Camp Closeted

Chapter 62: Love

"Are you gonna eat that?" Romeo glared at me as I waved my head 'no' for the remains of my waffles.

"Your loss." He murmured, rapidly snatching the waffles off my plate.

Ashton sipped out of his 3rd coffee refill as he kept staring at me. "I think I've seen you somewhere

before." He coughed as I anxiously looked at him. "You know Cadence?"

I tiredly nodded. "I'm friend's with his boyfriend, Sascha."

"Oh right, you were at the library!" Ashton smirked. "Small world ain't it so?" He half-laughed.

Our attentions quickly turned towards a familiar woman with her usually bright sun dresses. "Hey folks,

how's everything doing so far?" She cheered.

"I want more waffles." Romeo grimly croaked.

"Some more coffee, thanks." Ashton smirked.

"Just water, please." I blurted out.

"Alrighty then, y'all sit tight!" She cheered. "I'll be back in a jiffy!" She proceeded to walk away, her

bright yellow sundress beautifully flourishing underneath the diner's glittering neon lights.

I glanced out the window to see how Jesse was doing but it was genuinely too dark to even see

anything outside. "You're crazy, I'm not gonna let you do it in here!" Ashton anxiously laughed. "Romeo

stop." He shuffled as Romeo tried to get something from him.

"Just fucking give it, I'm gonna go outside!" Romeo sharply spoke through his mouth as I was too tired

to even have a reaction.

Ashton deeply sighed. "Here." He gave whatever the thing was underneath the table. "Have fun using it

without a lighter." Ashton chuckled, Romeo making his head fall back in annoyance.

"You're not funny." Romeo sharply spoke again, his hand rapidly snatching it off of Ashton's. "Get up."

He deeply demanded.

Ashton sighed again as he slid up off the booth so Romeo can go outside and smoke. I watched

Romeo walk out and leave without looking back, the waffles being brought to our table by the lady.

"Thanks." Ashton nodded at the lady, his blue green eyes then meeting mine. "He isn't here to eat it, so

shall we?" He smirked, grabbing his fork.

"M-might as well, I guess." I shrugged, my voice audibly dry.

Both of us began eating from the plate, my eyes glancing at him as we began to speak. "So how do

you and Romeo know each other? Because I know he wouldn't just scream at you lads just because he

was drunk off his mind back there."

I took a moment to speak. "It's complicated. I-I honestly don't even know why he was so angry at us." I

bit. "Thank you, though."

"For what?" He chewed, a strand of black hair perfectly falling onto the side of his face.

"For driving us back, it means a lot." I sniffed.

"Of course mate." Ashton winked. "Cheers." Taking a sip off his coffee.

"Cheers." I quietly let out, sipping out of my water.

Romeo stood against his car, a large cloud of smoke leaving his mouth as Ashton and I walked towards

him. "Fuck you Romeo, I had to pay for all of that."

Romeo and Ashton proceeded to smoke as I got back inside the car with Jesse, who was, with no

surprise, still asleep.

I waited for Ashton to begin driving again as my surroundings began to smell like weed and I genuinely

just wanted to go home. I glanced down at my phone to read the time, 5:08 a.m it read.

"You're 19 mate, you don't have to go back to your dad tomorrow if he's that much of a twat." Ashton

began, clouds coming out of his mouth. "Why don't you just act straight for a day yea, grab all your shit,

then drive off and never look back."

"It's not that easy." Romeo's voice was hoarse and low. "Where the fuck would I go? You already know

I don't have family."

"You can come settle at my place until you get your own?" Ashton asked.

Romeo snorted, snatching the blunt from Ashton to hit it again. "Yea, let me just magically get money

out of nowhere, and then just fly 5,000 fucking miles to live in your 1 bedroom apartment." Romeo's

audibly sarcastic tone didn't fail to make Ashton chuckle. "Sounds about right."

"I'm just trying to help mate." Ashton continued his faint chuckle, patting Romeo's shoulder before

heading back inside the car to begin driving again.

"I'm driving." Romeo blurted out as he cut in front of Ashton to drive.

Ashton and Romeo both held onto the car door as I didn't quite know what to do other than remain

quiet. "Are you mad? You're drunk and about to be very high, let me drive."

Romeo just ignored him, forcefully shoving him away as he got in the car to start the engine. "The hell

you looking at?" He glanced out the car window to see Ashton's anxious facial expression. "Get in

before I leave you." Romeo faintly chuckled.

Ashton surrendered his hands into the air. "You better drive well, I very much love my life right now."

"Yea, yea." Romeo waved off. "Just get in the car, faggot."

