Challenges

Part XXVII

***Modern Day***

Justin and Matt were outside leaning against his car. They had finished their conversation and Justin had decided that he had better get on the road again.

“Thanks for being so awesome.” Matt said, looking back at the house.

“What do you mean?” Justin looked quizzical at Matt. “I haven't done anything”

“For making Eddie feel welcome.” Matt blushed. “I know it hasn’t been easy.”

“In my mind,” Justin looked down at the ground. He was embarrassed to say it. “I don’t understand how someone can be in a relationship with two people. Maybe if Eddie and Lori had a relationship as well, it would make it easier?” Maybe he felt one was being left out, while the other was alone. Was that the problem? Even after all these years he couldn’t wrap his head around it, but he made sure to not let that be a problem. It was his brother after all.

“Maybe.” Matt kicked a rock that had wandered onto the driveway. “Eddie and Lori do have a relationship.”

Justin jerked his head up. “I thought Eddie was gay?”

Matt laughed. “He is. They are very close. There is a different bond between them. I don’t understand it myself, but it is there.”

Justin thought back to the problems Lori had giving birth. Maybe that is what helped keep them together was that bond. Lori said she saw herself in Eddie. It was all confusing.

“Matt,” Justin said, grabbing Matt’s hand and pulling him in for a hug. “I love you.”

“Love you too.” They embraced in a hug and held it for a bit. Justin didn’t understand the relationship, even after all these years, but he did love his brother, and his brother was truly happy.

“Are you going to come down Saturday?” Justin asked, pulling away. “It is my last weekend here.”

“Wouldn’t miss it!” Matt smiled. “I want to spend as much time as I can with you before you head back to your new wild romance!”

They both laughed.

“Do you mind if Eddie comes?” Matt asked in a quiet voice.

“Of course! You have to bring him!” Justin said feeling hurt that his brother thought he didn’t want Eddie there. “I told him he is always welcome!”

“Good.” Matt smiled. “I just wanted to make things go smoothly. Mom tends to harp on him a bit, but he knows it is with good intentions.”

Justin reached for the car door but stopped. “You know,” he turned to look Matt in the eyes, “I don’t think it’s fair that you have to hide just because it might make my life harder with mom. You really should tell her.”

He climbed in the car, they both said their goodbyes, and Justin was off on the road again.

***

As he drove home, he decided he would fill Kimberly in on the happenings of the week so far. He promised he would have.

“Hey good stuff!” She said picking up the phone. “How was the date?”

“Three days of fun.” Justin laughed. He told her about all the things that had happened.

“No details?” She said with a sad tone to her voice. “You are no fun at all.”

“I don’t kiss and tell.” Justin giggled. “So how are things on your end of the world?”

“They are good. Busy as always.” She paused for a moment. “Speaking of a blast from the past, guess who called me the other day?”

“Satan?” Justin asked.

“What?” She laughed. “

“You said to guess, so I did.”

“No. Neil.”

“Really?” Justin seemed interested in that. “How bizarre.”

“I know right.” She seemed to hesitate for a bit.

They had parted on good terms, but they never were able to stay connected. After she married the senator, they stopped communicating all together. She figured it was because he didn’t want to be that ex that stuck around after it had ended. Justin figured it was because he still had feelings for her.

“Are you okay?” Justin asked after Kimberly stopped talking.

“Yea.” She said softly. “I don’t know why, but he seemed so sad.”

“What did he want to talk about?”

“Well, he just wanted to know how I was doing. Said he had been thinking about me, and that he still did care for me, just as a friend, and that he was sorry he had stopped talking to me.”

“Where is he at now?” Justin had lost track of all his friends, except for Kimberly.

“Interestingly he is in Los Alamos, working at the lab.” She chuckled. “Who knew?”

“Wow.” Justin smiled. “Good for him.”

“Yea.” Kimberly sighed. “I do wish we all had stayed in contact. I mean, we were close.”

That was true. They were close, and they had made the effort to stay connected after college, meeting once a year to reconnect. The only one that was absent was Nate after he left. Then when Cody passed away, they just couldn’t seem to make anything work.

“You know what might be fun?” Justin said, smiling to himself.

“What?”

“What if we don’t try to get everyone back together again?”

***13 years ago***

Spring break arrived quicker than anyone thought. Senior year truly was a blur.

“So,” Cody asked, sitting at the table before school started. “What are you all planning to do for Spring Break?”

“Nothing really.” Nate said. “I figured I would just hang out with Justin.”

“Same.” Kimberly responded. “Well, Neil.” She kissed him on the cheek.

They all seemed to have no plans for the week, except what they had always done in the past. Go to each other's house and just kick back.

“We need to do something!” Justin said. “This is it for us. This is our last spring break of high school!”

