Aramis sighed as he leant back on the hard wooden chair,
"Come on, Aramis." Treville tried, "You used to love coming to camp."
"Used to." Aramis muttered under his breath. Beginning to lose his patience, Treville rolled his eyes.
"Well what's changed?"
"Everything." Aramis replied, his voice was empty and he had to clear his throat, the past few years had been the worst in his life. Reaching across the desk, Treville squeezed his hand,
"Come on, you'll have fun in you let yourself." He smiled, Aramis shrugged. "And you get to spend time with the best uncle ever." Treville joked, pointing to himself.
"Anything's better than my dad." Aramis mumbled.
"Aramis." Treville called sharply, he paused, "Why don't you go to your dorm and unpack?"
"Whatever." Aramis replied, standing up and grabbing his bags. Sulkily, he left his uncle's office and made his way to his dormitory.
"Just shut!" Aramis hissed as he tried to wedge some of his clothes into a drawer, losing his patience, he kicked the corner angrily. As he did, he heard the door behind him open,
"I find it's easier if you push the left side." A voice behind him called.
"I think I know how to shut a drawer, thanks." Aramis snapped bitterly. Turning around, he paused. He couldn't believe it.
"Aramis?" The boy ran towards him, pulling him into a hug.
"Athos!" Aramis grinned, "What are you doing here?"
"Having a good summer." Athos shrugged, Aramis' gaze averted to a boy standing awkwardly behind. "Oh, that's Porthos," Athos told him, "he's been coming to camp for the past few years. He's really great, you'll love him."
"Hi." Aramis smiles to Porthos, he smiled back shyly.
"Anyway, what are you doing back here?" Athos asked.
"My dad's taking Lance to look round some universities." Aramis replied sulkily, "He didn't want me there so he sent me there."
"Oh," Athos gave him a small smile, "at least you get to see me again."
"Great." Aramis replied sarcastically, "I'm joking." He laughed as Athos raised his eyebrows.
"You need any help with unpacking?" Athos asked.
"Sure." Aramis shrugged, stepping aside slightly, Athos and Porthos made their way over. The boys began to unpack in silence,
"So, how do you two know each other?" Porthos asked.
"We used to go to camp together," Aramis explained, "when we were younger."
"Yeah, but he's not been in four years." Athos added.
"Oh, why not?" Porthos asked.
"My dad's in the military," Aramis told him, "he has to travel around a lot for his job."
"Oh, I get it." Porthos nodded.
"And his uncle is Treville!" Athos added, smirking.
"Seriously?" Porthos asked, impressed.
"Yeah." Aramis shrugged, he paused looking around the room, "There's four beds in here so who else are we sharing with?"
"Oh, I'm not sure," Athos shrugged, "I think Treville said there's someone new."
"Oh cool." Aramis nodded, shoving his last pair of socks into the drawer, he stepped back, straightening his back, "You want to go out and you can tell me everything I've missed?"
"Sure." Athos smiled, leaving them out of the dorm.
"So Anne and Rochefort still come here?" Aramis asked, surprised.
"Yes." Aramis agreed,
"But we don't speak to Rochefort." Porthos added.
"Got it." Aramis nodded, "And Anne?" He turned to Athos.
"What?" Athos asked, blushing slightly and rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"You still like her then?" Aramis smirked.
"And he still won't ask her out." Porthos laughed.
"You should just go for it, mate." Aramis told him.
"I do not like her!" Athos defended, "And anyway, my love life doesn't have anything to do with either of you."
"Noted." Aramis muttered, smiling.
"So, what activities have you chosen to do?" Porthos asked.
"The same as I used to do - mountain biking, sailing, archery and games." He told them, Athos and Porthos began to smile.
"The same as us then?"
"You never changed?" Aramis asked, Athos shook his head. At least that was some consolation.
"So, how long have you two known each other?" Porthos asked as the boys began to walk through the forest trail.
"Since we were six," Athos told him, "four years."
"Although my brother used to come too." Aramis added.
"Your brother is Lance? The one who's looking at universities?" Porthos checked, Aramis nodded.
"Yes. Amazing Lance, the perfect son." He rolled his eyes angrily.
"Don't be like that." Athos reasoned, "You were always one million times better at archery than him."
"True." Aramis smirked.
The boys continued to walk through the forest when they were interrupted by someone shouting behind them,
"Athos! Porthos! Wait!" Confused, the boys turned around to see who it was. Running towards them was Anne and another girl. She paused as she saw Aramis, "Aramis?" She exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm back." Aramis joked. Coming over to him, she thumped him on the arm. If this was anyone else, you would at least expect a hug after not seeing someone for four years, but as it was Anne, one of the least affectionate people he knew, he expected nothing more than a small punch.
"You didn't tell me he was coming back." She turned to Athos.
"I didn't know." Athos shrugged, "I only found out when I saw him beating up a drawer in our dorm." Porthos began to laugh,
"I was not beating up a drawer." Aramis tutted, rolling his eyes, he turned to the girl standing beside Anne, "Are you not going to introduce me to your friend?" He asked her.
"Oh, sorry," Anne smiled, "this is Constance." She turned to Constance, "That's Aramis, he used to come to camp with me and Athos."
"Oh cool," Constance smiled, "nice to meet you."
"You too." Aramis smiled back.
"Anyway, where are you all going?" Anne asked.
"Just for a walk." Porthos replied.
"We'll come with you then." Anne shrugged.
"Yeah, cool." Athos answered, trying hard to act casual.
As they started to walk again, Aramis pulled Athos behind slightly,
"Stop trying to play it cool and just ask her out."
"It's not that easy," Athos sighed, "you know Anne. She would say no."
"I don't know," Aramis shook his head, "if she's anything like she used to be, then she likes you back."
The next couple of hours were fun and for a while Aramis forgot he was supposed to be angry and upset. It just felt so nice to be back with his old friends again, and to make some new ones.
It was the evening and everyone was the dining room, eating their dinner. Aramis was sat at a table in the corner with Athos, Porthos, Anne and Constance. As he started to eat his burger, he felt a hand on his shoulder, glancing up, Treville was behind him.
"Hi, can I talk to you for a second?" He muttered.
"Fine." Aramis sighed. Rolling his eyes, he stood up from the table and followed his uncle to the corner of the room.
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Okay." Aramis shrugged.
"You seem to have cheered up at bit."
"I guess." Aramis shrugged, he turned back to the table, all of his friends were watching him, "You didn't tell me Athos and Anne still came here."
"You didn't ask." Treville smirked, raising an eyebrow.
"So, what did you want?" Aramis asked.
"Nothing, just wanted to check you were okay." Treville shrugged.
"I'm fine, thanks."
"Good." Treville smiled, "You can go back now."
He sighed as he sat back down,
"What did he want?" Athos asked.
"Just to check how I was." Aramis shrugged, beginning to eat again. Constance raised an eyebrow, confused.
"Treville's his uncle." Anne elaborated through a mouthful of chips.
"Hey, look at Rochefort." Porthos laughed, pointing to a table across the room, "I think he's noticed you, Aramis."
Aramis turned to where he was pointing, he recognised Rochefort straight away. He still had the same light blonde hair and bright blue eyes he used to have. He was sitting at a table alone and was glaring at Aramis,
"What happened to him?" Aramis asked, remembering the kind, funny boy who used to hang around with him.
"What? You're trying to say he hasn't always been this horrible?" Constance laughed.
"I don't know," Athos shrugged, "I guess he was just always jealous of us."
"Who wouldn't be?" Aramis joked, although he couldn't help but feel bad for the boy. He looked so lonely.
