A Camping For Two

Trip 4 (The first trip)

(Sebastian’s POV)

“Mom, do you know where grandpa put his camping gears?” I presented myself like a circus conductor about to start a show—standing with my legs apart while my eyes darted around the kitchen and the living room which was located together in a spacious space. This weekend, Maya planned on going to Shenandoah National Park for a two-day camp there, which meant the very first proper camping trip for me after I’ve became an adult. I don’t want people seeing us as couples—though I secretly hoped we did—by sharing camping gears and stuff, so I have to bring my own camping gears. I guess it’s a brush of luck to have an outdoor loving family and at the same time, gaining a well-paid job guarding a girl in her camping trips.

My mom who was cooking breakfast shot me a strange look, before her mouth gradually curled into a sly smile. “Why are you asking that, my son? Are you interested in camping now?”

I rubbed my neck awkwardly while my eyes hover above her head. I still didn’t tell her about my guard part time job. Besides, I’m pretty sure she’ll object, especially if the opposite party is just a high school girl.

Now that I think about it, doesn’t the two of us look like a we’re committing a******y?

What am I thinking about? Of course not.

Probably.

“…Well, I’m just trying to go out for a while, that’s all.” Her smile faded, exchanged with a judging look.

“It’s about time you go out and befriend the nature.”

“But mom, I did go out-”

“To go to college and your part time work, that’s all. I know what you’re doing, young man.” Her eyes narrowed.

I swallowed my response and gave her a look of disbelief. After a subtle eye roll, I said to her, “Alright, I get it mom. Anyway, I’m short on time. I really need those camping gears now.” I glanced at my wristwatch, half an hour before my promised meeting time with Maya.

My mother finally took me seriously. “I think father stashed them all away in the attic. You’re camping out?”

I nodded while saying a “Yes,” Before walking to the attic—which was located at the at the back of the second floor, the entrance was through the ceiling. After a few minutes, I came back with a bag of tent and another huge canvas bag of something that I didn’t even know, but I just bring them because they looked similar to Maya’s camping gears.

“Mom, tell others I’m going camping in Shenandoah with my friend until tomorrow.”

My mother suddenly angled her head to me, her eyes widened in surprise as she stopped roasting the sausages in the pan. “Shenandoah?! Why don’t you say so!?” She told me to wait before she hustled across the kitchen, opening the fridge and the kitchen cabinets. Then she took out some containers, each of them is filled with nuts, cheese and some other food that I saw just today respectively in every container. She then inserted them all into a medium sized canvas bag before finishing it with a bottle of rum and a non alcoholic beer. While she’s busy with all those hectic food preparing, I sauntered to the kitchen stove and turned off the gas of the kitchen stove. Fortunately, the sausages weren’t burned.

“Which part of Shenandoah are you going?” Her sparkly eyes indicates her excitement while she strutted near me—who’s eating the sausages from the pan. She then handed me the bag.

My Lord, the bag is heavy.

“Uh- I. Don’t. Know?” I raised an eyebrow, my response slightly delayed because I’m enjoying the spicy and chewy sausage in my mouth.

“If you and your friends still haven’t decided yet, I recommend you choosing Mathews Arm campground or Big Meadows campground for a start. Me and your father’s personal favourite is the Loft Mountain campground because we’re hikers, but if you just wanna enjoy gazing the sky, remember the two name of the campgrounds which I said earlier.” She then turned my shoulder around to the front door’s direction and pushed my back to there.

“Go on, your friends will leave you if you’re late.” She chirped and closed the door. Just like that, I now left the house with extra luggage hanging on both of my shoulders, in addition to the food bag that my mother gave me in my hand.

Also, because of that, I was given strange stares when I board the bus.

“Mom, did that guy got kicked out from his house?” A toddler said to his mother while the two of them stood about a few feet away from me.

“Ssh! Don’t point at him like that.” The mother replied with a tug of her son’s face to her, preventing her child to comment more.

I sucked a sharp sigh, simply grateful for the mother to keep her son’s mouth sealed, because if she won’t, then I will.

