Blissful Ignorance 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.
A vast landscape of various hues of greens and browns canvas across the land like an elegant brush of a painter putting it to paper. Trees both bulky and tall, with large canopies thick with lush leaves and full branches. A gusty wind passes through the foliage, causing it to sway back and forth. A few leaves scatter with the breeze, flickering in a cascading wave towards the ground below. Various birds flutter through the trees as the sudden movement causes them to seek haven elsewhere.
A calamity of noise follows. The screeching of wheels against the pavement and the following holler of a horn. Some distance away, the source of that raucous racket can be found. A bright yellow school bus had stopped on the side of the road. The bypass was large enough to allow such a detour with a pullover lane for emergencies. But this was no such urgent moment; instead, the bus driver had lost her cool.
On board the very same bus, the driver was screaming at the passengers. A group of teenagers who had more than once tried their luck. Some of them flicked papers at her, and another threw a used gum wrapper onto her lap. Yet, the most egregious of them all was the class clown who thought it to be a good idea to snip a lock of her hair. Not even noticing it at first, she completely flipped out when she reached back on her neck and realized it was much shorter than she remembered.
When she looked back from her seat, the very same student held that lock of hair proudly in his paw. The English Bulldog had a puckered smirk on his face as if to further goad her rage even further. The woman immediately pulled to the side of the road, making no attempt at a soft stop. Instead slamming on the brakes, causing all of the passengers, and herself, to jolt back in their seats. Even the other supervisor on board was caught off guard by the sudden stop.
"Yer a yellow-belly brat. You know that twerp?" The woman was a stout tabby cat who had been with the school for much of her career.
The pot-bellied Bulldog bellowed at her. "You can't do nothin' bout it, granny. Sit back down and drive us."
"Yer right. I can't. Stan, get this boy under control." The driver looked back at one of the teachers who had been assigned a supervisory role for the trip.
The man looked up from his book and nodded. "Mr. Pulda. I advise that you cease your misdeeds, or you will end up in the Quarry again."
"The Quarry? You can't be serious. All I did was cut off a lock of grannies hair." The boy laughed again and flicked it about the vehicle.
The teacher got up from his seat and grabbed the kids. "Mr. Pulda. I will not warn you again. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Mr. Vigeda." The dog boy finally sat down, disgruntled at finally being shown his place.
The young teen boy grunted as some of the other kids laughed at him. Jeremiah, or Jerry as he was known by his parents and peers, was the troublemaker in question. A burly 14-year-old bulldog who was one of those teenagers who firmly believed the entire world was against him. An outcast with a knack for mischief, and one who had gotten in trouble with the school administration on more than one account.
One of many sons in a broken home, Jerry's parents were mostly absent. Both of them having unreliable and non-stable income. Taking work as they got it. As such, they were seldom home, and the older kids were left to do the caretaking. As such, Jerry had grown up without much parental guidance. Having very little of his own except what he had been given by his other siblings. He was a boy without a way and still searching for that all-important direction in his life.
But contrary to what he believed, Jerry was not alone. The school counselor had taken a liking to the boy after learning of his plight. Even indirectly convincing her own son to befriend the bulldog. A year younger by one summer, who was in many of the same classes as the dog boy was. Landon was a rabbit teen who was just as kind-hearted as his mother was. A diligent yet all too average boy in just about every way.
Sitting next to Jerry was the same boy. The grey-toned rabbit craned his head over toward Jerry, who had folded his arms defensively. The unmistakable curve in his eyebrow revealed his annoyance with the situation. Yet the lapine knew that no one was to blame except the Bulldog himself. Still, he wasn't about to outwardly say it outright as he knew that the older teen had a very short temper and he liked to avoid it when he could.
With a calm look on his face, Landon wasn't bothered by the others' antics. The rabbit boy was the only son of two well-to-do parents. A management-level financier and an executive at a luxurious hotel. A somewhat spoiled child who had been given everything he wanted with very little work for it. Never expected to do chores and just a few responsibilities outside of school. Yet they raised him with both firm rules and upright convictions so that he was far from being stuck-up and overprivileged.
A moment of silence was exchanged between the two as chatter in the vehicle picked up. The bus's engine started to rev up again as the driver felt she had dealt with the never-do-well. Loudly chewing on a stick of bubble gum before it kicked off down the road toward its destination. It was to be a class trip to the national park. An outing of sorts, allowing for the kids to get a taste of life in the outdoors, and for those who had chosen it, they would stay the night.
