Loose Ends

011.

"Caius, if you don't get out of that bed within the next 3 and a half minutes I'm sending Everett in with the water gun."

Caius groans, rolling over and maneuvering his hand out of the blanket to give Jude a sloppy version of the middle finger.

"Fine. Ev, get in here!" He yells, causing Caius to throw the covers off and jump to his feet, slamming the door to his bathroom and starting the shower before Everett can even get in the room.

He ignores the vague sounds of his friends laughing outside the door, letting the steaming hot water run over his body as he attempts to process what is happening today.

First of all, he's going camping. That in itself is ridiculous. Caius isn't the camping type, he doesn't even own hiking boots never mind know how to set up a damn tent.

Second of all, Park was actually coming. He'd had hope that the boy would refuse the offer, but after Quinn convinced Olivia, the girl convinced Park without much trouble.

The two still haven't spoken, and Caius has no idea where they stand. He guesses he's about to find out though, because they're all driving to some campsite in the middle of fucking nowhere in a shitty van that Jude had thought would be a good idea to rent.

"Come on Caius, it'll add to the experience!"

Fuck the experience.

After he finally manages to pull himself from the comforting confines of his shower he throws on a flannel and some skinny jeans -- his version of camping attire.

Everett, Jude and Weston are already outside packing the van when Caius shuts the front door behind him, struggling with his duffle bag and calling a haphazard goodbye to his parents over his shoulder.

They hadn't exactly been overjoyed when Caius brought up the trip, but after over a week of him moping for reasons that were beyond them, they weren't going to deny the boy the simple pleasures of sleeping on the ground in a shitty tent.

"Guys, do you think we have enough food?" Wes asks, glancing nervously at the bags upon bags shoved in the back of the van.

"Dude, if we put one more bag of chips or Jude's weird organic almonds in there I think we'll bust the tires." Jude pouts at the mention of his almonds, shooting Everett a glare.

"Don't diss my almonds, asshole. They're good for you." The others roll their eyes, and even Caius manages a short laugh.

"We better get going, Olivia and Quinn are waiting for us at Margaret's, where are we picking up Douche Head again?" Everett says casually, climbing into the drivers seat.

"If you call him that one more time I'll leave food outside your tent so bears kill you in your sleep."

"Caius! They'd eat me and Jude too, man. Don't joke about camping safety, this is serious."

Caius rolls his eyes at Wes, buckling his seat belt and anxiously tapping his fingers against his knee. He'd just starting imagining the conversation he was going to have with Parker when he fully realized what Wes had just said.

"Wait -- wait. We're splitting into pairs, right? Two to a tent, I'm sharing with one of you, right?" Jude and Everett looked nervously at each other in the front seat, Wes biting his lip in the seat beside him.

"You fucking assholes! You promised me! Stop the van, I'm getting out." He fumbles dramatically with the door, kicking at Everett through the seat in front of him."

"Calm down, Caius!" Wes says, attempting to pull him back in the seat and prevent him from jumping out of the moving vehicle.

"You're being a giant baby. We're doing you a favor, man." Everett says from the front, causing Caius to reach forward and land a harsh smack to the back of his head.