Scout was having a great time in the lake. The laughter from his friends was like music to his ears. Diving under the water, Scout looked up to the sky staring at the distorted sun shine on his friends content faces. Soon after his own face was smacked by a fish. Panicked he thrashed around until he had surfaced. By instinct he had grabbed onto the nearest body and hugged it, that body belonged to Griffith. He held his head close to his chest before realizing he was a guy. He started to blush and backed away.

"Uh, sorry..." Quickly Scout had though up an excuse. "You see I was smacked in the face by a fish and that caused a defense mechanism to trigger called regression which made me do actions a baby would do so I held onto to you like a would my mother to feel safe... I'm not a pervert!" Scout had said this very fast until the end so that it had made it clear he wasn't being weird.

Wow... Matt thought to himself is disbelief. Apparently making a Starship Troopers reference is a good way to make people want to swim. Other than a few stragglers, the entire group decided to go swim. Rhea and Ruby were so excited to swim that instead of switching to a bathing suit, they just stripped to their underwear (!?).

While everyone else was going nuts (especially Scout), Matt just leisurely swam around, not really trying to go anywhere. This place was nothing like Home, and Matt decided he preferred it that way. No smog, much few scumbags, and no Julia. He sighed in dismay when the name crossed his mind. He hoped she was having as much fun as she was right now, even in spite of everything that had happened between them already.

When he heard someone say the words "sleeping arrangements", he snapped out of his thoughts. "I agree with Cass. I doubt it'll rain, so what's the worse that could happen?"

Ruby was slightly embarrassed at being in her underwear in the water, but she ignored the feeling. Other people, including girls, were joining in. A few seemed to be changing to their bathing suits, unlike her who was in her actual underwear. She decided to stay a little close to Matt. Ruby could not swim that well (though she could swim), so she stayed near someone who could probably catch her if she faltered. Plus, he was hot.

Everyone began talking about tents and where they were going to sleep. "Yeah, I'm probably going to sleep in the RV!" She calls out, smiling. Ruby would prefer to sleep in the RV, as she did not want any bugs or anything climbing onto her in the night. Plus, it was probably more comfortable. Even if someone else decided to sleep inside, she could easily sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag. Anything but outside. Ruby slowly swims after Matt. "Hi," She says when she is close enough.

Ryan bobbed his head slightly as the music began. He nodded a thank you to Aaron before continuing his swimming. He swam to an area of the lake that he could stand but only just, so he could alternate between swimming and standing on a whim, then looked to Rhea, who had asked a question. "My assumption was that anyone who didn't have a tent would either be in the RV, or just ask someone if they had the room for 'em..." He swirled the water around a bit, feeling the cool liquid that he was starting to get used to rush over his arms before glancing up at the tents "Or we could just sleep out under the stars, that's another option."

Ryan listened to the music as he swam in the water, letting the beauty of the moment flow through him for a moment. After that moment passed, he glanced around at his friends, then looked to Riley. He swam over, nodding to her as the kind of greeting you give after having been in their presence for a while. "Thanks for taking us all out here in your RV." He glanced to Krista, trying to silently extend the gratitude to her as well, since she also seemed to have been a major contributor as far as he could tell.

"Hi." Matt said, surprised that Ruby had snuck up on him. Much to his dismay, she was still in her underwear. "So... Do you often strip to your skives for total strangers?" His reply was a shake of the head and a giggle. "I usually never do this," Ruby giggles, her face now as red as her name. "Good." he said trying to to be as awkward as he felt. "I'm sorry I'm not in my underwear right now. I guess planning ahead was a bad thing this time." Ruby gives a nervous giggle. "Matt, what are you trying to say?" She chuckles, gently waving her arms to keep afloat in the water. "I mean, I'll have to change later, but you've got swimming shorts. You can just dry them," Ruby says."True." Matt said. "But I feel bad that were not all in our underwear. We could have started a fashion revolution." Matt then tried his best announcer/advertiser voice. "Try new Swim-Skivies. It's underwear you can swim in. At least until it's time to skinny dip." Ruby begins to laugh. "Which, with couples, will be most of the time." She laughs. Paddling closer, biting her lip, she wraps her arms around him shyly. Her face then goes red as she lets go, not meaning to do what she did.

