Camp Where The Hell Are We? | ✓

14

"Wait a second," Aiden spoke up for the first time in a while. He leaned in, and Marley felt taut arm muscles brush against her arm as he did, "what do you mean babe?"

She responded with a casual flick of her wrist, "He's been calling me that for years. You know the whole, older sisters best friend thing?"

"We know it's so much more than that, babe."

Marley could feel Aiden's body locking up from beside her.

"In your wildest dreams, Gavin," Gabby sighed, also painfully tolerant to his unstoppable nickname, which honestly now became more of an inside joke than anything.

"In your wildest dre-ow!" Sarah shouted, rubbing the arm where Kelly pinched her.

"Well, exactly. And they are pretty wild."

Marley already knew he was winking.

When Aiden reached across the table to snatch Gabby's phone, it was so quick that nobody had the time to react until he was already sitting back down. He held the phone up, showing a very close up version of his angry face.

"Who are you?" Gavin accused.

"Stop calling her babe. Stop hitting on her," Aiden demanded cooly.

Marley's jaw fell open in surprise at the seething guy sitting beside her.

"Woah man, look I haven't seen or heard of you before which means you met her. I have years of seniority-"

"Doesn't matter," he cut him off brutally, "Say gross shit like that to Marley again and I'm not afraid to make you cry for your mommy-"

"Aiden!" Marley nearly shouted, snatching the phone from his grip, "he's 13! Stop it!"

He was still glaring at the device even as it was being moved around while Marley adjusted it, "I'm sorry Gavin. Here's your sister-"

"Thanks for being my hero, gorgeous."

The phone was once again snatched from her hands at the speed of light.

"Do you think I'm above punching your pretty little face, kid? I will. Stop calling her nicknames."

"Now this is getting out of hand..." Marley started, reaching for the phone again only for him to move it farther away.

"I don't know who you think you are man, but you need to take a serious chill pill."

"You'll need a stretcher if you keep going."

"Aiden!" Marley stood from her stool and circled him to grab the phone.

"It's fine! It's totally fine! But when she comes home, it's to me."

"Gavin! Stop provoking him," Marley ordered, trying to reach for the phone Aiden kept moving out of her way.

She was pressed up against his back as she reached impossibly, he had really long arms.

"Guys?! A little help here?" Marley pleaded into a table that was too entertained to try and stop her.

"See this?" Aiden was lifting the camera to show Marley above him, face red with anger and exertion, a few strands of her coffee brown hair in her face, his grey cap still backwards on her head.

"My hat. Mine. If you don't take the message, she will be coming home to you, by my side where I'm rolling my sleeves up and getting ready to body slam you."

And then he was ending the call.

Everyone at the table were frozen in various shades of surprise, well mostly Gabby and Marley. Bree, Tristan, Kelly, and Sarah were half laughing half smiling so wide it'd probably break their faces. Gabby reaching out and taking her phone back was what broke the spell Marley was under.