"You alright?" Landon finally broke the silence between the two boys.
The dog raised his thick eyebrow and grunted. "No, they always have it out for me. It was just a joke."
"Maybe you should just take it easy. The teachers are already watching you like a hawk. You don't want to get kicked off the trip, do you?" The rabbit knew his friend had been looking forward to this for a while.
The bigger boy rolled his eyes. "Whatever."
"Just chill. It won't be much longer, then we will be at the campsite, and we can do whatever we want." The rabbit gently touched the other boy's shoulder in hopes of making him feel better.
Jerry sighed but did not respond as they fell into another awkward silence. The grey-furred boy decided to let it go and not stir him up anymore. He knew it needed to be said, but he still had to tread carefully. The bus continued down its route down the winding path, eventually making its way into a wooded area. Passing through a gate but not stopping. The vehicle started to slow down after a while, once the road became dirt instead of paved.
It was but a short time before it finally came to a stop. The vehicle hissed as the doors at the front of it swung open. The driver picked herself up, looking at the chaperones briefly, then stepping off the vehicle. The teacher she had spoken to before slowly got up, taking a space near the center of the walkway that separated the two sides of the seats.
"Alright, this is the campsite. On the way out, you will be given a wristband. Those of you staying the weekend, please let me know. Make sure to collect your things from storage before going to the campgrounds. Rules are posted on the campground placard. Any questions?"
Mr. Vigeda was a well-liked fellow who was respected by his students. The stout fellow was calm and had an athletic build to him, larger than anyone else at the school. A middle-aged Moose who had changed jobs after a stint as a coach in college sports. Also, a coach at the same school in which he now worked, he was known for both being fair and challenging. Those who had partaken in both levels of the school's water polo team knew him well.
One after the other, Jerry and Landon walked out of the bus. Making sure they collected their things from the underside of the bus, where the students' and staff's stuff had been placed. Once the moose had opened the collapsible flap, the students started to try to get their stuff. At first, there was no organization to it. Blowing the whistle, Mr. Vigeda regained control in an instant, instructing the students to get in a line, and things went much better after that.
The two friends were among the last ones to collect their things. Landon's bag a smaller but more ornate bag provided by his parents. The brand-name duffel bag was expensive and frilly with embroidered but obvious branding on the side of it. Combing back the fur on his head, the grey-furred boy palmed it over. The well-groomed rabbit always slicked its back with some gel, giving it a more refined look. His brown eyes were so dark that the color almost blended in as one shade.
Slapping the dog on the back, the younger boy tried to get his friend's attention. Jerry was staring off into the distance, at nothing in particular. The sudden jolt catching him off guard before he snapped back to it.
"Sorry, dazed off." He said shortly before collecting a small backpack from the pile of stuff that had been moved to the side by the chaperones.
Eventually, they made their way from the vehicle. The trickle of students from the bus to the campsite was slow but constant. Jerry and Landon followed along, assuming that the others knew where they were going. The trek from the parking area to the campsite wasn't very long. A dirt path led from it, though few of them noticed as the thing had almost been completely covered by debris and trampled by foot traffic.
Jerry was deep in, though, still wallowing over being yelled at on the bus. Always sulking about being picked on after the fact. Not quite distracted enough to mind his way. Looking over at the rabbit, staring for just a moment. Noticing the other boy's soft features, but quickly snapping back to let his gaze not be caught. It wasn't the first time he'd made such a glance, and each time he realized it, he stopped himself before letting it go any further.
Soon, they found themselves at the campsite itself. Surveying the area, Landon saw that the tents had already been set up. Canvased fabric stretched over a metal frame, each of them a different color. At the center of it, one of the adults directed the students to the areas where they were designated. The genders were intentionally separated, though the chaperones doubted such an arrangement would be respected. Still, the students were allowed to choose who to bunk with so long as they met that small requirement.
The sudden interruption caught the bulldog off guard, finally snapping him out of his dazed state. Nodding, he understood the directions and made way off toward the left side. Most of the early tents had already been occupied by others. Seeming smaller, they were designed to fit at most two occupants. But such a thing didn't bother the older teen, and he was somewhat looking forward to spending the night with Landon.
Finding their way back toward a rear row of tents, they discovered a tattered old green tent that hadn't been claimed yet. Pitching over a little orange flag over it, Landon seemed content with this one. Looking at it once over, it seemed that there was a small tear in the side of it, but he didn't think it would be an issue.
