Truth be Told ✔️

Chapter 31

There were instructions. But just because Graham had found them tangled up in the tent itself did not mean I was going to actually read them and help. I had found a very comfy stump that had a full view of our campsite. I could observe Graham rather than help, but that was it.  I promised that if I wasn't going to help, I wasn't allowed to insult him.

Graham was struggling since the beginning, even with the instructions. The tent was big, so there was a lot of poles and a lot of places to put them. It really was a two-person job, but I assured Graham repeatedly that he was better off alone than with me. I knew myself, and I'd ruin whatever he managed to put up the minute I came in contact with the thing. It was counter-productive.

Eventually, when Graham looked like he was about to collapse from exhaustion and frustration, I convinced Connor to come over and help. Him and Alex had put theirs up no problem because for one, their tent wasn't that big, and two, there was two of them. Connor gave me a look before he went to help Graham, of which I shrugged off.

With Connor's help, the tent was up within the minute.

"Thank you," I said innocently when he finished 'bro-hugging' Graham.

Connor rolled his eyes at me. "Why exactly did your dad send you out here with us?"

"He said I needed to grow some balls."

"You don't think putting up a tent would have helped with that?"

I walked over and pinched one of his cheeks playfully. In a sugary sweet voice, I replied, "But you did it so much better."

"Yeah..."

"Aw, what's done is done. Thank you." I stopped him when he opened his mouth. I gave him a pointed look. "And that's all we have to say."

"Or I can keep calling you whimpy."

I flicked his chest. "Nope. Just leave. We are ready to be done for tonight. I'm tired and Graham looks like he's about to snap in half."

"He is shaped like a thin twig," Connor snickered.

I looked at Graham and couldn't help but giggle quietly. He was admiring the tent with a relieved look on his face, oblivious to Connor and I's conversation. I laughed again at what Connor said. Even when I could barely see him, he was still definitely not a twig. He was a man, as much a junior in high school could be, and he looked like a born player. Definitely not a twig.

"Oh, you aren't much better off yourself," I teased Connor. "Now leave. What is it with you and Alex wanting to just sit and chat about how blue the sky is when you're clearly not wanted?"

"Ouch. You know I can just take down your tent in the middle of the night, right?"

"Connor, my previous threat to Alex still applies to you. If you take down my tent, and it collapses on me, I'll cut off your balls."

"Ha."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Go ahead. Ask Seth if I'm joking," I challenged. "I don't have to see it to still be able to hurt it."

"You're sick."

"No, I'm tired. Go."

"Nice to meet you tired. My name is Connor."

I gave him my deadest eyes. "Connor."

After a brief grin, he left, thankfully. I watched him get into his own tent, which was only a couple yards away from us. Then, I turned to our own. I hadn't realized until now, but Graham was the first to lay down his stuff to claim an area. Apparently, everybody else assumed that that was the middle and set up their tents around us. We were in the middle of the circle, which meant I was going to have no privacy. Great.