camp || m.c. (on hold)

nine

i think this is my favorite chapter ive ever written so don't rain on my parade

my mayday parade

ha

--

Luke's fingers skillfully caressed the strings of his guitar as the boat sat completely still on the lake. There was no other noise. It was like we were completely cut off from the world; it seemed that there was no world apart from the gentle strumming of the guitar and the rhythmic swaying of the boat. My mind was completely at ease, and for the first time in years, I felt the bliss that my anxiety had prevented me from having for such a long time.

"Is there a right way for how this goes?" Luke sang softly, and I grinned at the familiar tune. "You've got your friends, and you've got your foes. They want a piece of something hot, forget your name like they forgot..."

"Oh, ain't that somethin'," I chimed in, and Luke smiled at me.

"Some wanna see you crash and burn--" he glanced at me to finish the lyric.

"Criticize your every word," I continued, "I'm tryna keep from going insane--"

"Ain't that the way of this whole damn thing. Oh. Trying to be something..."

"More," we sang in unison, and I closed my eyes.

"Nobody's gonna love you if you can't display a way to capture this," all of us had joined in now, even Michael, "Nobody's gonna hold your hand and guide you through, I hope that you can understand. Nobody's gonna feel your pain, when all is done, and it's time for you to walk away, so when you have today you should say all that you have to say." Our impromptu, discordant melodies floated into the dusk air and disappeared into the clouds, unheard.

---

The boat pulled back into the beach at the stroke of 9. I was thankful that I had cut my hair; even with it short, it still was a tangled mess from the wind. I struggled to straighten it out with my fingers, but my hands were gently pried from my tangled hair as the four of us walked back to the cabins. I grinned up at Luke, whose face held a similar expression to mine. He intertwined his fingers with mine, and I was surprised at the dryness of my palms. They weren't sweaty like they usually were.

Michael was up ahead of us, and I had to resist the urge to tell him that his posture sucked and made him look like an overgrown blonde chimp. He seemed frustrated about something anyway, and I didn't know how he lashed out when he was depressed. His anger could be close to non-existent, or it could be devastatingly awful. But I didn't want to worry about that now. I was so disconnected from anything that didn't involve Luke's touch.

In no time at all we were back at my cabin, which made me wonder if Michael took the long way to the pier.

Michael had stopped a few cabins back, entering one a few down from Calum's, and Luke walked with me to mine. Rod gave us a cursory glance as he continued to the staff cabin.

"I had fun tonight, even if you weren't the one that invited me," I chuckled, and Luke rolled his eyes.

"I did too. The lake always makes me happy, but today it made me a little happier. Because you were there." I sucked in a sharp breath, and Luke was dangerously close to me. I could smell his minty breath as it fanned onto my face. He leaned in slightly, and I clenched his tee shirt in my fists as our lips gently brushed together.

"Goodnight, Luke," I murmured, releasing his shirt.

"Goodnight, Madeline."

---

Sarah sat on her bed, a contemptuous glare on her face.

"You didn't tell me where you were going!" she huffed, "I thought you'd been murdered!"

I ignored her, letting out a shrill squeak of excitement.

"Sarah, shut the hell up. I'm here now! I just went on the boat with Michael and Luke and Rod. And guess what?" I was almost shaking in glee.

"What?" Sarah groaned, throwing a pillow at me.

"Luke kissed me," I breathed, and Sarah shot up.

"What?" she shrieked, and I nodded with a huge grin on my face.

"Don't play games with me, Mad!" she warned, and I shook my head vigorously.

"I'm not kidding! Sarah, I think I like him."