chapter dos
“Joe, I’m scared it’s going to catch on fire,” Amanda said as she held the stick with the marshmallow on her hand a solid foot away from the fire. “What happens if it catches on fire?”
“Then you pull it out of the fire and blow it out,” Joe responded as he tossed the box of graham crackers towards Nick before picking up the box of chocolate. “Really, Amanda, it’s not going to hurt the marshmallow.”
“Besides, burnt marshmallows are the best,” Katie said as she pulled her flaming marshmallow back from the fire and blew out the flames, before taking a bite of the charred marshmallow. She then dangled the other half of the marshmallow in front of Nick’s mouth, and he leaned forward and bit the rest of it off.
“You know, we’re never gonna finish making these s’mores if we keep eating every marshmallow you cook,” Nick said as he picked up another out of the bag and stuck it on the end of Katie’s stick.
“Are you really suggesting that I’m going to get full?” Katie asked as she stuck the marshmallow back into the fire. “Because if you are, then you obviously have learned nothing about me over the past 5 months.”
“I think he’s suggesting that we might run out of marshmallows, actually,” Joe answered, eyeing the half-empty bag. “And if you didn’t notice, while you’ve eaten like twenty of them, I haven’t had a single one yet.”
“It’s a good thing I brought two extra bags then,” Katie replied with a smirk. “If you checked the trunk of the car you would’ve seen that. I always come prepared, Joseph.”
“I could totally make a joke out of that, but I’m not going to,” Amanda said, giggling, which caused Katie to giggle along with her.
“Good, because if you did, I’d start giving you sh*t about how you’re scared to roast a marshmallow,” Katie said, eyeing Amanda’s marshmallow, which was still hovering a fair distance from the fire.
“Amanda, how about you let me roast the marshmallows,” Joe said, grabbing the stick in her hand. She pulled it out of his reach, however, causing him to fall out of the camping chair he was sitting in and onto the ground. Katie and Nick both burst into laughter as Joe slowly stood back up, brushing the dirt off of his clothes. He looked at Amanda, who wore an innocent smile on her face.
“Joe, sweetie, you’ve got some dirt in your hair,” Amanda said, and Katie and Nick continued to laugh as Joe reached up and ran his hands vigorously through his hair. He then crossed his arms over his chest and sat back down in his chair. Amanda held the stick with the marshmallow out towards him, but he didn’t even glance in her direction. Amanda could tell that he was pouting, so she stood up from her own chair and walked over to his.
“Aw, baby, cheer up,” she said as she sat down on his lap, propped her feet up across his body and over the arm rest of the chair, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I didn’t mean to make you sad.” She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, then on the lips, and she felt the tension in his body loosen up as her lips settled on his. He uncrossed his arms from over his chest and wrapped them around her as he began to reciprocate the kiss.
“Woah, guys, we’re still here,” Nick said, causing Amanda to pull apart from Joe and giggle.
“Yeah, even though you’re getting married it’s still just as gross to watch you guys make out,” Katie said, and then everyone fell into silence for a moment. It was the first time anyone had brought up the engagement since Amanda and Joe had told Katie and Nick earlier. Once Joe and Nick had returned to the camp site they’d been wrapped up in other discussions and their attempt to make dinner, and Nick had let what Joe told him completely slip from his mind.
“I think it’s getting kind of late,” Joe finally said to break the silence, glancing down at his watch and seeing that it was already 11. “Maybe we should clean up and put the fire out.” Amanda reluctantly slid herself off of Joe as Katie ate one last marshmallow before standing up alongside Nick. Joe picked up a bucket that they’d earlier filled up with water and poured it slowly over the fire until it was empty, but there was still a small flame burning in the pit. Joe then began to walk towards the path that headed towards the lake.
“Um, Joe, where are you going?” Katie asked him with a confused look on her face. Joe stopped and turned around.
“To get more water so we can put this out,” Joe answered.
“No you’re not,” Katie said, picking up another bucket from next to her. “Unless you want to get eaten alive by something, or completely lost, then be my guest.”
“Then how do you suggest we put the fire out, Ms. I-Know-Everything-About-The-Woods?” Joe asked Katie, who walked over to the fire with the bucket.
“Before you start making fun of me, Joseph,” Katie said as she tipped the bucket, and Joe watched as sand poured out of it over the fire, immediately putting the rest of the fire out, “you might want to be sure that you have a legit reason to.” Nick laughed quietly at his brother as Katie looked at Joe, who was glaring at her, with a satisfied smirk on her face. Amanda tried to hold back her laugh as she walked over to Joe and grabbed his hand.
“Come on, baby, let’s just go to bed,” Amanda said, pulling Joe back towards their tent. He let out a sigh and followed Amanda towards their tent. “Goodnight guys,” she said, before Joe and her climbed into their tent, zipping it shut behind them.
“Well that was awkward,” Joe said as he knelt down in the tent and pulled his shirt over his head.
“When Katie brought up the whole marriage thing?” Amanda asked as she began to get undressed as well.
“Yeah,” Joe said as he unrolled his sleeping bag and spread it out across the floor of the tent. “I mean, it was only awkward because no one said anything.”
“I didn’t want to make another joke because...I’m still not sure how they feel about it,” Amanda said as she pulled on a tank top. “Katie seemed a bit shocked when I told her. She actually thought I was pregnant.”
