Aisling continues cleaning out her black roll top desk. She wears a blue and white stripped short-sleeved tee shirt, a pair of demin shorts and a pair of blue flip flops. Her strawberry blonde hair happens to be settled into a ponytail. She turns her head, seeing her sister Kyleen appear to be leaning against the doorway.

"I saw grandma this morning and you know how she has been cleaning out lately. She came across some pictures, that you'd want". Kyleen passes over a white envelope labeled: grandpa and Aisling. "Pictures of you and grandpa from different family camping trips".
"Oh, okay. That was nice of her". Aisling places the envelope in a desk drawer.
"Summer is around the corner. Any plans this summer?" Kyleen asks, gaining a shrug in response. "What about resuming the camping trips? Go with some friends. Camping use to be your favorite time of the year".
Aisling shrugs again. "I guess my interest in camping died with grandpa".
"Well. I highly doubt that's true" Kyleen replies, believing Aisling was lying.
"I'll make some plans with friends in the near future" Aisling promises.

    Early Monday morning, Aisling joins her friends in the library. There happened to only be a few minutes until homeroom. With only a few days remaining in the school year, the group of friends were discussing summer plans.

"So, Aisling. Any camping trips this summer?" One of her friends inquired.
"Probably not," Aisling answers, leaning against the side of the table.
"Really?" The friend replies, surprised.
"Don't have any recent trips planned " Aisling confesses.
"Strange. You usually are always camping. I figured you'd eventually be buried in a tent, when you reach the end of your life" The friend explains.
Aisling rolls her eyes. "Maybe, that was true at one point".
"And if you were ever to have a guy, he'd be obsessed with camping like you" The friend theorizes.

Aisling becomes uncomfortable.
Another friend nudges the chatty friend in the shoulder. "Cool it on the camping subject".

Then the bell rings for homeroom to start.

"Are you okay?" Her friend Maddie inquires
"Yeah, fine. Why?" Aisling half asks.
"You seem a bit off. Like normally, we can't get you to shut up about camping. Now, you just act super weird about the subject. Like you try to avoid it" Maddie explains.
"I'm not weird about the subject. I was asked a question, and I answered it" Aisling replies.
"But then you tried to avoid the rest of the subject. I know it's been a couple of months since your grandpa passed and it's been hard for you because you had such a close relationship with him. But I'm concerned about you. You don't seem yourself" Maddie expresses.
"I'm fine" Aisling swears, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. "I'd tell you if I wasn't".
"Your grandpa wouldn't want you to give up camping" Maddie reminds her.
"I'm sure that's true". Aisling opens the history book in front of her.
"Maybe, we go on a camping trip for a girl's weekend" Maddie suggests.
"That could be option for the future" Aisling replies, just as the teacher begins the lesson.

   Maddie watches her friend, still feeling concerned about her. Later on, all the friends rejoin each other in the cafeteria. Now Aisling arrives home from school. She sets her backpack on the queen bed.

"How was school?" Kyleen asks, curious.
"Fine. Another day done " Aisling answers.
"Maddie texted me. She is concerned about you" Kyleen informs.
Aisling sighs and rolls her eyes. "I'm fine. Maddie has no reason to be concerned".
"Ever since the funeral, you seem different. Not yourself. I'm a little concerned about you too" Kyleen tells her. "You can grieve. That doesn't make you weak. You don't have to hide your feelings for everyone's benefit".
"I've moved on. Maybe everyone should too". Aisling takes a seat on bed. A textbook is opened and she begins starting on a history assignment, as if Kyleen isn't even there.

    Kyleen leaves the room. Aisling lifts her head and catches sight of the drawer. Where the envelope of pictures rest. She exits her bed, ventures over, opens the drawer and picks up the envelope.
       She proceeds to read and reread the sparkly blue gel pen label on the top right corner of the envelope. For the last few months, she had managed to fool everyone. But to herself, the uncomfortable rawness was still there. Then the envelope is returned to the drawer.