"It takes one to know one!" Ashton quickly ran to the passenger seat as Romeo tried to hold in his

smile.

I tiredly laid my head back against the car seat as everyone finally got back inside the car.

All of a sudden, Romeo turned on the music in full volume. It made everyone in the car flinch in shock

as to how loud it was. "Let's fucking go bitches!" Romeo hoarsely exclaimed as he started to drive,

Jesse beginning to wake up beside me.

"That's so loud." Jesse's hand went over his face as he leaned his head against my shoulder,

stretching.

"Sex, by The 1975." I whispered to myself as I saw the title on the small screen, Romeo rocking his

head to the song. "Hm." I genuinely was so confused as to how Romeo managed to be so energetic

right now.

The song continued to play as Ashton seemed to know it also, proceeding to childishly sing it with

Romeo.

Rapidly, it's like time was cut in half as everything seemed to stop around me, my eyes stabbing back

into Romeo's bright hazel ones on the rear view mirror. "And I'm not trying to stop you, love." He looked

away as he continued to sing to the song. "If we're gonna do anything we might as well just fuck! She's

got a boyfriend anyway!" He sang.

"These people have the lamest taste in music." Jesse spoke into my neck so I could hear.

For some reason, watching Ashton and Romeo look absolutely euphoric couldn't help but make me

smirk. Their uniquely colored eyes tinted red, their tongues going over their drying mouths, their sleek

hair fluffing up and down as they rocked it.

"I think the music is fine." I whispered back to Jesse, knowing for a fact that this extremely loud song

didn't fail to echo through the deep forests that surrounded us.

"I don't wanna drop them off yet." Romeo yelled out towards Ashton.

Ashton clucked his mouth as he rolled his eyes. "The other guy is already asleep mate we have to."

Romeo tried to hold in a chuckle as he glanced at me through the rear view mirror. "I'm driving, I make

the choices here." He winked, my cheeks burning red.

After a while of driving down the same road Romeo all of sudden brought the car down a questionable

decline causing some branches to fall past against the car's windows.

I didn't know how to react because I was genuinely caught off guard. "Mate your not telling me-" Ashton

worriedly looked back at us and then remained silent.

Romeo sloppily brought the car into another road which made the car aggressively trudge against the

ground, throwing Jesse to the side ultimately waking him up.

"Ow." Jesse huskily let out, his voice slightly cracking as his hand rubbed his face.

"Ro-" My voice was too low and was overpowered by the music. "Romeo where are we going!?" I

raised, my eyes shifting around to examine the area we were going but I genuinely had no clue.

The road became a lot less more of a road and became almost like a paved dirt, branches hanging

down almost against the car making it hard to decipher absolutely anything.

"To hell!" Romeo let out without cracking a single smile or even bother looking at us. His face changed

as he seemed to be somewhat serious now so he can drive better.

His sharp jaw chiseled as his brows furrowed down to his light almond eyes that were glued at the

road.

Jesse's sleepy eyes looked at me as his lips went against my ear. "Where are we?"

Slightly sensitive to him being so close against my ear I immediately moved away and made eye

contact with him. "I have no idea."

The car roughly stopped out of nowhere making me slightly choke. When it did it was at a view.

Anymore step to the pedal we all would have been thrown off the cliff.

"Woo!" Ashton screamed out. "That was a close one, I really don't know what the hell I was thinking

trusting you to drive." He anxiously laughed.

Romeo opened the windows as he quickly hopped out the car. "Spark the fuck up." He let out making

Ashton sigh.

Ashton pulled out a blunt as I watched Jesse look absolutely confused, both of us stuck at the back

seat.

"You know, I'm gonna miss this place." Ashton pursed his lips as he sighed, taking a hit. "It's a nice

alternative from the gloomy weather back at home."

Romeo rapidly grabbed the blunt and inhaled. "Anywhere else than home is a nice alternative." He let

out almost emphasizing his words.

"It smells so bad when are we gonna go home?" Jesse blurted out, his eyes wider now.

"You're more than willing to walk from here if you can't wait." Romeo threw us a devilish smile. "How far

are we again from the camps ash?" He inhaled again, his eyes staying on mine instead of Jesse's.

"Probably still a couple miles." Ashton let out, burying his hands down his pocket.

Jesse quietly groaned as he just laid his head back. "How are you quiet about all of this, don't you

wanna get home?"

I was careful to speak as his head rested against my shoulder once more. "What other choice do we

have Jesse." My eye's not breaking off of Romeo's gaze. "There's nothing else we can do."

"Mhmyour right." Jesse yawned as his head fell back, laying down to the other side of the car away

from me.

