-eng- Camp With Mom And My Annoying Friend Who ... Guide

You look at Alex, who has dirt on their white sneakers and a smudge of chocolate on their chin.

Alex shares their last Nutella packet with you. Your mom wraps a blanket around all three of you. For ten minutes, there is no bickering, no gluten sensitivity, no TikTok music. Just the crackle of the fire and the sound of your mom trying not to cry because "this is what family is all about." -ENG- Camp With Mom and My Annoying Friend Who ...

Alex proceeds to play a single TikTok audio on repeat for forty-five minutes. You stare out the window at the trees, wondering if bears are friendly if you offer them a snack. You arrive at the campsite. It is beautiful. A lake shimmers in the distance. The pines smell like Christmas. For ten seconds, you feel peace. You look at Alex, who has dirt on

You consider capsizing the boat on purpose. You do not, because your mom is watching from the shore, waving a flag like she is directing a parade. Here is the secret that no one tells you. Around hour 40, something shifts. It happens when the sun sets behind the mountain and the fire actually works for once. The annoying friend stops being a caricature and starts being a human. For ten minutes, there is no bickering, no

You do not sleep. You lie on your inflatable mattress—which Alex accidentally deflated while trying to "fluff it"—and stare at the tent ceiling, fantasizing about your own bedroom, your weighted blanket, and the sweet silence of solitude. Sunrise comes. Your mom wakes up refreshed and annoying chipper.