Camping for Morons ✓

03 : BOSCO THE BASTARD HITCHHICKER

Camping Tip # 10: It can be really tempting. You see some poor soul standing by the road with a sad look on his face and a sign begging for a ride but please, for the love of God, do NOT pick up random strangers from the highway.

I hadn't said anything to Jack since I hopped into the car. I mean, what was I supposed to say to him? What were you supposed to say to your ex-boyfriend? Jack and I had ended badly, so we never really spoke to each other, well any conversation was comprised of a simple yes or no and then we would try to get away from one another as quickly as possible. We’d said all we needed to say when we ended things two months ago.

        I looked out of the car window, glumly watching the people and places that passed by. It was supposed to be just me and Callie on this camping trip. No one else. Obviously Callie didn’t understand that. Actually, Ruby would be on this trip too but she was in New York. I contemplated whether or not it was too late to back out. I could make up some excuse about needing to help my mom with organizing the wedding.  There was a crisis with the seating plan Mom had been freaking out over for two weeks now. It was a justifiable reason.

        I frowned. That justifiable reason would have worked an hour ago when we were still in Vancouver. Callie was now happily driving the highway, so there was no turning back now.  

         “Aw come on guys!” Oliver said glancing back at us, “the sun is shining, Beyoncé is singing and it’s a beautiful day for camping! Why are you so unhappy?”

        Oliver couldn’t stop laughing and jumping and singing like he was a little kid on Christmas day. It was hard to believe the boy was seventeen years old. Then again, Oliver Kaminski had always been immature and he was always making jokes or doing some stupid stunt. At school he had a reputation for being the class clown, the guy who could make anyone laugh in any situation.

        The reason I was failing Spanish was because he was noisy and kept disrupting the lesson with some wise crack, that I admit even got me laughing sometimes. I think Oliver’s hyperactive behaviour was due to all the energy drinks he had consumed. Callie was catching up with him, she was already on her fourth can and I dreaded to think just how hyperactive and antsy she would be in a few hours.

        “Oliver, you need to stop with the energy drinks,” Jack said, “You know you don’t metabolize sugar well.”

        He snorted, “What are you talking about? I’m fine!”

        “Dude, your left eye is twitching.”

        “Eyes do that!”

        “No they don’t,” Jack said, “Just stop with the energy drinks.”

        Oliver rolled his eyes as he looked to the front again. He slumped back in his seat. “Sorry, Mom.”

        “Moron,” Jack muttered.

        Callie kept one hand on the wheel as she leaned forward and pressed a button on the radio, the Beyonce track that was playing instantly stopped and in its place came the upbeat sound of Super Bass by Nicki Minaj. It wasn’t long before Callie and Oliver were rapping along to the song together. I stared at the two of them as their heads bobbed up and down in a ridiculous manner. Now they were taking turns in rapping the verses. Shaking my head, I returned to staring miserably out of the window. I started thinking about opening the car door and flinging myself out onto the highway.

        I felt a gaze on me, light and niggling at the back of my neck. I turned and caught Jack’s eyes for a split second before he instantly looked away, his eyes flicking down to the cellphone in his hands, there was a noticeable blush dusting his cheeks. My eyes narrowed. Had he been watching me? I batted the thought away and looked out of the window again.