Of Radiant Summer Skys

Chapter 19

It rained the next day, so everyone was stuck inside their cabins. Jaxx didn't mind very much, it was less time with Chester and more time with Luca. Also Levi was there, which was a nice plus.

He sat, watching the rain pour down outside. Luca was next to him. Neither of them said a word, though there was plenty Jaxx wanted to say. The air thickened with the weight of those unspoken words.

Levi took notice of the tension and approached them.

"Guys, someone found a stash of board games," he said, "We should hurry and pick one before we're left with Scrabble."

Jaxx nodded in agreement before turning to Luca, "Do you have any suggestions?"

He shook his head, keeping his gaze fixed on the window, "It doesn't matter to me."

"Okay," he said, before joining Levi.

Luca had been quiet since the rain had started. At first Jaxx thought he was upset, maybe he was upset with him. That idea was shot down when they'd chosen to sit next to him. Jaxx had tried to start a conversation, but they didn't seem too keen on having one. So they sat in silence, the air hanging thick around them with unspoken words.

By the time he and Levi had gotten to the board games, all that was left was Scrabble, and a deck of playing cards. Jaxx picked up the Scrabble box.

"What are you doing?" Levi asked, "There's a perfectly good set of playing cards right there!"

"There's nothing wrong with Scrabble," he said.

"Yes there is! Scrabbles for old people!"

"If you insist."

Jaxx put back the Scrabble game, which Levi seemed to hate as if it had personally hurt him, and picked up the deck of cards instead.

"I still don't get what we're supposed to do with these," he said, "Why can't we just play Scrabble until someone gets bored of one of the other games?"

"Because Scrabble is lame," Levi insisted.

"Cards are pretty lame too," he muttered.

"Why don't we play Poker?" Luca suggested.

"Two card?" Levi asked.

They nodded in response.

"What are we supposed to bet with?" Jaxx asked, "We don't have money or anything."

Levi looked thoughtful for a moment, "What about whoever loses has to hug the wall!"

Jaxx and Luca cringed at the thought, it was rare for a person to come away unscathed when touching the wall inside of the Fox Den. You could get a splinter even if your fingers barely brushed against it. It was physically painful to even imagine what a hug would do to you.

"I am not going to hug that wall," Jaxx said.

"Who says we have to bet on anything?" Luca asked, "Can't we just play for fun."

"Sounds good to me," he said.

"Fine," said Levi, "We play for bragging rights."

"For fun," Jaxx corrected.

"For bragging rights," Luca said.

"For bragging rights," Jaxx sighed.

As it turned out Jaxx was pretty bad at Poker, even it's simpler two card variant. Pair that with the fact that Levi and Luca were too good at it, and you've got the perfect storm for embarrassment.

"I win again!" Luca cheered.

"How?! Jaxx sputtered, knowing if they were actually betting he'd be in so much debt.

"I'll knock him down a few- oh look, someone put Clue back."

"What happened to fighting for your dignity?" Luca called.

"What happened to playing for fun?" Jaxx asked.

"Doesn't matter there's a better game on the shelf! I'll let you have this one!"

"You didn't let me have anything! I earned that win!"

"You two are pretty intense when it comes to bragging rights."

Levi came back with a game of Clue in his hands.

"Ok," he said, "Who's who?"

"I'm the red one!"

"I'm Mrs White!" Luca said.

"Who does that leave me with?" Levi asked, "There isn't a Mr. Black."

"There's alway Mr. Boddy," they pointed out, "He wears a black tux I think."

"The dead body?!"

"Beggars can't be choosers," they shrugged.

"Yeah but, he's dead," he says, "That's literally the point of the game."

"He's the closest to a Mr. Black you'll get- oh look there's a Sgt. Gray."

Levi picked him, they set the board up and started the game. In Jaxx's opinion, rainy day's had to be the funnest.

He watched Luca's face light up as he won another game, and fell in love all over again. Rainy days at Camp Radiance truly were the best. No Chester, no Charli, no worries, just him and Luca's beautiful smile.

Really short chill chapter to make up for the heartbreak that was the last 2-3 chapters, also it's Valentines day, so I figured I'd give Jaxx a bit of a break.

Fun Fact: Even though I've played Clue, I had to look up the characters because I forgot their names, and I swear I do not remember Sgt. Gray at all. Who is he and where did he come from? Have I been playing an outdated version of Clue this whole time?! *Questions existence*