After the conversation with Yohan, Robin's life settled back into uneasy normalcy. Well, as normal as it could be when you're panicking about A-level exams, your friends still aren't speaking to you, and you're in this ambiguous relationship—or whatever it was—with the boy who caused the fallout in the first place. But the conversation with Lucy seemed to have eased things, at least for now.

     Isha and Amber had also managed to pull him aside for a private conversation to talk about what happened. While initially they had been mad, after a while there was an unexpected undertone of happiness. Especially Isha, who compared his and Yohan's situation to a manhwa she'd read. Though not knowing what that meant, Isha had sounded excited, so Robin didn't question it.

     In the end, they'd all mutually agreed that it would be best for Robin to keep his distance from the group for a while, at least until Jemma had cooled off. Both Isha and Amber assured him that she would come around eventually—though 'eventually' seemed like a vague and distant promise.

     Thing with Yohan were going well too. Now that he wasn't spending time with the girls at lunch, there was more opportunities to spend time with him. However, because of the fact Lucy had easily figured out their hiding spot in the politics classroom, and it was likely that others knew about it too, they had put a strict no-kissing-in-school rule in place. Although they both agreed that they'd rather not have another walking-in-on-us-making-out situation on their hands, Robin had really, really missed kissing him.

     Then, in what felt like no time at all, the Easter break arrived. The cold frost of the winter air was slowly softening into a light spring breeze. Weeks of endless revision had consumed Robin's world, and now he found himself packing his bags for what he had described to his parents as a 'camping trip with friends'.

     Technically, he wasn't lying. Yohan was a friend, after all. But the plural 'friends' definitely made it sound more like a casual group hang and less like a 'Hey, I'm going camping with one person, and it's kind of an intimate thing'. and more of a 'Hey, I'm going camping with friends to be a stupid teenager and get drunk in a field' thing.

     His dad had some reservations about the whole idea, but his mum was enthusiastic about it, which immediately vetoed any chance of his dad not letting him go. She thought he deserved a break after all his hard work and to 'let his hair down', as she put it.

     Plus, it helped that they knew Yohan now. And Yohan was right, they did love him. 

     "Mum!" Robin called from his bedroom, cramming the last of his over-prepared duffle bag shut. "Is the sleeping bag up in the loft?"

     "Should be, honey," she yelled back. "I'll grab it for you."

     "Thanks, Mum!"

     Robin took a step back, surveying his collection of gear. Two changes of clothes, check. Toothbrush and toothpaste, check. Snacks, check. Yoga mat—courtesy of his mum—that would have to do as a sleeping mat, check. And then, tucked discreetly away in a side pocket, lube and condoms... check.

     It wasn't as thought he was expecting anything to happen, but Robin knew it was always better to be safe than sorry.

     The truth was, the tension between him and Yohan had been building up for what felt like forever. It had been weeks since they'd last been intimate. Robin could practically feel his teenage hormones coursing through his veins like a horny overlord trying to control his body. Every glance, every accidental brush of hands—it was like the tension between them was becoming its own living, breathing thing. And it took every sense of discipline in his soul to not jump Yohan on the spot every time they were alone together. 

     He wasn't about to leave anything to chance. Robin had done his research, diving deep into Reddit forums over the past few days. He'd even... prepared. Shaved everything below the belt, which he'd managed—apart from a few nicks here and there, which he hoped would heal by tonight. And, well, improvising a douche from a water bottle he'd gotten at the school canteen, which was an idea he got from a Reddit thread aptly named r/twinktips. It wasn't his finest moment, but it would have to do.

     And surely, camping alone in the wilderness as a date was kind of code for 'I want to have sex with you,' right?

    Robin's train of thought was cut off when his mum burst through the door, sleeping bag in hand. He lurched forward, zipping the pocket shut where he'd stashed the items he definitely didn't want her to see.

     "Here you go," she said cheerily, handing over the sleeping bag.

     "Thanks," Robin muttered, laying it next to his pile of belongings. "I think I've got everything now."

     His mum surveyed the pile, her hands landing on her hips as she zeroed in on the books poking out of his unzipped rucksack.

     "Robin, dear," she said, with the kind of sigh that meant she was about to say something he wouldn't like. "You're not seriously planning to take your revision books with you, are you?"

     He shifted awkwardly. "Well, I thought maybe if I needed to, I could do a bit there? Or, like, what if the car breaks down and we're stuck longer than planned? I've got a schedule, Mum."

    "Sometimes, you're far too much like your father," she said, shaking her head as she pulled the books from his bag before he could stop her. "Look. Now you've got room for vodka!"

    "Mum!" Robin protested, lunging after the books, but she danced out of reach with a grin.

     "What? I thought that was the whole point of camping as a teenager—getting drunk, throwing up in a field, maybe being chased by sheep—"

     "Mum!" Robin scowled, flustered. "How am I the sensible one between us?"

     She shrugged nonchalantly. "You say sensible, I say boring."

    "Mum!" he repeated, this time with a groan.

     She laughed, placing the stack of books on his desk with a pat. "Okay, no vodka then, but no revision either. You're meant to be having fun this weekend, not burying your nose in textbooks. School will still be here when you get back. Take a break, alright?"

     "Fine," Robin mumbled, crossing his arms.

     His phone buzzed on the bed, and the screen lit up with a text from Yohan.

     "He's here," Robin said, with slightly more excitement than he realised, slinging his—now lighter—rucksack over one shoulder and grabbing his duffle and sleeping bag.

