Chapter Five
"Whom will I share my camp with?" Complained Angela, when all the students started occupying the existing camps with their partners.
"I'll share with Harry, you guys can share a camp," offered Xavion as he went to look for Harry, who was a classmate whom they liked. He had already had a talk with him before. Since Harry's best friend didn't come along, he was left alone.
Damian turned towards Angela. "Let's share?" He asked and Angela nodded.
They selected a camp for themselves and kept their belongings inside. They were supposed to report at the assembly point in the centre of the property where the paths from all the campsites merged at. After freshening up at the common bathhouses present, they walked hand in hand towards the assembly point. Xavion was already there with Harry.
"Are you guys dating?" Asked an inquisitive Harry, looking from Angela to Damian and back. With his chocolate brown eyes and jet black hair, Harry looked more sober and sensible than most in their class. He topped the class mostly and always stayed away from trouble.
Damian kept his arm on her shoulder drawing her close. "No," said Angela.
"Yes," said Damian as Angela tried to shrug off his arm. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just be friends with her?
Harry chuckled, "Patch up guys, you'll are meant for each other, " he said and Damian grinned. He already liked Harry. Angela rolled her eyes and extricating herself from Damian's hold, walked off while the three of them followed her.
Their mentor and guide, Ed Simmons was a strict disciplinarian with an unfriendly attitude and a hoarse voice. "C'mon kids, I hate tardiness. Everyone assembles here right now, " he yelled.
All the students came rushing from everywhere to the assembly point. "Why's he behaving like shit? It's just a pleasure camp," said Brian and Helena giggled. She met Angela's eye and gestured to her to join their group. With Freddie staring, Angela shook her head.
"Guys, we will start with a trip to Urban Agro Farms nearby and check out everything about sustainable farming. We will have a 40-minute tour of the farm and then there will be hands-on field work. Any questions?" Barked Ed Simmons. He turned towards Steffi, another girl in their batch. "No stilettos to a farm. Go, change, " he growled and Steffi took off her shoes and ran towards her camp to change.
They all dispersed to their buses waiting for them. After five minutes Steffi joined them and they drove off. She sat beside Angela and groaned,"I didn't know we were going to a farm. I hate farmwork. Will you help me?" She asked, hopefully.
"Sure," Angela grinned. With her golden hair tied up in a bun, and florescent pink top, Steffi looked like a rebel but after talking to her Angela liked her instantly.
They worked together and toured together, laughing and enjoying while Damian glared at them while working with Harry and Xavion. It was already 2 o'clock in the afternoon when the tour was over and they returned to the campsite for their lunch.
Steffi, Angela, Harry, Damian and Xavion sat together to eat. Damian sat on one side of Angela while Steffi sat on the other side. "I don't have a partner to share my camp with. Will you share with me?" Asked Steffi.
"She's sharing with me, " growled Damian. He disliked Steffi the minute she snatched Angela away from him. He was grumpy the whole time and Xavion and Harry chuckled at his state.
"Actually, I want to share with Steffi, please Damian," said Angela and Damian banged the table hard and walked off angrily.
"I'll see to him, " said Xavion, rushing after his best friend.
Angela felt guilty for not wanting to share with Damian but he was her friend and he had developed feelings for her. It would be awkward with him in the same camp. She would be able to relax more in Steffi's company. But Damian couldn't see her point and kept getting upset.
Xavion returned with Damian and they silently ate their lunch. No one said a word apart from Steffi and Harry staring at one another. They all went to freshen up to their respective camps. Xavion, Damian and Harry decided to share one camp. Ed upgraded them to a larger camp which would accommodate all three of them.
They went to the nearby museums after lunch and had a virtual tour in their 3D cineplex. After an evening of stargazing at the adjacent hills, they returned to the campsite for dinner and bonfire. The five friends stayed together singing and enjoying till it was time to retire for the night. Damian wanted a word with Angela but with everyone around, it was an impossible task. He reluctantly left for his camp to sleep.
