Camping was something that my brothers and I had done quite frequently when we were younger. Summer holidays always seemed to include at least a weekend in a tent somewhere, as there was something special about sleeping under the stars and melting marshmallows over the camp fire. For a bit, our parents had even thought about purchasing a camper van, but it was an idea that never really came to fruition, so we ended up just sticking to what we knew- tents.

So my grand idea, when I had proposed it to Klaus, was that we used the tents we already had tucked away somewhere, and stayed at the nearest campsite we could find on google. The location wasn't important to us. All that mattered was that we could  create that fun atmosphere that always seemed to come along with camping trips.

However, something I hadn't considered was the fact that we hadn't gone camping in years, despite it being something we enjoyed so much as children. Which, in turn, meant that we hadn't used the tents in years. So when I dug around the garage and found them, they were dusty and slightly tatty looking. Not to mention they smelled like moth balls.

Our idea was to get Quigley and Violet to realise their feelings for each other through the use of forced proximity. It was something that always seemed to work in books and movies, and so it seemed like an obvious thing for us to set up. However, a mothy old tent didn't exactly scream romance, so I had to begrudgingly let that idea go.

Instead, Klaus and I had researched the campsite we were going to be staying at, and worked out that you could just hire tents. And- as an added bonus- they were already set up, so we wouldn't have to worry about putting the tents up and taking them down again. It seemed almost too good to be true, but we paid the fee and booked for the six of us (since Duncan had insisted we invite Liam). The pair of them seemed to be getting on well so I didn't mind that he wanted him there, even if the whole way we met him was a bit unconventional.

After breakfast, when I had told my brothers about the camping trip and then booked it, I cornered Quigley in his room.

"So," I said, chucking myself onto his beanbag rather inelegantly, "how was your evening with Violet?"

He looked up from where he was positioned on his bed, playing around with his phone, and shrugged. "Fine."

"What did you guys do?"

"Just watched youtube and stuff. You know... the usual."

I decided to push my luck a little bit more. "Did you guys talk about anything specific?" As soon as the question left my lips, I instantly regretted it. Quigley frowned slightly, staring at nothing in particular. Then he turned his attention on me.

"Why're you suddenly being so nosy?"

Trying my best to seem innocent, I blinked at him and hoped I looked equal parts surprised and confused as to why he would be asking that. "I'm not," I said, hating the fact that I sounded suspicious even to my own ears, "I'm just making conversation."

"Well if that's what we're doing," Quigley replied snarkily, "What did you and Klaus talk about last night? You know, I'm pretty sure turning up at his house late like that counts as a booty call."

"It does not!" I retorted, "And if that's what you define as a booty call, then did Violet not do the exact same thing?"

Quigley rolled his eyes, making sure to exaggerate his actions so there wasn't a chance of me missing it. "Whatever," he drawled. "She planned to come over whereas you made some dumb excuse to run off to your boyfriend as soon as you realised he was home alone."

"You're insufferable!" I exclaimed, pushing myself out of the beanbag and heading for the door. I had gone to him to get information, not to get into a teasing match.

"So are you!" He yelled back, as I slammed his door as loudly as I knew I could get away with while our parents were home.

I couldn't believe what he had implied. Actually, worse than that, he had outright called Klaus my boyfriend, even though I had no idea how he had come to that conclusion. The reason behind our meeting was to set our siblings up, not get together ourselves- although obviously I couldn't just come out and say that. It frustrated me to no end that I was still none the wiser to how Quigley and Violet were getting on. And now, on top of that, I was battling with the teasing comments that were going round and round in my head, hearing them echo and repeat themselves as I stalked to my own room, needing to be alone while I got over my newest bout of irritation.

I knew Quigley was just teasing as a reaction to whatever suspicion he was starting to pick up on- there was no way he actually believed what he had been saying- but I couldn't stop thinking about it, even as I tried to distract myself with looking at pictures of the campsite and the facilities, writing down what we might need to bring along.

Eventually I called it quits. Instead, I texted Klaus, telling him to meet me at the end of our street so we could go on a supply run. I figured that maybe actually going out and occupying myself would let all my new worries fade to the background of my mind. Anything was worth a try.

*

An hour later, Klaus and I were entering a shop called Extreme Sport Supplies, a place I had always considered to be incorrectly named. Sure, they sold equipment and clothing for skiing and snowboarding, and ropes and harnesses for abseiling or climbing, but they also sold fishing equipment and- weirdest of all- knitting hooks and yarn. I had no idea what world crocheting was considered an extreme sport in, but I supposed at least there was an accessible location where you could get those sorts of things, given that this particular outlet intersected a frequent bus route.

We had got the bus that left us outside the huge store just after midday, so the car park was fit to burst, and we had to dodge both cars and shopping carts as we made our way to the front doors. Luckily for us, the owners of the store also considered camping to be an extreme sport, hence why we had made it our destination of choice, and we headed straight to that department- bypassing budding surfers and scuba divers as we strolled through the water sport section.

I hadn't brought up mine and Quigley's disagreement- how could I? There was nothing Klaus could say that I hadn't already thought at least twenty times, not to mention what an awkward topic it would be. Klaus and I were best friends, so we naturally spoke about everything. But there was no point bringing up what Quigley had said and making him feel awkward as well.

Luckily, we had plenty other things to talk about- mostly things that had something to do with our newest plan. But I needn't have worried about that, as when we reached the aisles filled with tents, portable stoves and other camping equipment, we were greeted with something that blew all my other worries out of the water. Or rather, someone.

"Carmelita," Klaus and I both said quietly, throwing a cautious look at each other as to how best approach this situation. Klaus shrugged and we continued onwards, just hoping that she would be too engrossed in whatever it was she was looking at to even notice us.

She was accompanied by three people I recognised from school, although I couldn't recall ever seeing them hanging out with Carmelita before. For a moment I found myself dimly wondering if they had just recently become friends. That was, before we got a bit closer and I could hear Carmelita bossing them around and getting them to carry her shopping. Each of them had control of an overflowing cart, but still Carmelita barked orders to fill them with more and more items.

It shouldn't have surprised me that Carmelita somehow got people to ferry around her shopping for her.

I held my breath as we manoeuvred down the aisle adjacent to hers, hoping and praying that she wouldn't turn around. But hoping had often got me nowhere, and I inwardly cursed as her eyes landed on me. Her head looked like it was on a spring as she regarded me, Klaus and the couple of items we were holding in turn, clearly trying to piece together what we were up to. Then she smiled- a scary expression for someone as sour faced as her.

"I knew I could smell Cakesniffers," she sneered before gesturing to what we were holding, "and now it looks as though you're copying me. I'm such a trendsetter, aren't I?" When her entourage remained silent, she whipped around to them and repeated her question with malice.

"Y-yes Carmelita," one of them said, hands trembling on the shopping cart handle, "You're the trendiest girl in the whole wide world."

Carmelita smiled at that- basking in the compliment she had practically forced out of the poor girl- but given her demeanour, it just made her look like she was sucking on a particularly zingy lemon.

"Anyway," she said, "I'd better not see you anywhere near my accommodation, Cakesniffers. Or else it'll get all Cakesniffer-y."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Klaus muttered under his breath as we walked off.

Silence fell between us as we both considered what we had just learnt. We didn't need to say it out loud to know that we both agreed that Carmelita was probably going to be at the campsite with us, given our track record. And now there was nothing we could do but hope that our paths wouldn't cross for the duration of our trip.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter!! Also I might be posting some extra things for Valentine's Day so look out for those! ❤️