Boys of Summer 11-15

Melanie E.

---

One summer never ends,
One summer never begins,
It keeps me standing still,
It takes all my will,
Then suddenly, last summer,
Then suddenly, last summer...

The Motels- Suddenly Last Summer

---

11.

Cassie squeezed his eyes shut against the bright sunlight streaming in through the open tent flaps.

'No. I'm a girl for the summer. Might as well get used to it.' He... She gently rubbed the sleep from her eyes, listening to the sound of the birds chirping in the trees outside, along with a soft 'pat pat pat' along the roof of the tent. Rain? He, 'drat, think GIRL!' She sat up and reluctantly opened her eyes to see that the sun was not near as bright as she had first thought. "Kayla, can you PLEASE take that flashlight away from my face?"

"And a good morning to you, too! At least it wasn't the fog horn again."

"Yeah, yeah. Is it raining?"

Kayla turned the light off, sending the room into a state of shadowy near-darkness. "You just now noticed? It was thundering pretty good last night about three. Uncle's been listening to the National Weather Service on the emergency radio, seems a line of storms moved in more quickly than they were expecting. It's not really supposed to set in until tonight, when we should already be at the cabin, but we're gonna be pretty well soaked today all day." She pulled the top sleeping bag away from Cassie before she could react and grab it, and started folding it to put away. "Did you pack anything for rain or are we gonna have to dig it out of the boat?"

"Oh, nooo!" Cassie whined, remembering too late that her rain jacket was stuffed in with her clothes for the cabin. "I should have grabbed it when I got my sunglasses out!"

"Well, it just so happens..." Kayla whipped a bright pink jacket from her bag and presented it smugly to Cassie. "Voila!"

"Uh," Cassie took the offensively girly piece of clothing from her sister with a look of disgust. "What's this?"

"Your rain jacket! Mom pulled it last night and gave it to me this morning when I came out to give you." She giggled happily.

"I don't remember it being this... pink, before." It was a sturdy rain jacket, and she recognized it as her sister's old one that had been replaced just this year. It was in much better shape than her own military-green monstrosity, which in the past two years had did less to keep her dry and more just managed to keep her uncomfortably damp but not soaked.

Kayla frowned at her, looking slightly disappointed. "Well, I thought you'd appreciate it, but if you want I can see if mom has your old one stored away."

No, no, that's okay, I do appreciate it, really!" Now feeling very guilty, she took the rain jacket and held it tightly. "I just wasn't expecting it, is all. I'm still getting used to all this, Kayla."

Kayla hugged her sister comfortingly. "I know. Just wait, next year you'll get a new one since I got it this year." She giggled for a moment before continuing. "Look at it this way, it's less embarrassing wearing it since you're a girl than if you were still Caleb!"

"That's for sure!" Cassie had to giggle along with her big sister as they changed into the cargo shorts and thin long sleeved tops Kayla had brought back for the wet weather. Cassie was tempted to skip the sports bra in the stack of clothing her sister handed her, but recalling trying that the day after they had first attached the breast forms changed her mind.

"Good girl."

"Shut up, Kayla."

Breakfast that morning consisted of granola bars and water since nobody had thought of covering the wood or fire the night before to prevent the rain from soaking through, and all the campers were feeling less than chipper as they completed packing up the last of the camp. That day's boat assignments were Kayla and Cassie, Ruby and Eric, and Richard and Emily, with a less than happy Jobe and David bringing up the rear in the flat bottomed boat, now sporting a large blue tarp wrapping and covering the more water-sensitive cargo.

Richard stood up in his canoe, rocking it violently and causing Emily to squeak as she gripped the sides fearfully. "Okay, people, last leg of the trip! We got about six more hours to go, give it eight for the rain and maybe a bit more if it picks up a lot. Jobe, you two will be pulling off in about an hour, you know the spot where we usually stop? Good. We'll meet up with you at the normal spot, and the last two hours or so we'll all be together as a group again. Oh, one more thing." And with that, he placed his right foot on the side of the canoe and tipped it over sideways, spilling him and Emily both into the water before the teenage girl had a chance to scream.

