Camp MondCove

Chapter 5: New home, new start

"Y se va a quemar, si sigue ahí; las llamas van al cielo a morir"

Bagdad — Rosalía

A delightful spread of chicken, meat, pasta, and salad awaited them for lunch. Starving, Nico eagerly served himself a generous portion of tender beef alongside spaghetti, complementing his meal with a separate bowl filled with a fresh salad topped with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and red onions, all drizzled with a simple dressing of extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of sea salt; a classic salad that reminded him of home.

As he scanned the bustling dining hall for a place to sit, a hand waving enthusiastically from across the room caught his attention.

"Over here!" a voice called out, cutting through the din of chatter.

Nico waited for Jack to catch up before making their way to the table. Seated, four guys who appeared to be around their age. One was blonde, curly, and slightly tanned, sporting a curious look that seemed to brighten his features. In front of him sat a guy with messy brown hair and the beginnings of an unshaven beard, who absently stirred his fork through a plate of gooey mac and cheese. I need to try that, Nico thought, his stomach growling. The other two were engrossed in a lively debate about kangaroos—one was pale and skinny, with the grayest eyes Nico had ever seen, while the other had bronzed skin, green eyes, ashy blonde hair, and a crooked, charming smile.

"Yo, grab a seat with us!" the blonde called out warmly. "I'm Nate, and... uh, hold on, I'm terrible with names," he chuckled, looking around the table. The group laughed and the guy with messy hair finally glanced up, his eyes bright with curiosity. Nico was momentarily caught by the mix of blue and green in his gaze—a bit like looking into a clear stream in a rainy forest.

"I'm Mason," he said, with a slight smile. "And these two here are Henry and Reed."

Henry, who had pale skin and an easy grin, leaned forward with a friendly wave. "Nice to meet you," he said, his accent giving him away instantly.

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Wait, are you British?"

Henry sighed, rolling his eyes good-naturedly as Reed stifled a laugh. "Blimey, is it that obvious?"

"Pretty much," Nico chuckled. "I spent a bit of time in London. But... you don't sound like you're from there."

Henry seemed impressed. "Good ear! I'm from Birmingham, a bit further north."

Reed jumped in with a grin, pointing at himself. "Alright, now it's my turn. Bet you can guess where I'm from."

"Aussie, right?" Nico said, smirking.

Reed exaggerated his thick accent for laughs, leaning back with a dramatic drawl. "Dead on, mate. Thought it'd be harder to pick!"

Just then, Jack finally chimed in, trying to balance a plate of mac and cheese. "I'm Jack," he mumbled, laughing as he caught a noodle before it could fall.

"And I'm Nico—nice meeting y'all."

Nate perked up, tilting his head. "Hold up, did you just say 'y'all'? Where are you from, talking like that?"

Nico shrugged, smiling. "I'm from Spain, but... well, I kind of grew up the American way, watching Netflix and all that."

Henry raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really? Thought they taught British all over Europe."

"Oh, they do," Nico laughed, "but English classes in Spain are pretty basic and horribly taught. I learned most of it from TV shows, movies, and books. Mostly American, so here I am with the 'y'all.'"