Invisible String ☆|☆ QUACKITY

Homeward Bound

"And as you know, every year this class takes a trip," Lexi's eighth grade Spanish Teacher said, the whole class giving each other excited looks. "You need signed permission from each of your parents or guardians to attend. Remember, one week. You'll need clothes and a sleeping bag and any other amenities to keep yourselves alive. Pack deodorant BEFORE you pack your phone chargers for the love of christ."

It’s basically a week long summer camp, where they also can attend an amusement park, a carnival, and there will be other activies at the camp itself. This program is all over, and some kids would be coming from pretty far. Like Texas, and Oregon, or Mexico.

"It's educational," Lexi states, her mother looking over the flier with her reading glasses.

"Washing dishes are educational," Her mother motions to the sink.

"That's literally what Mackenzie is for."

"Mhm."

"PLEASE! You let Patrick go last year! And he got held back in fifth grade."

"Rude!" Called someone from another room.

"Okay, fine-"

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

"THANK YOU OH MY GOD!"

"But-" Mrs. Maldonado said, raising one finger, "No toontown moneies or roblox's."

"Robux...Really?"

"None this month."

"Ugh, fine...okay."

"Okay, and you'll call when you get there."

"Of course, yes. Okay bye."

Lexi shut the passenger side door, with her packpack and duffel bag, both embroidered with Alexis.

"Hi, Sidney, Hi Mari."

"Hey Lexi," they both waved.

"What bus are you?" Mari asks.

"Bus A, camp 12," she responded.

All the girls cheer.

"I've never been to a camp before," Sidney says as the trio walks to the bus.

"I go to camp every summer. It's really fun, trust me," Mari says.

They all board the bus, sitting in the back row. Sidney and Mari sit together, and Lexi sits down across the aisle. Just as the teacher begins to take attendance, a girl with black hair quickly boards the bus, running to the back.

"Didn't think you would make it," Lexi laughs, scooting over so Maddie can sit down.

"My rotten little brother has to make everything about himself, I swear, so this morning, right?..."

....one bus ride later....

The camp counselors had all the bags piled in the center, and once all the bags were off the bus, and every kid was assigned a cabin, the counselors passed them out.

Lexi went up to the pile, where a young guy, with light brown hair smiled at her, “Hey, I’m Karl. Is your name on a tag on your bag?”

“Yessir, my name’s Alexis.”

“Got it,” Karl shuffled around for a minute, before grabbing a dark blue duffel bag, with the name Alexis written on it, with a heart at the end. Lexi slung the bag over her shoulder, it feeling lighter than she remembered.

“Well, I’ll see you at the bonfire tonight, Alexis.”

“Thanks, Karl,” She said, pushing her way through the kids crowded around.

As she tried to scoot behind the back of one boy, he suddenly turned around, running smack into her.

“Coño!” The boy shrieked, as they both fell into the dusty ground. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Lexi said, dusting off her jeans. “Don’t worry about it.”

She smiled at him, and he gave a small wave as she walked off.

“Nice going, doofus!” Luis smacked him on the back, laughing. In a few more minutes the two were at the front of the line.

“Hey, little guy, what name’s on your bag?” A counselor with glasses and a goopy face asked.

“Alexis,” Alex said, and the counselor, Charlie, pulled out a dark blue bag, and passed it off the him.

It was a lot heavier than he remembered.

“Geez, Alexis, what’d you pack? Rocks?” Luis asked his heaving friend, who looked as if he might fall over.

“All the better to throw at you, dear.”

Back at her cabin, Lexi was getting ready with her friends to go to dinner at the cafeteria, and then to the bonfire. She fingered with the necklace, that was technically her sisters, but Mackenzie had given it to her before she left. The little silver chain with the deck pendant on the end.

She was worried about losing it, and quickly took it off, putting it in the side pocket of her duffel bag.

“Are you coming?” Maddie called, at the doorway of the cabin.

“Yeah, on my way!” Lexi fixed her hair, and began walking side by side with Maddie to the cafeteria.

“Oh this is so embarrassing,” Alex moaned to his counselor, Charlie, who tried to console him.

“You got a girl’s bag,” Luis laughed.

“It’s fine, dude. I’ll fix it for you, let’s just go find a girl named Alexis. Luis, go to dinner.”

Charlie asked around the female camp counselors, to see who had a girl camper named Alexis. Once one did, and Charlie explained, within ten minutes the counselors had the bags returned, without the two campers even sharing a conversation.

Lexi was just glad she never opened the bag. Imagine the horror.

The next few days were fun. The very last day of the trip was the much anticipated amusement park visit.

Lexi and her friends, and a few new ones they’d made at camp, went through a ton of rides, before finally finding themselves at a huge rollercoaster. The whole line, Lexi’s stomach was doing hardcore gymnastics.

And worst of worst, the seats were two by two, and since Lexi had been the last of her friends in the line, she didn’t sit by them, but instead by the next kid to come up.

“Oh! Hey, I know you!” The boy said as they were instructed to pull the straps over their heads.

“You do?” She asked, trying to search his face.

"Yeah, yeah, well, I accidentally pushed you over on the first day," the boy explained.

"Oh, yeah, I remember. My names Lexi," She said.

"I'm Alex. Where are you from?"

"California. Orange County. You?"

"I'm from Mexico, I live -AAAAHGHH," Distracted by his conversation, Alex's head launched back in his seat as he let out a huge scream.

Lexi, who had been previously scared shitless, was now too busy laughing to be.

Back at home, Alex was unpacking the things from his duffel bag. As he moved it from his bed to the floor, something fell out, hitting the floor.

He bent down, picking it up in his hand. It was a necklace, a small gold chain, with a small duck charm on it.

Unsure of where it came from, he just look at it a moment, before simply hanging it over the lamp by his computer.

It was cute.