"Hey, no fair!" Cassie called as she laughed, watching her uncle stand up in the knee-high water and right the canoe before lifting a thoroughly soaked and unhappy Emily back into her seat, then climb carefully in himself, watchful not to tip it over again.

"Why did you do that!" Emily screamed and slapped Richard across the face, who was luckily in too good a mood to even care.

"We get the shower first when we get to the cabin now! Oh, yeah, ouch!" Rather than do anything that would cause problems, Richard picked up his paddle and started the procession. It was an old family rule- first team to get dumped in the water gets the first showers since they were more than likely the most miserable. Cassie and Kayla usually won the honor some time during that very last day, being the youngest and least experienced with their canoe, but once in a while either their uncle or cousin would 'cheat' to get it, the downside being that you would also have to be the ones to prime the well pump, something Cassie never liked having to do.

"Come on, lil' sis," Kayla whispered in her ear, "let's show them we don't need the showers first by making it all the way down to the cabin without flipping this year!" Kayla's hand appeared over Cassie's shoulder, and she quickly reached up and squeezed it to agree with her sister.

"Let's do this!" The two set off as quickly as their paddles would take them, closing the distance between their canoe and that of their uncle in record time before surpassing him. Cassie was delighted to realize just how large of a disadvantage her uncle was at having Emily in his canoe- like with the boys, she was refusing to help paddle, and instead sat with her arms crossed and a put-upon pout on her face, playing the 'spoiled princess' role to the hilt.

"Geez, she doesn't have a fun bone in her body, does she?" By now they were well ahead of the others, and Kayla wanted to talk. "Not like her little brother, huh?"

"What? Oh, come on, Kayla, not THIS again."

"Oh hohoh, yes! Did you know that the entire time we were canoeing together yesterday all he talked about was you? 'Cassie this' and 'Cassie that.' It was kind of sweet really."

"Really?" Cassie frowned, not sure if she liked the idea of a boy liking her.

"Really, really. Does that weird you out?"

Cassie paddled on in thought. "Yeah, a bit. Don't you feel weird about it? A boy liking me?"

"Hmm." Kayla laughed. "Not really."

"Why not?" The river was getting rough up ahead, and Cassie wanted to finish the conversation before they had to stop just so they could keep their concentration on the river.

"Because I already know at least one guy at school who likes you too, and I guess talking to him desensitized me to the idea."

"WHAT!" Cassie stopped paddling and jerked around, nearly turning their canoe over. "Who? He's gay, right?"

Kayla laughed again, a sound Cassie was starting to dislike. "Nope. Okay, he's bi. What, it never struck you that even as a guy you're a little hottie? You DO take after me and mom, you know."

"Oh, so now I look like a girl even as a guy?"

"No, not particularly. I mean, he knows you're a guy, but a lot of the girls at school think you're cute too, something in the water or something."

"Shut up."

"Yes ma'am." Now the hard part of the trip was just starting, and as they tackled the first big set of rapids, the sky opened up above them. The storm had arrived early.

---

12.

"This sucks."

"Tell me about it." Kayla grimaced as she tried to force the canoe a little higher above her head. The rain had begun to come down in sheets, preventing any of the campers from seeing far ahead, and when they had reached the stop for Jobe and David to pull off and carry the boat their Uncle Richard had concluded that it would be safer for everyone to stick together and take the journey on foot. That had been an hour ago, and Kayla and Cassie were both feeling the toll of two days of paddling combined with the weight of the wood canoe.

"Alright, let's take another break, then we'll switch shifts." Richard dropped his canoe unceremoniously beneath one of the dryer clusters of trees surrounding them on the rough trail through the forest, marked out years ago on one of their first canoe trips. "You boys doing okay so far?"

Jobe wheezed towards his father in response, rain dripping from the hood of his jacket.

"Well, the girls can take the next shift, can't you Cassie?"

His saying her name not having registered at first, Cassie's sigh of relief as she sat her canoe down quickly turned to a whine of panic. "Who? What? US! But Uncle Richard!"

"Hahah! Have fun, girls!" David slapped her roughly on the back, toppling her into her sister. "Oops! Sorry!" He turned towards Jobe, who was staring daggers at him yet again. "Hey, man, I didn't mean to!"

