The (extremely goofy) adventures of Max

Entry 19: The Wildest Day Yet

Friday, May 10 

When my alarm blared this morning, it was like the starting bell at a race. I jumped out of bed, adrenaline already coursing through me. Today was the day. The camping trip we'd been talking about for weeks was finally happening, and despite the restless night, I felt ready to roll. Well, as ready as I could be with my half-packed duffel bag and hair sticking up in all directions.

Before I could make it out of my room, Mom burst in with her phone out, grinning like she was about to capture every waking moment of my life. "Max, smile! This is the big day!" she said, snapping photos so fast you'd think I was headed off to college, not a weekend in the woods. She fussed over me, straightening my shirt and patting down my hair, which was beyond saving at this point.

"Mom, you're going to break your camera," I said, giving her my best eye roll. But she ignored me and kept on snapping, the shutter clicking like a countdown.

Breakfast was the usual eggs and toast, but today there was a twist—Mom had set out a plate of pancakes, too. "A special treat for my camper!" she said with a flourish. I barely tasted anything as I wolfed it down, my mind already racing ahead to what was waiting at school.

Before I knew it, we were in the car, and Mom was giving me her usual round of advice ("Be nice to everyone, don't lose your stuff, and stay away from trouble, Max!"). I gave her my best "Yeah, yeah" nod while trying not to show how jittery I felt.

When we pulled up to the school, it was like the zoo had been let loose. Kids were everywhere, running, shouting, comparing their bags, and chattering excitedly. Some were already wearing their camping hats, and a few parents were taking last-minute group pictures. I spotted Ben by the main entrance, pretending to wrestle Leo over who got the window seat on the bus. Typical.

"Bye, Mom!" I shouted over the noise, hopping out before she could embarrass me with a hug in front of everyone. She waved frantically and took another picture, and then I was swallowed up by the chaos.

The school was wild. I mean, louder-than-a-soccer-final wild. Mr. Dreadmore was pacing near the entrance, trying to maintain some kind of order, but even he looked like he'd given up. Kids were buzzing around like hyperactive bees, and teachers were trying to organise us into groups.

"Max! Over here!" Lo yelled, waving like a maniac. I joined him, Leo, and Ben, who were already animatedly discussing the trip. The buses rolled up, sleek and yellow, and for a second, the noise level shot up even more. The moment we piled on board, the scramble for seats began.

I ended up sitting between Lo and Ben, with Leo squeezed in across the aisle. Almost immediately, Lo started talking about his "master plan," which usually meant we were about to hear something that bordered on genius or pure nonsense.

"Guys, hear me out. What if we sneak into the hot girls' cabin?" Lo said, his face alight with mischief.

Ben nearly choked on his laughter, and Leo's eyes widened. "Lo, that's the dumbest idea ever," I said, half-laughing and half-groaning. "How do you even plan to do that?"

"I'm working on it," Lo said, leaning back with a smirk. "I have my ways."

The conversation descended into ridiculous suggestions, like using walkie-talkies to create a diversion or pretending to be wildlife experts. We were laughing so hard that the chaperone had to tell us to keep it down.

When the bus finally rolled to a stop, we were greeted by a wide expanse of forest and a massive wooden sign that read Camp Timberlake. The camp instructors, all wearing matching green T-shirts and khaki shorts, stood in a line with smiles that were probably glued on.