Just Friends

*33*

"Who decided a seven a.m leaving time was a good idea?" Alice whines, tossing her duffel bag onto FP's front step next to his.

"Our camping connoisseur." FP chuckles, letting the blonde rest her head on his shoulder as her eyes drift close. "I'm kinda surprised you agreed to go." He tells her.

"How come?"

"You just don't strike me as the camping type is all." He cocks his head. "Actually I don't think you've ever gone camping."

"Well we put up a tent on the bank of Sweetwater, that counts right?"

"I don't think it does."

"But we were in a tent!"

He chuckles. "A tent doesn't equal camping, Al."

"Whatever." She shrugs it off. "I just want out of here for a little while. So much shit has happened lately, I need a break."

"I get it." He assures her. "I could use the break myself."

"Downside of living in a small town, it gets a little stuffy." She sighs. "How's Gladys by the way? She going to survive without you for a few days?" Her tone is light and teasing but unfortunately it's all too true.

He lets out a self deprecating laugh. "You know that's a great question." She raises a brow at that and he explains. "I don't even know if we're together anymore."

Her eyes widen and she sits up straight as a rod. "What? Why not?"

"We got in a little argument when I told her about the camping trip."

"Over a camping trip?" She scoffs. "What could there be to fight about?"

The Andrews' SUV rolling down the gravel road catches FP's attention, while Alice looks at him expectantly. He shakes his head. "Never-mind, it's a long story, I'll fill you in later."

Fred parks straight in front of him and rolls the passenger window down, the sound of classic rock blaring out the speakers. "You guys ready to go camping?"

***

Fred drives the group far into the woods of Riverdale to where his parents always used to bring he and his brother camping. Admittedly it's a beautiful spot, with vibrant green grass and a sparkling lake right in front of them.

"You two know how to put up a tent?" Fred wonders, handing FP a bag.

Alice and FP share a look, anytime he went camping he wasn't the one to put the tent up. "We'll manage." Alice assures Fred.

The boy raises an eyebrow at them but lets them go. "I'll come help you when I'm done with ours."

"We got it Freddy." FP calls back before cocking his head to look at Alice. "You have any idea how to put this damn thing up?"

"Not a clue," she admits, but digs her hand into the bag, retrieving a wrinkled and faded instruction manual. "Luckily we have instructions."

Despite the instructions though, it still takes them longer than Hermione and Fred to get their tent to even stand. And despite Fred's promise to help them when he was finished, he and Hermione sit back and watch the two struggle with a laugh.

"Would one of you two help please?" Alice fumes. "I'm going to kill him with this tent pole."

"Maybe if you were more clear with your instructions!" FP barks back.