9 years ago

Our parents visited us most weekends at camp. My mom and dad always brought me new potted plants to add to my collection in my cabin.

I only saw Xander’s parents once.

It was the week of Xander’s birthday, he was a summer baby, and he had been moody all week. Xander pasted on a smile, so the other kids didn’t notice, but I could see how sharp his eyes were. He was also more ruthless than ever in the arena.

Some kids were sent to the healers with fractured ligaments and broken bones. Eventually, Counselor Jacques benched Xander because he was “becoming a danger to others”.

Xander’s parents came on his birthday, the 1st Saturday of August. We were waiting at the shuttle stop in the blistering heat. Sweat beaded down my face and dripped on the ground, wetting the gravel road.

Xander wasn’t sweating. In fact, the heat didn’t even seem to bother him. He was, however, standing ramrod straight, fists clenched to the side.

After a few minutes of silence, he spoke.

“You don’t have to wait with me Kamille.” His voice was hard and hitched at every word. He was still smiling.

His eyes were wet.

I shook my head. “Of course I’ve gotta! You always wait with me when my parents are coming.”

Xander opened his mouth to reply, but he was cut off by the sound of tires rolling over the fine rocks of the road.

A car neared and stopped in front of us. It was a gorgeous, midnight blue, sleek machine. I didn’t know the name, but I still appreciated it nonetheless. It looked expensive.

Xander took a step back and I followed suit as the back door opened. Stepping out of the car were the two most beautiful people I had ever seen. The women wore a black pencil skirt and a pink ruffled blouse. Two diamond earrings hung from her ears and matched the diamond necklace around her neck. She was tall and had short, straight blonde hair that glittered in the sun.

The man’s face was weathered, but still handsome. He was taller than the woman and wore a black pinstripe suit. His hair was also blonde, and his eyes were a pale blue.

These had to be Xander’s parents.

Xander’s mother smiled at us, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Xander responded with an equally cold smile. Xander’s father just refused to look at us.

Xander stepped forward until he noticed his parents subtly stepping back.

“Mother, father, thank you for visiting.” His words were stilted and formal. I was very confused.

“Well, it’s your birthday Xander, you know we wouldn’t miss that,” responded his mother. Her voice shook, and she reached over to grab her husband’s hand.

Xander cleared his throat and they both flinched. He turned his gaze to me, grabbed my hand, and yanked me forward.

“This is my friend Kamille.” Xander’s mother gave me a friendly smile and extended her hand out to me.

“How do you do?” she said. I reached out and shook her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you.” My parents had at least raised me with some manners.

Xander’s father still did not speak.

We stood in awkward silence for a few minutes. Xander was still holding my hand, and as the seconds ticked by he progressively tightened his grip.

I gripped back just as hard. Something was very wrong here.

Unable to handle the cloistering, oppressive silence any longer I said, “Why don’t we give your parents a tour of the campground, Xander?”

Each blonde head turned to me and Xander’s blue eyes seemed to broadcast his gratefulness.

He stepped forward and motioned for his parents to follow. “I’ll show you my cabin first, and then the arena.”

“Will you be coming with us?” Xander’s mother said to me.

I looked to Xander for the answer to her enquiry and he nodded his head in assent.

“Yes,” I said, and his parents’ faces flashed briefly with relief.

As we all headed out to the campground, one thing was evident to me.

Xander’s parents were afraid of him.