Weekend in the Woods by Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. This work involves teenaged characters. You have been warned.
One sits by the fireside, and a burning bright flame flickers before them. Crickets chirp as their calls beckon through the wind, accompanied only by a gentle breeze. The branches of nearby trees sway back and forth. Moonlight peers through the branches above, its light blueish-white gaze obstructed by the thickness of the canopy. They sigh…realizing they are completely alone. This is what they wanted…was it not? Solitude…Silence…Solace. So too do they consider this in a moment of self-reflection.
The idea of loneliness is often a frightening one. Sure, there are those of us who are introverted or shy to some degree but there is always that moment when you wish you weren't alone. Yet, seclusion is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it can be all too liberating when everything becomes too much to handle. But furmanity as a whole is a social being, there will always be a time when you just want someone else there.
Sawyer was your typical teenage boy. At 16 years of age, he had more or less figured things out in his mind. He just entered his next to final year of secondary school and had even lined up his first part-time job. Even though he was to work on only the weekends, it was a good way for him to build up some money to spend on things he wanted. He was a clerk at the local convenience store and was well-liked by his co-workers and customers.
The teen lived in a big city at the center of everything. Sawyer was a Numbat and his family originally came from Australia. The marsupial's parents had moved to Western Europe when he was very young and now lived in one of the biggest cities in all of Finland. Helsinki was nothing like his birthplace but Sawyer had never gotten to know his homeland. As such the coastal city was one of the only places he'd ever been to.
His parents were well-to-do. Both his mother and father had good-paying jobs with a high-profile employer. His father worked for a multi-national bank and managed not only the regional banks but some of the bank's investments. His mother on the other hand was a nurse who worked at a local children's hospital. As such, his parents were very rarely home but Sawyer was old enough to handle himself.
The numbat's home was a relatively modest one. A single story complex with no yard. Despite his parents being well to do, they were frugal. Sawyer had to earn what allowance he was given and very rarely did they get him undue gifts. Even when it was his birthday or some other holiday, the expectations were low. Regardless, he had brought up to appreciate what he had and so he seldomly complained especially as he matured.
Sawyer attended a private school where his school schedule was a bit different than the public institutions. His school managed the usual 190-day school schedule however, there was an optional preparatory offering that the academy offered during the off months. This option was not mandatory and cost additional funds in tuition, however the Numbat's parents thought it would be a good idea for the teen to get a head up on university preparation as well as his entrance exams.
The marsupial was a likable boy and fairly popular. He played rugby and so many of the students knew him from his presence in the sport. He was nothing great, just another player at the time. Though the fact he made the team at all was impressive to his peers. Sawyer was an athletic teen who enjoyed spending time working out in the gym as well as surfboarding whenever he had free time.
He was fairly active in the surf scene. So much so that his parents considered him a bit of a so-called "beach bum". He'd even met his best friend, Owen, through his surf excursions. Owen was a Falcon teen who was a bit of a misfit. The bird did not like to follow rules and often was seen as a rebel. The school had even met with his parents on more than one occasion, though that had done very little to fix the problem.
Owen was not interested in school. In his mind, he was going to be a pro surfer. He was a regular at the local circuit and had even placed in a few of them. Of course what he thought in reality were two entirely different things. Sure, he was good at the sport but he wasn't quite at the level of being at the top of the game. He'd only placed first a single time and it was when he got lucky and pulled off a tricky stunt much to the delight of the crowd.
The falcon was a crowd favorite every time he showed up to the gig. He was charismatic and confident. He wasn't overconfident enough to come across as annoying. The teen considered himself trendy, always wearing the latest top fashion styles that were popular with the beach crowd. His parents enabled him quite a bit, buying him whatever he wanted and not even making him do chores for it.
To anyone who didn't know him well, Owen was egotistical and spoiled. To the school, he was a problem child. Sawyer on the other hand saw him for his true self. The numbat had grown up with the falcon teen and they'd gone to the same school since they were in the early primary academy. Now in the final years of their time at the secondary institution, the two boys were close and both of them considered each other best friends.
Sawyer and Owen had always been close. They always went to each other's birthday parties. When they were younger, they often had sleepovers. Often sleeping in the same bed or sharing the same space on the couch. Their parents had even found them leaning on one another, completely comfortable with being far closer than most friends would be. Yet, to them this had always been normal and had never escalated beyond platonic friendship.
