Name: Claret Etinstein
Age: 22
Appearance: somewhere between the sporty and sweet girl look. Long twin braids of blonde hair and warm brown eyes. Tall and slim, not enormously curvy. Just a hint of tan and freckles on her shoulders and cheeks

best image I can find for what I'm thinking.

( It's good. Thank you for making the thread. )
Name: Thomas Parks
Age: 22
Appearance: 198295.jpg picture by hilldill - Photobucket

Claret hefted her backpack up higher on her right shoulder. It wasn't an entirely heavy bag, but still large in size. They were only camping for a week after all and contrary to what most people thought of her, she knew how to pack light. In high school, she had developed a reputation as a prissy, popular sort and she wasn't proud of it. The second college started, she threw that fake image away and started playing soccer like she'd always wanted to. That's why she was about to go camping with a group of friends instead of getting wasted at the beach.

The sound of a jeep tearing down of the street had Claret's head whipping up from where she had unconsciously started studying the concrete, twin braids flipping from in front of her to lie at her back. She grinned and sighed in relief. Max waved from the driver's seat and she jumped in on the passenger's side, shoving her backpack in the foot space and pulled up her knees to rest her feet on the seat.

"Hey! Long time no see!" she exclaimed. He was a boyfriend of a friend that she had ended up getting close to. He went to a different college and was a couple years younger, though. Max nodded to her, then took off speeding again. Claret let out a laugh as the wind rushed at her through the open windows.

"I got a few more friends to pick up," he said. "People from my school, yeah. You don't know them, but don' worry, I'll introduce ya!"

(Max can be our character's connection, I think)

( Okay)

Thomas got his backpack ready and was waiting for a friend. He had always been the quiet nerdy kid in high school, but had become more social in college. That was why he was going camping instead of being by himself alone. He was looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting a few new ones.

By the time the jeep zoomed its way toward where Tomas was waiting, another heavily tattooed guy had gotten into the back, leaving only one more seat. Max stopped the vehicle and twisted around to give Tomas an energetic wave.

"Hey man! What's shakin? Ready for this week?" Max asked. He stopped babbling as he noticed Claret stiff in her seat, staring oddly at the newest passenger. Her brows furrowed.

"Thomas?" Claret asked hesitantly. She really wasn't sure it was him, but something about that face still brought immediately to mind the thought of her childhood friend. He really did look different though. But then, she probably did as well.

" Yep. I'm ready.Claret? Is that you?" Thomas said in the same hesitant tone. It had been a long time since he had seen his childhood friend.He then got into the jeep and gave a small smile to the passengers.

Max shrugged with a small smile, silent, but still curious to know how these two friends knew each other. Not two seconds after Thomas was settled in, he took off down the road again.

"Next stop, Bobcat Camping Grounds!" Max exclaimed. Claret wasn't listening. She had turned around in her seat to look back at Thomas. Somehow, after their second year of high school, they stopped seeing each other so much and with all the years of college between them, she had almost forgotten about him.

"It really is you," Claret said. "It's been...almost five years I think. Um, how have you been?"

" Been good. How about you?" Thomas asked. He had missed his old friend. High school hadn't been easy for him, since that was when his mom for sick. He didn't feel like being with anyone then and regretted pushing what friends he did have away.

Claret shrugged one shoulder and dropped her legs down from the seat and onto her backpack. "Oh, just been busy with school, friends, the usual." Really, life had been good and relatively normal these days. "It's nice to see you again."

"Been busy too. Where are you going to college? He asked." It's great to see you again too." Thomas added with a smile. He had a feeling this was going to be a great camping trip.

That got Claret to smile. Just thinking about college and it's near end made her happy. "I've got one more semester at Logan's Point University. You? Stayed on track with your studies?" she asked.

" I go to Fredrick University. I also have a semester left but am wondering where to continue my education.Definaly keeping up."He said with a grin. Thomas was going to be a lawyer like his parents had been and had applied to various law schools in the area.Though he hoped he would be able to stay close to this area.

Claret nodded. "After my last semester, I'm done with school. Just, so done," she said with a chuckle. Already she could feel herself itching with senioritis and a need to be done with school. "I need to start thinking about jobs soon I suppose, but I kind of want to travel some before I settle down." The only problem with that was the money required for such a traveling life.

" I so do I, but my uncle wants me to work for him while I attend law school." Thomas said. He always wanted to take a road trip but didn't have the money or the time to at the moment.

"Ah..." Claret said with a little wince. "Law school. I don't envy you at all." She had to think back some, but she still couldn't find a memory of him that said he wanted to be a lawyer. It must be something new then and she frankly found it unexpected. "Never pegged you for the lawyer type. We're you such a nerd before?"

" Sort of. I read a lot during high school and spent time with my uncle during the summers. " Thomas replied.

"Hm," Claret said. "Guess I just never noticed." She turned back to the front of jeep for most of the rest of the trip. They all joined in the conversation, talking and getting to know each other as the drive progressed. It took 45 minutes just to get to the woods and another thirty to find the camping ground itself. Eventually they did though and Claret hopped out of the jeep, getting in a much needed stretch before grabbing her bag.

"Ah, thank god we're finally here!" she exclaimed.

" I'm glad too. " Thomas said and streached. He volunteered to help set up tents. He had a feeling this was going to be a fun vacation.

"I'll help unpack the jeep," Claret said and moved to help Max take the stuff from the back. Tents, coolers, all the necessary things for camping that people didn't have in their individual bags. She passed the tents off to Thomas, smiling at him as she did so. Once she was finished with that, she plopped down on the grass.

"So what now?"

" We need to get the tents set up and then dinner ready. " Thomas said knowing the usual routine Max had on a camping trip.

Claret turned to Thomas. "Have you been camping before?" she asked. "I'm afraid I haven't. I'd help you set up the tents, but I don't really know how," she said.

Max chuckled at the two of them, interested in whatever past his friends had. "I'll help you with the tents, Thomas. Claret, why don't you help Jake get firewood and start up the fire." He fully intended to cook dinner over and open flame after all.

" A couple of times. " Thomas said. He got the tent out of the bag and helped Max and the others get things ready.

"Ah," Claret said. "I never pegged you for the camping sort. Back in high school, you looked even less likely to enjoy the great outdoors than I did!" She let out a laugh as she began to wander around the camp area, looking for the right kind of sticks for a fire. Jake wandered even farther away to get some of the bigger bits of firewood. Soon they had enough and cleared an area to start the fire.

Thomas laughed a little too. He remebered it was his uncle who had gotten him interested in camping. He finished up with the tents and went to help with the fire, and was ready to eat.

Claret tilted her head, wondering what Thomas was thinking, but she didn't ask. Instead she helped Jake start the fire as Max unpacked some food from the cooler, all wrapped up in little foil packets.

"Induldge," Max said, passing out wire pokers and unwrapping one of the foil packets to reveal hotdogs in an abundance. There were buns and toppings and cobs of corn to cook over the fire too. The very bottom of the cooler was a 12 pack of beer.