Cool for the Summer

Chapter 1

        "Justin Trudeau is an idiot!"

John Laurens sighed. "Alex, you need to simmer down."

"Seriously! He knows how hard Trump is to work with. He knows that Trump is a petty brat that takes everything personally. They barely got him to sign the deal at the G7, and what does Trudeau do? Runs to the media to insult Trump. What did he expect? Of course, Trump would pull out of the deal. Honestly, this is not good news for Canada. They're about to negotiate NAFTA with Trump, and Canada's economy is dependent on NAFTA...That's it, I'm going to savage Trudeau on Twitter."

Alexander lunged for his phone, pent up frustration boiling over in him. This was why he loved his Twitter account- it helped him blow off steam about the mess that was politics.

"Don't make me take the phone away, Alex," said Hercules Mulligan in a mock-warning tone. "Don't say anything on the internet you'll regret later."

"Since when are you Mrs. Ernest?" Alex grumbled, a faint recollection of his elementary computer teacher coming to mind.

"Since Mrs. Ernest can't follow you around all day," Gilbert de Lafayette, lovingly nicknamed Laf, interjected. "Someone needs to keep you in check."

The four friends were sprawled out on Alex's couch, talking (mostly complaining) about politics. In Alex's opinion, there was no better way to spend the summer.

Sadly, John did not share his enthusiasm for ranting about every politician on the planet.

"I'm done with the politics," said John, prying Alex's phone from his hands and throwing it across the room. He desperately changed the subject. "Who's excited for the high school summer camp?"

Alex, John, Laf, and Hercules were going to Saint Francis Academy for high school next year. The high school was organizing a summer getaway for the future freshmen to get to know each other.

"Of course I'm excited!" said Alex. "I get to run around and be stupid in the middle of the woods!"

"You do that no matter where you go," Laf reminded him.

"I think that the point is to make new friends or something," said Hercules. "You know, one of those 'bonding' activities that schools invent."

"But I don't need new friends," said John. "I have you nerds."

"Thanks, buddy," said Alex, ruffling his best friend's hair.

"John, I think that you're forgetting that the biggest nerd in this group is you," Hercules teased. "I'm not the one who stayed up until one am writing Harry Potter fanfic on a school night."

"That was one time, man!"

"Never mind the new friends," Laf waved his hand impatiently. "Will there be girls there?"

John snorted. "Laf, what do you think? We're going to a co-ed school."

Hercules's eyes lit up with a sudden idea. "Guys, I have a plan. Besides causing disasters and making questionable decisions, let's do something that's actually productive on this trip."

"Okay, I'll be very productive," Alex promised. "When we're making smores, I'll stuff twenty marshmallows into my mouth at the same time and try to sing My Heart Will go On,"

John sat up immediately. "Do it now! I dare you!"

"I'll get the marshmallows," said Laf, running into the kitchen.

"As awesome as that sounds, that's not what I had in mind," Hercules informed them.

"Then what did you mean?" asked Alex, struggling to see what could possibly be more productive. "I mean, I could write essays on how to actually make America great again, but it's summer, so..."

"I meant," said Hercules patiently, "that we should all get girlfriends on this trip."

"Oh, that?" asked Alex. "That's easy."

"I'm in," Laf agreed.

"Sure, but only if I find the right girl," said John pensively.

"The right girl?" Hercules repeated skeptically. "John, we don't live in a rom com..."

"Well, I'm not going to date just any random girl," John insisted.

"I'm sure you'll find someone," said Alex encouragingly.

"Maybe," said John wistfully. "I hope she likes Harry Potter."

A/N If that dialogue about the G7 was hella confusing, it's because I wrote this a few months ago. Yeet.