The next day was no better for Damian. As much as he wanted Angela to himself, the more she drifted apart, giggling and chatting with Steffi. His dislike for Steffi turned into hatred and he felt like throttling her. Xavion and Harry tried to calm him down with crude and silly jokes. They visited a local winery in Fredericksburg, Texas hill county, having organic and bio-dynamically farmed vineyards and it's processing units.
Afterwards they visited a horse ranch for a detailed study on how horses were reared along with free riding sessions for those interested. Damian and Xavion and Freddie opted for it while Angela sat with the others to watch. From the loud cheering of the girls in their batch, it was obvious that Freddie was everyone's favourite. Angela was quiet. She didn't cheer for anyone. Damian and Freddie were upto some sort of a competition and Angela didn't approve of it. Given that the three of them were good but still she couldn't support their showing off.
"You love him. Don't you?" Asked Steffi, looking into her eyes.
"Who?" Asked Angela feigning ignorance. She knew that Steffi was asking her about Damian.
"Damian, who else?" She said with a shrug.
"Yes, but only as a friend. We grew up together, " she informed him.
"Oh, but he doesn't treat you only as a friend. He's crazy about you Angie," said Steffi.
"He's just fourteen. Maybe his hormones are playing up. When he grows older, he'd know how foolish and childish he'd been. He'll fall out of love then, " said Angela, as they sat and watched the boys.
"I doubt that Angie. First love never dies, " she told her and Angela closed her eyes. She didn't know what the future held for her but currently she only loved Damian as her friend.
The hectic day came to an end and they all retired to their camps to sleep.
The next day was more adventurous than before, with a dam visit, heritage tours and a visit to a botanical garden. They returned in the afternoon and spent time at the camp learning about the galaxy and the universe at their in house planetarium.
When they went to sleep at night, Damian was too frustrated by then. The whole trip was a failure as he never once got a chance to talk to Angela alone. Tomorrow was their last day and they would return after lunch. He went to sleep with a heavy heart.
At 5 o'clock in the morning, Harry nudged him. "What?" He whispered.
"Steffi just went for her morning jogging. I'm following her. I think I'll try to tell her that I like her. Why don't you go and talk to Angela?" He suggested and Damian grinned.
"Thanks bro," he said as he ran to the bathhouse to freshen up and brush his teeth and rushed to Angela's camp.
He unzipped the camp and went inside. Angela was sleeping in her sleeping bag and he lay beside her on the double sleeping bag. She looked so angelic in her sleep that he couldn't control the urge to stroke her cheek lightly in a feather soft touch.
She stirred but didn't wake up thankfully. He watched the steady rise and fall of her chest in her flimsy nightdress. It stirred him and he wanted to kiss her. Unable to control himself, he leaned close to her.
Angela opened her eyes when she felt a hot breath on her face. Damian's face came into her view and she rubbed her eyes. When she looked back, she was lost in Damian's eyes.
She immediately sat up and clutched her blanket to her chest. "What are you doing here Damian?" She asked in panic.
"I missed you Angel," he said, still staring at her face and her lips.
"Damian, you shouldn't be here. Ed Simmons will give you a blasting if he sees you," warned Angela.
"Then tell me who do you love the most in the world," he asked.
"You Damian and you know it," she confessed.
"Then why are you always with Steffi? It seems you have forgotten me," he sulked.
"No, it's not that. I can't be with you 24/7, Damian. I like Steffi and we connect well," she said and Damian angrily fisted his hands.
"So you love her more than me?" He growled.
"Damian, you're becoming impossible now. I'm just your best friend. Please don't spoil our friendship. If you continue this way, then I wouldn't be able to love you the most. I want to be free. We're just fourteen, for God's sake, " Angela said and Damian grew red with fury.
"Fine, I'll leave you alone from now on. Be free, " he yelled and just unzipped the camp and walked out.