Circling Stars

🌟Chapter 2🌟

     "Are you sure you want to do that?" Shirley asked with an anxious voice. "I'm sure the observatory will live stream the meteor shower."

     "Yeah," I said unenthusiastic about that idea, "but it's not the same as seeing it with your own eyes, besides that place isn't well funded enough to capture it well. And it doesn't sit at the best angle. And with the clouds we might not see the whole thing from here. I want to experience it in all its glory."

     Riley and Brandon exchanged looks among themselves. The Brair twins had been our friends since forever. Just like with Shirley I don't even remember meeting them we've known each other so long. They weren't identical which I thought was a good thing. Riley was red headed with light blue eyes and Brandon had black hair and green eyes.

     Shirley and Brandon had been dating since the end of sophomore year. Shirley hadn't been interested in him until one day in gym she suddenly began to see him differently. Brandon had always liked her and I could tell both their feelings had grown significantly since then. I had never experienced anything beyond the little crushes kids get sometimes. It made me wonder how I would fall in love if I ever did. Would it come on slow or hit me like a ton of bricks?

     Brandon interrupted my musing on love. "Theo, you know there've been bear maulings out there recently. It's six hours there and back and you'll be alone. That's just asking for it." Brandon pulled his head out of his favorite author's latest mystery novel long enough to chastise me. Him acting as a voice of reason should have been frightening but I wasn't worried.

     "I'm bringing my tranquilizer dart pistol and bear spray." I mimicked spraying Brandon as if he were a bear. He smiled but I could tell he wasn't impressed.

     "Might not matter if they gang up on you," Riley said while taking a bite of pizza.

     I huffed. "I know you're all worried but this isn't anything I haven't done before. We went camping there two years ago," I reminded them.

     Brandon returned to his book with a roll of his eyes. "We didn't have an over population of bears two years ago," he fired back bluntly while turning a page.

     "Why don't you just come with me? We haven't gone camping together in forever." I missed our little outings but as we'd gotten older and our schedules fuller, it was hard to get us all together.

     "Some of us have jobs little miss rich." Riley smiled while slapping me in the back of the head.

     "Watch it," I warned. "And I'm going." My friends were not pleased. "You all know the area I'm heading into and when I'm coming back. You can call the forest service if I'm not back in time."

     "Do I get to stitch you up if a bear does maul you?" Shirley asked with a half amused look in her eye.

     "Sure Doctor Shirley," I tried to sound excited about that for her sake, but couldn't muster full enthusiasm at the thought of claws tearing into my flesh.

     "Pack extra darts. You don't want her crooked stitches marring your pretty skin," Brandon joked. Shirley went to smack him and he blocked her strike with his book.

     We were at lunch talking about our plans for the four day weekend. Riley had to work at Wendigo Bar and Grill. Brandon and Shirley were planning to have a series of date nights. Of course I couldn't miss a meteor shower when it was going to be directly over my town.

     "I'll help you pack." Riley sighed. "It's October and if I know you, you won't bring enough blankets."

     I cringed at the memory. "That happened once and don't worry about it, Riley. My skills have vastly improved," my face was beet red. When we were sixteen the four of us had gone camping together for the twins birthday. I'd been in charge of sleeping admontites and only brought two large but thin self–heating sleeping bags. I hadn't thought we'd need more seeing as it was the middle of May and the winter had been extremely mild that year, but I was wrong. A snow storm hit unexpectedly that night and we'd been miserable. We hiked our asses out of there the next morning. In my defense the weatherman hadn't predicted that storm either but my friends still wouldn't let it go.