Matt was suprised that Ruby slipped her arm around his waist, but he didn't stop her. That didn't stop him from turning beet red. "Ms. Spear, you are trying to seduce me." He looked into her big blue eyes and, for just a split second, he went to kiss her. He caught himself and backed away. "I'm sorry. I can't. Too soon." Ruby blushes, but then nods, sighing a tiny bit. She just moves forwards and cuddles him instead, sighing. "I'm sorry." She whispers.

Riley took in a deep breath as she quickly went under the water, she could see some fish swimming around them as well as the legs of her friends getting the devious idea she started to swim over towards her friend Krista and quickly grabbed her legs. Krista jumped suddenly when she felt something touch her legs and then yelped loudly when she was dragged under the water, it was about thirty seconds later when Riley came back out of the water and laughed at her friend. Then came up Krista who gave Riley an almost angry look before splashing her friend and then dunking her head under the water.

"Not funny asshole.." Krista said jokingly before she started to make some distance and hid behind Rhea for protection from Riley and stuck her tongue out at Riley. "You know it was sort of funny." Riley said with a laugh and turned her attention to Ryan and blushed slightly and smiled. "I'm just glad that you guys actually wanted to go, before it was just me and Krista and my family. And it's not my RV one of my dad's old college buddy's RV he lets me rent it for the trips." She said Krista turned to look at Ryan. "I didn't do anything really I just invited anyone who wanted to come."

Rhea looked between Matthew and Ruby, she cleared her throat, slightly uncomfortable. She then realized someone hid behind her. "Hey, Krista. I'm gonna get out. I can't protect you from the menace." She smiled, shaking her head and starting to swim towards shore. As soon as she got out of the water, she realized her clothes stuck to her skin. She didn't try covering herself though, instead she walked casually towards the RV. She decided she would sleep in the RV. It would have all the amenities, and she would be more comfortable.

Once she got into the RV, she slipped on one of her dad's large shirts and towel-dried her hair. She took Her phone out of her backpack, and turned on some music. She sang along to it, and started to set up her sleeping bag on the floor of the RV.

"There. Now I can wander." She spoke to herself, sliding on her flip flops and walking out of the RV. "Guys! I'm going on a walk!" She called, trying to send the message to her friends at the lake. Then, without waiting for a response she started to walk towards the forest area around the lake.

The trip wasnt all that bad. A bit bumpy but wasnt too bad. The sights were good, better than good they were the best, its always a god thing to take a off the rails kid out to the country to see what throwing his life away will take from him. I mean it never works, but it makes you think! It makes yoy think about how life can be a bitch and how you need to grab it by the balls, no class can teach you how to survive. Thats why the big guy created marks, people who can let you get a free holiday in the woods without asking for much, it was all litterly charity. He would have to be nice and good to them but if worse comes you worse he could seduce one of the girls and get a ally on his side. When they arrived he took a pirch on the wall smoking a cigeret, he hated the taste and the resedue it leaves but it makes him look like a certified bad boy. He watched from the wall as the girls swam. Even if they are just marks he could have some fun if he could get them drunk enough. There is nothing better than a bunch of drunk highschool students and a game of spin the bottle that goes too far.
---
Mr Postman was driving through the forest, as usual. This was a usual route for him, not only was it quicker but the roads were rarely used meaning he could go as fast or slow as he felt. Why would you use a road that is mostly dirt and stone, especily one that years of heavy rain has made unstable and on higher older parts, colapseable. Its a delivery drivers paradice.