"Let's just take this one." The grey-furred teen knelt before digging into his bag to take out his things.
Jerry arched his eyebrow at the younger boy. Surprised at the choice but saying nothing. Again staring at him once over before deferring his gaze with a quick snap. Slinging the bag over his shoulder onto the ground below. A cloudy puff of dirt exploded around it the moment it hit the ground.
The smaller teen coughed and covered his maw. "Hey, watch it."
"Sorry." The bulldog rubbed the back of his head, feeling a bit remorseful about it.
Both of the boys started to take out their stuff. Unrolling his sleeping bag, Landon spread it out on the left side of the tent. The sleeping space was just as ritzy as his bag was, laced with faux gold thread. Much thicker than anything they would need that time of year, but it wasn't something he had even thought about. Jeremiah stretched his own much simpler one out, a thinner design with naught but worn-out navy fabric distinguishing it from the ground below.
Unpacking the rest of their things, the rabbit was much more careful about his clothes. Like his other belongings, they were all of a designer make. Thin but well-made shirts and somewhat oversized cargo shorts. None of the stuff that he had chosen was actually purpose-built for such a trip. His friends' selection, on the other hand, resembled what he wore casually. Graphic worn-out t-shirts, jean shorts, and an extra pair of tennis shoes.
Neither of them was prepared for the trip, nor were they knowledgeable about it enough to care. Once they were finished, they set their now mostly empty bags in a corner of the tent. Only the rabbit carefully placed his, making sure that it was placed over something rather than just on the ground. Jerry waited for his friend to finish up as he dusted himself off just outside the tent. His gaze once again focused on the boy in front of him.
That same brief stare ended the moment that Landon made a quick movement backward. Standing up, the grey-furred boy fixed his hair. Surprisingly, the gel was thick enough that day to hold his hairdo without issue. He looked over at Jerry with a soft smile; the calm but reassuring demeanor was always enough to put the older boy at ease. His heart was only soft for this boy, even if he didn't completely understand why.
Landon reached over to slap him on the shoulder. "You ready to go on a hike or something?"
"Oh, yeah. Sorry, let's go." The older teen smiled back at him.
They began walking away from the tent and toward the center of the campsite. Noticing that the adults had already started setting up the arrangements for the campfire that night. Both boys knew the plan; they were to have "scary stories", an event that interested neither of them, yet they were required to attend all the same. Already, logs had been set up with a bundle of twigs near the center, and unopened bags of marshmallows lay strewn about.
Jerry and Landon moved past the unlit tinder and continued through the campsite. As they passed through it, there were fewer and fewer people. Only a few families unrelated to the school trip had set up camp there in RVs. No other tents were around, and the only building was a first aid center with a makeshift "Red Cross" flag flying overhead. Yet from first glance, it didn't appear that anyone was actually on shift in the building.
Just beyond the campsite, they found a trail on a beaten path. The washed-over passage was grazed over by decades of foot traffic and was poorly maintained. Looking over them, they found that large trees loomed over them. Thick with dark green leaves and broad branches. The trunks were covered with patches of moss here and there, with some of the bark hanging loose. Not much light could pierce through the thick canopy of leaves, and only a few beams of it broke through.
A branch snapped as the dog boy lost his balance. Much too focused on the space above them, he had tripped over a wayward piece of wood.
"You alright?" The rabbit boy asked with a look of concern on his face.
Jerry slowly picked himself up and brushed off his backside. "Yeah, thanks."
The older boy's heart was still racing from that momentary fall. And yet even once it had settled, he felt warm. He stared for a moment off-handedly towards the smaller boy. Not even realizing he was doing it at first. The grey-furred teen looked back since he no longer heard the close footfall of his friend.
"Something wrong?" The younger boy had a soft smile as he stopped in his tracks.
The bulldog shook his head, finally snapping out of it. "Yet, not sure what I was staring at. Kinda just zoned out."
"Oh, yeah. Well, let's get going. Mr. Vigeda said this trail had a good view at the end of it, and I wanna check it out." Landon started walking again.
Once again, the older boy followed in tow. No longer quite as distracted but still thinking about things. About how the other boy was always nice to him, and how much he enjoyed hanging out with him. The simple thought continued that warm feeling in his chest. Taking a deep breath, he tried to clear his mind, but it was no good. He simply couldn't stop thinking about it, and even despite that, he still didn't know or understand why.
