Chapter Text
The tires of the heavy bus crack the dirt plates along the dirt road leading into the forest. The noise of chatter became background noise as conversation went in one ear and out the other for Max. Leading up to this point, him, Neil, and Nikki had been talking about how not excited, or ‘unenthusiastic’, as Neil corrected, and Nikki ignored. The conversation was smooth until the topic shifted to how their lives had changed over the school year, with new sports teams, new classes, new hobbies. With Nikki and Neil moving in together because of their parents ‘new relationship’, they’ve moved somewhere else entirely. Nikki excitedly reported to max that their new house sat right next to the forest, where she could frolic around whenever she pleased. Neil, in contrast, stuck to the town. He practically floated as he described the fancy lab equipment in their new school and how much he missed it, which max scoffed at. Which Neil chose to ignore further than a quick glare at his direction. Eventually, an innocent question arose.
“What’d you do during the school year, Max?”
Max tensed up, drawing up anything but the truth from his mind.
“Nothing.” He spat, with a bit more hostility than he intended. He saw Neil and Nikki share a look before ultimately deciding to drop it, or so Neil thought. Turns out, Nikki is terrible at reading a fucking room.
“Really? Nothing? Come on, you must’ve done something over the year!” She leaned over Neil and invading both of their bubbles at the same time. Max basically retreated to the corner, his stance defensive.
“For fucks sake, I told you, nothing interesting happened!” He bit out, effectively sealing off the new brick wall that he’s built between him and his friends.
Nikki stared at him skeptically, before sitting back in her seat “alright, jeez, no need to be a butthole about it.” She grumbled to herself. The air was tense for a while as Max kept his eyes locked on the window, unwilling to face, what he assumes, are judgmental looks on his friend’s faces. Soon enough, however, the air lightened and his companions busied themselves into an argument on whether or not humanity was better off without technology.
Max decided to tune them out as he watched the trees fly by. Instead, focusing on a less exhausting topic than his home life.
Camp Cambell.
——
Upon exiting the bus, he is immediately greeting with a wide, genuine smile from David.
“Max!!” David gleamed as he scooped Max up in a hug, ecstatic. Immediately, Max tensed up and fought to be free of his grasp with a string of slurs, to which David readily complied, placing him gently on the ground. He stumbled a bit before finding his footing, shooting a glare at David. David only smiled harder at him and ruffled his hair “it’s really good to have you back, buddy.” He mused, his tone genuine, before moving on to greet the rest of the campers. Max instinctually reached up to fix his hair once more, his heart pounding out of his chest. He knew David was just happy to see him, and that this behavior was normal.
His hand raised to clutch his chest in attempt to get his heart under control. He knew he wasn’t in danger, still, he tried his best to prepare himself for the embrace he knew he’d be on the receiving end of, but his body was accustomed to being slammed or smothered, and couldn’t see his welcoming gesture for what it was.
Looking up from his feet, he was met with concerned looks from Neil and Nikki as Max attempted to compose himself. Forcing his hand from his heart to his side, he pocketed his hands, and walked past them, silently communicating that he would not elaborate on what just happened. Behind him, Neil and Nikki shared a look before following behind him.
After David took his time showing the campers to their tents and conducting a brief tour, Gwen stepped out of the counselors cabin, looking half asleep, despite it being 11 AM. Honestly though, Max didn’t expect anything less from her as she begrudgingly made her way over with a cup of coffee in hand. The expression on her face clearly showing that she’d rather be anywhere but here in this moment.
Max grinned to himself, he’ll enjoy tormenting her again this summer. Gwen caught this look and groaned. “Oh god, Satans back. If you need me David, I’ll be in the cabin.” With this, she made a 360 and promptly made her way back to the cabin, and presumably, her bed.
“And that was Gwen! My co-counselor! If I’m ever not around, you can go to her for help!” David cheerfully expressed to the campers, although, most of them didn’t need the introduction. Max assumed the whole grand tour was for the few new comers spaced out in the group of familiar faces, well, and for David. God knows that if this camp was a person, David would kiss the ground that it walked on, if he didn’t already.
While David was absorbed in showing just a few of the disappointing set-ups that were supposed to be entire camps, Max slipped away to the tents, followed by Neil and Nikki. Neil decided to use this time to unpack, followed by Max, as they silently set up sleeping bags, pillows, and somehow, an entire coffee machine for Max, the tension so thick, you could cut through it. Nikki finished unpacking around the same time as them and entered their tent, quickly sensing the tension, aided by the tension already built from earlier.
Max threw himself in his cot, deciding silently that it wasn’t much worse than his shitty mattress at home. As he did, Nikki and Neil looked at each other before Neil spoke.
“Hey, Max… are you alright?” He questioned, a bit hesitant, but with undoubtable concern lining his voice. “Did something… happen while you were back home?”
Max immediately tensed, turning his back towards them as he struggled to find a response that wasn’t cursing them out.
Instead, he closed his eyes, and squeezed his fists.
“Nothing happened, I’m fine. Just drop it.” He muttered, attempting to filter out any further aggression that may seep through, although, it didn’t catch the sharpness that lined his words.
Behind him, Neil’s brows furrowed, not satisfied in the slightest with his response. Still, he stood, beaconing Nikki to join him as he left the tent, leaving Max with a few more words before leaving.
“I know you can take care of yourself and that you think no one understands you, but… if you ever need to talk, me and Nikki are here.”
Max heard the tent flap shut, waiting a few minutes before shoving his hood over his head and curling in on himself.
‘Honestly…’ Max thought
‘How the fuck am I just supposed to tell you everything?’ His internal voice was pissed, just from the suggestion that it was just that easy. Max took a deep breath, not letting his emotions overwhelm him, not in a place that he could easily be walked in on.
Instead, he sat up and slid his hoodie down. Biting the inside of his cheek to ground himself. Having to keep your cool to avoid being hit had its benefits, he supposed. Before standing up and walking out the tent to face the rest of the camp.