Camping Trip

Chapter Two

Cabin five was tiny, had thin walls, large windows and a door that rattled. It was the only cabin only one bedroom. Two beds were separated by a lamp and the door to the bathroom. Aiden sat on the one with his bag and sized up Connor while his back was turned.

He didn't look anything like Lucas.

Connor's hair was a rusty red, straight, and his skin was a honey coloured shade that made his blue eyes stand out. Step brother, Aiden reminded himself.

He wondered if it would be inappropriate to ask about it. Probably. He wasn't exactly friends with Lucas, and did he even really want to know?

"I'm Aiden" he should introduce himself at least. They'd be living together for the next few weeks. "One of the guides."

"Connor." He turned to him, "Lucas's step-brother, I'm sure one of those idiots already mentioned it."

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "They did, actually." You don't like them either? He wanted to ask. Why? Because they're annoying? Right?

"His mom married my dad" Connor said with a terse, sharp voice, "Before you ask. Or has Lucas already told that story?"

"Not that I heard." Aiden tilted his head, deciding that he definitely wasn't going to ask any personal questions. Connor clearly wasn't open to them.

"Are you on the football team?" Connor asked, watching him as he moved his bag onto the ground. "That's how you're friends with them?"

"Nope" He replied, "We just know each other from school" Not friends, he added mentally.

Connor sat down on his bed and continued to stare.

Aiden pulled out a book from his bag, and after flipping through the pages looked at Connor again. "Is there something else?"

Connor looked like there was something else he wanted to say, but he kept his mouth shut. "Nothing." He turned to his bed and lay down on it.

Aiden pegged him as either the same age as himself, or a little younger. He rolled back into his own bed and opened the biography. It was about a pianist he liked, his rise to fame and his struggle to compose his musical scores. He'd picked it up before the trip just because he liked one of the songs he'd written; he couldn't play it on the piano, but he did his best on the violin.

It was one he'd chosen to do in the interview at the end of summer. All the music courses he was interested in had a practical aspect you had to pass to get in. He still had another year of secondary school, but you could take the interviews a year early. If he could pass this year he'd able to focus on just getting the points.

Aiden was surprised that Gabby made it to the kitchen on time. Six am starts was obligatory for all of them, since breakfast was to be ready at seven, the moment the sun peeked out over the horizon.

As usual, they got to eat first. Aiden sat near the window and studied the burnt-out fire pit, and the trees beyond them. The first few days were always the busiest; trail walks, obstacle course, fishing, swimming, rock climbing and foraging - the list was long.

Aiden was assigned to two different activities a day. Three days were spent at this spot. Today he had rock climbing and the obstacle course. Of course, he was in the same group as his classmates – Mandy had the plan already drawn up and told him last night it was too late to change it.

Once everyone was finished eating Mandy stood next to the door of the dining hall and explained how everything would work. Then she gave out sheets of paper, which told everyone who was in their group. Lucas grinned at him when he read it.