“So did Nick!” Joe exclaimed as he unrolled Amanda’s sleeping bag as well. “I can’t believe they thought we were having sex and not telling them.”
“I mean, I guess it was the logical thing for them to assume,” Amanda said as she laid down on her sleeping bag while Joe pulled off his shorts so he was clad in only his boxers. “I mean, we said that something had happened between us. I didn’t think they’d automatically guess you’d proposed to me.”
“I guess you’re right,” Joe said. “So how’d Katie take it?”
“She was shocked,” Amanda stated again. “But...I told her to not really say anything right away. To let it sink it. I think she was a little skeptical as to why we decided to get married so early. But I think after she thinks about it for a little while...she’s going to see how we feel and she’ll be okay with it.”
“I think Nick’s the same way,” Joe said. “He was shocked too, but once he and Katie talk about it...I mean, they know how in love we are, and that we wouldn’t be getting married unless we really want to.”
“You’re right,” Amanda said as Joe laid down on top of his sleeping bag too. “I just hope they’re okay with this, really. I mean, we decided to tell them first because we knew they’d take it the best out of everyone.”
“They’re going to be okay with it, I promise,” Joe said as he leaned forward and kissed Amanda on the forehead. “And once Katie realizes how fun planning a wedding is, she’s going to wish she was the one getting married.”
“Don’t say that too loud,” Amanda said with a chuckle as Joe wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. “We don’t want to give Katie any ideas.” Joe laughed quietly along with Amanda.
“I love you Amanda,” Joe whispered quietly as their laughter died down, and he pressed his lips to the top of her head. “And I can’t wait to marry you.”
“I love you too, Joseph,” Amanda whispered back, a smile on her face as she cuddled against Joe.
“So I think everything’s cleaned up out there,” Nick said as he climbed into the tent, zipping it up behind him. He looked at Katie who had already changed out of her clothes and into a tank top and a pair of boy shorts. She was lying on top of her sleeping bag, her head resting on her pillow.
“Thank you,” Katie replied with a smile as Nick pulled off his shirt. “Now my real question is, why is it so hot here?”
“It’s because I’m in here, obviously,” Nick said with a c.ocky smirk as he pulled off his shorts as well. “And because we’re in Texas in the summer, so usually it’s pretty hot here.”
“This is the one thing that really sucks about camping,” Katie said as Nick looked at his bundled up sleeping bag still on the floor of the tent, before crawling next to Katie and forcing her to move over as he rested his head against her pillow as well. “And you honestly don’t think that this is going to happen, do you? It’s like a hundred and fifty degrees in here without you lying next to me.”
“But it’ll get cold in the middle of the night, and then you’ll wish I was laying right here,” Nick said with a grin, causing Katie to roll her eyes. “And there’s plenty of room for both of us right here.”
“Whatever you say, Nicholas,” Katie said with a chuckle as Nick leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips. She smiled as he pulled away, and they remained facing each other as they allowed their hands to wrap around one another in between them.
“So...,” Nick began, obviously looking for a way to lead into the conversation that Katie new would be coming as soon as they were alone. “Can you believe it?”
“It was definitely out of the blue,” Katie said, bringing her voice down a bit to be sure that Joe and Amanda couldn’t hear them talking. “I was so not expecting that. I thought Amanda was going to tell me she was pregnant or something.”
“That was exactly what I thought Joe was going to say,” Nick said. “But...what I really hope is that they aren’t just doing this because they think they need to get married to have sex and they don’t want to wait any longer.”
“I really don’t think they would do that,” Katie reasoned. “I mean...its Amanda and Joe. If they really wanted to have sex...they’d probably just do it. Whether they were married or not.”
“I guess you’re right,” Nick said with a shrug. “I just...I’m not really sure what to think. I mean, Joe’s old enough to make his own decisions, and my parents got married when they were young and they turned out just fine.”
“You make a good point,” Katie said. “And by this time next year, Amanda will be out of college. It’s her life, and if she really wants to marry Joe, then I think we should be happy for them. If this is what they really want...then, I think it’s important that we’re there for them.”
“Exactly,” Nick said, letting out a sigh. “I just hope that my parents are okay with it. I mean, this is probably going to come as a shock to them. Worse than it was with us.”
“Well, at least we’ll be there for them,” Katie said. “Because I have a feeling it’s going to be a pretty tough road for them, until Amanda finally walks down the aisle.”
“It’s good they have us, then,” Nick said with a smile, which Katie returned. “I just...can’t believe my brother is getting married. That’s absolutely insane.”
“I’m excited,” Katie said, her smile growing even bigger. “Weddings are so much fun. There’s good food, and we get to dress up, and it’s always so happy and pretty and...I’m just excited!” Nick laughed at his girlfriend as she continued to go on and on about looking forward to the wedding, before she was interrupted by another voice.
“Hey you two, we’re actually trying to sleep over here, so if you don’t mind, whatever inappropriate things you’re doing...just quiet yourselves down,” Joe yelled from the tent he was sharing with Amanda. Katie rolled her eyes as an idea popped into Nick’s head.
“Mmm, oh Katie, that feels so good,” Nick moaned loudly, causing Katie to burst into laughter. “Yeah, Katie, keep going.” Katie continued to laugh as Nick began to laugh along with her.
“That was great,” Katie said as their laughter finally died down, and she rested her head against Nick’s bare chest. “I love you, you know that?”
“I do know that,” Nick said, wrapping his arms around Katie, “and I love you too.”
