What it takes to be Happy

Chapter 1

It was the same routine every year, the car would drive up to the edge of the camp property, Max would get out with a small backpack, then the car would speed off in a cloud of dust and Max would start the long walk up the dusty gravel trail that lead to the entrance to Camp Campbell. David had watched it happen the last two years with mild interest, of course he cared for all his campers and wanted the best for them, but Max had always stood out to the him the most especially after Parent's Day last year. This year was different though, David could tell…. something was off, and he was going to find out what.

The first thing that really stuck out to David was Max's lack of interesting in doing camp activities, or more specifically ruining camp activities with Neil and Nikki. Usually the three of them were always running around with some mischievous plan up their sleeves. Today though, Nikki and Neil were off down by the lake with not hide nor hair of Max in sight. That was when David knew that something was up, it was unlike Max to not be with them. He ambled his way down to them, "Hey you two, where is Max at?" "Hey David!" Nikki shouted as she turned away from Neil to run up to David. "Max said he wanted to just chill in his tent for the day, something about showing you mercy for today…or something like that." Neil said turning to look up at David. "Alrighty then! Why don't you two go on over and join the other campers for a while? I told Gwen and them to start gathering wood so that we could have a big bonfire this evening!" David in his overly chipper voice. "Aww yeah, fire!" Nikki screamed jumping up and down before turning to Neil and grabbing his hand "Come on Neil, we've got to find the best wood to burn so that the fire gets really big!" With that the two were off, Neil shouting various curse words as Nikki dragged him off towards the dense forest.

Having taken care of Neil and Nikki from trying to stop him, David turned and headed in the direction of Max's tent, set on seeing firsthand what was really going on. "Max?" David asked shifting from side to side on his feet outside of Max's tent. "Can I come in Max?" "No!" Max shouted back angrily "Just…. just shut the fuck up and go away, okay?" he continued albeit sounding more hoarse than angry this time. "Come on Max… I just want to check on you! We're going to be doing a giant bonfire tonight and Gwen and all the campers are out searching for wood. I even was able to convince Neil and Nikki to help out, don't you want to at least join them?" David asked in a peppy but almost pleading voice. "Look I'm fine David, so why don't you just run along and bother some other poor fuck with your worrying." Max whispered back to David in what sounded like a begging voice. "You certainly don't sound fine to me Max, you leave me no choice if you won't cooperate with me then I'm coming in!" David shouted, pushing open the tent's flap and stepping inside. He turned to his right to see Max curled into a ball on his cot facing the tent's back wall. "I told you not to come inside." Max said, curling up in more on himself as if it was possible. "Max, you can't just stay in your tent the entire day, it's not okay." David replied sitting down on the end of Max's cot. "Come on buddy, what's going on?" "Why can't you just leave me the fuck alone...huh David? Is that so much to fucking ask for?" Max asked, rolling around to look up at David. "Yes, Max. As your camp counselor, it's my job to make sure you're okay at all times. I wouldn't be doing my job right if I didn't." David said looking down on Max with worry evident in his eyes. "Well you've checked on me now and I'm fine so why don't you just leave me alone and we'll call it a day okay?" said Max sitting up and glaring at the end of his cot. "Max…." David whispered reaching a hand towards Max's arm, surprised when Max yelped in pain at the contact. "Ouch! What the fuck David?! Warn a guy before you go grabbing them would ya?" Max glaringly replied shooting daggers at the counselor. "Woah! I'm sorry Max but I didn't grab you that hard…." David anxiously replied giving Max a confused look. "Yeah…. well maybe you don't know your own strength ever think of that?" "Max, I don't believe that's the case here, did you get hurt? Is that why you don't want to hang out with your friends today?" David questioned turning further onto the cot to get a better look at Max. "No, okay? I told you I was fine! Now leave me the fuck alone!" Max growled turning away from David and scooting further across the cot wincing with every bit of movement made. "Max this is serious! You don't look okay to me and your obviously hurt." David said in what sounded to Max like an angry tone "Now are you going to tell me what happened or am I going to have to call your parents?" Max's whole body whipped around to face him and David watched as Max's eyes widened, his face turning as white as the bedsheets below the two of them.

"Please…." Max whispered with the most pained look David had ever seen on his face tears creeping up into the corner of his eyes "…. please David…don't call my parents…" With another concerned look and a sigh David gently placed his hands-on top of Max's shoulders and looked him in the eye "Then you need tell me what's going on, or at least show me where your hurt at…." The relief on Max's face was evident though David could still read the intense nervousness in his eyes. "Fine…. just…just don't freak out okay?" Max pleaded as his hands reached for the corner of his favorite blue jacket. "I promise, scouts honor" David replied holding up his hand in the form of a pledge. Max snorted at that, the tension in him lifting a bit even at the weight of what he was about to do churning around inside of his chest. "Of course, you were a scout." He replied rolling his eyes at the small smile on David's face. "Okay." Max sighed out as David's face took on its serious expression again. Ever so slowly Max pulled his jacket up over his shorts, then his navel, and eventually over his head. David gasped at the sight before him and Max felt his stomach sink six feet into the ground.