“No way, Aiden?”
The familiar voice came with the usual strike on his back. He thought about it as a punch disguised as a pat, because there’s no way Lucas hit others as hard as he hit him.
Aiden turned around and looked up from his clipboard. It wasn’t just Lucas. Kal was behind him, which had to mean Hugh, the third musketeer, wasn’t far off. “Lucas, Kal.” He greeted them with a cold smile.
Kal gave him a nod before turning his attention back to his phone.
“You here with someone?” Lucas looked around, no doubt trying to spot a familiar face. There were a few hikers milling around still, but most had already started up the trail. The first checkpoint was so close and so easy to find that guides weren’t needed to get there.
“I work here.” Aiden lifted up the top page of his list and viola; there was his classmates names.
“Are you going to be staying up at the cabins too?” Lucas sounded eager.
Aiden put a line through his name that was scribble down for the same cabin as them; Maddy, his boss, tried to group them all with people their same age. “Yeah. Number Five.” He lied, placing himself into the smallest cabin.
“Cool, same one as my brother.”
Aiden read the name.
Connor Clarke.
A bit different from Lucas Graham.
“Connor?” Aiden questioned.
Lucas’ expression flickered. It was too quick, and easily covered up, so it was impossible to read what it meant. “That’s the one.”
Aiden would have let it slide if it wasn’t for that strange expression. “I didn’t realise you had a brother.”
“Step brother” Kal came forwards, “Lets head up Luke, Hugh says he’s already up there and I want to put this bag down already.”
Lucas shot him an annoyed look. “Fine, yes, I was just saying hi.”
“Just ‘hi’ is hi. We’ll all be there for weeks, you’ll have plenty of time to annoy Aiden later.” Kal went past him and made for the trail.
Lucas scowled at his back, repeated ‘annoy’ over and over in a mutter. “I’ll talk to you up at the cabins.” He hit Aiden’s shoulder.
Aiden waited till they were gone to rub his skin and curse. Shit. He liked this job precisely because he never had to see anyone from school. It was the only summer job he’d found where he didn’t have to see them every day. Back home, in the small washed up town with only a dozen shops to choose from – everyone knew everyone’s business.
Aiden wasted as much time as he could by the carpark. He took inventory of the stock as it got dropped off, he directed the hikers he’d been spending the next few weeks with towards the trail – each time ticking their name off on his sheet. And even when the time ticked towards dinner, past when everyone should have been there, he volunteered to wait for a pair of stragglers who’d promised they were on their way.
He waited on the plastic table, swinging his legs underneath him and planned how best to avoid Lucas. Kal was easy to deal with, but that would only last until he no longer had signal. Hugh wasn’t as bad as Lucas, but the football players played rough.
Aiden made a note to volunteer for all the long-distance hikes during the day.
He was just about to give up when a black, towering jeep pulled into the carpark. It gleamed, and even from where he was he could smell money. He hated rich campers. They were always fussy.
“Hi” He plastered on a friendly smile as a middle-aged man and a teenage girl strode up. Both had flushed cheeks and twinkling eyes.
“Thanks so much for waiting.” The girl gushed.
“It’s no trouble.” He looked over their bags and clothes. It was as if the tags were still hanging off them they were so pristine. “I’m Aiden, one of the guides.”
“Richard” He shook his hand.
“Evie.” She peeked past him to the trail. “Dad, it’s a bit dark now isn’t it?”
“I have a flashlight.” Aiden tucked his board under his arm, “ready?”
He got too excited squeaks back, as if he’d asked two toddlers if they wanted cake. He didn’t mind that though. It was nice to see the energy. He just wondered how long it would last.
Aiden knew the trail to the cabins by heart, and almost wished he was trekking up alone in the twilight. The flashlight had a way of casting shadows that looked like monsters.
“Dad” Evie whispered, “I’m kind of creeped out.”
“Is that a barn owl?” Richard wondered, completely ignoring her comment.
“Where?” She asked.
“I can’t see,” Richard pointed a high beam flashlight of his own at the tree tops. “Listen, it’s hooting.”
Aiden listened in too. It was more of a screech than a hoot. He didn’t know the breed, but he was sure it wasn’t a barn owl.
There was a group of almost two dozen gathered around the fire pit in the middle of the cabins. It was a big group. He saw the trio at the edge, Lucas had a thin stick in the fire and was roasting a marshmallow – his expression reminded Aiden of his little sister when a wrapper was taken off her favourite mini roll.
“Cabin two is over there.” Aiden pointed it out, and then made a B-line for Mandy. She was checking boxes of supplies, and ticking off the ingredients on a list.
“Looks like money” Mandy said idly.
“It was a nice jeep.” He agreed, “Can I stay in cabin five?”
She looked up from her list. Her eyes darted directly to the trio by the fire, and back to him. “They mentioned you were classmates. I got the impression you were friends.”
