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Teal eyes glanced across the mess hall and Maximus sighed. David sat beside Gwen, talking about the swimming activity that would fill their entire evening once all of the campers had been given time to let their stomachs settle. His teeth grit against his will. His camp counselor wore a blindingly bright beaming smile that made Max’s chest clench.
How dare David be so happy while he was left so miserable? Did the man even notice how hurt he was? What it felt like to love someone who would never love him back? Doubt lingered on his mind as Max grabbed his tray and stood. His food was untouched.
“Where are you going?” Neil glanced at his friend from the corner of his eyes, pausing his conversation with Nikki.
“For a walk,” the tanned preteen murmured as he started towards the trashcan.
Dumping his food into the garbage, his friends’ worried voices were merely background noise. They blurred out with the rest of the world as hie concrete legs carried him away. Maximus’ body was heavy. It was filled with sand that shifted its weight at every moment. Any second now, his legs would break under him. The ground beneath his feet would crack and crumble.
Max wished it would swallow him whole. Daydreams of the Earth’s molten core swallowing him fueled his walk into the woods. If there were an afterlife, would his pain follow him?
A thought crossed him that perhaps the center of the Earth would eat those along with his melting corpse. Thinking about it brought a strange feeling of relief. He thought, that perhaps if he could strengthen that feeling, it may fill the empty feeling in his chest threatening to make his lungs collapse. The brunet weaved through the trees, following the seemingly endless path into the forest.
Anxiety taunted David as he searched through the trees far and wide by his lonesome. Max had been gone for nearly an hour. Even Nikki and Neil lacked answers. Three words held little clue as to where the boy may be.
Letting his instinct guide him, the redhead rushed through the lush vegetation of the woods. Branches and vines left scratches across his arms as he fought his way through the area surrounding the campgrounds. Twigs and leaves snapped and cracked under his feet.
It rang in his ears, mingling with the sound of birds’ and bugs’ mating calls. Faintly, familiar music wafted through the air, gracing his eardrums.
Florence + The Machine dances around him. Bird Song was one of his favorites.
Curiously, the ginger rummaged through his pockets in an attempt to find his phone. Nothing resided in any other than a single butterscotch. David sighed in relief as he followed his favorite tune off-path. It led him further and further away from the camp. His nervousness only grew stronger with each step.
Eventually, he walked through a small gap between two trees.
Across a small clearing sat Max. He was on the ground, knees against his chest. Ebony curls hugged his perfect face, nearly covering his brilliant eyes as he stared down at the phone in front of him. David’s phone. The soft pink case and trademark pine tree gave it away.
Maximus barely spared the counselor a glance as he approached.
Grass shifted under David’s boots until he was standing silently in front of the brunet. No words were exchanged between them. When the song changed, the tense atmosphere softened slightly. The camper was listening to his favorite playlist.
Use Me by The Goo Goo Dolls danced with the sound of rustling leaves. Max refused to look at him and it left an ache in his chest.
“Can I sit here?”
David only got silence in response.
He sat by the boy quietly. For a moment, he left the silence stretch between them. Finally, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
Beside him, Maximus sighed through his nose. When he spoke, his voice was hollow. It was as if he was disconnected from his body, “Do you think it’s wrong to like boys?”
Closing his eyes, the twenty-four-year-old brought his knees to his chest. “Why would you ask that?” He was surprised when his ming-jades opened and tiny teals were looking deep into his soul.
“You know why. Do you?” A hint of irritation threatened to turn to venom on the boy’s tongue.
The counselor shook his head. Cautiously, he snaked an arm around Max’s shoulders and pulled him close. “No, Max! In fact, I like boys myself!” Perhaps his light tone could help the boy feel better.
Maximus’ eyes sparkled with something the man had never seen in them before. Once more, they fell quiet. Max’s gaze finally tore itself away as he stood. “Have you ever kissed a boy?”
“Once, in high school.’”
“I’ve never kissed a boy… But I want to.”
“Oh…” David was at a loss for words. His brain ran over possible responses before he was thrown off his guard.
In Max’s tone was something the man was familiar with, “Can I kiss you?”
Anxiety. A strong fear of rejection. Maximus loved David and was afraid of being turned away. He should turn Max away, he knew. Nothing about this was okay. He shouldn’t say yes.
But he did.
“Yes,” the redhead croaked, voice raspy.
Tiny tan hands cupped his cheeks and a flush overcame the both of them.
Max felt his heart beating fast as tension build between them. Hastily, he leaned over, cheeks puffing out. His forehead and nose collided with David’s and a laugh left the man. A pale hand lightly gripped the brunet’s hoodie. Tears of embarrassment threatened to spring forth.
Humiliated, the camper’s feet prepared to run. Unfortunately, he was stopped by thin hands cradling his jawline. David’s voice sounded a nervous as Max was. “Like,” another laugh left the man, “this, Max.”
Teal eyes widened in surprise as the ginger tilted his head. Their lips pressed together lovingly. It was inexperienced from Max’s side, but obvious experience came from David as they met lovingly.
Around him, Maximus heard the world blur. Everything became fuzzy, his body as light as a feather and limbs buzzing. Relaxing into the kiss, he let his hands rest on David’s shoulders. The boys’ legs were jelly as his crush pulled away.
The smile his counselor wore filled the empty hole in his chest. Not the earlier hopes of his worries being eaten away by the Earth. Nothing mattered.
“How was your first kiss?”
“Perfect,” Max whispered.