Chapter 12 – Wake-up-a-thon - Getting to Know Each Other
Time passed after the punishment; about eight hours had passed.
The wake-up call continued, the hours weighing on the campers, but no one wanted to be the first to fall.
After his performance, his singing, and his exhaustion, Cody had spent a good time talking with Noah and Owen, letting time pass with light conversation.
But now… I needed a change of scenery.
Without much ceremony, he stood up and walked over to Gwen, settling in next to her, letting out a long sigh.
Gwen looked at him sideways with a slight smile, a mocking tone in her tone.
"What's up? Are you tired of boys yet?" said Gwen.
Cody snorted softly, his expression relaxed but with a hint of mock suffering.
"It's not fatigue... it's survival. Owen's gases are lethal. I don't know how Noah's still alive after being with him," Cody said.
Just as he mentioned that, as if it were an inevitable sign from the universe, Owen let out a brutal gas, so loud that Noah immediately stood up and walked away a few steps, with an expression of pure betrayal.
"God... I'm going to lose my lung capacity. This isn't a competition anymore, this is chemical warfare," Noah said.
Cody shrugged, making himself more comfortable next to Gwen.
"So… I needed another dose of goth swagger to balance out the ambient toxicity," Cody said.
Gwen gave a short laugh, crossing her arms with a suppressed smile.
"Well, I guess I can help purify your air," said Gwen.
Time passed, but Cody and Gwen immersed themselves in a quiet conversation, with jokes and anecdotes.
"Okay, let's talk about stories. How did your life in the dark and mysterious world begin?" Cody said, looking at the fire with a relaxed expression.
Gwen looked down slightly, thinking about how to respond.
"I don't know if there was a specific moment. I think I was always more comfortable with what other people called 'weird.' I never identified with the cliché of the pink color and the glitter on every object," said Gwen.
Cody getting excited, resting his arm behind his head.
"So you never got caught in the princess and fairy tale phase?" Cody said.
Gwen shook her head.
"Nah. My childhood was more about cartoons, alternative music, and spending entire afternoons watching Tim Burton movies," said Gwen.
Cody approached approvingly.
"Maximum respect," Cody said.
Gwen turned her body slightly towards him, resting one arm on his knee.
"And you? What's the story behind the geeky kid who ended up singing serenades and making a TV show?" said Gwen.
Cody shrugged, his smile appearing naturally.
"I'm a normal city boy. An only child. My parents were always working, so I learned to find my own hobbies," Cody said.
Gwen looked at him with interest.
"What did you like to do?" said Gwen.
Cody made a little list with his fingers.
"Superheroes, anime, music... basically the whole gamut of geeky stuff. But I recently decided to work out. I wanted to try something new," Cody said.
Gwen raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"Ah, so that's where the muscle comes from," said Gwen.
Cody getting excited, standing up suddenly and doing an exaggerated Johnny Bravo-style pose, flexing his arms and sticking out his chest with a ridiculously confident expression.
(Imagine Johnny Bravo)
"Oh yeah, baby! All pure dedication. See the power of manhood at its finest!" Cody joked.
Gwen covered her face with one hand, laughing genuinely.
"Okay, that was the best thing I saw all day," said Gwen.
Cody sank back into his seat, smiling contentedly.
"The world needs more references to the classics," Cody said.
"Tell me something... How did you get good at drawing?" Gwen asked.
Cody blinked for a second before answering, his tone more relaxed.
"Ah... well, that has a story." Cody said.
Gwen bowed slightly, interested.
"Tell me." Gwen said.
Cody exhaled, reminiscing nostalgically.
"I used to like a girl who painted pictures. She was amazing, she had real talent. I wanted to impress her, so I decided to learn how to draw," Cody said.
Gwen gave a rueful laugh.
"Wait, wait. So your whole artistic journey started because of a girl?" Gwen said.
Cody shrugged, laughing too.
"I admit it. I was a simpleton in my younger days," Cody said, trying to imitate an old man.
Gwen leaned back on her knee, still smiling.
"I have to say, that's the most unexpected origin story for an artist. But I love it," said Gwen.
Cody laughed softly, looking up at the stars for a second.
"It didn't work out, by the way. I never managed to impress her the way I wanted. But I kept the art. So something good came out of it," Cody said.
Gwen turned her head slightly, watching him with a flash of curiosity in her eyes.
