Vol.5, Chapter XXI — A Camping Trip to remember, Part 2

It’s not out of stubbornness when I say that camping was proving to be something quite agreeable to my dispositions, nor am I being sarcastic when saying that Abby was right about me loving it.

After the lunch, we all fell into a stupor due to having eaten too much, a result of all the walking we had done and the light-hearted conversation. It might sound weird in this context, but it surely felt luxurious to be napping inside a tent with the door zipped open and my bare feet outside to catch the breeze. Abby was snuggled up with me of course, one arm and leg tossed across my torso and her soft cheek squished against my shoulder. Mathilda too was there in the same position as I was. As for the boys, they set up a couple of hammock beds between two trees for their own naps. It was too hot outside to do anything else, even though we had plenty of shade thanks to the trees, and the breeze that made itself present offered a nice soundtrack for us, as well as cooling us off. We must have napped for about two hours or so before everyone was up and about again. Everyone but me then set off to do some exploring led by Abby while I stayed at the campsite. I wanted to stay back to watch over our stuff, to have something prepared for them to eat once they returned, and also because I always wanted to try reading while laying on a hammock under the shade of a tree. The breeze was still there, the birds chirped, the cicadas buzzed in the distance, and the occasional bee flew by. It proved to be heavenly, but I didn’t do much reading. It wasn’t because it made me feel very lazy and drowsy—which it did, but because I couldn’t help but get giddy every time I remembered that I’d be stopping by the jewellery store to pick up the rings I got for me and Abby. These two days were proving to be very exciting, the trip and the rings falling in line with one another. I’d say this summer was being better than the previous one and the one before that. Actually, this was likely the best summer I ever had. My first high-school summer had me and Abby starting dating, sure, but this summer would have me and her becoming engaged. Maybe, I wasn’t still sure if I was going to propose to her this summer, or wait just a bit longer to a time where we are closer to turning eighteen.

Those were the thoughts occupying my mind again as we finished watching the Nosferatu movie, and it had been what was mostly on my mind that afternoon when they returned from their exploring. Mathew had brought back a stick that looked like a gun, Stephen one that resembled a sword, and Mathilda brought one that looked like a wizard staff. Seeing it, I pointed out that it sounded like they had been roleplaying how they play videogames together. Apparently they didn’t, nor had they realised how they ended up picking sticks that fit the roles they played when playing together, Stephen being the melee, Mathew the ranged fighter, and Mathilda the support.

Abby however came back with a bunch of pinecones that she excitedly showed me, separating the ones we’d be using to start our campfire from the ones she’d like bringing home. Two in particular reminded her of us. Those two were attached by the stall and were longer than they were wider with one being smaller at about the same proportions Abby and I were when standing side-by-side. It was very heart-warming seeing her being this silly after our run-in with her Mum.

“I liked the part where they used a hyena to play the role of a werewolf,” Abby said as she fluffed herself against me. “I didn’t find it scarry at all though.”

The latter part was directed more at me than at Mathilda who had asked what we liked the most about the movie we just watched.

“Hmm… I liked everything about the movie overall,” I said, adjusting my grip around Abby’s waist and the way my chin rested on her head. “But maybe the thing I liked, or that I found the most interesting, was how they seemed to film through a tube to simulate nighttime.”

“Yeah, that was due to limitations at the time,” Mathilda explained. “They couldn’t really film with dim lights without making it too dark, and I’m also guessing that people at the time wouldn’t be willing to be filming well into the night anyway. And speaking of which, shall we watch another movie? The projector still has battery for one more.”

“We could, but we’ve already run out of popcorn and snacks for tonight,” Stephen told her as he wiggled the now empty bag he and her had been sharing. “Maybe we should just start the fire and gather around it for scarry stories?”

“Oh! Now that’s an idea!”

I hadn’t been told that scary stories were going to be told, but I guessed it tracked. Still, I had a very impressionable girlfriend huddled between my legs who’d likely get too scared to then fall asleep with the rustling of the wind, and I didn’t want to deal with that.

“You guys do that,” Abby said, squirming herself free from me. “I think Violet and I will go out for a walkie.”

I also hadn’t heard anything about Abby and I going for a walk. Frankly, my legs were a bit sore from our hike there plus sitting on a hard surface, but between that and dealing with Abby’s clingy and afraid shenanigans, I choose the former.

“Careful now,” Mathilda hummed. “In horror stories, it’s always the horny couple that dies first!”

“Shut up!” we both barked at her, making her laugh.

Abby helped me up and in a fluid motion of now years of practice, wrapped herself around my arm. It wasn’t long after we left that I felt like she was guiding me somewhere. Her footsteps that familiar cadence like as if we were headed to her favourite bakery to have her favourite jam-filled donuts.

“Where are we going?” I asked her.

“Hehe! You’ll see! You’ll see!”

All that excitement got me also giddy, making me forget the slight worry I had about us tripping. There was plenty of light due to a full moon, but the treetops could sometimes get quite dense, swallowing most of the light before it got down to illuminate our path, so there were patches of floor we walked that we were almost blind as to where we were stepping.

It was after about five minutes of walking that the somewhat sandy ground became dirt, and almost immediately, we were stepping on loose stone. We were no longer amidst trees, but on what appeared to be a dried-up creak. By it, there were some very old ruins of what might have been a house long, long ago. Abby excitedly tugged me towards a small pool of water that hadn’t dried-up yet. Some frogs were croaking there, but they mostly scattered once we approached. The water surface gleamed silver as it was illuminated and reflected the moon on it’s surface. This all seemed pulled out of a fairy-tale. And then, a small fairy appeared under the form of my naked girlfriend. I had been so focused taking in the scene that I hadn’t realised Abby had stripped down until she stepped towards the water and came into view.