     "It's Yohan driving you, right?" Robin's mum called out as he shuffled down the narrow corridor toward the stairs.

    "Yeah," Robin replied, glancing back as she followed close behind.

     "Will you let me say hello? He's such a lovely lad, is Yohan."

     Robin turned halfway down the stairs, raising a sceptical brow. "Yes, but for the love of God, please don't embarrass me, Mum."

     She gave him an exaggerated look of innocence. "When have I ever embarrassed you in front of your friends?"

     "Constantly," he muttered as he reached the bottom step.

     "What was that, honey?"

     "Nothing, Mum."

     He quickly slipped on his shoes, feeling her hovering presence at the door. Opening it, Robin spotted Yohan parked behind the family car in an old, slightly rusted-looking grey vehicle. The window was rolled down, and Yohan's face lit up the second he saw Robin.

    "Hey, there's room in the boot," Yohan said, stepping out of the car. He grabbed Robin's duffle and sleeping bag without a second thought, heading to the back to make space. Robin noticed the backseat was already stuffed with what looked like a tent.

     Before Robin could respond, his Mum rushed forward, catching Yohan by surprise with an enthusiastic hug. "Yohan, lovely to see you again!"

     "Uh—hi, Mrs. Coy," Yohan stammered, awkwardly patting her back.

     "What did I tell you last time? Call me Mia! 'Mrs. Coy' makes me sound like an old hag," she said, feigning offence.

     "Sorry, Mia," Yohan chuckled nervously, glancing at Robin for help but not receiving any.

     "So, Robin tells me you just passed your driving test and are off to Wales! Lovely place, Wales. Brecon Beacons, right? Are you picking up the rest of the group—?" She peered into the packed back seat, frowning slightly. "Oh, there doesn't seem to be much room for the rest of your friends."

     Shit.

     Yohan, luckily, caught on quickly. "Uh, yeah! Lucy's driving the rest of them. We're meeting them there."

     Robin shot Yohan a grateful look as his mum's scepticism melted back into her usual cheery smile.

     "Oh, I see! Well, have fun!" She turned to Robin, planting a kiss on his cheek. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

     "I can guarantee I won't be doing the things you would do, Mum," Robin grumbled, giving in to her expected goodbye hug. "And that's a good thing." 

     With that, the two of them clambered into the car, Robin tucking his rucksack between his feet in the front seat, and Robin's mum waved far more enthusiastically than he would have liked, as Yohan carefully manoeuvred out of the parking space and drove off. 

     "Friends, huh?" Yohan teased as he shifted gears, the car merging smoothly onto the main road. "So, you invited other people to our date, did you, Robin?"

    "Ha ha," Robin replied sarcastically. "No, I just said I was going with more people. Less questions that way."

    "Ah, got it." Yohan smirked, eyes still on the road. "Smart."

    Robin glanced over. "So, your grandad let you borrow the car?"

     "Yeah, but only on the condition I fill it up with a full tank when I get back," Yohan frowned. "Which is fucking expensive, by the way."

     "I can chip in, if you want."

     Yohan waved him off, shifting gears again. "Nah, don't worry. With what money? I'm the one with the part-time job. It's fine."

     "Well, I get pocket money, so..."

     "Still, don't worry about it, Ro. I invited you, so I'll cover it."

     There was a momentary pause.

     "Wait. Did you just call me 'Ro'?" He peered at Yohan.

     Yohan cleared his throat awkwardly. "Um, yeah. It sort of slipped out. Sorry."

      "No, no, I like it." Robin grinned, his chest warming at the sound of it.

      Yohan shot him a quick glance, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "Well then, Ro, as the official passenger princess, your job is to give directions and feed me snacks. So, grab the Doritos from the back seat, will ya?"

     After grabbing the Doritos and feeding Yohan by popping a few into his mouth as he drove, they spent the next few minutes of the drive arguing over music—Robin had wanted something mellow, but Yohan, being the driver, insisted on playing his playlist, full of upbeat indie rock. Yohan won, of course, using the classic 'driver chooses the tunes' argument. Plus, he outright refused to play Taylor Swift in his—well, his grandad's—car. 

     The drive to Brecon Beacons was supposed to take around two hours, but it ended up stretching closer to three. Robin, living up to the stereotype that 'gays can't drive'—or apparently give directions—accidentally had Yohan miss a crucial turn on the motorway.

     Despite the detour, the journey became worth it as soon as they crossed into Wales. The scenery unfolded just as beautifully as Robin had imagined. The rolling fields stretched endlessly under a bright blue sky, dotted with sheep and cows that Robin excitedly pointed out every time they came into view—which became more and more frequent the closer they got to their destination. The sunlight, a welcome guest after the gloomy winter months, poured down from above, illuminating everything in a golden hue. Yohan even had to put on a pair of sunglasses to avoid being blinded by the glare.

     Though the air still carried the lingering chill of early spring, the sun's warmth felt like a long-overdue embrace. Robin sighed contentedly, feeling the weight of school and exams slip away, even if just for a little while. He'd never been much of a winter person. Rolling down the window just a crack, he closed his eyes, letting the sun warm his face as the wind whipped through his hair.

     The steady hum of the engine, the music, and the warmth of the sun all lulled Robin into a peaceful doze. He hadn't even realised he'd fallen asleep until he felt a gentle shake on his shoulder.

    "Robin, we're here."