Their parents had suspected for a while that the two boys were closer than friends. Yet neither the falcon nor the numbat had come clean. They were old enough to understand "true feelings" but their actions didn't seem romantic to either of them. Neither of them had come out nor had they ever expressed a desire for the opposite gender. After all, they had each other. Why did they need a girlfriend?
That weekend their parents had been planning a big camping trip for some time. Owen had scored a passing grade on an assignment and so, as usual, his parents weren't overboard. After talking with Sawyer's parents, the two groups came up with a little excursion for the two boys. They wouldn't be completely alone but Owen's parents would accompany them in an RV. The two teens on the other hand would be allowed to bunk together in a small tent.
The marsupial and bird boys had been looking forward to the big camping trip for some time. Time seemed to drag on the closer they got to it. Yet now it was just a mere day away. Sawyer was going to be dropped off at his friend's house for the night. He still relied on his parents for transportation to the other boy's house as the bus didn't drop off in Owen's part of town. Of course, they'd been planning for it just as long as he had so they didn't mind taking him there.
The numbat teen had been preparing for what seemed like forever. He had a small bag full of things. Bringing his usual changes of clothes, a blanket, a bathing suit, and a towel. The trip was to be the entire weekend so he wanted to make sure he had everything he needed. The other boy's parents told both of them that they would provide food, insect repellant, tent, and other survival goods they would need for the weekend.
Sawyer's parents knocked on the door. "We're getting ready to head out. Get your things together and we'll take you over to the Moss'."
The marsupial exploded off his chair and grabbed his bag that he'd stashed his things away in. Throwing it around his back, he walked quickly down the hall to find his mother waiting for him by the door. The woman waited for him as he approached the door. Sawyer opened the door for her and they made their way out. Heading towards the car, the numbat couldn't help but be excited.
The trip to Owen's didn't take very long. He lived just on the other side of town where the city had recently expanded it. A lot of construction was going on so some of the roads were closed. This is what kept the buses from operating there. It was late enough to be dark out and the only lighting was from the moon and man-made illumination from street lights and work lamps that had been set up around each of the sites.
His mother dropped him off just in front of the Moss' home. Owen's house was much larger than his own. Despite being an only child, the falcon's family owned a two-story home with a fairly large yard. In front of it was a small basketball court with a large garage for both of their cars. The yard was well kept with freshly trimmed hedges and a fairly sizable garden. They even had a small water fountain at the center of it.
Sawyer let himself out and waved to his mother before she scooted off. Already the excitement was budding inside him. He ran as quickly as he could toward the door. His forward motion caused some of the front lights to come on as they were motion-sensitive. Stepping onto the porch, he tapped on the door lightly then followed up with a ring of the bell. The numbat waited patiently until someone answered the door.
Owen's father showed up, an older fellow with greyed feathers that looked rather unkempt. His beak was slightly smashed from a fight in his youth. The man eyed him warily as he opened the door and without a word he let the teen inside. Sawyer stepped within and shuffled his shoes off. The immediate invasion of essential oils invaded his senses. He knew that his friends mother liked the stuff but that night it was stronger than usual.
"The boy is in his room." Owen's father said shortly after a moment before closing the door behind him.
The numbat nodded and made his way toward the stairs. He'd been to the place enough times that he knew his way around. Padding his way upstairs, he could already hear the sounds of something running in the background. He was certain that Owen was probably playing games as it became louder. Sawyer didn't bother to knock on the door to Sawyer's room. He could see the bird teen plugging away on his Xbox.
"Hey, Owen." The numbat threw his bag into the corner.
Sawyer immediately threw down the controller and walked over to hug him. The slightly taller marsupial leaned into it a bit, all too willing to give into the familiar sense of comfort and warmth. The two didn't hug long before Owen offered him the spare controller. Both of them enjoyed video games, especially when they were involved in sports. The two of them played various titles for the remainder of the night. Losing track of time before long with Owen's parent even having to remind them that they had to get up early the following morning.
That was enough to get them to go to sleep. As always they shared the same bed. Sleeping right next to one another but with their backs turned. The bed was more than big enough to support both of them. When Owen's parents came to check on them later, the sight of the closeness of the two boys did not alarm them. After all, they had seen it many times before and it was just more evidence as to the obvious.
