The Guy from the Insane Asylum

Chapter 34

"Because even the ones with shattered hearts
Can find love all over again
And yes, risk it breaking into a few pieces more
But what's a few pieces more
Added to the thousands there already."
—Liv, aka me, from a poem book that will be up on my profile sometime in the future. Follow me to be notified when it's up!

Chapter 34

The summer days after June twentieth only became hotter in Maine. And it was already July third. To make matters worse, the air conditioning failed to cooperate. So, the Harlow's called the only tech guy BellTown had. And it turned out, he wouldn't be able to make it anytime soon because he was out on a mini-vacay.

The family, sweaty and disturbed, decided to take the weekend and go camping. They chose camp grounds where there would be a firework show for the fourth of July. America's independence day. In the stuffy house, several Harlow's and one Jaxston were getting ready to go camping, eagerly. They knew another heat wave would hit anytime soon.

Bethany wasn't sure how she should feel about sleeping in the middle of a forest with the only barrier between her and a potential bear being the thin fabric of a tent. She figured 'terrified' was logical. Joey on the other hand was pretty excited. He loved camping, though he had only done it a few other times. Adelaide was comfortable with the idea, but felt weird about there being very little to no privacy.

"Dad, please don't forget the tents." Adelaide said.

"Honey," Mr. Harlow sighed. "I wouldn't do that. Not again, anyway."

Joey laughed and recalled the one time the family was supposed to have three nice days camping. But then they realized they had forgotten their tents and had to return home.

"You excited?" Bethany asked Zach.

"Yeah," he replied. "I've never been camping. It should be fun."

"Yes, it should." Beth smiled at him and quickly pecked his lips while no one was looking. Everyone knee there was something going on between them, but no one knew they were officially dating. And they wanted to keep that on the down-low for a bit. Zach grinned at her and helped her take her bags to the trunk of her car. They also packed pillows, blankets, and extra snacks—for the long drive.

Joey really wanted to take his own car, mostly because it meant he would ride with fewer people. But his parents insisted on saving gasoline. So, somehow, Bethany got to be one that drove and took her own car. The kids would drive with her, and the parents with Michelle's parents.

Despite Adelaide claiming she was over Zach, she still didn't prefer to be in such a small space alongside Bethany and her boyfriend. The drive was one of forty minutes. They had to exit Belltown to join a slightly bigger town with a campsite, Scott Mills.

Adelaide was mentally getting ready for a ride that was longer than she wished as soon as Bethany and Zach joined Joey and herself in the car. "So, should we listen to music?" Adelaide awkwardly commented.

"Sure," Bethany connected the aux cord to her phone, seemingly oblivious to the tension. But she knew it was weird, she was just trying to make it less weird by not showing how weirdly weird she felt. Beth handed over her phone to Zach and let him choose the music. He shrugged and clicked 'shuffle stations' on Pandora.

Fifteen minutes into the drive and Joey was already annoyed by the music. His head hurt and was very close to carsick. The music was turned off and tense silence lingered. Grandma Maggie, Bethany and Joey could all become very carsick, very quickly. They managed to avoid the dizziness whenever they were at the wheel. That's why Beth and Joe had been desperate to be the one driving. So, Bethany was ready to hear her brother complain all the rest of the fourty minutes. She wasn't, however, literally prepared for him to puke.