"They're just girls, man, you can't be rough with them like that. What's gotten into you lately?"

"Hey, waiddaminute here!" Cassie stood up angrily. "Are you saying I'm weak or something?" Jobe cowered back slightly under her steely gaze. "What, just 'cause I wear a bra all of a sudden I can't stand up for myself?"

"Cassie, come on, I didn't mean it like that-"

"Yes you did!" Now both Jobe and David were wearing similar penitent expressions, one afraid of the teen ball of fury in front of him, the other afraid of what the first would do should he say anything. "God, Jobe, you're such a..." Cassie stopped herself, shocked by what she was about to say.

Seeing her expression change suddenly from insulted anger to one of confusion, Jobe risked a "What?"

Her expression hardened again, showing no more of her confused and disturbed feelings. "You're such a boy," she finished lamely, before plopping back down next to her sister.

"Well, yeah?" Jobe gave her one of his patent sideways grins. "I kinda noticed."

"IF you two are DONE," Ruby interrupted the escalating battle with a hard stare at each of the two teens. "Now, I think I've had enough of all this fighting! Cassie, stop being such a little snot towards your cousin. And Jobe, I expected Cassie and Kayla to do this kind of thing to each other, but you? Now, I know you were just trying to help, but Cassie isn't a little kid any more, she's a young woman and you need to respect her." While her words were aimed at Jobe, Cassie could feel her mom's eyes boring into her, driving the reason behind her own punishment home.

For her part, Cassie was in no state to argue with her mom, too upset by what she had been thinking to truly worry about the reprimand. 'Did I really just SAY that? I guess I really am learning something from all this- hopefully nothing that gets me beat up.'

It was less than a quarter hour later that Richard called for the group to pick up their boats and head out, and with some reluctance Cassie abandoned her canoe and took up the right hand rope attached to the nose of the flat bottomed boat. A gentle tap on her shoulder drew her attention away from the upcoming misery of dragging the large weight down the trail and towards Eric, who was standing behind her self-consciously staring at his feet.

It was hard to hear his mumbling through the rain, but Cassie could just make out Eric's words. "I can take your shift pulling the boat if you want."

"Really?" Cassie asked him, disbelieving of the offer.

Eric smiled slightly, lifting his eyes to her face for just a brief moment before turning his attention back to his feet. "Yeah, I don't mind, really."

Cassie, in another fit of impulse, leaned forwards and gave the young man before her a small hug. "Thanks, but I don't think Uncle Richard OR my mom would like it if I let you do that. Besides," she laughed, "you'll get your chance to pull this thing all too soon, believe me." She watched him as he blushed and turned away to rejoin her mom, who gave her an odd look, at their own canoe before returning to the flat bottomed boat.

"I told you he liked you, didn't I?" Kayla poked her in the side when she drew within range, and they both began the long walk to the next rest stop, trying and for the most part failing to ignore the rain that had by now thoroughly drenched everything around them.

"Kayla, stop it, please?"

"What, I'm just sayin' is all." Kayla laughed at the obvious discomfort of her 'little sister' with the idea of a boy having a crush on her. "Best get used to it lil' sis, this is the kind of thing sisters do." A particularly stubborn root caused the two to have to devote their energy towards getting the boat 'up and over', effectively braking the conversation while they concentrated on the path ahead, searching for more possible pitfalls.

After making sure the trail was more or less clear of further obstacles, Cassie turned to her sister. "How do you know about what sisters do anyways?"

"Friends, talk shows, and the Lifetime channel," Kayla answered snottily, causing both girls to snort and cackle.

"Yeah, next thing I know you'll have me painting your toenails while we discuss our favorite brands of lip gloss or something."

"Hah! Not likely! Emily might want to get in on something like that, and I don't know if I could handle that conversation with you in any case." Kayla reached over and gave Cassie a pat on the head. "But if you wanna do pedicures, I've got this really gross sore on my heel where I stepped on a broken shell yesterday that-"

"Eww, Kayla, that's disgusting! I don't want to hear this!"

"Well, if you're sure..."

"YES!"

