-eng- Camp With Mom And My Annoying Friend Who ... -

At 10:15 PM, Alex starts whispering.

You catch Alex staring at the stars.

Alex sits down after handing you one peg and says, "Wow, teamwork makes the dream work, huh? I'm so tired." The Fire-Building Fiasco In any normal scenario, fire is simple: wood + match = heat. Not here. -ENG- Camp With Mom and My Annoying Friend Who ...

You do not sleep. You lie on your inflatable mattress—which Alex accidentally deflated while trying to "fluff it"—and stare at the tent ceiling, fantasizing about your own bedroom, your weighted blanket, and the sweet silence of solitude. Sunrise comes. Your mom wakes up refreshed and annoying chipper. At 10:15 PM, Alex starts whispering

And just like that, your quiet escape turns into a three-ring circus. The annoying friend isn't just annoying at school. In the wilderness, their annoying traits are amplified by a factor of ten, because there are no walls to hide behind and no other friends to dilute the energy. The first sign of trouble is the packing phase. Your mom packs like she is preparing for the apocalypse: five rain jackets, a first aid kit that could perform open-heart surgery, and three coolers for a two-night trip. I'm so tired

You look at Alex, who has dirt on their white sneakers and a smudge of chocolate on their chin.

"Who wants pancakes? I brought the cast iron skillet!" Alex: "I’m gluten-sensitive today."