Continuing down the beaten trail, they followed the winding path. Occasionally, having to step over large stones or walk over dead logs. Overheard, they could hear the constant flutter of birds zooming by. The ever-resonant sound of their various calls carried well into the distance. Branches overhead jostled as some squirrels frittered about carrying acorns. A few of them running after each other in various shows of mating rituals or dominance.
Just beyond a smaller outcropping of trees that sprouted up beneath the dominance of the far larger grove. Much thinner trunks and far fewer branches and leaves adorned these juvenile conifers. Among the center of them was a lake with water transparent enough that they could almost see to the bottom of it. A few leaves floated over the water; the water would have been completely still.
"Hey, wanna go swimming?" The rabbit said with his usual toothy buck-tooth grin.
Jerry stopped hard in his tracks. "What? I didn't bring my swim trunks with me."
"So what? Neither did I. Let's go in our underwear. It's not like we haven't seen each other undressed before." Already, Landon was taking his shirt off.
The dog's eyes grew wide as the request processed through his half-distracted thoughts. Sure, it was true they had seen each other undressed before. Such things were required in gym class. But this was different; they were alone. That and those unexplainable reactions to the other boy were making him far less open to the cause. But before he could even think about it, the grey-furred teen was already stripping his shoes and socks.
Jerry found himself staring again, this time taking a much more careful look at the other boy's body. A lean, almost formless boy with not much definition to him. His clean-cut fur was short and well-kept. Only his midriff was really ruffled up from the sudden removal of his shirt. The rabbit boy was much too busy to notice his watcher. The older teen swallowed hard as he watched his friend remove his shorts.
It wasn't long before they were completely off. Landon kicked them off his ankles before straightening himself. Brushing his fur once over and perfecting his still gel-encrusted head fur.
"Aren't you coming? What are you looking at? Is there something on my fur?" The smaller teen looked down at himself, expecting something to be there, but there was nothing.
Jerry finally snapped out of it as he tried not to blush. "Oh, yeah. Sorry."
The dog finally started to undress himself. No longer distracted by his own thoughts, he rushed through it. Stripping off his shirt, shoes, and socks in mere seconds. A slight show of hesitation as he stopped short of taking his pants off. The rabbit boy bolted ahead and raced towards the open pool of water. No longer seeming quite as concerned about the other boy's strange behavior recently. Still, he wasn't about to ask about it as the thought still hadn't occurred to him.
Watching his friend dive into the water, Jerry remained where he was for a moment. Landon's form was perfect as he slid into the water with very little disturbance to the glass-like surface. Catching himself staring again, the bulldog pulled down what remained of his pants. Following behind with a much slower but still certain stide. Jumping within with far less grace, he crashed through the water with a tumultuous crash.
The water exploded around him, breaking the almost still surface. Landon was far enough away now that the sudden entrance didn't disrupt him. The rabbit was already trying to make his first lap, as was a member of the swim team, and the practice seemed normal to him. By the time the dog's head popped out of the water, he saw no sign of the other teen nearby. Only finding him once he looked around and realized that the rabbit had swum off.
Snarkily grinning, the bulldog got an idea. Mustering up his strength, he plowed through the water with clumsy strokes. He was fully under the impression he could catch his friend, forgetting all about the fact that Landon was on the swim team. None of that mattered; all he wanted to do was catch up to the younger teen. So he darted through the water in the same direction the other boy had gone.
Jerry put every ounce of strength he had into his attempt to catch up. Yet the distance between them remained far enough that he didn't catch up until the rabbit came to a full stop. Only doing so because the water was becoming too shallow, and he had to make a kick turn to go in the opposite direction. Now coming head-on in the direction of each other, neither realized that they were heading directly toward collision.
It was only mere minutes before the inevitable happened. Both teens were too focused on what they were doing to notice it. Landon's ears only briefly touched against the dog's head before they crashed. Yet, neither was going fast enough to cause injury. Instead, stopping what they were doing and treading water to get a hold of what happened.
"Hey...watch it." The grey-furred teen said through squinted eyes.
The bigger boy rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."
They stared at one another for a moment. Neither saying a word, only exchanging breaths. Landon's own somewhat quicker than his friends. That awkward moment only ending when the smaller boy pushed a quick wave of water toward the bigger teen. Splashing him in one fluid movement of his paw.
"No fair!" The bulldog said as he shielded himself, but it was far too late for that.
Landon spat out his tongue at the other boy but made no response. Instead, darting away in a game of keep away from the older teen. Watching for just a moment, it didn't take long for the bulldog to catch on to what was going on. Immediately following behind once he realized it. Once again, trying to catch him. Except not realizing that his friend was going full speed...and there was no hope of that.
