Prologue
An excited twenty-three-year-old Sean Cayson Taylor loaded his luggage onto his black rugged Ford Ranger, all geared up to go camping at Lake Conroe near his hometown of Houston, Texas. Lake Conroe was a 21,000-acre lake in Montgomery County, Texas, where his entire final year batch at college was heading to. Although his fraternal twin, Stuart, also studied the same undergraduate program in Food Technology and Management at the University of Houston, he wasn't interested in this trip. Stuart's life revolved only around his best friend, Jaden Meyers.
However, Sean differed from his twin, being more outgoing, more daring, more outspoken, friendlier, and without a filter to his mouth, he instantly clicked with everyone. He had an amazing quality that enabled him to make friends within a second. His hairstyle, his tattoos, and his clothes meant the world to him, as he was exceptionally fashion conscious.
Whistling a tune, he started his truck and drove out of his family's home. He was glad that his ma, Hannah Taylor, and his dad, Henry Taylor, gave him permission to go so easily, with no arguments. He quickly escaped the curious glances of his younger siblings, an eighteen-year-old Daxton and a twelve-year-old Drake, and their lazy golden retriever, Timmy. Daxton's twin brother, Denver, had partied out last night, so Sean was lucky that he wasn't around with his weird questions.
Sean drove over to his best buddy, Victor Marten's house on the way. Victor and he had instantly clicked since their first day at college and had stuck to one another ever since.
"Hey, dude, why are ya wearing red? You'll stick out in the wilderness like a sore thumb," said Victor with a silly grin.
"I wanna stick out and get all the females to notice me," answered Sean, shrugging.
"All females?" asked a grinning Victor.
"Yup," answered Sean.
Victor glared at him. Maybe he, too, wanted to stick out with his new hairstyle, but he didn't stand a chance with Sean around. Not that he was bad looking, but his weird hairstyle and crazy sense of humor made the girls run far away from him. They drove through farms as they crossed the farm-to-market road on their way to Lake Conroe.
"Hey, look, she's checking you out," yelled Victor excitedly.
"Who?" asked Sean, getting off the road and stopping his truck to take a look.
"That cow," said Victor with a wicked grin, pointing at a fat cow, far away who indeed was checking him out.
"It could be a bull. How can you be sure from so far?" muttered a disgusted Sean.
"Oh, I can see her teats. Don't you know that I have binocular vision where females and their teats are concerned?" said Victor and Sean grimaced at him.
"Look, that bitch is checking you out," he said excitedly.
"Where?" Sean excitedly looked around, only to see a female dog staring at him. Victor laughed his ass off, seeing Sean's expression.
"Shut up or else I'll throw you out," yelled Sean, disgusted with him already.
They drove over to the campsite where there was a lot of parking space available. It was a waterfront RV site nestled on a hillside with gigantic oaks and pecan trees throughout the area. On the shores of Lake Conroe, there were 400 RV pads overlooking the lake. With all its amenities, it was a great place to spend a weekend.
Ethan Hughes and Andrew Barnes came over to greet them. They both were easygoing boys and the four always stuck to one another at college.
"What took you two so long?" asked Andrew impatiently.
"We were checking out some females on the way," winked Victor, and Sean grimaced.
"Really? Were they hot?" asked Ethan excitedly.
"Very hot," admitted Victor.
"Shut up, man. He's referring to a cow and a dog, a bitch actually," Sean said, rolling his eyes.
They all laughed and hit Victor jointly. "Ah, save me," he said, running away with them hot on his heels. The organizers blew their whistles.
"Attention everyone, occupy your vehicles please, six to share one," shouted Eddie Brown, one of the organizers. For the next twenty minutes, they all were busy selecting the RV pads of their choice.
"I'm staying in this one,"' said Victor, selecting one which was nearest to the water's edge. "Sean, come on over," he yelled. Sean pulled their luggage along towards their vehicle muttering curses at the lazy butt who lay inside watching him with an equally lazy grin on his face.
"Move your lazy ass," said Sean, and Victor shifted a little. Sean dumped their luggage on his head. He shoved them off.
"I'm tired and hungry," said Victor. Andrew and Ethan too came over with their stuff. Andrew produced a box of cookies.
"Where did you get that?" asked Victor, sitting up and snatching the box from his hands.
