Jealousy

Chapter 7

So the next day our little group decided to go on a camp, in the outskirts of the town, after the woods, nearby the lake. Sportacus was already done packing his things, so he went to check on the Meanswells if they were ready. He went and knocked on their door and the mayor opened it.

"Oh, hello, Sportacus! Come in! The girls are still getting their things ready," Milford told him as he entered, but they didn't have to wait long for Maddie to come out of her room with her backpack and her guitar in its case, both hanging on her back.

"Well, I'm ready! Oh, hi, sweetie!" she greeted him with a kiss, right in front of her dad.

"Ahm... I really hope to see less things like this in our camp for the next three days," he said.

"Sorry, daddy," Maddie apologized and the couple giggled.

"Ok, ready to go," Stephanie said coming from her room.

"Great, now we're all here, let's go, then!" Sportacus said and the group left the house.

*****

Arriving to the place by the lake, the men started building up the tents. Well, Sportacus started... Then went to help Milford, of course. The girls sat near the lake, looking at its beauty.

"Say... How serious is your relationship with Sportacus?" Stephanie asked and tried to sound innocent.

"Uh, pretty serious, considering the fact that we're dating for almost 3 years," Maddie slightly laughed.

"Oh, I know that, I mean like, do you ever think about marrying him?" Stephanie asked curiously.

"Yeah, I guess I do... But of course not until I'm done with high school. Although he does think about it, a lot," Maddie told her. With this, Stephanie's eyes were open wide in horror. Sportacus wants to marry her? But why- wha- ho-? No! She can't let that happen! She'll have to find a new way to stop them.

"Say, how about we'll check out the lake?" Maddie changed the subject.

"Oh, I-" Stephanie could barely finish when Maddie was already in her bikini, standing above her.

"C'mon, it will be fun!" Maddie called her as she ran into the water.

Both Sportacus and Milford looked at the lake when they heard the splash in the water, but they both had very different reactions – while Sportacus had a delirious smile on his face, Milford was looking at him and he was mad (as much as this man can be). Coughing at Sportacus, the two finished setting up the tents, and Sportacus quickly changed his clothes and joined his girlfriend in the water. Stephanie just became more jealous, and went inside the tent to read her book.

"Steph, where are you going? Won't you join us?" Maddie asked from the water.

"Um, no thanks, maybe later," she said and excused herself and went into the tent.

Milford, on the other hand, sat outside the tent and watched his daughter fooling around with Sportacus. And for once, he smiled at this. It has been years since he had seen her purely smiling like that and having fun. Well, it's not easy when you're being teased and bullied all the time for not having a mother or being the mayor's daughter, and always having to fake your happiness. He's glad it's over. He's glad she met Sportacus.

*****

Later that evening, the four cuddled around the fire and had some (sugar-free) marshmallows. Maddie told them some spooky stories she heard while she was still in her music camp, and eventually it lead to Sportacus telling about one of their early meetings, before they were a couple: