The Return to Summer Camp

Chapter Three: The Parking Lot

It had been a crisp March afternoon. School had just ended and everyone was frolicking about, it was the last day of school before spring break.

Connor always walked Jared to his car. Across the parking lot sat Jared's large red jeep, which was coated in a layer of frost. It was not quite spring yet.

Jared hugged his coat closer to himself as a gust of wind hit them both.

   "This is bullshit I can't wait for summer." Jared sighed.

    Connor looked up at the sky, "Yeah." He said quietly.

    Jared glanced at him, "You okay? You've been quiet all day."

    "I'm fine." Connor shrugged, looking away from Jared.

"Are you sure?" Jared asked as they reached the car. "You know, it's actually not just today, it's been lately..."

"I'm fine, Jared." Connor had snapped.

Jared held up his hands defensively, "Woah, clearly not fine."

Connor sighed and rolled his eyes, "Is everything just a joke to you?" He said, leaning on Jared's jeep.

Jared scrunched up his face, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Connor stood looking away from Jared for a moment, trying to figure out the words to say. "It's just, every time my parents are brought up, you just make jokes."

    "What the fuck else am I supposed to say?" Jared threw his hands up. "Your parents fucking hate me. No, they hate us. What do expect me to say?"

    "Anything else! This is a big deal Jared, they're my family!" Connor replied.

    "Some family they are if they can't even accept their son for how he is." Jared retorted, turning away. "What, is that what you wanted me to say?"

    "You have no right to talk about my family that way." Connor said, clenching his fists.

    "And it's not like you ever stick up for me to them anyways." Jared could feel the tears the starting to form and quickly wiped them away.

    "What?" Connor said.

    "I just... I just expected us to be in this together after we left camp." Jared managed to get out.

    "Well then... maybe we shouldn't be together." Connor said. The minute he said it his face went pale.

    Jared lost his breath, "What are you saying?"

    Connor didn't even seem to know what he was saying, "What I'm saying is... if everything isn't working out, maybe we..."

    "Should break up?" Jared finished for him, looking at Connor through tear blurred eyes.

    "Yeah." Connor shrugged, looking at the ground.

    "So that's just it then? We're breaking up?" Jared asked, his cold tears beginning to stream down his face and drip from his chin.

Connor seemed to enjoy this just as much as Jared did, "I guess." He shrugged again.

Jared couldn't deal with this any more, he climbed into his car, tears still rolling down his face as he took the last glimpse he would see of Connor Murphy for two months.