“What do you propose?” Mark asked.

“How about,” he smiled, “How about a camping trip?”

“Camping?” Grayson asked. “In the woods?”

“Yea.” Justin laughed. “It will do you some good to get out and be manly.”

“I don’t have to be.” He grinned. “I have Cody for that.”

“Well good.” Nate said. “He can chop firewood. I don’t want to break a nail.”

They all laughed.

“So how about it?”

They all sat silent, and then checked with their opposing partner, and nodded their heads in affirment.

“So where shall we do this?” Scott asked. “It has been ages since I have done any camping.”

“We can go out to Bear Canyon.” Nate suggested. “It is a way out, but it is beautiful, and we will be isolated for the most part.”

“That is a good idea.” Kimberly added. “I love it out there. My dad and I used to go out there once a year.”

“I will see if dad will let us use the mobile shower unit.” Justin offered. “I don’t want to be up there with all of you and not have a shower.”

“But what about all the manly smells that turn you on?” Nate asked, lifting his arm up.

“Gag no.” Justin said, pushing Nate away. “Let’s plan on going for four days?”

They all thought that would be a good idea.

***

They had arrived at the camp site and were busy setting up their tents for the night. Justin’s dad had let them use the portable showers, but only if Matt could drive it up. He trusted Justin to pull a trailer, but not along the forest road.

Justin mulled it over, and decided he could handle having Matt, Lori, and Eddie together for a few days in exchange for the showers. He called Matt to see if he was available, which he was. Justin even invited Eddie along, but Matt said he had to work and couldn’t get off.

“A tent for four?” Nate asked as they finished putting the tent up. “Why did you bring such a big tent?”

“Because I also brought some air up mattresses, and they fit better in a bigger tent.” He went to the truck and pulled a couple of rolled up air mattresses out and dumped them on the ground. “And a portable air blower!” He pulled a blower out, and hooked it up to the mattress. In a few short moments the air mattresses were ready.

“You take all the fun out of camping.” Nate said, picking up one of the filled mattress and taking it back to the tent.

“I keep the fun in my back.” Justin retorted following behind with the other.

After they finished getting their bags in the tent, they looked around the campsite. The other tents were erected and everyone was gathering around the fire pit where Matt was busy putting a fire together. The sun was starting to get low, and it would be getting colder.

“And I am a god!” Matt said as the fire erupted to life and he backed away.

“Of course you are dear.” Lori said, rubbing his back. “You are the greatest fire god in the world. Only took you half an hour to start.”

“You know I brought some fire starters in the truck right?” Justin said, walking up looking at the fire that was growing bigger.

“I…” Matt just sighed and sat down in his camping chair he had brought. “What’s for dinner?”

Everyone laughed.

***

After they ate their dinner of hotdogs roasted over a fire, they sat around, having small talk. There was no urgency or need to do anything. It was just everyone relaxing and having fun. Every once in a while Justin or Matt would throw another log on the fire to keep it going and bright.

“So what are the plans for after high school?” Lori asked, looking at everyone around the campfire.

“I am going to Tech with Cody.” Grayson said. Cody looked so much better, and stronger. He was in remission from his cancer, and he was back to his former self.

“I am heading back to Russia.” Mark said with a bit of sadness in his voice. “Parents are going back to work at a university there.” He looked at Stephanie who just held his hand.

“I am going with him.” She said with a smile. “At least for a couple of months. Always wanted to visit Russia.”

“Nice.” Justin said with a grin. “I hope you have fun.”

“I am going to NMSU.” Kimberly said, but she didn’t look very happy.

“Why do you sound so sad?” Lori inquired.

“I am going back to California to college in LA.” Neil said, also sounding sad. He squeezed Kimberly’s hand.

“Oh.” Lori frowned and stared back into the fire.

“We are going to attend UNM next year as well.” Justin said, trying to take the conversation back to a positive tone.

“Awesome!” Matt said with a smile. “I am glad I get to hang out with you more!”

“Me too.”

“What about you Scott?” Matt asked Scott who was sitting idly next to Lily.

“I accepted an offer to attend UT at Austin.” He flicked a small stick into the fire. “But I don’t know if that's what I want to do.”

“I am going to California as well.” Lily said absently.

It looked like everyone was already planning to go separate ways. He always imagined that everyone would have attempted to stick together like Nate and himself. But apparently that wasn’t the way it worked out. This trip sorta seemed to be a bad idea after all.

This may very well be their last spring break together.

***

Authors Note:

Thank you so much for sticking with this story! If you have comments please let me know at sockingsaw@hotmail.com.

Also, if you can, please consider making a donation to nifty. WIthout this service writers like me could not get our thoughts out there.

Matt