In Case You Missed It ✔

03 | Camping

Jace's POV
I piled the duffel bags neatly on the back of the car just when my dad placed his tackle box near the coolers.

"I forgot the fishing rods, be back in a sec." he informed, jogging back swiftly inside the house.

"I'm ready!" Whitney yelled from a distance, clutching a picnic basket on her arm while her other hand lowered her sunglasses.

I rolled my eyes, "The food goes in the front."

She obeyed quietly, placing herself on the shotgun seat and nesting the basket on her lap.

I smirked, "Sure you still want to go? It's not too late to back out."

"Are you trying to scare me?"

"It's the wilderness, anything can happen."

She scoffed, "And by anything, you mean...?"

"There could be bees in there, I got stung in the face once." I started. "My cheek got swollen, it was huge and pink... Oh yeah, took me months to get out of the house again." I taunted, exaggerating enough to scare her.

"Mind lending a picture of that?" she teased back just as I sat inside the car behind her.

I scoffed, "This is serious! One time, my cousin and I were walking near a stream and we saw this huge rock covered with crusty seaweed."

I paused, "Or at least, that's what we believe. You never know right? It's underwater."

Whitney took out a compact mirror to adjust her lip gloss, paying no attention to my tale.

I reached out to close the damn mirror, "Next thing we know, after picking up a small pebble, the seaweed was gone!"

"Give up Jace! There's no way I'm getting off this car." the annoying blonde argued.

"Alright, is everyone ready?" the sheriff asked excitedly as he got into the driver's seat followed by my dad who entered on the other side of the car to join me.

"No."

"Yes."

•︎──≫•◆•≪︎──•

"What's this?" Whitney questioned in disbelief after hopping out of the car with an annoying squeal.

Glad that was cut short.

"This is nothing like the brochure! Where's the pool?"

"There's a lake over there." my dad chimed in, pointing at a distance where a bridge resides near it.

She pouted, "B-but I thought we're going glamping, like we used to." she pulled on her own father's arm.

"Yeah we--we are. This is like glamping except, you know, out there."

I snorted after trying so hard to stifle a laugh, earning a glare from little miss pretty princess.

"What about a cabin? Where would we sleep?" she asked once more.

"We sleep here." I proudly announced, lifting the unassembled tent from under my arm to give it a small pat.

She narrowed her green eyes, "What's that, an umbrella?" I then frowned at her stupidness.

My father stretched out his arms as he surveyed the area, "This is a good spot. Let's go find some firewood Tom."

"Jace," he then called out that I glanced his way. "Start setting up the tents."

"Aye, aye sir!" I saluted, my dad's friend may be the sheriff but outdoor camping has been a norm in the Parker's household.
The adults left which of course, leaves me in charge. "Here, catch!" I called out to the cheerleader, frowning afterwards when the duffel bag met the soiled grass.