#novahd

Aleks’ eyelids fluttered, fighting against the all-too-bright light of morning and the toot, toot, toot of Eddie’s horn. He reached out and waved away the latter, eyebrows furrowing when he dropped his arm and it landed heavily upon a lump in his bed. His hand curled around it and his fingers pinched to figure out what it was. The lump fought back, slapping his hand away, and Aleks murmured in realisation before his fingers soothed the spot upon James’ thigh they had pinched. He wriggled backward as James’ hand wrapped around his own, curling himself into James. Warmth emanated from James against his back, through his body up to his head and all the way to his wriggling toes. Aleks sighed in content but then the socks around his feet begun to feel a little too tight, a little too warm. He used James’ leg to peel them off and kick them away. His bare toes wriggled at their new freedom. Aleks’ eyebrows furrowed once more; skin sticky as he thrust his feet outside the covers. The cool air upon his slick skin was heavenly. But soon his eyebrows furrowed, the combination of his sheets and James’ ridiculously high body heat becoming all too much. Aleks huffed. He dug his elbow between his back and James’ chest, ignoring the other boy’s murmurs of discontent, and gave one big shove.

 The covers that James clung to before he fell onto the hardwood floor of the cabin dampened his fall, just a little, and he looked up at Aleks incredulously. The other boy clicked his tongue, hand waving wildly toward the floor as he tried to find the sheets that he had lost. James hissed when he slammed his arm onto the ground, only serving to send a fuzzy feeling up his elbow as he hoisted himself to his feet. He flung the sheets back at Aleks. James could feel his other bunkmates’ eyes upon him and kept his head down as he stomped toward the shower. Eddie looked from James’ retreating back to Aleks, nuzzling against the mattress to get comfortable once more, and then to Seamus whose eyes widened when they met Eddie’s, his lips twitching into a smile. Aleks groaned when the shower started, the sputtering of the water interrupting the dreamy haze he had almost fallen back into. Seamus walked over to Eddie, their fingers brushing briefly as he took the horn from Eddie’s hand. He ignored the other’s questioning look as he slowly walked back to Aleks’ bed. Seamus bent down and positioned the mouth of the horn against his own lips, unbothered by the still damp metal, before he pressed random buttons and blew. Aleks rose from the bed like the girl from The Exorcist, with his eyes holding as much fire as the demon that had possessed her, fingers digging deep below him on the mattress.

“Morning,” Seamus grinned. He passed the horn back to Eddie. “You don’t want to miss breakfast, do you?”

 James opened the bathroom door just in time to see Seamus stumble backward, hand shooting up to the side of his face. Aleks’ stretched out his fingers. James rose an eyebrow, pursed his lips, and cocked his head at Eddie but the other boy had rushed to Seamus’ side, fingers laced over Seamus’ own as he babbled incoherently about ice. Aleks clicked his neck, stretching his arms before he got to his feet. James folded his arms over his chest as he passed. His tongue played with his teeth, lips twitching into a slight smile. Aleks shrugged his transgression off and James shook his head at him. The bathroom door closed, leaving Seamus to narrow his eyes in its direction. James wandered over to the pair of boys now crouched on the floor. The frame of Eddie’s bed dug awkwardly into Seamus’ back; his head thrown against his shoulders as Eddie dabbed at his cheek with a moistened cotton ball from his fanny pack. James reached into Aleks’ covers for his phone, now almost dead, and fell to the floor beside the two boys. He lifted his phone into the air, opening his camera app, and forced a wide grin onto his face: “Say cheese!” The camera flash illuminated Seamus’ middle finger, causing the image to blur him and Eddie together in the background.

 After breakfast, the campers were led to a lake by an all-too-happy Jordan. They each had a fishing rod slung over their shoulder, their free hands carrying small boxes of bait. Seamus trudged behind James and Aleks, huffing as the hook got caught into his ponytail for the umpteenth time. His fingers threaded into his locks to try and fish it out, his eyes widening when they met with warm, soft skin and not the cold, metal hook that Seamus had been expecting. He turned his head slightly over his shoulder as Eddie disentangled the hook from a curl and the two shared a small smile just as their little group reached the lake. The smile fell from Seamus’ lips as he looked out across the water to where other boys were playing with floaties, splashing around, and having fun. On this side of the lake, Jordan gestured grandly toward some worn-in fold out chairs, a couple of big rocks and a small deck. Seamus let his head fall back against his shoulders and prayed for rain. Given the cloudless blue sky, he was sure it would fall on deaf ears. His view was obstructed by Eddie’s chin and nostrils which flared as he grinned down at his bunkmate: “Let’s catch the biggest fish, Seamus!” Seamus brought his head back into its proper position and rolled his eyes but followed Eddie as he pushed past him toward the lake’s mouth anyway.