"You good mate?" Ashton queried suggesting me to take a hit.

"Yea I'm good." I nodded.

"Come out of there." Romeo declared with a huge smile catching me off guard. It was almost dazzling

that it made me want to smile too. "Unless your lame as fuck like your boyfriend." He let out, cutting me

out of my momentary thoughts.

I stayed quiet as my eyes broke from his intoxicating smile, Ashton beating me to opening the door.

"Thanks." I lightly let out.

Romeo lightly jogged to the car as I got out, his hand pulling out a steel knife. "Now to celebrate this

whatever the fuck occasion. Ashton what did we say we were gonna do?" He smiled.

Ashton threw down the blunt and put it out with his feet. "If you throw it at me I will personally have to

punch you." He laughed loudly, running his hand through his dark hair.

I was beyond confused but I was hoping it would all make sense in a second.

Romeo walked up to a tree and started scratching like some crazy person, my mouth slightly widening

as Ashton just gleamed at me.

"Im so fucking high mate." Ashton laughed towards me as Romeo threw his shirt off.

"What are you guys-" My voice cracked as I quickly coughed. "What are you doing Romeo?"

"Preparing a sigil so we can start the blood sacrifice and offer you and your boyfriend to our Lord

Baphomet fuck Micah you are so lame, stop questioning everything and come over here." Romeo

turned back to pass me the knife. "Etch your initial." His eyes looked at me different than he normally

would.

It didn't feel cold. It felt far from it. His eyes were so warm I just knew it was probably able to compete

with the sun.

"Mine is already etched." Ashton smiled widely, his eyes squinted at me. "Romeo told me that he

wanted to do it with you."

My breathing began to quicken as I walked closer to him, taking the knife and glancing at all the other

initials on the huge tree. "Who are all the other people?"

"Close friends of Ashton." Romeo let out deeply, his body not even bothering to give me space to etch

my intial.

"Close friends as in my band mates and Romeo." Ashton chuckled, my eyes glancing at the L that

probably stood for Logan. "Romeo knows that any friend of his is mine so now we're here."

I don't know how Logan would feel about my initials being added onto this tree but so be it.

Etching my name was hard at first and caused a couple of teasing laughs to emit behind me. "Here."

Romeo simpered as his hand went over mine, making my grip a lot more sturdier.

This is so embarrassing that throwing myself off of the cliff behind us doesn't sound so bad right now.

Romeo smelled like weed, sweat, cologne, and caramel and it all couldn't help enter my senses as he

so insisted in helping me.

After a couple more strokes it was done and I loved it.

"M. V" Romeo examined. "You have a V as a last name? What is it?"

"Vallenti." I let out, tilting my head at the initials to see it as a whole with all the others.

I couldn't even hide my smile as I stared at it.

Romeo roughly pat my back which actually hurt but I was too happy to react. "Well we're gonna need to

hurry back before the wolves come and eat us Vallenti."

A loud bang cut me off my vision at the tree as Romeo cackled out loud. He seemed to have banged

the door on Jesse's side causing him to thrash up awake. "My bad I accidentally woke you up your

highness." Romeo threw a teasing glance at Ashton.

I couldn't help but lightly laugh as Jesse's hair was adorably messy. His facial expression looking

absolutely drained.

I took one last look at the tree before running back to the car that seemed to already start.

One day I'm going back to that.

One day.

After quick moments of loud music constantly playing, the car finally stopped and parked. The car sat in

silence as Romeo looked out the car window, his arm hanging out as Ashton glanced at him.

Ashton figured out Romeo wasn't going to say anything so he just decided to break the ice. "Well lads,

home sweet home!" Ashton glanced back at us.

"Thanks for the ride." I weakly murmured, quickly following Jesse out of the car.

For some reason, it bothered me. I don't know why it did. It shouldn't be bothering me but it did. It

bothered me that this was the last time I was ever gonna see Romeo again.

Thoughts ran through my mind as the car started, my body frozen as I couldn't help but take my eyes

off of it.

I felt like spitting words out of my chest, I felt like my mouth was almost shivering out what I wanted to

say, say what I wanted to feel.

But it was too late..

The car had already started driving away, taking all the chances of me saying goodbye away.

After moments of standing in complete darkness, the car was gone, and so was Romeo.

I know I'm probably never gonna see him again and I'm not sure if it bothers me or not. I hope all goes

well for him and he finds peace within himself and in his life.

"Come on Micah, I'm exhausted." Jesse yawned behind me as I quickly regained my consciousness

and began to walk back with him.

Goodbye Romeo..