“We know each other.” He admitted, “I wouldn’t use the word ‘friend'”
She raised an eyebrow but gave a nod, “I won’t make you stay with them if you don’t want to. If you’re free bring this into the kitchen and help Linda with prep. Also,” she looked around and scowled towards the fire pit, “Gabby!”
A girl crouched down next to Lucas by the fire looked up. Blonde hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and as she got closer Aiden could see an unnatural glow on her cheeks, and deep red on her lips.
“Go with Aiden to the kitchen and help make dinner.”
Gabby smiled. “Okay”
The perky response seemed to annoy Mandy.
Aiden picked up the box Mandy had set aside and led the way to the kitchen in cabin one. The cabins were arranged in a half-circle, going from biggest to smallest. The were built of wood, and the outside was painted the same colour as the bark of the trees around them.
“She’s so strict” Gabby muttered, “We should be allowed to warm ourselves up by the fire – it’s freezing!”
“Maybe change into something warmer?” Aiden suggested. Shorts and a tank top wasn’t even slightly sensible. It was summer, but this place wasn’t warm at night.
“Aiden, right? Are you new too?” She ignored his comment.
“Second year.” He opened up the door and led them to the kitchen.
Linda looked up from a bowl of batter she was mixing. “Welcome to the party, is that the fish?”
“Fish?” Gabby perked up, “I love fish.”
Linda nodded to the counter behind her. “Set Gabby up with the fruit salad, and do the two bowls of salad. You remember how to do it?”
“Yup.”
Aiden learned a few things about Gabby; she was a slow worker, she talked a lot, she was related to Mandy’s best friend and no matter what he said she’d answer with a smile. Between himself and Linda, they finished the rest of the food prep by the time she had one bowl of fruit done.
He’d been the newbie last year – but he found it hard to feel sympathy. All she had to do was peel oranges and cut up fruit.
After the prep was done Linda put on Gabby and his share and sent them out to tell the other to go in for food. He sat at the opposite side of the fire pit than his classmates had been and hoped that they stayed inside at the table to eat.
He ate a bite when he saw Lucas coming straight towards him. Luckily his hands were full and there was no slap. He did sit so close that their elbows pressed together.
“So, you’ll be here all summer?” Lucas asked.
“Yup.”
“Do you like it?” He twirled the leaves from the salad onto his fork, “The camping and the hiking?”
“It’s peaceful.”
“But after a few months, would you not find it lonely? I mean here’s fine, but further up the trail is pretty secluded.” Lucas spoke between bites of fruit and forkfuls of leaves.
Aiden peeked at his expression, but in the glow of the fire it was relaxed. He didn’t look like he was trying to catch him out with something, but it was still far from what he’d expected from Lucas; the captain of the football team who spent his days laughing at the stupid jokes Hugh came out with.
“Sometimes.” He answered, “I mean, it’s almost as isolated as back home.”
Lucas smirked at his food.
“Why don’t you have any fish?” He questioned.
“I can’t stand the texture.” Lucas crinkled his nose.
“There’s chips inside.” Aiden said.
“Nah, I’m not supposed to eat fried food.” Lucas plucked up a thin skewer and pocked a marshmallow through it. “Coach said it’s not good for the body.”
“It’s not any worse than marshmallows.” He pointed out.
Lucas shrugged.
They sat in silence, until Lucas pulled the marshmallow out of the fire and blew out the flame. He pressed the golden edge against Aiden’s lips.
“I don’t like marshmallows.” Lucas said.
Aiden repressed an eyeroll, and pulled the top, crisp layer off. Lucas watched him closely, as if making sure he ate every bite of it.
“You don’t want all of it?” Lucas waved the gooey bit still on the stick.
“Toast it and I’ll eat it.” Aiden cut up a piece of the fish, “You’re meant to eat it in layers.”
“Oh” Lucas turned his full attention to cooking it perfectly.
“Open up” Aiden said, and pressed his fork against Lucas’s lips.
Lucas surprisingly obeyed. He stopped chewing after a single bite. His head whipped around to him. “Why would you?” He spoke around the piece of fish in his mouth, and clearly tried not to chew it.
Aiden snickered at the betrayed expression. “You’re burning the marshmallow.”
Lucas pulled it out of the fire. He scowled at Aiden, and the fish went down his throat in a giant lump. He put the charcoal marshmallow to Aiden’s lips. “Eat it.”
Aiden chuckled and did as he asked. “It’s still good.”
“Mind if I join you two?” Gabby entered the circle of the fire.
She sat next to Lucas, and immediately thy started chatting. Aiden listened in for a few minutes. There was a definite change in the way Lucas spoke. It was as if the communication suddenly switched to a one-way street; he became the entertainer, and what you said didn’t matter.
The story telling was rowdy, and after an elbow to his ribs Aiden got up and took their plates inside.
When he looked back there was a group forming around Lucas, as more and more people listened into the story. It was one of the football ones. About how the other team had played dirty, but through sheer skill and athletic ability Lucas had put them in their place.
He wondered if Lucas knew he sounded like a complete asshole in all those tales.
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