A few minutes of racing ensued. The constant slapping of hands and fists into the water. The fine strokes of the rabbit in tandem with the far more clumsy ones of his friend. Able to keep away with relative ease, Landon circled the perimeter of the small pond. Only finally coming to a stop once he got tired of the little game. Standing up in the shallow end to look back at the other teen. A satisfied look on his face once he realized how much space was between them.
Jerry knocked right into him. The bulldog was so focused that he didn't even notice the other boy had stopped. Sending him tumbling over, but not fast or hard enough to cause any injury. The bigger teen stopped once he realized it, feeling an immediate sense of guilt wash over him. Landon held his paw over his chest, faking the best injury he could. A look of dismay crossed his face, belied by his usual toothy grin.
"You alright? Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." The bulldog said as he sat up in the shallow water.
The younger teen stuck out his tongue. "Hur dur! You should have seen your face. Of course, I'm fine, you doofus."
The rabbit playfully shoved him over, but not quite enough to send Jerry reeling back into the water.
"Come on, let's get dried up. We can't keep swimming and still make it back for the silly, scary story time at the campfire." The grey-furred boy got up and offered his hand to the other boy
Snorting at him, the dog quickly pulled the other boy back down. The two of them tossing in a fray of fur, mud, and water as they curled around in the water. The whole fisticuff lasted but mere seconds. Jerry showed his teeth with gleeful dominance as he lay on top of the other teen. His face feeling warm as they stared at one another for a moment. Their body warmth exchanged among each other as they lay there idly for a few moments.
After a few more moments, Landon rolled out from underneath his friend. The dog didn't actually try to keep him pinned down. Instead keeping his body loose and an arch in his back so the weight didn't push down. Playfully slapping him on the back, the grey-furred teen gave him a snarky look. Looking rather satisfied with himself despite how it turned out in the end.
"Come on, we still have a ways to go, and we need to make it back to the campgrounds by nightfall." The smaller boy reminded his friend again.
Jerry nodded at him before rousing himself out of the lake. Both of their bodies were soaking wet, and their bodies dripped water as they emerged. Plapping their feet on the muddy ground as they went along, it didn't take long for them to get dirty. Only realizing this once they got to the clothing they had left behind. Grabbing his stuff, the younger teen brought his clothing along the lakeside so he could wash off his paws before putting them in his shoes and socks.
Watching him again from behind, the bulldog couldn't help how the thin rays of light bent against the other boy. Almost giving the teen's body a luminescent radiance. His heart warmed again as he stared for a moment. Only to catch himself again before sitting on a log to try putting his shoes on. Occasionally, chancing another glance toward the rabbit's direction. Yet, even still, he managed to put his shoes on, not even realizing that he had done so with dirty paws.
The two began walking off away from the lake shortly after, stopping short of putting their shirts on. Instead allowing the heat of the day to dry their bodies. Carrying them along their side, they followed the trail up the beaten path. This faw down the thing was barely noticeable and only disguisable by the state of the trail, as it was obvious many furs had come this way. Occasionally, they passed a sign, giving them a choice in where they wanted to go.
Their destination was "the Gully", a place renowned for its natural beauty. So much so that Mr. Vigeda had mentioned it by the name on their way up from the central part of town. Landon had been more interested in it than his friend was. His parents had taken him on a few camping trips when he was younger, in addition to being a former member of the Fur Scouts. As such, he had grown up enjoying the outdoors, and this trip was no different for him, even if he hadn't been there before.
It was but a short while later until they reached the overpass that led to the Gully. From where they were, they could hear the slow trickle of water. A mossy arch of overgrown greenery stood in front of them. Thorny branches stuck from within, but most had been cut back. A few of the sprigs of them lay on the ground as the two boys watched their steps wading through it.
On the other side, they come onto a dried-out ravine with a pit where the water should have been. A thin stream of water carried through its center, but looking at it from where they were, they could see that much of it had dried up. The basin was smooth except where some encrusted foot steps could be seen. All along the risen shores, the encrusted earth had clumped up into small mounds.
Looking back further, the two boys could see the mouth of the river. A small runoff where only a small, shallow source remained. Cracks of soil spiraled around it, showing the generations of erosion with a sundered base. Just from the looks of it, it didn't seem like the place got much rain. Landon couldn't help but walk closer to it, examining the small base of water. He couldn't help but feel bad, but knew there was little he could do to change it.
