Unexpected Afternoon

“Gregory Allen! Hurry up we’re gonna be late!” Casey yelled running up the front steps of the busy high school.

“Oh cheer up Case, we’re gonna be fine.” Greg shrugged, jogging to catch up with Casey.

“Guys guys!” Walter interrupted getting between the two, “We could just skip class altogether.”

“You suggest that every year Walt,” Casey chides, playfully hitting him on the shoulder.

“And one of these years you’re going to listen to me,” Walter sighs wistfully looking up towards the sky in hope.

“What are you looking at the sky for?” Greg questioned puzzled. “You hoping to find yourself a girlfriend up there?”

“Oh ha ha,” Walt laughed sarcastically glaring at Greg, “Maybe one day your jokes will actually be funny.”

“Break it up you two, it wouldn’t be good to get detention on the day before christmas break.” Casey ordered punching both boys in the shoulder, as the group walked through the front doors.

“Chill out Case, at this point You’re the one that’s going to get us in detention.” Greg pointed out, looking over to Walter for support.

“GA’s right Case,” Walter agreed nodding, “we’ve done nothing that would get us locked up after hours.” Casey opened her mouth to respond, only to be cut off by the shrill sound of the bell.

“I told you we were going to be late!” Casey lamented, picking up her pace and making her way through the busy crowd.

“You get an ‘ I told you so’ this time and this time only,” Greg conceded pointing his finger back at Casey as he quickly turned down the nearest hallway towards his homeroom.

“Watch where you’re going!” Philip ordered shoving Greg out of his way.

“Sorry Phil,” Greg said meekly, sidestepping out of Phil’s path and turning forwards.

“Ha!” Walter laughed at Greg, earning himself a punch from Casey.

“What you go and do that for?” Walter complained, rubbing his shoulder playfully looking over towards Casey.

“There’s no need to add insult to injury Walt,” Casey chidded, turning down her hallway to her homeroom, the halls quickly thinning of people.

“There’s always need to add insult to injury!” Walter yelled after casey quickly rushing towards his class.

The bell rang, the second most important ring of the day, it was lunch time.

“Please let me get there fast” Walter thought to himself as he pushed his way through the crowd of hungry teens.

“I heard shaun got lost in the woods again last weekend.”

“Of course he did, he’s a nerd that should just stay home.”

“Yeah, he should just-” the conversation faded as Walter managed to jump in line, somewhat close to the front. “ Oh Shaun,” Walter thought to himself shaking his head, “ You really need to bring someone with you on one of your camping trips.” As the line moved forward Walter’s thoughts were more and more focused on one thing, food. The closer he got the more he could smell it. Before Walter knew it he found himself bouncing on the balls of his feet in anticipation. A loud clattering dragged Walter from his thoughts. Walter looked towards the sound, to see Phill pushing Greg against the far wall of the lunch room, their conversation clearly not friendly. All too quickly the lunch line moved forward and Walt was forced to keep going.

“I wonder what Greg did this time,” Walter wondered nervously hoping to get through the line as quickly as possible. By the time Walter had gotten his lunch tray and payed for it Philip was gone, and the lunch room was back to its usual chatter. Walter quickly made his way to his usual table, where Greg and Casey were already waiting for him.

“Man what did you do to Phil to get him so upset?” Walt asked, setting his tray down and plopping down on his seat.

“If you ask me nothing,” Greg complained taking a bite out of his sandwich.

“And if you ask him?” Walter prompted before shoveling peas into his mouth.

“Greg had the nice idea to insult him in not one but two separate classes.” Casey supplied as Greg chewed what remained of his lunch.

“Aw man,” Walter mumbled before swallowing, “I would’ve given a hand to see that.”

“A hand?” Greg asked confused, “Isn’t usually supposed to be an arm?”

“Yeah, but I like my arm so only a hand.” Walter shrugged moving onto the burger in front of him.

“I don’t even know how you manage to eat those,” Greg scoffed, an exaggerated shivver running through his body. “Those aren’t even real burgers.”

“You take what you can get,” Walter shrugged taking an oversized bite of his meal.

“Walt can you for once eat like a normal person?” Casey pleaded, glaring in Walters direction.

“Well you know I would,” Walter paused a moment to swallow, “If I got here as fast as you two always do.”

“Take classes that are closer to the lunch room then,” Greg replied snarkily, leaning towards Walter and taking an exaggerated bite out of his sandwich.

“You’re lucky I’m starving or else I would throw that sandwich on the ground,” Walter warned half heartedly, turning back to his quickly disappearing lunch.

“Changing the subject here, did you guys hear about what happened to Shaun?” Casey questioned leaning almost completely over the table, trying to diffuse the situation.

“Yeah, he got lost in the woods again,” Walter replied waving his hand in dismissal.

“Oh shit really?!” Greg exclaimed, his eyebrows shooting towards his hairline.

“Yeah, I heard this time the cops were called to find him,” Casey continued, sitting back down.

“The cops have to come find Shaun almost every other month.” Greg pointed out, his excitement quickly fading.

“Maybe I’ll ask him if we can tag along with him this time?” Casey suggested off hand, quickly taking a bite of her half finished apple.

“You already asked him didn’t you?” Greg accused glaring in Casey’s direction.

“Case you better have not!” Walt protested finishing the last of his lunch.

“He needed a friend!” Casey defended indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Babe, we talked about doing these kind of things,”

“Babe,” Casey mocked Greg, “we talked about you calling me babe.”