The next morning came before long. A knock at Owen's bedroom door sounded loudly.
"Time to get up, boys." The bird's father stepped into the room and turned on the light.
He waited a few moments but neither of the two teens roused. Deciding to step forward, he gently roused his son. Figuring that getting him to move would be enough to take the other boy. The man shook him a few times. Slowly Owen started to come around as he yawned and groggily opened his eyes. The sudden movement in the bed caused his best friend to move ever so slightly but still he did not budge.
"Wake your friend up. We need to head out soon." The older male reminded him.
The falcon knew his father wasn't one to mess around so he reached over to nudge his friend. It took a few gentle shoves before he came around. Sawyer slowly opened his eyes and smiled at him before sitting upright.
"Hurry up you two. Don't dilly dally around." His father said once more before leaving the room.
The bird rolled his eyes at his father and looked back towards the other boy. For a moment the two of them gazed into one another's eyes. They stared for a moment, almost as if lost in the other's complete attention.
"Boys! Breakfast is getting cold." His mother called from down the stairs.
This was enough to snap them out of it. Owen stretched and yawned as he got out of bed. Offering his wing to the other boy to help him up. Sawyer was all too happy to take him up on the offer. They made their way down the stairs, forgetting that both were still in their bed wear. Both of them had slept in naught but their shirt and briefs. It wasn't the first time they'd wandered around in their underwear and the sight of both boys in their delicates wasn't abnormal.
As they neared the kitchen they could smell the aroma of pancakes wafting through the air. The smell of it made their stomachs rumble in anticipation. The two teens made their way into the kitchen. Both of Owen's parents were frantically running around. The bird and marsupial sat down at the large table at the center of it. The boys parents had already set the meal out for them and stack of pancakes and fresh food was laid before them.
They began eating with both of them perking up the moment the food hit their taste buds. The sugar from the syrup gave them just the kick they needed to wake them up.
"Make sure you boys go get dressed and grab your bags. We need to leave in 30 minutes." His mother said shortly as she stashed some things into a large cooler.
Neither boy responded as they were mid swallow. Both of them started to rush a bit as the hectic environment and constant nagging from Owen's parents had goaded them on. They finished their meal and the falcon's father motioned for them to leave the plates there.
"Chop chop. Let's get ready to leave." The man said before taking the plates from the table.
Both of them got up and hurried back to Owen's room. Each of them changed into their street clothes, figuring it would be good enough to camp. The falcon grabbed his bag and swung it over his shoulder. His own was much more stuffed than his friend's. He had packed far more than he needed. Once they were ready, they went back down the stairs and made their way back into the living room.
Owen's parents were already there waiting by the door. They had already staged everything so they could just head out the door when the two teens were ready. The falcon's parents briefly looked at the bag he brought. Of course, it was far too late to do anything about it now. They decided to ignore the issue and his father began taking stuff out to the RV.
"Please help your father so we can make up time." His mother said as she went to gather the remaining items from inside the home.
The falcon teen sighed before his friend said. "Come on, it won't be that bad. I'll help too."
This was enough to get the bird on board. The two of them began helping the falcon's father in bringing everything to the RV. There was a fair amount of stuff to bring on board. The boy's parents had overprepared, as they often did. They were not ones who enjoyed living on the bare necessities, even when in the great outdoors. They had no intention of dealing with any potential problems that might arise.
Owen's mother eventually joined in helping to load the vehicle. It didn't take very long to finish since all of them worked together. The two teens ascended into the vehicle first, both of them keen to kick back and relax before they made it to the camping ground. The bird's parents soon followed after they made sure all the lights were off inside and locked the door. It was finally time to head out and the two adults felt even more rushed as they were already behind schedule.
The trip to the campground took a little over an hour. It was off the beaten path and required a lot of back-road driving. The RV had been retrofitted with all-terrain tires so that it could easily manage such challenges. Each time they drove over a hump or into a hole, the poor suspension of the RV made it pop up and down rather abruptly. The teens in the back were finding it hard to do much of anything as they jostled around during the trip.
Once they arrived at the park, they had to go through park Security. The checkpoint had been set up to make sure that patrons didn't bring in weapons or fishing tackle. Both hunting and fishing were forbidden in the park as it was operated by the state and was protected grounds. The guards went through their belongings, only briefly checking through the parts of the RV. Passing right by the two teens who were minding their own business.