Kayla laughed again, and continued to laugh as they made their way down the trail a steady distance behind the others, talking all the way.

---

13.

Having decided on holding off on any large meals until they were safely ensconced within the cabin, the campers settled on small periodic snacks of granola bars and water to tide them over while they made their way through the vertical river of rain, only growing worse the further they moved, sticking to the river as best they could to keep from losing their direction.

Teams hauling the flat bottom boat were swapping out in roughly half hour shifts, and by Cassie’s best estimate they had been moving on foot for about four hours. Everybody was wet and miserable, with no end in near sight as the worsening weather caused more and more delays in getting to the cabin. Cassie hoped they would be in before nightfall, but with how dark the sky was staying thanks to the unexpected storm she had a strong suspicion that they would most likely be stubbing their toes in the shadows long before they ever saw their goal.

“Okay folks, let’s take another rest.” Her uncle dropped the cord where he had been taking his own shift hauling the flat bottom monstrosity through the thickening mud and compost of the forest trail they were traveling on. Of everyone on the camping trip Cassie knew her uncle was both the hardiest and most experienced camper there, and with how storm battered and drained he was beginning to look she loathed catching sight of her own reflection. “Ruby and Eric, your shift is up next. Think you can handle it?” Cassie saw both her mother and Eric nod exhausted assent to her uncle.

Even with having to lug so many heavy objects through the woods Cassie was happy. She loved rain, she loved these woods, and she loved the cabin that was waiting their return at the end of the journey. She could just imagine arriving and beginning the unpacking of the food her uncle and cousin had already dropped off. It was not uncommon for her uncle to take his truck up to the cabin a few days early with plenty of food and other things they would need for such a long stay. He had an ancient freezer he could load into the back of his truck, an old ice- block type that he used to haul the food out and store it in until they arrived. The truck would stay at the cabin in case of an emergency, and from what both he and their cousin Jobe had explained to her he would take those first couple of days to really ‘rough it’ before the rest of their entourage, Jobe included, even set out for the meeting spot.

She reflected on that for a moment, and her uncle’s tiredness suddenly took on a whole new dimension. She thought she was tired? He had been out in the woods for close to three days before coming back to the meeting spot for them! Now that Jobe was old enough to drive on his own he would not even have had a reason to return since dropping off their supplies, would he? And she knew that besides testing it to make sure it would run, he NEVER turned the generator or the well pump on before they arrived, preferring to get the itch for ‘solitude and simplicity’ out of his system while it could not hurt anyone else.

"Not much further now people, another hour or two and we should be there." Her uncle turned around and grinned at the group from under the poncho he preferred over the others' more conventional rain jackets.

"How?" Kayla was the quickest out with the question that was on the faces of those in their group who knew how much time the trip normally took. "We can't be going faster than we do in the water, and with all this rain..."

"Hehehe, you never noticed, did you? We left the river about two hours back, where it takes a big bend. You kids' Aunt Mandy got me this," their uncle held up a small computer with a bright digital screen wrapped in plastic for the group to see, "for Christmas this year. It's some kind of GPS device that shows a map of where you're at. I knew the river took a bend, but I never felt comfortable with the idea of leaving it before because frankly I'm shit with a compass." He chuckled again at that while Ruby berated him mildly about language in front of the children. "Anyways, I used it on my way up to meet you all and found out it allowed me to cut a good three hours off the normal trip following the river, so I went ahead and marked it in the little computer thing. If I had been taking the flat bottom today I was gonna use it and surprise you all by skipping the normal meeting spot like I usually do anyways and going overland ahead to steal the first shower. Since Jobe and David got themselves the honor of taking the da- stupid thing instead," he gave his younger sister a sheepish grin, "I was just gonna save it, but when the weather made us leave the river I figured why not get us out of this as soon as possible." He stopped talking and instead prepared to bask in the praise from the others.

Cassie was not the first to shout in happiness, and when her sister gave her a hug and started jumping up and down she was more than happy to join in. Early showers! Sitting around the fireplace nursing a cup of cocoa and watching the rain would beat carrying a canoe through it any day.