He haddnt been driving long, infact he had just got off the freeway and onto the old paths. Today he felt like going around the river, the ages had made a nice path that wouldnt fall under preasure. He just came down from the top roads when the headlights hit him, blinded by the large floodlightesque beamers he swerved and skidded around throwing stones and dirt everywhere. Thankfuly nothing was damaged but it sure as hell scared him. Looking up from his cabin he could see a RV was sitting blocking the way. So sad about children going crazy without parents, but what could he do? Mostly children will call him posty pete or letterbox lessy. He could and should go around, so he tried. 'Vroom, Scurushhhhhh, Clonk Splat' was the response. His swerve had stuck him in a small ditch. It would be immpossible to reverse and harder to push on his own. Climbing out he stood on the road looking at the kids in the water. "Hey! Kids! Can I have a helping hand with the van please? Your RV did cause this!"

Ryan smiled as he realized that Riley's prank had caused Krista to basically run and hide in fear. He then continued his smile at how modest the two seemed to be, specifically Riley, about letting their friends go on the trip with them. "Maybe it's not yours, but you just said you rent it... So you still lost something in this. So still, thank you." He gave a slight bow of his head, then looked to Krista "And you obviously helped out Riley with bringing along people... So that kind of made the cost more worth it, right? So thank you as well." He was about to give a slight bow of gratitude when he noticed Ruby and Matt. He smirked, then glanced to Riley, and his face turned slightly red, as he imagined that happening between him and Riley for a moment.

Ryan, trying to avoid an awkward silence, looked to Rhea who had left the water and shouted back at them. He gave a wave before looking back to Riley. "We'll have to tell the whole school about the lovers in the lake." He nodded to Ruby and Matt to signify what he meant, then moved a little bit closer and called over to the two "The tents are just on the shore there if you want some alone time." He smirked, he was sure that they knew he was just joking, but with people around the age that they are, he wouldn't count out the possibility that they'd share a tent later. He glanced to Riley, curious about her reaction before hearing someone shouting at them from outside the lake.

Ryan's face turned to that of confusion as he turned to look at where the shouting was coming from. He saw someone with their car in a ditch and instantly started moving to help. He waved his hand as a silent way to say he was on his way. The presence of someone he didn't know made his personality shift to a much quieter one, otherwise he would have called out that he was on his way to help. As he reached the vehicle, he bowed slightly, speaking more quietly than usual "Sorry about that." He quickly moved behind the vehicle and prepared to help him get going. "Just say when you're ready with the gas."

As things looked to be heating up in the water better Matt and Ruby, Cassandra decided it might just be best to get out the water. Not because she was uncomfortable, but more because...that level of closeness made her squirm, because she never wanted that. She'd already lost two people she cared about, she didn't want to become close to someone else, only to lose them.

she sighed softly, and as she climbed out the water, someone yelled at them to help. She blinked, looking about, seeing the postman in a ditch. She detoured to her tent, slipping a shirt on so she wasn't helping to push a car in just her swim suit, before heading out again, seeing Ryan already helping.

She moved up beside him, closing off any memories that began to surface at such an event, a car in a ditch. She was fire, but she still remembered crying for her parents, her mother not answering, her father shifting, to reach for her, his hand, arm, dropping as he died. They were memories that would always haunt her, and it was no point letting them overwhelm her.

"Sorry about that, Mr.Postman. I guess we didn't think about the fact the RV might be stopping people." She said, her tone quite genuine as she apologised, leaning against the car, ready to help

Kaden happily floored around in the water, laughing a little at Cassandra's comment. "Let em' hear me. Whatever. They're too busy being 'responsible adults'." Kaden mocked the adults back home. With romance heating up between Matt and Ruby in the water; Kaden felt like it was becoming more of a party. Not quite a romance man himself, he was more of a quick burst of passion kind of guy. Spur of the moment always provided the best results as far as he thought. The unexpected things that you just did, which seemed to be between those two.

Soon enough he found people suddenly leaving. Cassandra dashed out of the water, getting away from the lovebirds. Following Ryan who was helping Mr. Postman. Kaden couldn't quite make him out, but the voice sounded familiar. He wasn't going to be bothered so he just kept on enjoying himself out in the water. "I don't know Griffith. Watch out for him, I think he's out to jump you." He laughed, making fun with Scout.