After they cleared the checkpoint, they were allowed into the Park. The birds parents brought them to the camp grounds and parked inside the RV lot. The family had been to the park before and was familiar enough with it that they didn't need to consult a map. Owen's parents might not have been very outdoorsy but they tried to disconnect from big city life when they could. Though, to them this just meant RVing whenever they could get the free time to do it.
They arrived at the campgrounds before long. Owen's mother found a suitable spot to park as no one else seemed to be around. The sudden stop in the vehicle caused both of the teens to stop what they were doing. They had been wasting time away on some phone games but both of them were fairly bored enough that it didn't bother them to stop what they were doing. A moment later and Owen's father shouted down the length of the RV.
"We're here boys. Let's get your tent setup outside and then you are free to do whatever you want." The older male said as he turned off the engine to the RV.
The falcon teen quickly got up as he tugged on the bigger boy to join him. Both of them made their way out of the vehicle to the outside. Finding themselves in a somewhat cleared area that was surrounded by trees and bushes. Owen looked around briefly as he could hear the sound of birds, none of which he was familiar with. The teen's parents soon popped open the cargo bay was the bottom flap of the vehicle swung open.
Inside were all the camping supplies they had previously prepared. They had shifted a bit from the ride over and so many of them were now clumped together. Owen reached inside and took out the tent and bag of stakes. The tent and hardware to put on top so it was the easiest to access. He took it over a short distance away from the RV. He looked around briefly and decided to set it up underneath a large tree nearby.
Owen and Sawyer worked together to put up the tent. It was a canvas-based fabric that had to be propped up as well as anchored to the ground to be secure. The bird had been in Boy Scouts as a chick and vaguely remembered those skills. The numbat plugged the hooks into a hinge on the tree where the park had set up hangers. It was easier to set up that way and kept other people from further damaging the tree.
Once it was hanging up, the falcon took care of pounding in the stakes into the ground. It was a simple enough matter and the tent wasn't difficult to establish. It didn't take them long to finish. The birds parents had already begun propping up the awning and mosquito nets. They hooked up a lamp for the same purpose, thinking it would further deter the insects from entering into the camp.
Sawyer and Owen returned into the RV to grab their bags and bedrolls. Deciding to just stash them away into the tent for the time being. The two boys looked at each other in an awkward moment of silence.
The smaller boy playfully shoved his best friend. "Race ya to the lagoon."
“You're on, bird boy." The marsupial snarled at him before darting off.
The two teens ran top speed to the lagoon. Since they'd been there before they knew there were signs around so they weren't worried about being able to find it. The small lake was but a short distance from their campground. A dark body of water covered with moss and algae. The water was well known to be free of dangerous fish or other wildlife but wasn't safe to drink. It was the largest body of water in the entire park.
At the shore, Owen started to strip off his clothing. Not seeming bothered by the fact he was disrobing in front of his best friend. After all, he'd done this many times before and neither of them was bothered by seeing the other in their skivvies. Sawyer didn't lag far behind, joining in taking off his street garments as well. It was a cool day out and even with all of the trees surrounding them, they could feel a light breeze push through the forest.
Now down to nothing but their briefs, the two of them shot toward the water before them. Owen was the first one in the water and dove in without delay. His lean form sunk beneath the still water creating soft ripples as they reverberated outward. Sawyer watched him for a moment, somewhat impressed by the clean entrance that his friend made. Wanting nothing more than to outdo him but in a different way.
He went to the deeper side of the water which was on the other side of the lake. A small ledge led him higher up above the water line. Walking around it before cannon balling into the water below. The teens splash curled into waves around them, several of them crashing into the other teen who had just re-emerged. Owen quickly spit out the water that had found it's way into his mouth before submerging into the water once again.
The marsupial swam towards over where the other teen was. The moment Owen saw him paddling towards him, he swam away. The smaller boy was a much better swimmer than his best friend. All that time in the water from surfing had paid off in developing his upper body strength. The numbat swam as quick as he could toward the other boy but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't catch up. It was like a makeshift game of tag, except it was in water.
The two swam around for quite a few minutes. Eventually, Sawyer gave up and just treaded water idly. The falcon realized he wasn't being followed anymore and put his head back above water. Owen started to swim back toward him, a big grin spread across his face as he realized he'd won their little game. Playfully he shoved a single wave of water toward the other teen. The bigger boy tried to cover his face to defend himself but it did very little to shield him.