"Well, what're we waiting for?" Eric ran to the boat and grabbed one of the ropes, attempting to move it on his own across the muddy ground. "Let's get going?"

"Right!" Ruby rushed to his side and grabbed her own rope. "First ones there get the first showers!"

"Hey, I stole those cheap and square!" Richard took off after the quickly moving pair, who were just beginning to realize that without his 'little computer thing' they had no hope of finding their way to the cabin regardless. "Hah! Forgot something, din'cha?" He waved the small yellow and black box around a bit to the scowls of the dissenters.

"Come on, less talk more cabin!" Cassie pushed him with the nose of her canoe, and soon the group was off again, heading quickly for warm food and dry clothes.

---

14.

Cassie's eyes grew wide as she lifted her canoe over the last line of scrub bushes and into the meticulously well kept clearing where the cabin sat. A collective sigh of relief rose from those around her as her uncle led the way to the canoe rack while Jobe and David pulled the flat bottom boat towards the riverside doors of the cabin for unloading.

"Well, we're here."

At first glance, the cabin was an unimpressive site to behold. Lying squat and- at the moment- dark through the veil or rain, the weather worn pine paneling on the outside gave the impression of a rundown, shabby hunter's retreat. Cassie, however, knew that the inside was quite different, with cedar paneling, a warm stone fireplace for chilly nights and s'mores, two large well ventilated bedrooms and a full working bathroom once the well was primed and ready. They even had a generator that Uncle Richard had paid to update to solar powered three summers ago, providing them with enough electricity for lights and a few other conveniences, though it looked like they would be using the backup gas generator for a while to start. Cassie could see Uncle Richard's enormous green truck peeking out around the far edge of the cabin, where it would stay unless they needed a quick way into town for emergencies or wished to risk the two hour drive to the nearest gas station slash pizza place slash Seven Eleven.

"Bathrooms!" Emily screeched and dropped the end of her canoe, racing into the cabin and leaving Richard in a shaky position as he tried to fight the sudden shift in balance.

"Hey, we need to finish up out here first!"

A loud "Fuck you!" was all the response Emily gave as she grabbed for the handle of the door and twisted it- only to find it locked. "Dammit!"

"Hey hey hey, watch the language! You may not be one of my daughters but that won't stop me from punishing that kind of behavior!" Ruby waited until Eric gave her the 'all clear' before lowering the end of her own canoe and stomping off towards the angry teenager now screaming and pulling at her hair. "Now you get back here and help us unpack, or so help me..."

It did not take long for Jobe to pull the key from around his neck and unlock the door of the cabin, letting fresh air in and allowing everyone to start carrying in their share of the packing while Richard dragged Emily off towards the pump house. She was in an awful foul mood after being denied her princess act yet again, and Cassie knew Emily would have to either get her act together and join in to help everyone else or keep it up and ruin her own fun. Cassie was determined not to let it get to her, though, and vowed to enjoy this trip even if it killed her.

"Need help with that?" Michael approached her with a swagger that, while she was sure it was meant to look sexy, only made her a little more sick of his arrogance.

"No thanks. I got it." She hefted the case of clothes she was carrying up a little bit higher to prove it.

"Come on, let me have it." Michael grabbed the handle and pulled, yanking the- admittedly- slightly too heavy case from her hands before marching into the cabin ahead of her.

"Hey! What an-"

"Asshole!" Kayla finished for her, not even flinching at the angry look from her mom for her use of filthy language. "Here sis," she said, handing Cassie the two smaller cases she had brought up, "let me handle this."

Cassie held back a bit and was glad she had when a resounding 'smack' rang out from inside the cabin, followed by Kayla's voice screaming at such a pitch and intensity that Cassie was glad she could not make out the words. Michael ran out of the cabin with his hands over his ears and a red welt on his face that seemed to glow in the stormy twilight. She glanced at her mom, but Ruby seemed in no hurry to get involved in the battle between her eldest daughter and their guest for the next two weeks.