As he swam, he got closer to Riley and Krista. Looking at Ruby and Matt. "Just kiss the girl already!" His hand brushed against Krista's side underwater. He turned his head to look her in the eyes. "Right? Gotta help a brother out." Kaden flashed his signature bad boy smile at her.

Griffith laughed, slapping Scout on the back. This threw off his balance in treading water, but he recovered by laying back to float. “Don’t worry about it Scout. It’s only natural to jump when you’re surprised. Especially when what’s surprising you slaps you in the face.” Griffith closed his eyes and brought his hands around under his head. “Though, while I’m sure she’s a wonderful woman, I don’t know how much I look like your mother.” Flashing Scout a smirk, Griffith took a deep breath and rolled backwards, disappearing beneath the waves.

It makes sense, but what was that about being a pervert? Why would he bring… No, could he? That’s not enough to tell, whether he is or not. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Besides, if he is into guys, I’m hardly one to judge. Griffith reemerged a fair bit further off from shore, initially intending to say mention heading for the islands, when he heard shouting from the shore. He looked up to see a postal van in a ditch. Well, that’s no good.

Griffith swam back ashore, though it wasn’t particularly far, and jogged over to where the van was stuck. Ryan and Cassandra were already there. “Sorry about this,” Griffith said sheepishly, “we didn’t pick the best spot to park.” At least nothing, person or vehicle, looked broken. He braced against the car next to the others.

Krista watched as Rhea got up and headed over into the RV then coming back out with a set of headphones and a much larger shirt, she was very tempted to join her when she turned to see her friends Matt and Ruby about to kiss one another and smiled at the two of them but decided to let them be. When Kaden came up to her feeling his arm over her waist causing her to blush slightly she leaned forward slightly and just teased him. "You would have to buy me a few drinks first before I do anything like that." Krista said playfully, and playfully grabbed his ass under the water before walking back out of the water. Then she heard another man's voice and noticed a postal van in a ditch near the RV, Krista quickly gets up to go over and help Ryan and Cassandra with pushing it out.

Riley quickly got out of the lake making a quick run for the RV seeing the way she had parked the RV watching already Krista, Cassandra and Ryan helping with moving the postal van out. And seeing as the RV was blocking the way Riley quickly got into it an started to move the RV out and away from the dirt road and parked it closer to the shore of the lake. "I'm so sorry I usually park here every year and the road is rarely ever used.." Riley said blushing slightly rubbing the back of her head as she got out of the RV.

Scout felt better from Griffiths assurance that everything was fine. The van had then caught his eye and he swam to shore. He had heard everyone apologize but still added another, "So very sorry this happened" to the group. He couldn't be much of a help with getting the van unstuck but he could try talking to the postman. "While they do this I can deliver the some of these by foot if you'd like! Let me see-" He grabbed some envelopes from the postman's satchel. "I know where this street is, I'll go right aw- AHH!" Scout was still wet and had ruined the paper envelopes by getting them wet. In panic he had dropped the letters and had gotten them dirty.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry-" The apologies continued for about 3 minutes before he sat on the ground in the fetal position contemplating his life. "I am scum..." he said depressed. "I should have been born as an unimportant flea on a dogs butt! I'm such a careless failure!" Scout started to imagine what could have been on those letters.
Dear daughter,
I've not much time left, I ask that you visit me one more time before I go. Also I have my will in here which will solve your families money troubles. And yes you should keep the baby.
Love your Mother

P.S. This letter is so important, I don't know what would happen if you didn't get it

This scenario seemed unlikely but Scout was too paranoid so he thought of the worst possible situation.

