She's back in town // Chris Chambers

11

—
We were all sat down in a pretty clear spot in the woods, around a fire we had made. We all finally got to eat and drink something so that's what we were doing.

I looked over at Verns stick, his was gonna fall into the fire. "Hey Vern, you better turn yours over."

"This is the way I like to do it" he complained to me.

"Fine" I shrugged, knowing that it's like 5 seconds away from falling in.

And what'd y'a know, it did.

"Oh man you got anymore, Gordie!" He tried poking it out of the fire. "Sorry, Vern" Gordie began to laugh, so we all joined in.

"It's not funny, what am I supposed to eat?"

"Why don't you eat your dick?" Teddy laughed. "It would be a small meal." Chris finished, making all of us laugh even more.

Vern was still trying to get it out of the fire, surprisingly he did. "Screw you guys I got it!" Vern held up his stick with a huge smile on his face.
—
"Nothing like a smoke after a meal" Vern spoke up, holding his cigarette in his hand. "Yeah, I cherish these moments" Teddy agreed, making us laugh. "What? What did I say?" He noticed us laughing.

I shook my head, "hey Gordoe, why don't you tell us one of your stories." I took a puff and let it out slowly, "I haven't heard one in a while."

"I- I don't know" he shrugged, looking down. "Oh cmon! Please!" I begged. "Yeah, cmon Gordoe. But not one of your horror stories, I'm not up for that man" Vern shook his head.

"Okay, okay. Well, I've been working on that's kinda different. It's about a pie-eating contest and the main guy of the story is a fat kid named David hogan" Gordie began to tell us his story.

Vern cut him off, "like Charlie Hogans brother, if he had one." We all looked at him, "good Vern, go on Gordie" Chris said, sarcastically.

"Well, this kid is our age but he's fat, real fat. He weighs close to one-eighty. But you know it's not his fault, it's his glands" Gordie continued, only to be cut off by Vern again.

"Oh yeah, my cousins like that, sincerely. She ways over three hundred pounds. Supposed to be Hyboid Gland or something. Well I don't know anything Hyboid Glands, but what a blimp. No shit she looks like a thanksgiving turkey and you know this one time-" he rambled until I cut him off.

"Shut up, Vern" I said, in a serious manor but with some annoyance. "Yeah, yeah, right. Go on, Gordie, it's a swell story."

He proceeded to tell us his story, it was honestly really great. I missed his stories a lot actually, he would tell me them all the time. Especially if we got bored. He glanced over at me a couple times while he was telling it, I guess to make sure I liked it. Which I did... a lot.

I looked around at the guys a lot during his story as well, they all looked so happy. It was like nothing changed, except some of our features but that's it.

Teddy is still crazy, he tends to be abrasive and obnoxious, especially towards Vern.

Vern is just a pussy 90% of the time. He gets picked on by us at times, but I'll always have his back. Even if he did something really dumb or bad.

Gordie is a very insecure boy. His parents ignore him most of the time, so he has us to depend on. He's also the smartest, books smart.

Chris has always been the most caring one of the group. He's always checking in on everyone, just like how he's making Gordie take the college courses. Chris grew up in a family of alcoholics, and is often looked down upon by the entire town based solely on this association. If they actually got to know him, he's a great guy.

We all cheered as Gordie finished his story, "now that was the best, just the best" Chris complimented. Gordie just smiled, he knows it's good. "It really was, Gordoe" I patted him on the back.

"What happened?" Teddy asked.

"What do you mean what happened, that's the end" Gordie said, confused. "How can that be the end, what kind of ending is that? What happened to Lardass?" Teddy questioned.

I don't know why Teddy was questioning the ending, I thought it was great. Gordie continued to make up just a small ending, "Jeez that sucks. Why don't you make it so that Lardass goes home, an' shoots his father. Then runs away and joins the Texas rangers." Teddy gave his ending.

"I- I don't know"

"Dont listen to em, Gordie. I thought it was really great, sincerely" I nudged him in the arm, smiling at myself noticing that I picked up a little something from Verno.

"I just have one question, did Lardass have to pay to get into the contest?" Vern looked genuinely confused. I shook my head in disappointment, "no, Vern, they just let him in" Gordie explained.

"Oh! Oh great. Great story."

"Yeah, it's a good story, Gordie, I just didn't like the ending" Teddy said, shifting around getting comfortable.

Chris didn't really say anything, I don't think he notices that I can see him staring at me. It honestly makes me nervous, maybe he... likes me? No, no. No way, it's Chris Chambers we're talking about here.

"Hey Verno, where's the radio, let's see if we can get some sounds" Chris finally spoke up, as Vern passed him the radio.

We all hung around the fire asking questions like what the hell is Goofy, if the lottery was fixed, if we could have one food for the rest of our life, etc.

Teddy looked at me, then Chris. "Hey, you guys are dressed almost the same." He called out randomly. I looked down at my fit, then looking at Chris. I guess we sorta were.

(Lil reminder—>)

I don't really see why it was such a big deal though, it's not like we did it on purpose. We just both happened to be wearing white shirts and blue jeans.

"Okay? What's the big deal?" I said, confused. Chris was smiling but he looked confused too. "Yeah, what's the big deal?" Chris questioned the same as me.

Teddy shook his head and looked at us as if we were the stupidest people on the planet. "That's  couple shit" he exclaimed. I raised my eyebrows and shook my head, "shut up, Teddy."

"It's true! That's what couples do, right Gordie?"

"Yeah, yeah they do. I bet you wouldn't mind that would you Chris" Gordie teased Chris, he looked down, shook his head and smiled. He didn't deny it, I mean, I wouldn't mind it either.

"Neither would, North. Right?" Vern widened his eyes at me with a mischievous smirk on his face. I rolled my eyes and smiled. I wasn't denying it either.

I leaned back, propping myself up on my arms. Teddy, Vern and Gordie were mocking us. They know we like each other, even we know that we like each other. I was staring at the fire, listening to them mocking us. I looked up to see Chris looking at me, god he was so cute.

I sent him an awkward smile and ran my fingers through my hair. Maybe I should tell him that I like him or even about my mom... both of those things he should know.