Around the campfire

“Yo slacker! Get that fuckin’ woods here!” Bill instantaneously got up from his chair and brings the woods to Grove. Grove was sitting near the campfire, trying to light it up using the old stone method. Bill let out a small squeal, trying not to laugh at Grove. He thought it was amusing to see Grove, the greatest geek on earth (as what Bill had claimed), decided to use the ancient method.

“Dude... It’s not gonna work.” Bill reaches his hand in his pockets, searching for his matches. Grove, who was initially squatting on the ground, let his kneed falls on the ground. He was exhausted after several failed attempts to light up the campfire. Grove looks up to Bill who is still searching for matches. “You got matches? Are you fuckin kiddin me?” Grove wiped his sweats on his shirts and he is seemingly out of breath. Bill ignored him and continues to look for matches. Few seconds afterward he pulled out matches from cargo pant’s pockets.

“Chill the fuck out dude. I thought you need some time to get it done.” Bill walked towards the campfire and brought the woods with him. Grove was far too exhausted- he lay on the ground, which is full of dead leaves, twigs and some insects. He is still sweating profusely and gasping fro breath. Bill glanced over his shoulder while he was lighting up his matches. “By the way, you look like hell.” Grove raises his middle finger to Bill.

The sun almost sets and it gets darker and darker. Bill had, to Grove’s dismay, light up the campfire, set up the tent and spread both their sleeping bags inside. As for Grove, he was not built for this surrounding, just relaxing on the lounge chair which is near the campfire. “I don’t get why you want to go to Lake Wisconsin, Grove.” Bill was unloading a big box of canned food from their rented car and put it down on the ground near Grove. “It’s what I need. What’s the big deal anyway? It’s just Wisconsin. With forest and lake and shit.”

“You’re not fuckin Rambo or fuckin Chuck Norris. If you need happy time, just go to the strip club. Lots of bitches will go down on you. You fuckin ‘tard” Grove senses Bill disappointment for dragging him to the Lake. He knew Bill is not into forest but since he is very resourceful, Grove just brought him there. “Look man... remember that seminar we go to?” Bill stops unpacking the canned food. He stares at Grove as if he is trying to read his mind. “Sean Covey’s seminar... He said something about going out of your comfort zone.”

Bill just smiles remembering the day they both went to the seminar. Grove was surprisingly attentive and he knew, now, that Grove wanted to try different things. “Well, next time, get someone who know more about this camping shit. Or you know what? Dont even go camping dude. You’re worse at it.” Bill turned around and unloads another box which is full of fishing equipment. Grove looks distraught and wondering if Bill knows his real intention. He cautiously looked at Bill, who is busy unpacking boxes. Fuck, does he know?

As it gets darker and the moon finally visible, the coldness had engulfed their bodies. Both Grove and Bill get closer to the campfire and trying to warm themselves. At the same time, they are both trying to barbeque chicken wings on their big sticks which they had found near the lake. However, it was very unsuccessful. The chicken wings burn and they decided to just eat it anyway.

“You wanna go to the piers?” Bill looked at Grove in annoyance. “Why the heck do you need to go to the piers?”

“For a swim?”

“Fuck you. Both of will freeze to death. Just stay near the fire.” Bill resumes eating his burnt chicken wings. Grove grew more anxious and felt like a load of bricks on his chest. He felt the need to tell him immediately, but could not find a way to tell him. He went to the tent and search for his digital camera in his rucksack. He put it in his pocket and went to the campfire again. Bill seems much focused on trying not to burn his sausage.

Grove tries to get Bill’s attention by taking pictures of their surroundings. The moon shone over it and creates that twinkling effect to those rippling waves. Grove took picture of that and pretends to check it on the screen and continues to take pictures at the campfire. Bill getting more irritated that he stops trying to make his sausage to cook. “Okay... dude, what the fuck? I know you are weird, man. But what the hell are you doing taking pictures and shit.”

“For Facebook. Gonna upload it by the time we got home tomorrow.” Bill is still not satisfied with the answer and wanted to get the truth out from Grove. He knew Grove was hiding something. He knew it by the time he asked him to go out camping with him. Bill thought it was odd enough to see Grove wanted to camp, not wanting to rent a house nearby. Bill went up to him with infuriation. “Dude. Come on! I know you. You are so weird by the time we got here. This is not really about that fucking sean covey’s seminar! I know you’re hiding something! Come on! Spill it out!” As he said that, he gets closer to Grove and pushing him violently. Grove just stands there and trying the hardest not to hurt him back.

“Stop pushing me, man! Alright, alright! I’ll tell!” Bill stops pushing him and wait for Grove to gather himself and talk.

“The administration wants you out. There I said it!”

“What? You mean I’m fired?” Bill’s eyes get even wider in disbelief.

“Look, I got nothing to do with it. I swear, man. I don’t have nothing against you. The big boss just wants you out. I really don’t-“

“I can’t be fired... What about my project? What about my prototype? I thought they agree to finance it!”

Grove took a deep sigh. “They gave it to someone else. They are now asking for Jen’s department to take over it and the administration willing to compensate for it. Look, man. I’m so sorry. I don’t know how to tell you about this.” He was very sympathetic to look at wide-eyed Bill walking around trying to simmer all the information.

“No, fuck that! That is not just my fucking prototype and my project. That is my fucking life! I worked on that since I was in college. They want to compensate me for stealing my work! Fuck that shit! And fuck you!”

“I’m sorry man. It’s beyond my jurisdiction, man! I tried to stop that but-“

“No fuck you! This thing could change my life around! And you brought me here just to tell me that! Fuck you!” He strides along the coastline of the lake, repeating the F-word. His action definitely scares the bystander. Grove feeling helpless just let Bill going on ranting about it. He sat on the lounge chair, hoping that everything will be fine the next morning. The next morning, he saw Bill, looked depressed and messy. Grove decided to pack the tent, all the boxes while Bill still thinking about his future. Grove could not do anything but feel sympathetic towards anything. Along their way back home, both of them did not talk to each other and not even speak to each other.