Chapter Text
There are few things that makes Max happy; his two friends, Mr. Honeynuts, and being an all-around little shit and menace to society. It’s a bonus if David, or Gwen were involved on the receiving end. It honestly made it more fun anyways, even if he has laid off some of his antics towards the two camp counselors.
Correction, David was in charge of the camp now, with Gwen as his number two. Could they still be called counselors? David nor Gwen voiced any concern or special changes to how any of the campers would address them by, not that most of them would follow it if they wanted them to, him included.
Things had basically remained the same around camp, the campers were as quirky and animated as ever. The food still sucked, though they haven’t voiced it as loudly as before for sake of the quartermaster’s feelings towards his “heavenly” mashed potatoes. The days were spent with David leading the group in whatever activity that he had planned for weeks before they did it.
Himself, Neil, and Nikki had always found a way to make the activities more… exciting, and interesting. And these past few weeks had been no different. Swimming Camp went swimmingly well with Neil’s new “Life Jacket Demo” to help campers who couldn’t swim stay afloat, decided to wreak havoc and maybe destroy part of the totem pole in the middle of camp. But with enough duct tape it had managed to look as good as new. If you didn’t stare at it too long and did so at an angle.
Yes, everything had remained practically the same in life at Camp Camp.
That was until the final day of camp had finally come.
The night before was spent as a huge party by a large bonfire. David, Max, and Space Kid had ordered pizza, every kind of chips and cookies, and every flavor of soda that he could find and load into his car at the supermarket. Gwen, Preston, and Nikki had gone to retrieve party decorations, paper plates, and cups for the party, to make sure there weren’t any last-minute dish washing to be done, mostly to make it easier on the Quartermaster.
The rest of the kids stayed behind with Mr. Campbell, and Quartermaster to help set up tables and chairs, and gather the necessary pieces of wood for the bonfire. As well to clean out the cabins and have everything packed up and ready for the next morning.
There was dancing, magical acts by both Harrison and Nerris, a short skit by Preston, Space Kid, and Dolf, Songs by no other than David, and a small sing along that was led by Gwen, that all the campers willingly participated in. A few words of encouragement and gratitude from a few of the campers, and both Gwen and David. All in all, the party was a huge hit, that lasted a couple hours past sunset, and it was a sweet ending to the children’s summers, and time at Camp Camp.
. . .
Now there were fewer things that made Max sad or upset. And one of those things now were seeing his friends sitting on both sides of him with their luggage close by. All three of them un-characteristically quiet and staring at anywhere except each other. The atmosphere was so thick and heavy, neither of them could really talk.
Even Nikki could only offer a few jokes until even she grew silent, a lump in her throat that made it almost impossible to speak. She drew her knees up to her chest and was busy tracing letters in the dirt by her feet, squeezing her eyes shut every so often.
Meanwhile Neil was fiddling with both his hands, his eyes getting uncomfortably moist and blurry. It ended up with him rubbing them with the end of his sleeve and sniffing occasionally trying his best not to let loose what unshed tears that kept gathering in his eyes.
Max had both his hands shoved into the pocket of his hoodie, a large scowl on his face. His whole body was tense, his teeth clenched tightly and hands in fists in his hoodie. He refused to show any form of tears yet, he was too stubborn. Instead he glared down at his shoes, watching three small ants walk over his right shoe and over to the other side, the smaller one seemed to be leading the other two.
The silence was getting unbearable, is this really how they’re going to spend the last few minutes that they have together?
No, not if Max had any say in it.
The smaller stature boy suddenly stood, causing both his friends to break out of their trances and up at their hot-headed friend. Puzzled expressions on both their faces.
Neil and Nikki took one short glance towards each other when Max had been standing there for a good few seconds without saying anything.
“Phone numbers, and email addresses.” said Max firmly, still not looking at either of them. No if he did now he would lose it, just a few more seconds.
Neil caught on before Nikki and rummaged around in his backpack before pulling out a notepad and pen. Clicking it with his thumb he quickly wrote down his information, including a quick little note towards each one of his friends. He tore the page in two and handed one each to Nikki and Max before handing the notepad to Nikki who took it and did the same as him.
Max held out his hand for Nikki’s paper, then for the notepad. He scribbled down his email address only since he didn’t have a house phone and handed them both to Neil and Nikki.
He inhaled and exhaled slowly before turning on his heel and facing his friends finally. A small smile on his face that replaced his standard frown. “Voice chats at least one a week, yeah? Maybe Discord?”
Neil let go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding and laughed a little. “Absolutely.” He was relieved that they weren’t going to just sit there in silence until one of them finally got picked up by one of their parents’.
Nikki shoved both slips of paper into her backpack for safe keeping and threw her arms around both of the boys before giving a shaky laugh and squeezing them tightly. “I say twice a week myself, and video for that matter.” Nikki too was relieved; her body’s tenseness being redirected into the soul breaking hug she was giving the both of them.
Max threw an arm around her back and Neil’s too. “That can be done.”
The cyan haired girl pulled away from both her best friends and gave them a large smile, her eyes a bit misty. “I’m…” She started before her face scrunched up and the hot, fresh tears that she had been holding in finally fell from her eyes. “Really, really, really gonna miss you guys.” She finished in a voice barely above a whisper.
Once the tears started, they couldn’t stop, and it wasn’t only for Nikki.
