shoulders and shook him once.
"Chuckie calm down, you're going to be fine, plus I'm going to be there, so don't worry." I said, I stopped quickly and pulled my hands away slowly, I didn't wanna be too abrupt, but I felt that if I kept doing that I would probably do something bad.
Chuckie shook his head and sighed, "I don't know," he muttered, "Something bad always happens."
"Like when?" I asked.
"Like last time we went to summer camp and the storms messed up everything," he said.
I looked down thoughtfully, "I don't remember that," I muttered.
"Yeah, you and I got stuck in our cabin and-"
He broke off and I saw his face burn a deep red before looking out the window, I didn't press, but I knew that something happened that summer that I just couldn't remember. I looked further up where there was an argument beginning, between, guess who, yup, my parents.
"Lord, Stu, quit acting like such a child," mom said sternly.
Dad looked at her and his eyes narrowed as venom coated his words, "I will you stop worshipping that doctor guy, our kids are growing up, they're not babies anymore, quit imagining them in diapers and let them live," he retorted.
The shouts started to grow and soon all you could hear was the two of them screaming at each other, I blocked out the words and let my mind wander out of the bus as I leaned my head against the seat in front of me. Lil, Phil, Kimi, and Chuckie were all watching me. Dil sat up with Angelica, she obviously didn't know how to react as Dil covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. He seemed in denial about the pending divorce.
Chuckie gently rubbed my back comfortingly. Oh what I would give for the bus ride to be over already.
As I sat there in glum silence heard the rest of the parents start to join in the fight, making matters much worse for us all. I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose as I felt angry tears welling up in my eyes.
Finally after awhile I jumped up and walked to the front of the bus where the arguing continued louder and louder. "Enough!" Dil and I screamed at the same time, I looked at Dil in shock, he had frightened tears running down his face. I held my hand out to him and he walked to my side in the silence. He grabbed my hand and clung closer to me.
I looked at mom and dad angrily, "You said this trip wasn't going to be a problem! Yet all you're doing is fighting and bickering and you're dragging everyone else in around you!" I yelled, they both looked ashamedly at the floor of the still moving bus. The other children in the bus were from my school as well, yeah, this made things even better!
"Tommy…" dad murmured.
I shook my head angrily, "No!" I said loudly as I felt warm tears streaking down my face, "It's bad enough that you two bicker and argue all the time but you're bringing the other parents into it, can't you two get along just this once! Stop fighting and just be happy like you used to be!" I yelled, "Why is that so difficult for you?"
I held onto Dil's hand tightly, "Mommy, daddy, I don't understand why you guys are fighting so much, but please, this summer, can you please try and get along for our sake?" he asked tearfully.
There was silence as I gently pulled Dil to the back of the bus with me, a few moments later Angelica uncomfortably joined us in the back. I sat down next to Chuckie and he lightly put his hand on my leg, I looked up at him and smiled gratefully.
Chuckie was always here for me, even through thick and thin, and now was no different. I could see he wanted to help me still; I placed my hand on his and looked ahead where Kimi and Suzie were coddling Dil as he cried into Kimi's tank top. I smiled and looked down again as the bus ride continued.
We arrived at the camp and found ourselves beyond excited for the upcoming summer adventures. I looked excitedly at Chuckie, my eyes dancing wildly, me and my ginger buddy, spending yet another summer vacation at the camp where everything takes a turn. Last time we came here Dil made friends with another camper, his name was Bean and he was a strange kid, but he made Dil happy, and that made me happy. My younger brother being content with his life was all that mattered to me, that and my best friend's happiness.
"Welcome kids," shouted the camp leader. I grinned as we all stood up a little taller as the parents began to unload the things, "You guys know the rules, but a little refresher never hurt anyone. Rule 1. Boys in one cabin, girls in the other. Never are you to go into each others' under ANY circumstances. Rule 2. Nobody up after curfew. Rule 3. If you go swimming, go with a buddy. Rule 4. You will have one buddy throughout the whole time, and you are responsible for your buddy."
After he listed off the rules like a grocery list I smiled almost excitedly, "Are you ready for a fun summer?!" he yelled, the adrenaline in his voice seeped out and assaulted us, filling us with the same vigor and exhilaration.
"Yeah!" we all shouted in unison.
"Good!" he took a step forward, "Then lets get to it!"
He turned and took us through the camp, first past the bathrooms which also held the showers. Then he dropped the girls off at their cabin which included Suzie, Angelica, Kimi, Lil and the moms.
Then he took us to our cabin and had us all go inside. The windows were mosquito nets and there were solid screens inside to cover the windows for while we were changing. There were eight beds and there was space under the beds for us to place our bags. There were tables by our beds; each had a lamp on it.
"Alright campers, enjoy your stay, we'll have you called down to the mess hall for lunch and our first event meeting," said the leader before heading out. I glanced at Chuckie and the dads all began to put their stuff under there beds. Chuckie and I had beds next to each other and Phil was on Chuckie's other side.
"So boys, are you excited for this?" dad asked with a happy smile, I could see the storm brewing beneath it and I bit my lip. Dad was hurting from everything. No job, problems with mom, my random outburst, and Dil was beginning to act out because of it.
"We sure are Tommy's dad," Phil said, trying to diffuse the tension. I smiled, he hadn't called him that since we were kids, I guess in a way we were kids still, and especially compared to the parents who had seen hell.
"Good, then let's make this the best trip yet."
I heard Dil sigh, "As long as you and mom stop fighting…"
I bit my lip once more and glanced at him, I saw the dark circles under his eyes and I knew he had been kept awake like me due to their shouting in the kitchen. Every night they spent in the kitchen, blaming each other for their problems and complaining about us and money.
Dad stared at Dil for a moment, not in shock, but in regret. He knew we were suffering from their pain, "Dil…"
"Just forget it," Dil left the cabin and I sighed.
"I'll get him," I followed my little brother out of the cabin and hurried to catch him, Dad had a look that was a mixture of shock and sadness.
"Dil," I said loudly to get his attention even though I wasn't that far away. I grabbed his wrist and he turned quickly and buried his face in my chest, within seconds he had dissolved into tears and was shaking violently.
"It's okay, Dil," I whispered softly as I began to stroke his hair gently.
"No its not, I can't even remember the last time we spent any amount of time together without getting into a fight. They're always fighting now!" his hands balled into fists as he clutched my shirt. I pulled him into the trees a little ways away from the clearing.
I had him sit down on one of the fallen trees and I knelt down in front of him and took both of his hands in mine. "Dil, I know It's hard to watch mom and dad like this. Especially with how they used to be, but things have changed for them."
"What made them hate each other so much?"Dil asked, his voice shaking as his face was downturned and tears continued to stream down his flushed cheeks.
I looked down, how could I tell him? How could I reveal to him the truth? How the past finally caught up and destroyed one of us…
"I can't remember," I lied softly, my eyes darting down to the ground as I squeezed his hands gently. "But all we can do, is hope that a miracle brings them together again."
Dil sighed as he pulled his hand out of mine, I looked up quickly to watch him wipe the tears away from his face. "Yeah, but what can we do?" he asked.
"I don't know yet, but we'll think of something." I promised firmly.
I stood up helping him to his feet as well and then hugged him tightly, "I promise Dil, everything will be okay, I'll think of something to save them."