I rested my head against Jesse's shoulder as I smiled at an extremely excited Andrew on the other side

of our table. "Now I know you guys must feel down that you guys are gonna have to part ways soon but

I brought something that might help just a little bit."

My head began to raise out of curiosity and the second I saw what Andrew pulled put, I felt like my

heart was just gonna burst out of my chest.

"Andrew!" I couldn't help but gasp as he passed me the finally finished camp year book. "Wow!"

Jesse's eyes were glued on the book as I immediately opened it, a smirk forming on his face.

"I just wanna see your page to be honest." He bit his lip at me, making my breath hitch at his sudden

eye contact.

"Not before we look at yours." I laughed as he sharply breathed probably from a sudden rush of

embarrassment.

"No stop." He quickly grabbed the yearbook from me as his cheeks visibly flushed. "I don't wanna see a

collage of myself with you, that would make me feel so fucking awkward." Andrew laughed at what he

said as I just humorously rolled my eyes at him.

"What makes you think I would want that then?" I asked, trying to grab the book from his extended arm

as I couldn't help but begin to chuckle.

"Because you're hot." Jesse teased, extending his arm further away from my reach.

"Guys relax, both of you are getting copies." Andrew announced as he watched us fight for the book.

I quickly grabbed the copy from Andrew. "Thank you!" I smiled, quickly looking for Jesse's page.

"Hot damn!" Jesse let out as I glared at him being on my page. "You look so good." He turned towards

me as I tried to hide my smile.

I sat in awe as I finally came across Jesse's page, my eyes feeling almost as if it began to melt from

how good he looked in each picture.

After minutes of us awkwardly just staring at each other's pages we began to flip through the book.

"Benny would've loved this." I spoke softly, my tone coming out a bit cracky.

Andrew pursed his lips. "He has more than enough." He half-laughed. "He's gotten one every year, he's

probably tired of it."

"Yea, I guess." I quietly smiled to myself.

Jesse and Andrew began to talk within themselves as I quietly continued skimming through the book.

Sascha looked adorable, Posh and Milan looked extra as usual, I'm surprised Rama and Cadence

even agreed to do it, Benny and Keanu's was perfect, and even though I didn't know some of the boys

in the book I still wanted to admire the hard work Andrew put in it.

My body rapidly tensed up the second my fingers flipped on to the next page, Romeo's page. I

immediately closed the book before Jesse could've saw me looking at it and possibly start something.

Talking about Romeo is the last thing I wanna do especially when today is my last day in this camp.

I began to slowly look back up towards Andrew. "I might not even come back next year, only because I

really wanna take this photography thing seriously. I just love capturing stuff with my camera and

making it look like something you've never seen before."

"You're really talented Andrew." He smiled at me. "You definitely should keep doing what your doing."

"Thanks." He deeply breathed as his smile grew more joyful by the second. "I'm really happy you guys

liked the year book."

"You did a great job dude." Jesse added as he ate.

"I'm sure everyone is gonna lose their minds once they see theirs." I sipped as I couldn't help but let out

my words in a sullen tone.

Jesse caught this and he knew why it slipped out. Im not really happy right now and every hour passing

makes it harder to seem happy. I was going to officially leave the camp in a couple of hours and be

forced to go back to reality.

I just stayed quiet and ate what was left of my plate as Andrew and Jesse began to talk within

themselves again.

Ugh, sometimes I wish I can just freeze time.

"You have everything?" Jesse asked as he watched me with careful eyes. "Aw don't be sad." He added

once seeing my facial expression.

I clutched onto my bag as I returned his tight hug, unconsciously inhaling his perfume that I missed

smelling so much. "I'm not sad I'm leaving, I'm sad because I don't know when I'm going to see you

again."

"Look," Jesse, hands wrapped around my waist gently as his crystal blue eyes looked deep into me.

"You focus on your graduation first, and we'll figure out the rest step by step together, okay?" I nodded.

"I love you." I hugged him again and again.

"I love you too Micah." He chuckled, his breath being hitched at my tight hold.

We proceeded to walk out the cabin as he walked with me to the familiar lobby. "This is so weird. Has

time really gone that fast? I think I'm about to freak out." I let out as we got inside. "I remember just Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

checking in."

"And you sweating like crazy next to me because I was too hot." Jesse chirped as he pointed at a chair

in the lobby.

My face immediately threw him a humorous look. "It was not because you were too hot, I just had really

bad anxiety."

"Anxiety because I was too hot, my bad." Jesse playfully corrected as I almost rolled my eyes at him.