"I stole it from Browne's vehicle," said Andrew, and Sean smacked his forehead. "Let's finish it before he misses it." So they devoured all the cookies and crushed the box and stuffed it in a paper bag and disposed of it. "Need to be careful. What if Browne finds his box in the bin?" asked Andrew.
"He wouldn't go searching in bins," said Sean, rolling his eyes at him.
"Who else would share this vehicle with us?" asked Victor.
"I don't think anyone wants to share with us," said Andrew with a grin. They were jerks, and the girls watched them from afar. Guys were friendly with them but they didn't want to share a vehicle with them.
"Attention everyone, assemble near the boating pier, now," shouted Eddie Browne.
"Why do all his speeches start with 'Attention everyone'? I seriously have started having a phobia with that phrase," said Victor.
"Is it compulsory to go? I wanna sleep," said Andrew with a yawn.
"What the fuck, dudes! You guys sleep. I'm off to have some adventure on my own," said Sean, pissed off at his lazy friends.
"I'm with you, bro, " said Ethan. So they both jogged towards the Pier while the other two slept like logs.
"Do you think the lake's deep enough to drown?" asked Ethan.
"There have been cases of drowning here," Sean admitted. "But most importantly, there are crocs and snakes in the water," warned Sean and Ethan stared at him with his jaws dropped.
"Seriously?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yep," said Sean. They assembled near the boating pier, where many others were also waiting for Eddie Browne.
"What are we here for? A lecture or what? Keep the grounds clean blah blah," rambled Tommie Lee, another batch mate of theirs.
Maybe he'll just discuss the itinerary," said his girlfriend, Carrie Ann Reid.
"Attention everyone," said Eddie Browne, and everyone groaned. "We're assembled here to discuss the plan for today. In ten minutes we shall leave for the Sam Houston National Park. It's a 25-minute drive from here. Our buses will leave at sharp 11 o'clock. No private vehicles as parking's a major problem considering there are so many of us. You, yes, you," he said, pointing at Sean. "What's your name?" asked Eddie Browne.
"Sean Taylor, " chorused the group. Who didn't know the gorgeous Sean Taylor?
"Well Mr. Taylor, no red allowed. Only neutral colors for the National Park hiking tour. Is that understood?" barked Eddie Browne.
"Yes, sir," said Sean in the same tone, and many chuckled. "I feel like I'm in the military. He's taking his role a bit too far," groaned Sean, looking at his favorite red tee shirt. Many chicks of his batch eyed him and his tee shirt, too.
They dispersed after discussing the itinerary for the day, and Carrie Ann gave them a 'told you so' look. Sean changed into a military green tee shirt reluctantly. "I look like a tree in this tee," he pouted. Victor grinned at seeing him.
"You'll merge with your surroundings nicely," he said, chuckling. "Thank God it's not compulsory. I can relax and watch the pristine lake waters from the bed," said Victor.
"Lazy ass. You sleep, I'll hike with the chicks," said Sean, and Victor jumped up.
"Me too. I'm also going hiking with the chicks. Maybe I'll find a girl to get laid today," he said enthusiastically.
"With a batch mate? Uggh," said Andrew.
"Why not? Girls are girls. Whoever wants me, I'm theirs," said Victor.
"Right, beggars are not choosers," said Ethan, and Victor glared at him.
"What do you mean, huh?" he asked Ethan, throttling him.
"Aahhh, bro, I was just kidding," said Ethan.
"Stop all of you. The buses will leave without us," said Sean, picking up his backpack and heading off towards the waiting bus. The others followed him.
They took their seats. The buses left for the National Park at the scheduled time.
They spent the rest of the day hiking, hiking, and hiking. They were dirty, haggard, and exhausted by the time they returned. It was 5:30 in the late afternoon and Victor grumbled all the way back.
"You said there'd be chicks? All the chicks stayed away from the hiking trip, bro. I should have too," groaned Victor as his whole body ached from all that hiking.
"Let's go for a dip in the lake," suggested Andrew.
"No, there are crocs. I don't want to be a croc's meal," said Ethan. Andrew groaned. "Me neither."
"I can't walk nor swim. I can't feel any bone in my body," complained Victor.
"I'm going alone if none of you will," said Sean, rolling his eyes at them and walking off towards the lake.
Rituparna_Darolia
2020-11-03 18:02:09😊