“Sorry sorry you’re right Case, my bad,” Greg apologised rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“We went on our first date last week, it is way too early for you to be calling me babe or anything other than Casey.” Casey glared at Greg for another few seconds before returning her attention back to the last of her apple.

“So, when are we going camping with Shaun?” Walter interjected trying to change the subject.

“Well it won’t be camping exactly…” Casey trailed off, now getting a bit nervous.

“What exactly will it be then?” Walter pressed suspiciously.

“Well since the holidays are coming up Shaun’s cousin Brad is willing to let him use his cabin upstate.”

“How far upsate?” Greg questioned now suspicious of the outing.

“Only about an hour, It’ll be fun you’ll see.” Casey answered trying to stay on the positive side of things.

“When are we going?” Walter pressed again, now staring at Casey who refused to look up as she gathered her trash. Casey didn’t answer at first, she only continued to gather the few items of trash she had before rising from her seat.

“Tomorrow.” Casey squeaked out as she made a dash for the trash can a few yards away.

“WHAT?!” Grag and Walt yelled in astonishment, both staring after Casey’s retreating form.

“We have football practice!” Greg complained swiftly gathering up his trash and following after Casey.

“And you have your last cheerleading practice!” Walter pointed out quickly following after the two, his own trash in hand.

“I’ve already talked to my coach and yours, they’re onboard with the idea.” Casey defended, turning around the face the two boys behind her.

“What about our parents?” Walter asked, already expecting her answer as he threw his trash in the can.

“They think hanging out with one of the lonelier kids is a great idea.”

“Is there anyone else that knows about this other than us?” Greg asked exasperatedly, throwing his hand up in the air.

“Only Shaun’s mom, as far as I know anyway.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Walter asked skeptically, putting his hands on his hips.

“You know Shaun he can never keep his mouth shut about camping.”

“Then who else is com-” Greg was interrupted by the bell going off again.

“No time have to get to class!” Casey called over her shoulder as she quickly worked her way through the crowd of teens.

“Damn she’s good at making her escape,” Walter complained to Greg as they started towards their next classes.

“Tell me about it,” Greg answered solemnly shaking his head.

The rest of the day thankfully passed without further incidents, and Casey sighed in relief as the bell rang.

“Greg!” Casey called out across the quickly emptying hall, as students rushed to leave.

“What about me?” Walter called out in mock hurt, as he spotted Casey through the crowd.

“Walt!” Casey called out jokingly as the three quickly met up in the now empty hallway.

“Aw I’m touched.” Walt mocked pulling both Greg and Casey into a group hug.

“No hugs! No stop!” Greg immediately complained half heartedly, as he shoved Walter off of him.

“Now that’s no way to treat a friend come here Gregory!” Walt persisted pulling Greg into a crushing hug, managing to pin his arms against his sides.

“Casey get him off!” Greg pleaded as she struggled to shake off Walter.

“Oh you two are so cute!” Casey cooed at the two quickly pulling out her phone.

“Case no, don’t you dare take a picture of this!” Greg pleaded as he tried even harder to free himself of Walter’s grasp.

“Keep him still Walt I have to get a picture of this!” Casey called through her laughter, struggling to keep her phone level.

“Aye aye Casey sir!” Walter answered back somehow managing to turn Greg towards the phone, despite his struggles.

“Walt you traitor!” Greg almost yelled at Walter as he tried to get away.

“Keep still or you’re gonna knock me over man!” Walter ordered a little breathlessly, struggling to keep Greg contained. Before Greg could respond however the two of them fell in a heap on the floor.

“I got it!” Casy called triumphantly as the two boys struggled to their feet.

“Did you get it before or after we fell over?” Walter questioned excitedly as he quickly walked over to casey to see the shot.

“I got it right before you two started to fall. You both have the best facial expressions I think I’ve ever seen.” The two boys stood to the left of the frame, Greg with an unhappy scowl and Walter with an ear to ear smile. Walter was almost completely sideways with his arms wrapped tightly around Greg as he clearly flexed, both somehow managing to be in focus and looking towards the camera. Even in the picture it was clear the two were just about to fall over, their combined weights leaning them almost out of frame.

“You delete that right now!” Greg ordered angrily quickly coming towards Casey.

“Lock your phone quick!” Walter called to Casey trying to step in front of her.

“Oh no you don’t Greg!” Casey warned back quickly locking and putting her phone back in her pocket.

“Don’t you kids have somewhere to be other than this hallway?” Mr. Franks called to the group of struggling teens.

“Yes we do!” Casey called out managing to separate herself from the group somewhat and straighten her clothes.

“We do?” Walter questioned clearly confused by her statement

“Yes we have a camping trip we need to get home and pack for.” Casey said pointedly glaring at the boys, before their eyes sparked with recognition.

“That’s right the camping trip!” Greg exclaimed, clapping Walter on the back unnecessarily hard, causing him to wince.

“We better get going then,” Walter provided trying to herd the group out towards the parking lot.

“I’ll race you to the car!” Walter exclaimed, quickly shaking off Greg’s hand and jogging towards the exit.

“No fair!” whined Greg quickly chasing after his friend.

“See you after break Mr. Franks!” Casey called before turning around and almost running after the quickly receding forms of her two friends.

“No running in the halls!” Mr. Franks called after them, his pleas falling on deaf ears.