Since Forever

Chapter 1

Archie's POV

I roll my eyes at my mother as she stuffs the contents of another drawer of clothing into my suitcase. "Have you got a second pillow case? You can't use the same one the whole time you're there," she fusses, rearranging my pyjamas to fit in another five pairs of pants, at least three of which are definitely too small.

I lean against the door as Mum zips up the left side of the suitcase and turns her attention to the as-of-yet untouched right side. "I know it's supposed to be sunny, but I'm going to pack an umbrella just in case," she announces. She sticks her arm under my bed and roots around until she pulls out a very dusty, slightly odorous umbrella. She wrinkles her nose. "What happened to this?"

I shrug. 

She raises an eyebrow. "Archie?" she says warningly.

"I guess it rained and I forgot about it?" I reach down for the umbrella, twirling it in my hand. "You don't have to pack for me, you know."

She smirks. "Then why didn't you tell me before I packed for you?"

I shrug again. "It looked like you were enjoying it."

She chuckles. "Sure, sure." Mum straightens up and stretches, putting her hands on her back. "I'm going to go make dinner. Finish packing please?"

"Fine," I grumble, not feeling the least bit excited to pack. But I'm excited for camp, so I might as well act like it. I go to summer camp every year and every year I drive up with my friend Zac. Not this year though. His dad told my parents that they couldn't drive me this year. I wish I knew why, but it's none of my business.

Mum leaves the room and I immediately unzip the suitcase and dump everything onto the floor. I decided yesterday that I was only going to bring a duffle bag. The suitcase is really bulky and not even worth it because the bottom layer of clothing doesn't get touched all summer. I pull a wrinkled duffle bag out of my suitcase and put Green Day on shuffle on Spotify while I carefully select the clothes that actually fit me from the upturned suitcase.

As I messily re-fold my crumpled clothes, I think about everything we're going to do at camp this year. Zac and I will be bunk mates, sit together in the mess hall, and spend every waking moment together. What can I say? We're really close.

Zac and I have known each other since we were born. My mum Julie and Zac's mother Martha went to college together and were roommates. When they happened to fall pregnant at the same time, they decided that their children would be best friends. We didn't get a say in the matter. We're close, even though we don't go to the same school or have the same friends or have basically anything in common. It works though.

Zac's family doesn't live nearby, but I see him more often than you would have thought. Our parents were always going out for dinner and leaving us at one of their houses, or organising barbeques in someone's backyard. Once we even went away for a weekend with Zac's family.

"Archie," Mum calls from downstairs, "can you come set the table?"

"Do you want me to pack or not?" I shout.

"Archie!" Dad yells angrily. "Don't talk to your mother like that!"

"Sorry," I mutter under my breath. Why does anyone even need to set the table? Can't people just get their own plates and cutlery when they get their food?

My phone buzzes and I pick it up. It's Zac.

Zac: Srry we can't give you a lift to camp tmrw

Zac: C u @ camp

I smile to myself and text back.

Archie: No prob

Archie: C u then