"Sometimes the best things come from failed attempts," said Gwen.
Cody gave him a look, his smile relaxing a little.
"Yeah. You're right." Cody said.
The fire crackled softly, the conversation flowed easily, and time passed between jokes, anecdotes, and moments of growing trust.
The campfire crackled softly, the atmosphere still thick with anticipation, but Cody and Gwen were comfortable, immersed in their own conversation.
"Do you want to know how I got into art?" Gwen said, looking at the campfire.
Cody pointing with interest, settling in better.
"Of course. After all, you've officially become my dose of stunning goth," Cody said.
Gwen gave a small laugh, crossing her arms.
"Since I was little, I loved drawing. It wasn't something I thought would be such a big part of my life, but I liked creating things that reflected what I felt," said Gwen.
Cody rested an arm behind his head, relaxing even more.
"Any key moments that would make you say 'Yeah, this is my thing'?" Cody said.
Gwen exhaled softly, remembering.
"There was a time when I went through a lot of changes, personal things. I wasn't feeling quite right. But when I picked up a pencil and started drawing, everything fell into place. That's when I knew art was more than just a hobby," said Gwen.
Cody ascended, his smile lighter.
"It makes sense. Sometimes the best passions are born out of difficult times," Cody said.
Gwen looked at him sideways, her expression softer.
"Yeah... I guess so." said Gwen.
A few feet away, Trent watched the scene with a tense expression, fire flashing in his eyes as he watched the interaction between Gwen and Cody.
Harold also watched with a mixture of discomfort and slight frustration.
"How much longer is this going to go on?" Trent said, puffing softly.
Harold glanced at Trent, getting the hint immediately.
"Yeah, it's about time the cameras stopped focusing on him so much," Harold said.
But the comment wasn't just about the cameras.
They both knew Cody was getting more attention than they expected… and not just from the public.
Returning with Cody and Gwen
Cody smiling mischievously.
"Okay, a school story I'll never forget," Cody said.
Gwen settled in, curious.
"Tell me." Gwen said.
Cody exhaled dramatically before beginning.
"There was a bully at my school, Dexter. Muscular guy, alpha male head," Cody said.
Gwen already anticipated that this would be good.
"Let me guess, he got you in trouble," said Gwen.
Cody river.
"He tried. During lunch, he came up to me like he owned the world, but I wouldn't let him. So he decided to make a public announcement. I jumped up on the table and yelled at everyone," Cody said.
Cody made a dramatic gesture, imitating how he did it at school.
(Basic reference)
"There are only three reasons why someone is a bully! Number one: their brain is underdeveloped like a Neanderthal's," Cody said, raising his voice.
Gwen burst out laughing immediately.
Cody continued theatrically.
"Number two: underneath that macho man, there's a fragile little princess in a pink tutu waiting to come out," Cody said.
Gwen covered her mouth with her hand, laughing even louder.
"And number three..." Cody said
Cody paused dramatically.
"Dexter has a small member!" said Cody
Gwen doubled over with laughter, trying to catch her breath.
"God... How did you survive?!" said Gwen.
"No running away. I was in a fight in seconds," Cody said.
But the real twist came later.
"In the middle of the fight, Dexter tripped and fell to the ground. And the worst part... his pants fell completely down!" Cody said.
Gwen burst out laughing, already anticipating disaster.
"There I was... revealing in front of the whole school what we all suspected. And then, I raised my hands and screamed..." Cody said, gesturing dramatically.
"Am I right or not!?" Cody said, looking at the fictional crowd with a victorious air.
Gwen dropped to his knee, still giggling.
"I can't believe you lived through that," Gwen said.
Cody exhaled, enjoying the reaction.
"And the best part... no one touched me after that. It was like I had deactivated their existence at school," Cody said.
Gwen shook her head, still recovering.
"You're a mess... but I love it." said Gwen.
Cody smiling contentedly, looking at the campfire.
The conversation continued, the night progressed, and their connection grew naturally, between laughter, stories, and confessions without being too personal.
The campfire continued to light up the camp, the atmosphere had become more relaxed, and Cody and Gwen continued their conversation, increasingly comfortable, more personal without feeling too exposed.
---
Gwen settled back, resting one arm on her knee as she looked at Cody curiously.
"Okay, but tell me... why did Dexter mess with you in the first place?" said Gwen.