Neil finally let go of the tears he’d been holding in too. He hiccuped loudly and nodded to Nikki’s words and just let all the tears cascade down his cheeks in large streaks. His hands wiping away at the tears that ticked his nose with the ends of his sweater. “M-Me too…”
Max looked mortified, trying to think of the right words to say or even to attempt to reply. He did not want them crying, God what did he do? He thought that asking for their contact information would be a good thing and keep them happy before they had to say goodbye, not the other way around.
His hands balled into fists and he sniffled as a few tears escaped from his eyes. “Guys…c’mon…don’t…” He began and was enveloped in another hug by both other children. His teal colored eyes widened before he too was overcome with the feeling of tears dripping rapidly down his face. He grabbed them both in his arms and squeezed as tightly as his lanky arms would allow and buried his face in both their shoulders and just cried.
He cried for the inevitable goodbye, cried for the feelings of frustration that he had to say goodbye. Cried for the fact that he had made his first two ever friends and now there was a possibility that he’d never get to see them in person again, or at least until they were older. It wasn’t fair. He’d just gotten them back a few weeks prior after getting the camp back from Camp Corp. He’d understood that these guys were irreplaceable to him. Why the fuck did he have to say goodbye?
David stood a few yards away silently, Gwen by his side. He didn’t want to interrupt the three kids during such a needing time for the three of them to be together. He hated this part of camp. Absolutely loathed it. The first day of camp was always so easy, so exciting, something to look forward to. The last day however, was the exact opposite.
His heart ached for each and every one of the campers today, but especially for Max himself. It seemed that the only kind of attention or love and kindness he got was here at camp, and he was finally starting to look happy for once.
Most of the campers had already left, some with a smile, some with tears. David made sure each of them at least left with a smile on their face and made sure himself that he had his standard one for all to see. Even if it was a bit forced for himself, he was the head counselor, he had to make sure they left Camp Camp with a smile on their face, one last pleasant memory for their summer.
Quartermaster and Campbell had left earlier that morning, returning to their lives. Even with Campbell on parole and went on about some jobs that he snagged in a nearby city that paid well enough to support himself. The Quartermaster didn’t say much about to what his plans were, but David wished him the best nonetheless.
The three that were left were Nikki, Neil, and Max. It took Gwen’s light touch on his shoulder for him to be able to keep his own tears at bay. She understood too after all, these campers have grown on her too, and it wasn’t the most positive of days for sure.
The sound of tires hitting gravel coming up the road made the two counselors perk up and take notice of the small SUV that made a stop a couple of feet away from the two. The familiar face of Neil’s dad surfaced when he stepped out of the car. A small wave as his greeting before walking up towards them.
“Morning you two, is Neil ready?” the aging man asked looking around for his son.
Gwen nodded pointing a thumb over towards the three kids that had separated from their embrace and now were popping off joke after joke that caused all three of them to erupt into a fit of laughter.
“If you could sign here for Neil, then we should be all set.” said Gwen, holding out a clipboard and pen which Carl signed in response. “Thank you for allowing Neil to stay with us here this summer.” Gwen added with a smile, which caused Carl to laugh heartedly.
“If it means my son gets to make new friends and enjoy himself, then that’s all that matters to me.” He said in a cherry reply.
Neil looked up when he heard laughter from a short distance away and felt his stomach drop. “Shit, it’s my dad.”
Max and Nikki looked with him and each had sad smiles on their features.
“So, I guess you’re the first one Neil.” Stated Nikki placing her hands behind her back and a kick of her foot in the dirt.
There was the sound of a high-pitched engine that quickly made it’s way up the road and parked by Carl’s vehicle. The driver parked their motorcycle without turning It off and removed their helmet to reveal that it was Nikki’s mother Candy.
“And I’m right after you.” Nikki added sadly.
Neil turned to both Max and Nikki. “But hey, it’s okay right? We’ve got each other’s contact information and as soon as I get home I’ll make sure to message both of you!” replied Neil, trying to regain any positivity that was still left. “Right?” he finished uncertainty.
Max nodded. “You better, or I’ll come find you myself!” He retorted with a cheeky grin on his face. “Now no more cryin’ or actin like shitty babies.”
“But you cried the most, Max.” said Neil.
“Neil, I’m trying to be nice, but shut the fuck up.” Max replied in a huff before each one of them erupted into laughter, then all went into one last big hug.
“Friends forever?” asked Nikki with a happy smile.
“Yeah.” agreed Neil.
“You can’t get rid of this asshole that easily.” replied Max with confidence. “You’re stuck with us.”
“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Nikki agreed before each of them pulled away and started walking over towards both Neil’s and Nikki’s respective parents.
Neil gave both Gwen and David a high five, Nikki a hug, and Max a fist bump before literally pulling his dad away from Nikki’s mom and into their car.
Nikki gave everyone a hug before putting her helmet on and sitting behind her mother on her motorcycle, her mother pulling out ahead of Neil’s father and Nikki waved at Max and Neil until they couldn’t see her anymore. Neil followed afterwards, waving himself, until both of the former campers were nothing but specks down the road until becoming completely unable to be seen.
Max stared and suddenly felt an emptiness that he wished weren’t there. An emptiness that made his whole insides feel so hollow and cold. He shoved his hands into his hoodie pocket again, his frown returning to his face. “I’m going to wait in your guy’s cabin, and I call two pudding cups.” He said aloud to both the adults that simply nodded and followed him there.
. . .