 Aleks hung back from the shore, leaning against one of the larger locks as he struggled to attach his worm onto the hook. James had no such issues, threading the sharp edge through the worm’s middle with ease, before he climbed up the larger rocks and threw his bait into the water. Aleks chucked his own worm onto the ground with a huff, crushing it beneath the heel of his sneaker for good measure, before he flung his bait-less hook into the very shallow edge of the lake. He was sure that he had no hope of catching any fish, but Aleks dug his heels into the sand and let his head rest against the rock, eyes fluttering closed as he decided to catch some z’s instead. Closer to the shore, Seamus struggled with his bait as well. He cringed as the worm wriggled between his fingers, successfully evading the sharp end of his hook every time Seamus tried to wedge it on there. He tensed at the sound of Eddie’s giggle beside him, the other boy having chucked his line into the water long ago. Before Eddie could verbally offer, Seamus thrust his hook in the other boy’s direction. Seamus folded his arms over his chest and frowned, watching the way Eddie easily stabbed the worm with the hook. His frown furrowed further when he heard laughter from behind, tilting his head and glaring at the boys who mocked the pair. Eddie held the hook out toward Seamus, who gently pinched it and took it back.

“Thank you,” Seamus said. Eddie blinked back at him; lips parted slightly. Seamus cast his line out into the water, deftly ignoring the perplexed look on Eddie’s face and the laughter that had only grown louder. Eddie shook his head and turned back to the water, biting his lips as they formed a smile.

 James’ fist whizzed by in a blur as he reeled in a fish, occasionally stopping when his line grew taut before he resumed his rushed motions. His efforts paid off as his prize slapped upon the rock he was sat on. James grabbed the fish by its flopping tail, holding it high in the air to cheers from his campmates. The fish had a dark green back, lighter green along its stomach, with a thick pinkish red stripe across its stomach.

“Oh wow,” Eddie gushed from below. James jerked his head in his direction, “you caught a rainbow trout!” He clapped his hand against the rod in his hand. James preened under the attention and held it up, mimicking the many dating profiles of older men he had seen, as Seamus snapped a photo. James turned to show it off to Aleks but scoffed when he saw the other boy’s tucked chin and slumped body, fishing rod now abandoned in the sandy floor. How he was still standing, James did not know. He looked down at the fish in his hands, a mischievous smile forming across his lips as he thought of how he could throw it and hit Aleks in the face. But he thought better of it when Aleks’ shoulders rose with a particularly large breath, slumping downward while he hummed in content. James chucked his fish back into the water. He’d get Seamus to show Aleks afterward.

 There were not many other catches that day. Eddie caught a few rainbow trout himself and Seamus almost caught a fish but lost it at the last minute. Aleks obviously caught nothing but did almost lose his rod beneath the sand kicked up by other campers’ feet. He grunted when James’ shoulders knocked with his own, blinking rapidly in the sunlight. He let himself be dragged forward by the other boy’s arm tucked around him, jerking his head away from his rod James had so kindly gathered for him. He pat at his stomach, already rumbling, as they neared the lunch cabin. He could smell Dan’s famous lasagne all the way down the path. James chuckled when Aleks suddenly lurched forward, the follower now the leader, and pushed past Seamus and Eddie to be one of the first inside. He watched with a smile when Aleks paused briefly in the doorway, sucking in a deep breath, and smacking his lips as though he could taste it already. The moment did not last long, however, as other campers begun to push past them to get their own lunch. Thus, Aleks was off again, dragging James forward as fast as he could to get to the front of the line. Well, almost the front. Aleks glared at the few campers who had managed to sneak ahead of them. James thought better than to point out those from other activities who had already been seated – lasagne steaming from their cafeteria trays.

 “Not long now until the big camp out,” Eddie gushed as he dropped his tray onto the table. Seamus frowned up at him through his eyebrows, pulling out his phone to check the date.

“It’s several weeks away still, dude,” James corrected him. Seamus nodded down at his phone.

“Good, I don’t think I’m ready for it,” Seamus said. “Knowing me I’ll use a poison oak leaf to wipe my butt or something.” James snickered at his response.

“Like the Hannah Montana episode,” he noted. Seamus sputtered back at him.