They stood there for a moment, rather close to each other without even realizing it. Clouds had gathered in the sky with a tint of dismal gray filling each of them with a seemingly fuller look. Suddenly, small drops of rain began to trickle downward. A flicker of water bounced off Landon's snout as he touched it. Not quite expecting it, especially since even with the clouds, the sun could still be seen.
Still, they did not move as if to take in the sudden change in weather. A moment passed, and slowly the rain began to pick up. Drops became larger and fell at a much quicker pace. Before long, it was already torrentially pouring. It only took a few seconds before the two boys were completely soaked again. Reaching over to gently touch his friend on the shoulder, Landon urged the other teen that it was time to go.
Without a word, he nodded. Jerry smiled as they turned back around. They made their way back through the archway and to the beaten-down path. Rain was even falling there as it jostled down from the branches above. Birds fluttered through the sky as they sought shelter. A sudden jolt of lightning resounded through the forest. The smaller boy reached to take his friend's paw without a thought, thinking it wise to find refuge away from the storm.
They strayed a bit from the beaten path, finding a small cave carved into the side of a cliff. The breach in the side was wide enough to support both of them as they squeezed it underneath. The thing had enough of a lipped ceiling to provide them cover from the storm. Settling in, the rabbit boy quickly snapped his hand away. Still feeling a bit awkward about it, but not quite feeling strange since it was just in the moment of panic.
Jerry couldn't help but feel warm again as they sat there idly for the storm to roll over them. Their shared body warmth didn't seem to bother either of them as they sat idly. Neither said a word as the noise around them was too disruptive for much of a conversation.
It was a short while before things began to settle down. The occasional rumble of thunder lowered until it was barely recognizable. Slowing to an eventual drip, the rain too eventually slowed back to a trickle.
Things were darker now as the clouds had not yet dispersed, and it was getting later. Landon decided now was as good a time as any to get things moving. Offering to help him up, the younger boy had that usual toothy grin on his face. Jerry was all too glad to take the help, picking himself up to get back the way they came. Finally returning to the open path, they sloshed around a bit in the now-wet forest soil.
It took them some time before they returned to the campsite. The sun was beginning to set, and a fire had already been started at the center of the camp. Some of the other students were already out and sitting on the logs that had been set up alongside it. Mr. Vigeda was walking about, seeming panicked as he had realized the two boys were missing some time ago. Yet when they returned through the open path, his eyes grew wider.
"Just where do you think you boys went? We thought you got lost or something." The moose said with a look of obvious concern on his face.
The smaller teen approached him carefully before looking away to avoid his gaze. "Sorry, we went hiking and got caught in the storm, so we took shelter."
"Oh, I see. Well…it's good that you two are alright. There is a pizza over on the picnic table. Feel free to grab yourselves something to eat before you join in for scary stories." Mr. Vigeda said before letting out a sigh of relief.
Jerry nodded and motioned for the other boy to follow him. The bulldog had already worked up an appetite, but his other thoughts had distracted him from thinking too much about it. Walking over, they headed to the table where a few large, already open boxes of pizzas lay strewn across the table. Reaching in the bigger boy took one of them out before chowing down on the first piece he picked without a second thought.
The grey-furred boy couldn't help but chuckle at him. "You got some cheese on your snout."
Blushing, the older teen watched as his friend cleaned the mess from his fur. His heart jumping in his chest again from the sudden touch. Still, he wasn't about to complain as he sheepishly shuffled his feet in the muddy dirt. Sitting down together, the two recounted their day and what they had enjoyed about it. The fire blazed behind them as the scary story event had already begun. But in that moment, the two teens had each other, and that was enough.
Mr. Vigeda eventually noticed their absence. The moose came over to check on them as he was ever the vigilant chaperone. Seeing them sitting together and chatting the night away, almost as if taken by each other. He had seen the sight countless times. Blissfully unaware teens who fixated on their friends, unaware that other things were at play. Unknowing that there were deeper things harbored within the confusion of their adolescent minds.
Slowly, he turned around, deciding to let it be. After all, the other kids hadn't even noticed they were gone. It wasn't like the other chaperones cared either. Returning to the campfire, he took over as the tale teller. Going into his own story of Romeo and Juliet, the Monster edition. A collective sigh ensued, but the students relented, and so he told it still. Two star-crossed lovers, betwixed the stars beneath the clear skies…dreaming of a day they will be together, only to be forbidden by forces they could not control. A story…all too real in that moment.