They had a bit of a water war with both of them shoving waves of water at each other one after the other. It wasn't long before they got tired of it, each of them treaded water where they were slowly. Sawyer gazed into Owen's eyes and he back into his. The numbat had never realized what nice eyes the other boy had. It was almost as if he was transfixed by them. Staring at each other for a moment, neither said a word.
The bird offered his wing to the other teen. The feathers dripped into the water with short rippled circulating outward. Sawyer gently reached out to take it. The two of them held hands, seemingly for the first time. A sense of warmth and comfort emanated through them as they shared the soft moment. Owen began to lead him out of the water as he was growing tired of just treading water in the center of the lake.
The numbat and falcon swam to shore where they climbed out of the water. The wholes of their bodies were dripping with water.
Owen smirked at the bigger boy as he looked at him. "Your fur is all matted down."
"Yeah, so what? Your feathers are too." The marsupial shook himself as he tried to get rid of some of the water on his body.
The bird shrugged. "I guess you're right. Let's relax a bit under the sun. It's kind of cold with the breeze now that we're wet."
The marsupial nodded and the two teens trekked forward toward an open area where there was a bit of sun shining through the canopy. A thick stream of light filtered down through the billowed branches and it was so bright that it illuminated the areas around it with a soft radiance. They headed up the hill toward the opening, neither of them seeming to mind the fact that they were still holding hands.
Slowly they laid down together, next to each other on the soft grass. Looking above they could see some clouds in the sky. There were enough of them obstructing the sun that it didn't blind them when they looked up. Owen squeezed the other teen's hand a bit. The two of them inched closer to oner another until they were arm to arm. The shared body warmth between them made the slight chill in the breeze more bearable.
Sawyer and Owen remained there for a bit. Both of them watched the slow movements of the clouds. Their fur rustled back and forth as the gentle wind cascaded over their body. It wasn't long before they started to warm up. Though, even still neither of them moved. Having the other boy close was comforting for them. Their hands continued to tangle their fingers between them as they relaxed idly.
"Hey, Owen?" The marsupial finally broke the awkward silence between them.
The smaller boy turned his head toward the other. "Yeah?
"Have you ever thought about if maybe we could be more than friends?" The numbat popped the question he'd been thinking about for a while now.
The falcon arched his eyebrow a bit. "What do you mean?"
"You and I have always been close, right?" Sawyer wanted to avoid saying it outright.
The bird nodded softly. "I never thought about it but yeah we are."
"Would you be interested in maybe being boyfriends?" The bigger teen couldn't help but be a bit nervous.
Owen stammered a bit as he'd never thought about it. "You mean like a relationship? But we're both boys."
"So what? I like hanging out with you. I like spending time with you, Owen. I don't want to be with a girl. I want to be with you." The marsupial came clean with the extent of his feelings.
The smaller teen was taken aback as he hesitated to answer. "Do you mean it?"
"Yeah, I do. What do you say? Will you give it a chance?" Sawyer's heart was pounding in his chest.
The falcon wasn't sure how to respond. "But what about our friends at school? What will they think when they see us together?"
"I'm not worried about them. I only care about you." The numbat squeezed his friend's hand tightly to show he was serious.
A moment of silence followed those words. Owen's head was swirling with his thoughts. He'd never thought about being with a boy before. But…then again he'd never considered being with a girl either. He was questioning himself and in his mind, he was weighing his options. The falcon knew he liked the other boy but did he like him this way? He needed time to think about it.
"Can I think about it?" The bird's words were soft and careful.
Sawyer nodded. "Sure, of course. Thanks for thinking about it. I promise that even if you say no, nothing will change between us."
"Thanks, I appreciate it." Owen squeezed the other boy's hand back.
Soaking up the sun's rays, the two teens laid there for a while. Sharing in a few moments of silence and still holding each others hand. Sawyer was not disappointed in his best friends response. On the contrary he was hopeful for a positive response. After all the other boy hadn't said no and that was enough reason for him to think it would end the way he wanted. Even if there was still an air of uncertainty, he chose to ignore it.