“Abby! Put back your clothes!” I told her, immediately looking around. “Someone might see you!”

“No one will see us,” she laughed as she got inside the water. “And come one, you know you want to wash up after today. Come and join me, will you?”

I wasn’t going to join her! Not ever! But then… Then I took a good look at her. The way the moon illuminated her figure as she turned to face me, the water covering her body from her navel down. She was smiling at me with those loving eyes that begged for me to join her. Her hands idly played with the water surface, the moonlight rippling and reflecting light on her skin, making her more ethereal.

Before I knew it, my clothes were coming off too, and soon after, I was in the water with her, Abby holding my hands to help me balance. The water was still warm from the day, and the floor flet slippery. More importantly, now that I was closer to her and she was looking up at me, I could see the moonlight reflecting on those eyes I loved so much.

She cupped some water and dropped it over my shoulders, rubbing them afterwards. I however kept my eyes on her face, feeling all my love for her burning insanely hot. Earlier that day, she had told me that sometimes I love her a bit too much, and for once, I was partially inclined to agree with her.

Abby noticed my staring and let out a giggle, asking me why I was staring at her like that.

“It’s just,” I trailed off as I leaned down to kiss her. “You’re so beautiful, and… and I love you so much.”

I kissed her, and she kissed me back. After that, well, I think you can guess.

Once we were done making love and actually washing up as planned, we had gotten out of the water and laid on a flat stone that was still radiating some heat to gaze upon the moon as we snuggled.

“well, that was something,” Abby said in a raspy voice as she laid her back on my chest, using me as her mattress.

“Sorry,” I said, feeling a second rush of blood flow to my face, but this time from embarrassment. “I keep telling myself that I need to learn to hold back, but…”

“hehe! But I’m too much to resist, right?” Aby said, half teasing me, half bragging about her charms.

I say nothing, I simply hold her a bit more tightly and smooch her soft cheek.

We then settle in silence, enjoying the moment and likely both thinking about our love for one another.

“…Will you marry me?”

In moments like these, all my inhibitions go completely out of the window and I act on impulse. A moment like this, after Abby had guided me to this hidden spot that she kept secret from everyone, our moment of passion, and then us like this, merely existing as if we were a single being… when would I ever have such a perfect moment to ask her that? Would I even come across such moment?

Not that I thought Abby and I needed it, but… that moment truly was perfect.

Abby looked at me after her whole body stiffened. She had her eyes glistening and her lips trembling as she looked at me, not having believed her ears. She saw how serious I was and proceeded to erupt in crying.

“Shoo ha-ha-happy!” she bawled as she turned to hug me impossibly tight. She was likely saying that yes, she’d marry me, but I only knew that because of what I understood when she first started crying, and from the way she kept nodding her head and hugging me. I too was getting a bit emotional, even though I was mostly laughing at how she was crying so badly from happiness.

A long time went by until she calmed down. It went an even longer time until she allowed me to see her face. It was a complete mess, and her eyes were clearly swollen from crying so much, my annoyingly cute now bride.

“I’m noticing a pattern,” she huffed, trying to return to some semblance of normal, even though her voice was still a bit hoarse and cracking.

“…Please, don’t say it,” I asked, getting flushed as I too noticed a pattern.

“First, you kissed me, then we made love, and only then did you ask me to be your girlfriend,” she continued, determined to make me burn of shame.

“Abby, please!” I whimpered.

“And now, you kissed me, them we made love, and only after that did you propose.”

“I’m really sorry about that!” I squeaked. “I don’t do it on purpose.”

“You sure? Because it feels like you’re doing a test ride before deciding if you want to commit or not.”

“Oh come on now!” I now barked as she began to laugh. “As if I didn’t have the other ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time as a ‘test ride’ as you put it.”

Even while laughing, Abby kissed me to calm me down. Seeing that I was still pouting after that, she gave me another one. And another one. And another one. Only when I said that I was fine did she stop… after a couple more. I’d likely be seeing Abby being way extra affectionate towards me for a while.

Not like you’ll act any differently…

True, I likely wouldn’t. Abby was now my beloved bride after all, not just my dear girlfriend.

Amidst all this happy chaos, one of our phones rang. Mathilda was calling us, having gotten worried about us once she realised that it’s been an hour or so since we left the campsite.

“Yeah, Violet and I are fine,” Abby told her, giving me a questioning look. I nodded at her, understanding what she was silently asking about. “Violet and I stumbled upon a clean bit of water and decided to take a bath, so that’s why we are taking so long. We just finished airdrying though, so we’ll be going back to camp… Yeah, sure, I’ll show you guys the place once we get back.”

The call ended there, and Abby and I disentangled ourselves from one another to get dressed. Shame about the clothes still being the same, but at least once we got into our sleeping clothes, we’d be mostly clean.

“By the way babe,” Abby said. “Now that we are engaged, don’t go stressing about rings and stuff like that, ok? We’ll figure things out together one step at a time.”

“…About that, erm…”

No way!” Abby gasped. “You actually when ahead and have gotten us rings!?”

“Y-yeah… I’m picking them up once we get back home… Part of the reason why I ended up proposing tonight.”

Abby looked about to start crying all over again, so I gave her a tight hug as I whispered “surprise”, not knowing what else to say other than something I’d say if this was a surprise birthday present. She clung to me, calling me a huge dummy and other love-laced insults with a sniffling voice as she nuzzled me.

I giggled and softly apologised to her, Abby mumbling for me to not say that because it was due to all of those reasons why she loved me so much. To bits, even.

I looked back at the moon, who had seen me confess my feelings for Abby and now my proposal to her. That camping trip, and that night specifically, they would be something I’d never forget.