“Poison oak is actually quite easy to spot, if you know what you’re looking for,” Eddie commented like someone who knew exactly what they were looking for and, just to prove it, he continued: “It resembles an oak leaf with a textured, hairy surface and may be in groups of three, five or seven leaves.” Seamus nodded along with him, briefly flashing the other boy a thumbs up before he nodded toward James.

“Big Hannah Montana fan then?” James’ eyes lit up. He leaned back in his bench, using his legs to stay balanced, arms outstretched as though he had just announced the world’s greatest plan.

“Isn’t everybody? Jake for life,” James ignored the way Seamus’ nose wrinkled. He pat Aleks on the back, almost causing the other boy to choke upon the lasagne he had shovelled into his mouth. “Who did you pick?”

 Aleks blinked owlishly back at him. He looked to Eddie and Seamus. They both leaned forward, leering at him. Aleks’ eyes furrowed. He rushed his mouthful, Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed, and burped as quietly as he could into his hand.

“What are you on about?” Aleks picked at his food with his fork. James’ lips parted slightly; one eyebrow raised. He gestured toward Aleks.

“You know, the infamous episode – who will Miley pick? Jesse or Jake?” Aleks’ eyebrows burrowed themselves into the bridge of his nose. He scratched at his head.

“I thought she was dating Thor’s brother… weren’t they married?” Aleks tilted his ear towards Seamus as he murmured something about a divorce. They all jumped when James slapped his hand upon the table. Aleks stared blankly at him.

“Have you never seen Hannah Montana?” Aleks shook his head. “Suite Life of Zack and Cody?” Another negative. “That’s so Raven?” Aleks did not even bother to shake his head this time. “Lizzie McQuire?” James’ voice had reached all new octaves, so high now that only a dog would be able to hear it. “Where have you been for the past ten years, in a cave?”

“Not everybody had Disney Channel, James,” Seamus tried to cut in, eyes shifting toward Aleks. The other boy had hunched over in his seat. James spat at the notion.

“Only those whose parents didn’t love them,” he retorted. James’ hand shot out to the table in front of him as the bench screeched backward. Aleks’ fork clattered against the table as he turned his back on the group, storming toward the cafeteria doors. James blinked at his absence. He glanced back at his bunkmates. Seamus’ jaw was practically on the floor. Eddie chewed upon his lower lip. James shrugged. “It was only a joke.”

 Except when he and Seamus finally caught up to Aleks in woodworking, he wasn’t laughing. He did not take his usual seat beside James, instead choosing to sit several logs away next to a boy he and James had dubbed ‘Stinky Pete’ at their first session. He watched as Aleks’ nose wrinkled, arm occasionally coming up to block the smell. James looked to Seamus who looked just as lost as he felt, only he was more concerned with the piece of wood that had been dropped into his hand. James tried to get Aleks’ attention. First by calling his name, over and over until the councillor ordered him to stop, then by flicking bits of chipped logs in his direction. One landed directly in Aleks’ shoe, nestling between his laces and the grubby tongue, and James thought that was it then. Aleks had always been quick to retaliate – something Seamus could attest to after this morning – but instead of lobbing half a log in James’ direction, Aleks took a breath and pulled the chip from its position before chucking it away. James’ shoulders slumped.

 He moped all the way to dinner, kicking at the back of Aleks’ shoes as he trudged before him. It only made his bunkmate walk a little faster. Aleks ditched James the second he could in the dinner hall – dashing away with his tray full of food toward his friends at the other table, not even glancing backward. James’ confusion and mild annoyance gave way to straight anger at Aleks’ sheer audacity. He marched toward their usual table, dumping his tray in front of Eddie, and pointing an accusing finger in Aleks’ direction. Eddie followed it, pouting when he realised that they had been abandoned but quickly perking up when Seamus’ shoulders bumped with his own. James clicked his tongue.

“Look at him,” he insisted to his bunkmates. Seamus and Eddie reluctantly turned their heads, making a show of nodding before turning their attention back to their own table. “He’s tearing this group apart.” Eddie sucked upon his fork to keep from agitating James further. Rolling his eyes, Seamus pointed a finger at James instead.

“You realise you’re the problem, right?” James’ eyebrows furrowed. He opened his mouth to protest, clamping his jaw shut seconds later and shaking his head. He pursed his lips.

“It was a joke,” he said. Seamus shrugged.