Aaron had intended to actually go in the lake, he really had, but as the events began to unfold he found himself occupying his senses with the small campground that was developing for the group of friends. He knew some people were opting to stay in the RV but he genuinely loved the outdoors and there was the perfect chance he'd be able to unzip the tent and look up at the stars. He loved the stars. He'd always shown huge amounts of enthusiasm when it came to nature and his father had often taken him out into the trails at night so they could see what the people of the town would never usually go far enough to explore. It relaxed him. He wanted to make sure his siblings understood its importance and its undeniable beauty.

He prodded at the fire for a few more moments, taking in the sounds coming from the lake. They all sounded happy and he was truly enjoying it. He just enjoyed being around his friends and when they settled down it was always cool just to be together away from anything that could be plaguing their lives at the time. Then the sound of disruption was around him and he turned to see the vehicle in the small ditch. He rose straight away, quickly tossing a twig he'd been toying with and rousing in the flames back into the embers. He was going to head across to assist when he saw his companions emerge from the lake and assist. They were already there to help and he knew he could easily offer assistance but too many people would just get in the way and actually deter assistance. And then Scout was going in to....wow, he needed to relax. "Scout! Relax!" He called, hoping the boy wouldn't do himself harm.

Just as he was about to move over to the van to do something, he saw that Rhea had been wandering out of his original space of vision and he nodded at her before moving across and into her way slightly, not stopping her but bringing himself around to talk. "Hey, if you leave now, you'll miss all this action," He joked to her and he rubbed idly at his chest. He should maybe put bug spray on in a bit incase the humidity rose. "And you shouldn't wander by yourself. Not to sound really overly protective or like I'm monitoring you or anything but you shouldn't always take trails alone unless you've got-" He paused and shook his head. What was he doing with these words? "I am just being daft, don't worry...but really," He crossed his eyes and indicated the van with a jerk of his head. "You might miss something crazy,"

Rhea wandered around for a little while, she felt nice in the baggy shirt, it smelled like her father's cologne and it made her feel like she was at home. She hugged herself and ingnored the others as they shouted over a car or something like that. She looked back a few times, but she didn't really care all that much. It sounded bad, but she wasn't very eager to help out the mailman.

"Hey, if you leave now, you'll miss all this action," a voice called. Rhea turned and faced Aaron. She smiled slightly, Aaron was always polite. Rhea opened Her mouth to begin a sentence but before she could Aaron spoke again. "And you shouldn't wander by yourself. Not to sound really overly protective or like I'm monitoring you or anything but you shouldn't always take trails alone unless you've got-" Rhea's smile started to fade as she watched Aaron shake his head. "I am just being daft, don't worry...but really," Rhea nodded, her lips pressed into a line. She listened to him with one ear and watched him with one eye, looking and listening with the other. He had a tendency to run off, apparently. "You might miss something crazy,"

Aaron finally stopped talking, and the smile returned to Rhea's face. Aaron was kind of strange, but that was always okay. "What would I miss? Ruby and Matt sleeping with each other?" She laughed, a short light chuckle. "And...if you're really concerned about me wandering off and missing something crazy, we could always wander off together." Rhea blushed, that sounded really awkward. She shook her head and started again. "I mean, if you'd like to take a walk with me we can."

He nearly jumped out of the water when Krista grabbed his ass under the water and teased him right in his face like that. Riley was the one he'd expect to be a little bit more daring like that. Kaden thought Krista was a bit more shy, more quiet than her friend. That was a surprise but it definitely brought a smirk to his face. All of a sudden Krista was going to help out the others with the postman's truck. Kaden yelled out to her. "Hey, wait up!" It was rude to just grab a man's ass like that and get all face to face without doing anything more. He wanted to stay in the water and chill more, but Krista played her hand and played it well. So, Kaden made his way out of the water as well. Going after her as everyone helped the man move his car.

While Riley came out and moved the RV. As Riley came out and apologized, Kaden realized he didn't have much to do. Everyone was already helping out. Whatever. He decided to get at the back of the man's truck and help push anyway. "How did you ever get your license?" Just blockin' the road like that… Kaden teased her with a grin before going over to Krista, getting on her side to help push the truck. "Rude to just grab a man's ass like that and run off." He whispered to her. "I'll have to return the favor, later."

