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The Black family held a borderline, unhealthy obsession with camping. Weekends, birthdays, vacations, anniversaries, snow days, and even sick days sometimes—they hightailed it to the nearest camping ground without a second thought.
When Emma first heard about their camping trips a year ago, shortly after moving to York, she initially thought Gwen told a white lie to avoid hanging out with her. Emma did the same thing all the time when she lived in Boston. Sorry, double-booked, my phone died, Mom wants to spend quality time together (and anyone who really knew Emma would know that last one was complete bullshit.) The other person eventually got the hint and stopped asking.
You see, Gwen was the first person Emma ever mustered the effort to pursue a friendship with, and that only happened after Ms. Bennett assigned Gwen as Emma's school tour guide for her first week in York. Emma had been, for lack of better words, hooked from when they were 'supposed' to shake hands and Gwen linked their pinkies instead. So, when Gwen had declined an offer to see a movie with a feeble excuse of a family camping trip? It'd sucked major balls.
Emma had taken the rejection on the chin and wallowed in her bedroom her first weekend, living in York. Then her phone had blown up with an album full of photos and videos from an unknown number.
They'd included: selfies of Gwen on a very unsteady looking tree branch, tossing acorns at a confused Walter, multiple videos of Vivian freaking out over a spider crawling inside her shirt, a video of Walter swinging a very large, hollow log, like it was a baseball bat against a tree trunk, and finally a photo of Vivian scowling at the camera while her blouse was on fire? Mr. and Mrs Black lounged in the photoshoot's background without a care in the world.
Chaotic didn't even begin to describe their family.
Emma never again took offense whenever Gwen declined plans in favor of going camping. She was, frankly, relieved that she never received an invitation to join them on their camping excursions. It's not like she ever found the idea of wandering in the wilderness appealing. It was her worst nightmare come to life: wet, cold, and surrounded by every single shade of green you could think of.
However, now, for the very first time, it was her turn to use the 'I'm going camping for the weekend' excuse when Gwen invited her to sleepover.
"Camping, Emma? Seriously?" Gwen whined via Emma's phone propped upright on her pillow for a video call.
"Yup," Emma confirmed, folding clothes on her bed while her camping buddy, Mary, hauled a dusty tent down from Emma's attic.
"Help me understand," Gwen requested.
"Well," Emma began, smacking a flashlight against her palm until the light worked, "it's when you get lost in the woods and start wildfires while eating scorched marshmallows."
Gwen pointed out, "You don't even like when butterflies flap near you."
Emma shuddered, imagining fluttering wings right next to her ear. "They're colorful moths, okay?"
