We’ll Be Young Forever

Camp wasn’t as bad Kellin expected it to be. He actually enjoyed his roommates’ company. It turned out both boys lived in Grand Rapids too, just not in the same area as Kellin but it was a huge relief to the blue eyed boy there were at least couple kids back home who enjoyed his company.

He had taken a liking more towards the redhead rather than Justin but maybe that was because the shortest of them was too extroverted for his liking. It wasn’t a bad thing on any means, but Kellin liked to be quieter and Jesse seemed just like the right boy who would also enjoy that.

It had been about a week since Kellin had seen or talked to Vic at all and that made him uneasy. It turns out they were indeed separated according age ranges so ten year olds had completely different schedules to seven year olds and that made him sad. Although he liked camp, he needed someone familiar to keep him from missing home too much and breaking down, and Vic was the only one he had close who reminded him home.

Squirming in bed and unable to fall asleep, the blue eyed boy opted for sitting up, staring out the window at the darkness surrounding the cabin. He had always been scared of darkness but he would do anything to see his best friend for at least ten minutes. So, pulling a hoodie over his head and deciding his shorts were enough for the hot and humid summer air; he carefully tiptoed to the door across the hall with shoes in hand, trying not to make a lot of noise that would wake his roommates up.

Once outside, he went the direction he had seen his best friend walk the first day they got there. And although the moon was lighting his path, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. There was a creepy edge in the woods with rustling leaves and cracking noises every now and then, making his tummy twist in fear. He didn't like it at all; but he had to see Vic.

Getting closer to the cabin with number ten, he tried to think of a plan to get the mexican outside without his roommates knowing but he couldn't come up with anything so he settled for peeking through the window, trying to figure out which bed belonged to his best friend.

Standing on his tiptoes, Kellin looked into the cabin and his eyes darted among the three beds placed strategically against the wall. His little hands gripped the edges of the window as he decided the first bundle of blankets definitely wasn’t Vic. It was too big to be the thin mexican so he settled for trying to look at the others but before he could, a pair of hands poked his sides, making him squeal quite loudly.

With tears already streaming down his face and bottom lip quivering, Kellin turned around expecting to find a big monster ready to attack him but instead he came face to face with his best friend. Vic stood there with hands resting on his knees struggling to breathe due all the laughter but that came to a stop the moment he saw the state the youngest was into and a frown fell upon his face instantly. The blond boy stood rooted on his spot with hands clenched into fists by his sides and tears still pouring out of his turquoise eyes. Guilt couldn’t even describe the way Vic was feeling. He should’ve known better.

“Kels?” Vic tried to approach the youngest cautiously, but that only made Kellin even more upset.

“You’re a jerk!” Kellin screamed before running deep into the forest. He didn’t even know the way he was going to, but he hoped it would be the path leading to the cabin he shared with his friends. How could Vic do that? He knew how much of a baby he was when it came to darkness. That mere thought made him sob even harder, blurriness taking over his vision and making him trip with a tree root, body colliding against the hard ground with a loud thud.

Crying even harder, Kellin tried to stand up but that completely went out the window when he felt a sharp pain on his knee. Sniffling and trying to calm down, he sat on his butt and hugged his right knee close to his chest trying to look at the injury but it was impossible, there was barely any moonlight seeping through the thick tree branches and it was until then that he realized how alone and deep into the woods he was.

Observing his surroundings with squinted eyes and realizing he didn’t recognize anything around him, he felt like there wasn’t enough oxygen going into his lungs, his breathing was coming out into sharp gasps of air. He tried to do the exercises the nurse at school told him to do but nothing was helping, his eyes stung and he could see tiny dots blurring his vision. He was terrified. And as much as he disliked Vic in that moment, he wished nothing more but for him to be there.

The mexican wasted no time running after the little kid, and although he tried to keep up with the sound of footsteps echoing through the forest, that came to a stop the instant he heard something falling on the floor. It wasn’t really far away from where he was so he slowed his run and walked cautiously among the trees, his hearing on edge trying to catch any sound.

“Kellin?” He called and thankfully caught quiet whimpers nearby. Following his hearing, he finally found the source of such noise.

Right in front of him lay a distressed Kellin curled up in a ball taking shallow breaths, so Vic dropped to his knees and hugged the little boy close to his chest while rubbing soothing circles on his back.

Vic felt a shot of guilt right in the pit of his stomach. He should've known better earlier. He shouldn't have scared the youngest like that. “I’m sorry.” He said, never letting go and rubbing his best friends back, trying to comfort him as much as he could.

"Try to breathe." He whispered against his best friend's head, while taking deep breaths himself and trying to make the youngest follow his steps.

Fresh tears poured out of Kellin’s eyes still, refusing to stop and so did the little whimpers and sobs escaping his rosy lips every now and then. “Vic, I-I’m scared and I just want to go home." The youngest muttered with shaky voice, refusing to let go the only source of comfort he had in that strange environment.

With face hidden in Vic's chest, who was holding onto him for dear life and forcing the tears to stop pouring out of his eyes, Kellin eventually calmed down. Vic’s scent had something that made him calm, and the way the oldest ran his hand up and down his back, made Kellin shiver under his touch.

“I know, but hey-” Vic gripped Kellin’s chin and lift his face so he could look into those gorgeous turquoise orbs swimming in fear and sadness. “There are just a couple weeks left and then we’re out of here.” Noticing how the blue eyed boy’s bottom lip quivered and his eyes shined more than usual, he spoke quickly. “No, don’t cry. I’m gonna be here and I'll protect you.”

Kellin stared into the oldest big brown eyes searching for something, anything that would let him know the mexican was lying and when he found nothing but care in that look, he went back to rest his head on his best friend's chest. “Promise?” He whispered cleaning his damp cheeks with the back of his hoodie, voice still shaking.

Letting out a loud sigh, Vic replied still holding onto his best friend’s fragile body and rocking them back and forth. “Yeah, Kels. I promise.” Humming in response, Kellin buried himself deeper into his best friend’s chest, hoping he would melt away and nothing would hurt him ever again.

Both boys sat in middle of the woods, Vic whispering sweet nothings in Kellin’s ear until he final relaxed and fell asleep wrapped in his best friend’s secure arms. Vic couldn’t help but stare at him for a while, taking in the blond boy’s feminine features and how fragile and small he looked. It was incredible, really. How close they were and how much Vic cared for the blue eyed boy. He would do anything to protect him, even if it meant risking his own life.

Barely struggling to get up from the place they were, the mexican carried his best friend back into the cabin Kellin shared with Justin and Jesse, sneaking in the quietest way he could and tucked the youngest in the thin blankets. He expected the blond boy to wake up, but he barely stirred when being placed into the mattress.

And it was then that Vic decided never to leave Kellin alone ever again.