I quickly turned my attention to the lovely lady behind the desk. "Hello! Are you here for check-out?" I

nodded. "Alright, how was your stay with us?" She beamed.

"It was amazing." I glanced at Jesse.

The girl typed on her keyboard before responding. "I am glad to hear that!" She pressed one more key.

"Thank you so much for staying with us at Camp Closeted, hope to see you soon once again!"

"Thank you." I smiled, Jesse and I sitting back at the same exact seats like last time.

I sighed as an overflowing of emotions were about to come over me, but Jesse's voice quickly emitted.

"You think your mom's gonna like me?" He softly asked, his eyes glazing over my face.

I turned towards him. "Of course, she would. She'd be totally surprised."

"Surprised?"

"Like how in the hell did my son get someone who actually looks like this." I quickly ended with a laugh,

Jesse's eyebrows furrowing down.

"Because her son is fucking sexy." He spoke through his teeth, his eyes only looking at my lips.

He quickly made our lips meet as his body went over me, his taste quickly entering my senses as I

made a clenched fist with his shirt.

My phone began to ring. "Ugh." I slowly broke away." It's my mom." Glancing at it and then onto Jesse.

His jaw clenched as he quickly licked over his lips. "Answer it baby." He smirked.

"H-hello?"

"Hey bitch!" I immediately moved the phone away from me. "I'm outside because I'm ready to pick you

up." My face cringed as Jesse began to laugh.

"Okay I'll be out." I answered, my tone sounding monotone as the call ended.

Jesse kept looking at me with an amused look. "Your mom sounds exactly like my aunt."

My eyes widened as I got up off the seat gathering my things. "They would love each other then."

"Very much." He cheekily smiled as we proceeded to walk out.

My mom's face immediately brightened once she saw me, but dropped as she saw Jesse. "Sweet lord

god our savi-Hi honey, I'm coming out." She tensely spoke as she swung her car door. "You guys look

so cute! Is this what this place does, just make you all look cute?" She cackled, opening the trunk.

I cautiously laughed as I didn't quite know how to introduce my awkwardly first ever serious boyfriend

to my mom at 18. "Hey mom." I smiled, finally hugging her as I got close to the car. "This is-"

"I'm Jesse, Micah's boyfriend." My eyes immediately widened as I spit out my imaginary drink.

"B-boyfriend? Micah's boyfriend? How did-" My mom's mouth and eyes widened too. "Oh my god, you

gays are just a community of perfect looking people, Jesus Christ." She returned his hug, Jesse and I

laughing.

My mom chose to wait in the car, leaving Jesse and I to ourselves. "This is it." I let out.

"This is it, but not really." I smiled as I deeply breathed. "Eventually we'll see each other again and all

won't be so sad anymore."

"I love you Micah."

"I love you too."

"So I guess you did get yourself a daddy!" My mom chimed in from the car, then exploding out in

laughter as I quickly rolled my eyes.

"I know you must be excited for next year!" My mom went on and on about how happy she was for me.

"I'm so proud of you! You finally went out there and explored out of your usual comfort zones."

My smile was weak as we began to drive away, slowly waving goodbye to Jesse as his figure began to

become smaller. "I guess you could say that."

"And also you are so popular! A boy and his friends came up to me by the entrance gate and told me to

give you this." My attention rapidly got cut off and I quickly stopped looking out the car window.

"Something about keeping in touch." My mom handed me a piece of paper.

I cautiously opened the piece of paper that had a sloppily written sentence on it.

"See you next year dummy-"

Instead of continuing to read it in my mind, I was so in shock I unconsciously read the rest out loud.

"Romeo." I breathed out. "Holy fuck."

"Micah language!" My mom exclaimed as she turned the radio louder. "What happened?"

"It's a person from camp. It's just a little inside thing." I tried to quickly shrug it off and change the

subject so my mom wouldn't push me for any further details I really would not be comfortable to answer

for now.

"Aw look at you, dating, mingling, having friends." She turned at me with a warm smile. "You're like a

whole another son, who is this in my car." She laughed, causing me to also let out a small smile as my

fingers couldn't help but hold onto the note.

"It was pretty fun." I made the window come down as the breeze began to push my hair around. "I

guess you were right for signing me up." I teased as she let out a loud cackle.

"Duh! I'm always right! You're gonna have to tell me everything that happened once you get home!" My

mom excitedly let out as she did a subtle dance against the steering wheel. "You going again next

year?"

I took a second to answer as I let the note fly to the wind, my phone vibrating as my eyes glanced down

at Jesse's text.

"Definitely." I answered, throwing my mom a reassuring smile as the car passed a familiar rainbow

flag.