The Art Of Noticing

Chapter Eleven: The annual camping trip.

2018. December.

The Annual New Years Camping Trip.

I've never been to one. But the legends and folklore speak for themselves.

They're supposed to be memorable. Unforgettable.

Since, however, I had no experience to prove such things, I didn't come into the situation expecting much. All I knew was that sometime between the start and end of this trip, it would go from being 2018 to 2019.

"So, day one is mainly setting up. There is a bonfire. But other than that, the day is pretty chill," Tom explained as we packed the final things into the trunk of my car.

It mostly consisted of tents, sleeping bags, fire wood, and other camping gear.

"Is that the last of it?" I asked as I shut the trunk.

"Yeah, that about does it,"

He turned to his house.

"Stace! Come on!" he shouted.

Stacy galloped out the front door, a tan backpack hanging from her shoulder. I opened the car door on the passenger side and pulled the seat forward so she could climb into the back. She stepped on the ledge of the car, lifting herself up and hopped into the back seat. I looked down to make sure she and all of her things were situated.

"You're good." she assured, holding a thumbs up.

I nodded and pushed the passenger seat back into its place and sat down as Tom got into the driver's seat.

"How long is the drive to Manchester Park?" I asked.

"About an hour and a half." Stacy replied.

I sighed, "Please be careful with my car."

Tom grinned, "Don't worry," He patted my knee.

I tried to get as comfortable as I could in the seat I would have to sit in for at least an hour and a half. As we began driving, I pulled a mixtape out from my backpack along with a pair of wire headphones. I pushed the little knobs into my ears and pressed play. Everybody Wants To Rule The World began playing.

***

It took an hour and forty-five minutes to get to the park.

The trees were tall. Abnormally so.

"How many people are going to be at this thing?" I asked as Tom rolled down the windows, the smell of pine infiltrating the entire car.

"It'll just be the crew and a few others from school. Twenty people, maybe more." he replied.

I breathed deep.

Stacy leaned forward, "Don't worry, Seb. You only have to hang out with us five."

She tucked her auburn hair behind her ear as the wind blew through it. I nodded, looking out the window as we drove through the camp sites. There were posts with small signs at the entrance of each site, numbering them.

A crowd of other highschoolers began to come into view. There looked to be about eighty people at least, each one setting up their tents and gear.

Tom drove us into an empty site. It was close to the large fire pit, in the middle of the camp ground. We pulled in and parked.

There was white truck parked to the right of us. It wasn't until the tinted driver's side window rolled down that I realized it was Griffin, Reese in the passenger's seat beside him and Ollie in the back.