Cody gave a light laugh, but with a flash of embarrassment in his expression.
"Ugh... this is complicated." Cody said.
Gwen raised an eyebrow in interest.
"Let me guess. A girl." said Gwen.
Cody shook his head with a resigned smile.
"Yeah… but before you say anything, I wasn't a simpleton this time." Cody said.
Gwen crossed her arms, waiting for the story.
"Her name was Roxy. Blonde, always with a lollipop in her mouth, a pink shirt and shorts. She had a carefree air, as if nothing in the world could affect her. But it's not like I was chasing her. It was my French teacher who asked me to tutor her because she was failing the subject," Cody said.
Gwen listened with interest, but she could tell something was happening in the way Cody avoided going too deep.
Cody was thinking inside about what he definitely wasn't going to tell her.
[I won't tell her what happened in Roxy's camper... or in her room... or in her school locker.] Cody thought
He shook his head slightly, focusing back on Gwen.
"But Dexter didn't like it. And, well, you know what happened next," Cody said.
Gwen gave a small laugh, shaking her head.
"You're a magnet for chaos, you know that?" said Gwen.
Cody smiling carefree.
"Yeah. It's part of my charm," Cody said.
After Cody's story, Gwen decided to share one of her own school experiences.
"Well, if we're talking about memorable moments in school... there was one time I almost got suspended for something I didn't even do," Gwen said.
Cody leans in with interest.
"Tell me." Gwen said.
Gwen sighed, remembering.
"There was a group of kids who played with acrylic paint in the art room. They were messy, but the teacher never said anything to them. One day, someone spilled a can of black paint on the teacher's desk... and guess who got the blame?" said Gwen.
Cody blinked.
"Let me guess... you." Cody said.
Gwen spreading her hands dramatically.
"Obviously. Why? Because according to them, 'Goths must love black paint,'" Gwen said.
Cody gave a rueful laugh.
"That's completely absurd!" said Cody.
Gwen nodded with a smile.
"I know. But in the end, I stood up for myself. I ended up convincing the teacher to check the hallway cameras, and there was evidence. But still... no one apologized," Gwen said.
Cody bumped his fist into his palm.
"Absolute injustice," Cody said.
Gwen laughed softly.
"Yes, but it was one of those moments where I learned to deal with stereotypes. In the end, it only made me stronger," said Gwen.
The conversation changed course, moving towards something more relaxed.
"I always wanted a wolf. Or at least a wolfdog." Cody said.
Gwen looked at him with a mixture of surprise and approval.
"That's great. You need a lot of room for one, though," said Gwen.
Cody nodded.
"I know. They're imposing yet fascinating creatures. Dignified, loyal, yet wild," Cody said.
Gwen smiled slightly.
"I always thought wolves represented freedom. I like animals like that, the ones that can't be completely domesticated," said Gwen.
The conversation continued, exploring more personal topics, but without getting too deep.
They talked about books, about music, about what it was like to grow up with their own ideas about the world.
And somehow… time kept moving forward, but they didn't feel it.
Gwen's Confessional
Gwen exhaled softly, looking at the camera with a serene expression, but with a slight glint in her eyes, as if she was processing more than she was willing to say.
"Four hours. Four hours talking to Cody. I don't know if anyone else could handle it for that long, but for me... it went by too fast," Gwen said.
Gwen crossed her arms, her gaze drifting for a moment before she let out a small snort.
"What can I say? I was surprised. I thought it would be the typical conversation, but in the end... it was more than that," said Gwen.
His tone remained neutral, but his body language betrayed an internal conflict.
"Cody is different than I saw him before. He's not just someone who seeks attention with his constant energy... he has something more. Something that makes him easy to talk to, as if time doesn't exist when you're in a conversation with him," said Gwen.
Gwen blinked slowly, exhaling as if she wanted to release thoughts she shouldn't verbalize.
"And... I know what that means. I know perfectly well." said Gwen.
His posture tensed for just a second before he shook his head.
"But I'm not going to say it here. I don't need anyone to start jumping to unnecessary conclusions," Gwen said.
Gwen glanced at the camera, a hint of defiance in her gaze, as if she were holding back words she didn't want to let out.
"I guess... some things should be kept out of the spotlight," said Gwen.
Gwen barely made a sound, but said no more.