 Aleks avoided the campfire and James would have followed him had it not been for Seamus, who kept him at bay with a hand upon his chest and the shake of his head. James watched Aleks go, briefly entertaining the idea of dashing toward the bunk when Seamus’ attention was drawn elsewhere before the smell of melting marshmallow flirted with his nostrils. Speaking of flirting, James’ eyebrows furrowed at how close Eddie and Seamus sat – the latter letting Eddie’s fingers wrap around his own as he explained once again how to achieve the perfect s’more. James shook his head at them, turning and spotting a couple of Aleks’ friends across the campfire. His muttered explanation of where he was going went ignored as he marched toward his target. Kai’s eyes widened as he neared, hunching over, and creeping behind Dean. Dean could not hide his long limbs if he tried, choosing instead to fold his arms across his chest and raise an eyebrow at James in a way he supposed was meant to be intimidating. What he lacked in height, however, James more than made up for in bulk and he puffed out his chest standing inches from the other boy.

“Can you tell Aleks to stop being a baby? It was a joke, okay – I’m sure his parents love him just fine,” James’ words were laced with sarcasm.

“Really?” Dean spat back. James frowned back at him. “You really don’t know?” James threw his hands up in confusion, gesturing toward Dean and silently asking him to explain. “How dumb can you be? Look at us – at Aleks,” Dean pressed.

 James’ frown furthered. What was the big deal? There was nothing out of the ordinary about Aleks and his friends, other than their complete lack of preparation for the trip. Sure, their clothes were a little bit worn-down and a bit less expensive than say, James or Seamus’, but they weren’t that bad. They had come on a bus to camp like most of the other campers – James himself included, albeit his bus was a little nicer. He shrugged. Dean groaned, dragging his eyelids down to expose the pink flesh underneath. Kai stepped out from behind him, almost laughing at the situation. He reached out and placed a hand upon James’ shoulder, smirking at the dumbfounded look upon his face.

“Dude, you said that Aleks’ parents didn’t love him,” Kai explained. James rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to remind everyone, again, that it was just a joke—“he doesn’t even know who is parents are. We,” Kai pointed to himself and to Dean, “and Aleks are foster kids.” James’ eyes widened. Kai really laughed then, even Dean cracked a smile. James pinched the space between his eyebrows. He looked at Kai and Dean through the gaps in his fingers.

“How am I going to fix this?” He asked, not really expecting an answer. Still, his heart sunk a little when they shrugged back at him.

 Aleks’ mood had not lifted by the time his bunkmates returned to the cabin. He had encased himself in a burrito of blankets, laid firmly in the middle of his bed and facing away from the group as they tiptoed in. He heard them all whispering to one another, light briefly attacking his closed eyelids before it was turned back off with a hiss. Someone tiptoed past, probably Seamus as his phone charger wire whacked against the headboard of Aleks’ bunk. The bunk directly across from him groaned with Eddie’s weight, the boy stifling a giggle behind his hand as he tugged and tugged at his covers so tightly pressed into the mattress. Seamus walked back then, letting out a breathy laugh and tripping back onto Aleks’ bed as he tugged the sheets out for Eddie. Aleks tried to keep himself from laughing. He had to stay completely still. He had to make sure nobody bothered him. His mattress shifted as Eddie pulled Seamus up by his hand. The force pulled the two boys impossibly close to each other, practically swapping breath, and they stood for a moment just like that: One of Eddie’s hands wrapped around Seamus’ wrist, the other subconsciously lingering millimetres from Seamus’ waist. The moment was ruined, however, by James. He barrelled past the two, almost sending Seamus back onto Aleks’ bed, and shut the bathroom door behind him.

 James leaned heavily over the sink. His forehead pressed into the mirror before him, breath creating puffs of condensation on the glass, while his ankles touched the shower basin. Curled around the sink’s edge, his fingers tapped relentlessly at the ceramic beneath them. He listened as Seamus and Eddie made their way into their beds and rolled his eyes when they chirped ‘good night’ back and forth before Aleks chimed in, voice gruff and straining to sound annoyed but failing, hinting at a smile just underneath it all, and shut them up with a ‘we get it, good night!’. Eddie squeaked out a laugh then, followed by Seamus’ sputtering beneath his fingers. James could even make out Aleks’ own lowly chuckle. He smiled himself, straightening up. Aleks was fine – they were fine. There was nothing to fix. James opened the bathroom door, beaming into the darkness. His face fell at the immediate silence that greeted him. Seamus coughed to cover up a lingering giggle, awkwardly turning in his bed. Aleks’ shoulders met the tips of his ears when James walked toward the middle of the room. He paused between the two bunks, looking down at Aleks’ burrito form.