Tenderness is a Dangerous Thing

Chapter 36: Botany Camp- Growing Disappointment

“Breakfast will be ready soon,” Anna stated factually, stepping out of the tent into the morning sunlight. “We should probably wash up first. I can’t show up looking like I spend the night doing... Whatever we did.” Her brown eyes darted toward the lake where other campers were likely already gathering for breakfast. The thought of facing everyone made her stomach twist with anxiety. “I am sure it is no big deal. Everyone was drinking last night. I am sure there are more than a few campers who got lucky. Just not as lucky as me,” Evan said casually as he followed her out of the tent. Anna shot him a look, her expression a mix of disbelief and amusement at his arrogance. “Lucky? You call biting me so hard it left a mark ‘lucky’?” Despite her words, a small smile tugged at her lips. His confidence was irritating but also kind of attractive.

“Fine, maybe you are right,” Anna conceded, grabbing her toothbrush and toothpaste from her pack. “But that does not mean I want everyone knowing out business.” She started walking toward the lake where other campers were already splashing water on their faces and brushing teeth, with aid from the water filter. The sound of laughter and morning chatter filled the air. “Besides,” Anna added quietly as they approached the water’s edge. “I am not just worried about people knowing we hooked up. I am more worried about people noticing how... Rough we got.” Her fingers absentmindedly touched the mark on her backside again through her shorts. It was still tender to the touch. “Well, I think it is sexy. But like I said, it will not happen again. Next time we try something like that, I will make sure we are both sober,” Evan said and splashed some cold lake water on his face.

Anna’s expression softened at his promise. The sincerity in his voice was undeniable, and it calmed the last of her frustration. She watched him splash some of the lake water on his face, the morning light catching the droplets on his chiseled jawline. “Okay,” she said quietly, dipping her own hands into the cool lake water to splash her face. “Sober is good. And maybe we should... Practice some other stuff first before trying anything that intense again.” A small smile played on her lips as she thought about all the other things they could explore together. The idea sent a pleasant warmth through her chest that had nothing to do with the alcohol from last night. The sounds of breakfast being served drifted from the main camp area, as metal utensils, plates and cups c*****d. She could smell the toast and coffee wafting through the trees. Her stomach rumbled in response.

Anna quickly used some of the filter water to brush her teeth, then she said, “We should probably head over before all the good seats are taken.” Anna and Evan headed back to the main camp site for breakfast. After, the camp leaders instructed the campers to pack up their tents and hike back down the mountain before lunch time. Evan moved with calm efficiency as he began dismantling the tent, his motions were practiced and deliberate. He crouched beside one of the corners, gripping the metal stakes with both hands before ricking it gently back and forth to loosen it from the packed earth. With a firm tug, the peg came free and he set it nearly in a small pile before moving to the next. He circled the tent at an even pace, repeating the process until each corner was released, his boots leaving faint impressions in the dirt as he worked.

Straightening, Evan reached for the guy lines that stretched taut from the tent, his fingers quickly untying each knot with small, precise movement before coiling the ropes into tidy loops that rested comfortably in one hand. As the last line fell slack, the canvas lost its tension, the fabric rippling softly in the breeze before sagging inward. Stepping beneath the dropping canopy, her raised his arms to grasp the center pole and lowered it carefully. The tent folded inward under its own weight, the canvas collapsing in a gentle wave around him and he ducked out from beneath the fabric, gathering the loose material as it settled onto the ground. Kneeling once more, Evan spread the canvas flat, smoothing out wrinkles with broad sweeps of his palms. He folded one side inward, then the other, creating long, even edges. Walking slowly along the length of the tent, he pressed trapped air from the fabric before folding it again into a compact rectangle.

Finally, Evan rolled the bundle tightly from one end to the other, using his body weight to keep the roll firm and uniform. Once finished, he wrapped the coiled guy lines around the rolled canvas, slid the poles alongside it, and secured everything together, lifting the neatly packed tent onto his shoulder with a satisfied nod to Anna. Then he did the same for his unused tent. After packing up, they started hiking down the trail. “Jeez, hard enough hiking down a mountain, never mind doing it while hungover,” Evan complained. Anna laughed softly at his complaint, her own legs feeling the burn of the steep descent. “Tell me about it. My head is pounding, and my muscles are already screaming.” She adjusted the strap of her backpack, which felt heavier than it had when they hiked up the mountain. The morning sun filtered through the canopy of leaves above, casting dappled light on the trail ahead.

“You know,” Anna said conversationally as they navigated a rocky patch of the trail, “While this camp experience has been... Unexpected. I came here thinking I would just lean about plants and maybe make some friends.” Her cheeks flushed slightly as she glances sideways at Evan. “Instead, I met this delinquent jock who talked me into skinny dipping in the lake and then bit me during anal sex.” The bluntness of her words made her laugh again. “My parents would have a heart attack if they knew what their little girl had been up to this week.” A wide victorious, smirk spread across Evan’s face. “Well, sounds like you are making plenty of memories. We got two more weeks left, plenty of time to make more,” he said suggestively.

The rest of the week passes in a blur of stolen moments. Anna giving Evan blowjobs in the empty classrooms. Sneaking out into the woods to mess around. Every night Evan sneaked into Anna’s room to f**k her, becoming more and more rough. Sunday night when Evan pitches up at Anna’s room for their nightly meeting, he did not leave her as satisfied as previous nights. He f****d her roughly until he came inside her, then he pulled out, pulled up his boxers and shorts and said, “Night, see you tomorrow.” Anna stared at his retreating back in disbelief, the sting of his abrupt departure mingling with the soreness between her legs. Tears welled up in her brown eyes as she pulled the covers tighter around herself, feeling suddenly cold and alone. “Night? Just ‘night’?” she whispered to the empty space where he had been moments before. “Like I am some random hookup you can use and then walk away from?”

The finality in his voice hurt more than any bite mark ever could. For two weeks, they had shared stolen kisses behind classroom doors and secret rendezvous in the woods. Each night had ended with him holding her close until midnight. Now he was treating her like disposable entertainment. Anna hugged her knees to her chest, hot tears rolled down her cheeks. The bed felt enormous and empty without his warm weight beside her. “Asshole,” she muttered under her breath, grabbing a pillow to throw at the door he had just exited through. She sobbed silently.