A short while later their bodies had soaked up enough warmth that they were mostly dry. Their stomachs rumbled reminding them that it was lunchtime soon. Owen was the first one to get up, offering his wing to the bigger boy who was all too glad to take him up on the offer. Sawyer pulled himself up and the two boys walked side by side back toward the campsite. Stopping only to put back the clothing they had shed previously.
When they returned to the campsite, they found Owen's parents sitting around the front of the RV on some lawn chairs. The two birds had sunglasses on their faces and we wearing nothing but swimwear. It was apparent that they were sunning. Owen and Sawyer didn't approach them and instead went over to the cooler to see what food they could find. Looking within they found a few pre-packaged sandwiches that had been made for the trip.
Each of them took one along with a small can of soda. They found the falcon's parents had left a bag of chips on the table. The two teens made their way towards it and sat together. Peeling off the plastic wrapper that encased the sandwiches, they began nibbling on it. It was a simple meal but one that hit the spot for both of them. They joined hands once again while eating, almost instinctively doing so without any hesitation.
Now that their stomachs were settled, the two boys began throwing away the garbage in a nearby trash can.
"Wanna go on a hike. My parents won't mind. I'll send them a text to let them know where we went." Owen said as he saw one of the hike signs nearby.
The numbat nodded. "Sure, that sounds fun."
The bird took out his phone and typed a quick note to his parents about where they were going. Promising to be back before dinner time when the family would have its usual campside fire chats. Owen motioned for his friend to follow him and the two started down the dirt path leading out of the campsite. The marsupial grabbed a bottle of water for both of them before joining his friend and once again holding his hand.
They walked together along the old beaten path. A trail that had been trekked many times through the generations. Signs lined the sides of it, with some of them showing the ways they could go. It was a fairly simple trail and no difficulty markers were present. The two teens continued along it. The sound of the rustling of the tree's leaves and the various animal calls were the only things they could hear.
Eventually they passed by a small stream that spilled through the area. Jumping right through it, Owen stomped his feet a few times as some of the water exploded around them. Mud splattered all along the lower sides of their pant legs and they could feel a bit of cool moisture seap through the denim fabric as they stood there a moment.
"Man, you got my pants a mess." Sawyer whined a bit.
The smaller boy shrugged. "Sorry, I was just having some fun."
"It's alright. It's not a big deal." The numbat brushed some of the dirt off his lower pant legs.
Resuming walking they continued forward through the trail. The trail didn't have many obstacles, only a few fallen trees and some stray rocks. Gradually it led up to a more steep incline, leading up a small hill. A wooden set of stairs had been put in place to make things even things easier on them as they made their way up. Eventually, the found their way to the top where they found themselves on a small cliff overlooking a ledge.
Owen crept toward the ledge where a railing had been set up to keep people from climbing over it. A danger sign was visible showing the familiar fall hazard symbol on it. Even still, it did not stop him from going on the other side of it. He beckoned to his friend who had stopped short of doing the same.
"Come on you big baby. We won't fall." Owen goaded him on, figuring that his friend wouldn't turn down the dare.
Sawyer rolled his eyes and slowly walked over to the cliffside. Joining next to him and sitting along side the other boy. They looked out into the horizon. The sun could be seen hiding amongst the clouds with a warm reddish light brightening the skyline. The smaller boy leaned into him a bit and hung his arm around his best friend. The marsupial boy smiled as he put his arm around his back as well.
They remained there for quite a while. Neither said much but instead listened to the sounds of nature. Various birds could be heard calling against the wind. The cool wind ruffled their fur and feathers as they sat there just enjoying the view.
"Yes." Owen said rather suddenly.
The bigger teen looked at him confused. "Huh?"
"Yes, I'll try it. I want to try being more than friends with you." The falcon said in a soft voice.
Sawyer hugged the smaller boy tightly. "Thank you. That means a lot to me."
The two teens clutched hands together once more. Their friendship had been much different than now. One which neither was familiar with but at that moment it felt right. They had been so close for so long, why couldn't it be? It would be there first relationship and one in which they would have to navigate through the ups and downs together. It was a long road ahead of them and already they were as close as could be.
That night at the campfire, Owen would tell his parents. He wasn't one to hide things from them. Of course, they had an inkling that there was something more between them, even if the two teens hadn't realized it before. They were all too happy to support their relationship. The two of them promised each other that they would try to make this work. To live happily ever after with one another and see it through thick and thin.