I do think in a sense, that brat is right. I did get kicked out, by my excited mother who heard the name Shenandoah. I mean, what’s so great about that place? And what’s so great about camping in general?

I shuddered when I saw the trees swayed from the autumn wind. That definitely chills me through the bone even though I didn’t feel it as I was inside the bus.

A hellishly long half an hour trip finally ended when the bus dropped me near her neighbourhood, which ironically, is just half an hour from my neighbourhood. I started by inhaling the cold air before I took out my phone and texted her.

SEBASTIAN: I’m here. Where is your house?

MAYA: Thank goodness! One moment please

MAYA: Maya sent you a location

I scanned through the map which she sent for a bit and started to make my way deeper into the neighbourhood, hands still on my phone.

When I paced my first step, a couple of bird chirps sounded from afar. The strutting sound that I made with my sneakers harmonized with the noises of nature in the morning—the soft yet cold wind, the chirping birds, and the rustling sound of the leaves as it danced together with the wind in harmony. The artistic sense inside me started to tingle and I swept my phone to change to the camera function, because my precious camera is yet to be repaired. Then I crouched down to the clean paved street and focused my lense to the rustling trees and the floras and faunas around me.

The neighbourhood returned silent except for the click sound my phone made as it took the pictures that I wanted. I came back to my senses when I saw a notification popped out about Maya asking my whereabouts.

“Oh shoot!”

I exclaimed when I glanced at the clock and was 15 minutes late in our meeting time. Panicked, I scrambled in one place before picking up my sanity and start moving towards a direction.

***

I arrived at my destination, which is Maya Sakamoto’s house. In front of it, Maya was staring at her phone as she leaned against a grey Ford Ranger Defender. That light brown infinity scarf and the soft palette outfit she’s wearing really suits her. However, I have a more important matter than to stare at this beautiful creature in front of me.

“Oh.” She flinched when she heard a loud THUD which was produced by my bag crashing on the tar ground not too far from her. I believe this is what they called a dogeza?

“I’m very sorry for the late!” I said in a muffled voice.

I heard footsteps nearing me and peeked from the side to see her covering her mouth to stifle her laugh. I immediately raised my head, the cold atmosphere doesn’t feel as cold anymore because of my flaring face.

“I’m sorry. It’s rare for you Americans to perform dogeza as an act of apologizing. Stand up, you’ll catch a cold like that.” Her cheeks glowed a soft tinge of pink while chuckled. Then, she offered her hand to help me get up.

“You weren’t mad?” I accepted her hand and stood up on my legs.

“There’s no way I’ll get mad especially when you apologize like that.” Her thin lips formed a soft smile while she brushed my brown leather jacket from any dirt.

“Anyway, where did you learn that? That dogeza?” She then peeled off the huge canvas bag from my shoulder.

“Ah.” I scratched my head. Suddenly she pulled me near the car and tell me to put my belongings inside. While doing so, I answered, “I learned it from watching anime. You know, the Japanese anime?”

She giggled. “Of course, I know, I’m originated from there.”

That didn’t come up as a surprise for me especially with that short stature and cute face. I nodded in understanding.

“You don’t look like a geek that watches anime.” Maya blurted, which in return gained a slight frown. “In fact, I’m an opposite from a geek.” She chuckled.

“I know, you look like those popular kids in school.”

I arched an eyebrow. “I did?” I can’t believe even she thought of me like that. Did I ooze too much popular kid aura?

Not that I want though, that aura are the ones following me.

“…Anyway,” Oh shoot, my mind almost drifted off earlier. “I watched anime just a little bit. For, you know, the landscapes and such.”

She mouthed a HMM while nodding her head. “Well, I have to admit animes have such unique aesthetic in them especially their background. That’s what we call occupational passion.” She smiled again.

She then moved to the passenger seat door and opened it. After that, she took out her wallet from her light brown hip length coat before handing me a card. “Here, the toll card. Use it to pay the toll when we drive through the highway later.”

“Uh-” My eyes drifted away for a few seconds before I looked at her again. Then my hand slowly moved to accept the card. “Why am I, holding the card?”

“Well,” She shrugged. “You’re going to drive, that’s why.”

My jaw instantly dropped.