"Well the road is rarely ever used so I wouldn't think anyone would be driving up this road let alone the mail man!" Riley said as she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Kaden and watched as the rest of her friends started to push the postal van out of the ditch and sighed softly. It wasn't even her fault that the driver didn't see a 40 ton RV right in front of him, Riley then approached him. "I'm sorry if there are any damages I will go and pay." Riley then turned to look at Scout she wasn't sure what happened but he appeared to be having some sort of breakdown, Riley quickly went over and gently held Scout in her arms. "Hey it's okay no need to be sorry the letters are completely fine." Riley reassured him.

When Krista and the rest of the group finally pushed the van out of the ditch she turned to look at Kaden and laughed softly at him. "Well you might have done the same to me." She whispered back before backing away Krista looked over at Rhea and Aaron and smirked walking over to her friend. "Why not ask Aaron out on a date he is pretty cute you know." Krista whispered to her friend.

With a big smile Scout got up and said, "Sorry everyone, I'm better now!" He gave a thumbs up. Even if ruining a couple letters brought him down there was no reason to bring everyone else down with him. After the van situation was done and over with Scout checked the condition of the letters and found them to be already dry and the dirt was easily swept off. "Oh..." was all he said. He thanked Riley for her comfort and decided to start cooking dinner. He started to notice his group of friends were starting to get along more than normal friends do. Why am I so bad at talking to boys... Why am I so weak... It's not like I could ever date one of the boys here anyways, I'm pretty sure they're all straight. The girls would be better off with them anyways. While in this train of thought he smelled the food start to burn. Well, I guess this one is mine then.

What he was cooking was some of the canned food Riley had brought. He was hoping someone would have fished by now but with the swimming and the van incident his friends just never got to it. He knew how to fish himself, he even knew how to clean a fish. His love for animals prevents him from being able to go through the process. First he'd have to jam a hook in a fishes lips, then he'd have to murder it, after that he'd have to get a knife and spill its gut into the lake. Cooking the fish from there is simple enough for him though. Just cook it on the fire until its eyes turn grey. Add some butter for flavor. Maybe some salt and pepper as well. Scout started drooling.

When everything with the van was over with, Cassandra sighed softly. She looked about, and went over to the lake. Her aunt had taught her how to fish, and it was something she enjoyed. Plus, she liked fresh food. Canned food was all well and good, but fresh fish? Nothing beat that.

And it seemed like she would just be getting in the way of everyone, as it seemed like there was some pairing up going on. She found a fishing rod, grabbed her pocket knife and speared a worm on the hook with practiced ease, and flung it out with ease, bringing the rod over her head, and then zipping it fast forward, the line reeling out and falling in the lake.

It wasn't long until the line gave a jerk, and she smiled, reeling the fish in. She grinned, taking out her pocket knife, she thumped the fish over the head, putting it down, away from the lack. She continued to fish until she had enough fish to at least give them all a decent size. She crouched, and began to gut and skin the fish, taking them over to the fire and Scout.

"I suck at cooking, so looks like its your job!" She said, holding the fish out. Scout seemed to be in his own world half the time, and Cassandra figured, given his behaviour at times, that he was worried about what he said or did. She smiled at him, and sitting beside him, and she said softly, "Sometimes it sucks to be shy, right? I envy Kaden-he'll simply put himself out there without any thought or worry. I never know what to say or do to people I like, more than a friend. Like, Hi, I like you, want to go out? How awkward is that? What if they say no? I could never face them again" She laughed at herself, and using some of the sticks for the fire, she speared the fish on them, ready to cook.

she used some water from her water body to clean the pocket knife, and dried it on her shirt, then set it aside, nearby. "I suppose camping like this, its inevitable that there would be some, ah, romance between people. But sometimes, i think its easier to just...not risk it" She shrugged, holding one of the speared fish, seeming to ponder it for a moment, "How do you cook this? Just hold it over the fire?"