Dysfunctional

Chapter 17 Pepper

The situation at home was painfully awkward for the rest of the week. When I ceased the opportunity to escape the house during the weekend and told my mother that I was going out to hike with my friends that weekend, she just nodded and told me that that was okay. I think that she was happy to get rid of me for a bit, although it ended up being for just one day, because Matt's family was going a cousin's birthday Saturday evening, so I couldn't sleep over. After the hike, I was allowed to stay until they were going to have dinner, though.

It was a fun idea of my friends to go on a hike together, and have lunch in the woods. The weather was actually appropriate for the time of the year for once, and we all enjoyed this type of cool November weather. Nina and Lilly would bring sandwiches, and if we were lucky enough there would be a bench somewhere we could sit on. Otherwise we'd just have to eat standing up.

Just like with the Halloween party, we had split up in two groups driving to the hiking spot: me, Violet and Lilly were driving along with Matt in his car, and the rest was with Quinten in his van. Everyone was bundled up nicely, and there was a giggly and excited atmosphere when we reached the parking lot, which was rather small with only two more other cars there. There was one small toilet building, and a wooden board with a map of the area on it. While some of us were inspecting the map, others took their turn going to the toilet before we'd set off.

It ended up being a lot muddier than we'd expected. I didn't mind at first, but only two minutes into the forest, my sneakers were starting to get very wet and brown. I had already slipped and almost fallen twice.

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to wear sneakers", I sulked, looking at my dirty feet.

"We're not that deep in yet, if you want to change shoes, you better do it now before it's too late to go all the way back", Anne noted.

"I think I still have some of my brother's boots in the back of my car. Maybe they'll fit you", Matt, the savior, said.

And conveniently enough, we just reached a spot with a few picknick benches at that moment. Simon plopped down with a sigh, and rubbed his stomach. "Why don't we sit down here and eat our lunch while Matt and Lars go and get Lars some better shoes?"

So, like that, Matt and I set off to fetch his brother's boots for me. Matt had grabbed my hand to help me standing up straight in case I'd slip again. It felt nice, his warm had clutching onto mine protectively.

"Won't your brother mind it if I get his boots all muddy?" I asked Matt, who laughed.

"Isn't that what boots are for?"

We walked in silence for a second, before I asked: "I don't think I've ever heard you talk about you brother. What's he like?"

Matt reacted surprised. "Really? Well, he's a cool guy. We don't differ that much in age, so he's only a little younger than you are. He's a lot smarter than me," Matt admitted with an embarrassed chuckle. It was true that Matt was only really good at English and PE in school, and kind of sucked at all other subjects. He could be a bit ditsy and clueless sometimes, but I thought it was cute. I liked sitting next to him in subjects I was good at, so I could help him out and get compliments from him on how smart I was, even though I really wasn't that intelligent either. "So even though I'm the older brother, he helps me out with my homework a lot. He's a bit socially awkward, though, so when you meet him today, don't think he doesn't like you. I mean, I must say I'm not entirely sure how he thinks about the fact that I'm into guys, but I think he doesn't mind you. He's just not very good with strangers."

I nodded. "I'll keep it in mind."

We had reached Matt's car, and Matt told me I could sit down on the edge of the trunk so he could help me with the shoes. They luckily fitted me well enough, after Matt had helped me with fastening the laces.