In Case You Missed It ✔

04 | For the Man

The day faded faster, nearing dusk as we settled ourselves warm near the flames of burning wood. I watched as numerous white marshmallows hovered on dancing flames as they charred.

Whitney clicked her tongue in annoyance as she slapped her arm for the millionth time.

"I don't get it, why are we sitting on logs anyway? There's a set of wooden table and chairs right over there." she reasoned out.

My father chuckled, "It's part of the experience. Besides, we can't burn the table just to toast marshmallows."

The spot we found seems to be an old cafeteria of a boot camp where nothing was left except for a few dusty tables and remains of a steel roof.

I then heard a spritz from the tiny bottle she's holding.

"The heck was that? Get it away from the marshmallows." I scolded.

"It's a repellant. You know, for pests!" she sneered, glancing at me from down up before intentionally spritzing the repellant on my arm.

Now it's my turn to click my tongue as I attempt to bring my barbecue stick of marshmallows away from her which soon enough, met the soiled ground.

The cheerleader then casted her eyes on her marshmallow.

"Aw, my marshmallow melted again!" she whined. "This is your fault!" she then accused me that I scoffed in disbelief.

"It's okay sweetie, you can have mine." Mr. Fallon offered.

"No!" she complained. "Why do I suck at this? I'm going to bed!"

I rolled my eyes as she made her way towards the three tents I set up. One was larger than the other two so she approached one of the small ones for herself.

"Whitney's right, It's getting late." Her father agreed, clearing out the empty paper plates into a trash bag.

I finished the charred asparagus on mine before shoving it inside the same trash bag when Whitney started opening her annoying mouth again.

She squealed, "Look! I found a shell!" she then crouched down to pick up the small white conch shell, buried in the soil. "I'm keeping it." she sing-songed before entering her tent.

I exhaled, joining my father inside the large tent and grabbing a small pillow to rest my head on. I sighed, "I feel exhausted."

My dad hummed, "Mmhmm same here."

"Now go help Whitney sleep." he commanded afterwards as his tired eyes closed.

I creased my brows at him, "What...? She's fine." I rolled over to get more comfortable. "She found a shell, she's happy, she has her own tent... What more could her royal highness ask for?"

The sound of our tent's zipper opening up made me realize that I spoke too soon.

"I can't sleep."

"Go away."

"Jace."

"Dad!"

"Go help her sleep." he mumbled tiredly.

I scoffed, "By what? Singing a lullaby?"

"Set a lighted lamp near her tent. That used to calm her mother down before." he suggested.

I groaned in defeat, making my way out of our tent to just get it over with. I started fumbling with the matches as Whitney shivered inside her tent in the corner while the small portable lamp watched my misery.

I finally got some friction and lighted the lamp, illuminating the inside of the tent with its bright yellow light.

"I changed my mind, I can't sleep."