At last the well was primed and ready, the bags and boxes were inside, and Richard had the generator started up and running on some of the emergency fuel for starting and dark days like today. A warm fire was set, Emily was locked in the bathroom with the shower running despite the fact the water had to be freezing, and the other campers were all gathered around the fireplace trying to dry some before starting the next stage of unpacking. Almost unconsciously the group seemed to have split, the girls on one side of the room with the guys occupying the other, filling the floor space instead of running the risk of soaking the three old couches which had obviously seen better days, lest they collapse under the weight of the very damp and very tired group. All were silent, resting for a moment before the arduous task of pulling everything out of the packs and bags around them.

It was a much more relaxed group who responded to Ruby's question, "So, what's it gonna be for dinner?"

---

15.

Cassie found hanging around her older sister to be a lot more fun than she would have anticipated before the trip. The longer she was around her, the better they seemed to get along, so when Kayla volunteered for unpacking in the 'girl's room' after dinner, she gladly followed her lead.

"Thanks for the help lil' sis."

"No problem 'big sis." They laughed for a moment before continuing their unpacking, making sure to take the same bunk bed. Cassie cleared her throat before continuing. "Uh, sis? Will it be okay? Me staying in here?"

"Yeah, sure, why not?" Kayla gave her a searching look before the light came on over her head. "Oh! Because?" She gestured at her crotch, making Cassie blush.

"Yeah, obviously. I've never slept in the same room with a girl before." Kayla gave her another look that said 'oh, really'? "Well, besides you." That seemed to satisfy her. "Do you think it will be a problem?"

Kayla paused in making up the top bunk and turned to Cassie. "Pull your shorts down," she ordered.

"No!"

"Come on!" Kayla reached forwards and gave a sharp tug, bringing the nylon track shorts Cassie had donned after her shower to the floor along with her panties.

"Kayla!"

"Well, what? It's nothing I've never seen before." Cassie glanced down at her smooth crotch before jerking her shorts and panties up tightly. "Whatever that glue thing Mom and you used did, it definitely makes you look like a girl even naked."

"But Kayla, she doesn't know! You and Mom do, and you're related to me, but that Emily girl-"

"Will never EVER know, Cassie, unless you give yourself away. How long did Mom say that glue would last?"

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Two weeks."

Kayla nodded. "And when did she glue it on?"

"The day we headed out."

"Yup! That gives you another... ten or eleven days before you need to worry about it, and by that time she won't see anything but a girl even if you do act a little butch now."

Cassie got nervous. "Have I been acting too boyish?" She bit her lip anxiously, causing Kayla to laugh again.

"Nope, not in the slightest! Keep it up, nothing will happen." Cassie let out a deep sigh of relief, releasing the breath she had not known she had been holding.

"Phew! Okay." It was only a few minutes more and they had the room finished, with all four bunks made up and their own clothes as well as their mother's unpacked and in the drawers, Emily's bags waiting for her on her bed- neither wanted to risk another drama attack if they messed with her things.

By the time everyone was completely unpacked and settled, the sound of the rain continuing to fall was enough to draw out universal yawns of exhaustion. Without further conversation the family and guests moved as one to their respective beds and called it an early night. Tomorrow was another relaxing day, with the canoeing behind them unless they chose to do it and no set plans for the next two weeks.

Cassie climbed the ladder to the top bunk while Kayla crawled into her own bunk directly below. Emily had huffed a bit about having to unpack her own things before setting her cases on the floor and crawling into the opposite top bunk without any more complaints. Cassie felt odd sleeping in nothing but her panties and a tank with her in the room- she felt odd sleeping in panties in a tank anyways, she forced herself to remember- but by now it was too late to worry about it, and if Kayla was right it would not matter in the slightest what she wore so long as she acted appropriately.

"G'nite girls," Ruby called as she waltzed in wearing her extra large sleep shirt and shut the lights off.

"'Nite Mom."

"G'nite Mom."

"Good night Miss Wessler."

Cassie listened to her mother's breathing, and the slight snoring of Emily, as she slowly drifted off to sleep herself, filled with dreams of climbing rocks, swimming, and running through the woods with her family.

---

Sorry for the delay between posts- gotta wait on access to the internet on an actual computer 'fore I can post these things.

Anyone interested in either volunteering as an editor/testreader/poster or who just has any recommendations or ideas, just PM me and we can set somethin' up!

Melanie E.