My Sweet Melody

AUTHOR'S NOTE AND A WARNING TO READERS: This story is about twins taking their relationship to new heights during a camping trip. Please read the Tags and make sure you are comfortable with them before proceeding.

This is my contribution to the Summer Lovin' Story Contest 2023 - So please leave a rating at the end.

All of the characters in the story are eighteen or older.

All of my stories are copyrighted, including this one.

--- MY SWEET MELODY ---

I had just finished high school, and by the end of summer we would all be off to college. However, before that big step towards independence, and the great changes that were to follow suit, a large group of my friends and I had organized a camping trip. One last celebration of our youth, and of our time together, before most of us would part ways and - tragically but realistically - lose contact with each other. Some of us would certainly remain friends, but we would no longer be seeing each other regularly, and things would never be the same as they once were. Despite this, our spirits were high. This felt like a time of celebration, and not a time for grief.

In total, there was 13 of us - a baker's dozen. All of us had graduated from the Cumberland Valley High School together. We had decided on a campground that was just south of the New Jersey Turnpike in Pennsylvania, as none of us were particularly prepared for a full-on wilderness experience. The campground had luxuries such as running water, and little poles near each site that provided electricity so that we could keep our cellphones charged. There was also bathrooms and showers in a building within walking distance, but otherwise it was a pretty authentic camping experience. We would sleep in tents, and eat the majority of our food cold, with just a hotdog on the side if we were feeling fancy. And, of course, there was plenty of beer to drink, and a town nearby we could visit to restock our coffers if necessary.

The original plan was that boys and girls would be sleeping separately. We had brought five tents, most intended for two people each, but you could fit three in if you made an effort. I was planning on sharing mine with Scotty, one of my closest friends, and an avid soccer player like me. However, not too long after we had arrived on the first day, and as we were setting up our little camping circle of tents around the designated spot for our campfire, my twin sister Melody loudly announced to the group that her sleeping bag was missing. She must have forgotten it at home, because I was sure I had seen it earlier in the morning before we departed.

"Don't suppose anyone has a spare one I could use?" she asked, but no one came forward with any offers. I could feel the eyes of my friends already on me, and knew they expected me to come to the rescue. They wanted me to be the hero. I didn't really want to share my tent with Melody, as I knew I wouldn't be getting any sleep with her constantly moving about, but it was hard to say no in the face of everyone else's unspoken expectations, and my sister and I were incredibly close.

"Why don't you just sleep under the stars tonight? It'll be fun." Sergei teased her. He was a jock type that had gotten a tattoo the very same day he turned 18, which he showed off every chance he got.

"Oh no, I already find the bugs creepy enough as it is. I don't want to make myself any more uncomfortable. If there's no tent to protect me then they'd crawl all over me." Melody replied with noteworthy disatisfaction. "Besides, camp sites are scary at night!"

"I'd happily crawl all over you" Mike joked. "Come share my sleeping bag with me?" This was typical Mike behavior. He took any chance he could to flirt with the girls, oftentimes in mildly or even majorly inappropriate ways.

"Very funny Mike. You're always so charming," she said sarcastically. "Think I'd prefer the bugs."

After it became clear that there was no one capable of saving my sister from her dilemma, her pleading eyes fell on me, and it seemed only natural I would be the one to help her out. I just sighed deeply, and although I didn't feel happy about it at all, I told her we could share my sleeping bag. At least for the first night, and then we could go into town tomorrow and buy her a new one. It was rather large, and should be spacious enough for us both.

"Just try not to drool on me," I added, then turned to Scotty. "Do you mind sharing tents with Sergei and John instead, then?" I didn't want to make my sister uncomfortable by having another guy in the tent with us. Someone that wasn't family. Scotty agreed, without making a fuss about it, and so the matter was settled, and Melody moved all her stuff over to my tent. Well; Our tent, now.

I was very comfortable around Melody. Being twins, we had experienced practically everything together, and I truly felt that I could talk to her about anything. She was the first person I turned to when I needed advice, or just someone to confide in. And, because she was my twin, I felt like I had the most accurate reading on her, as if there were some sort of special bond between us that gave us this sixth sense. It's hard to explain, but having a twin is almost like having another part of yourself - sometimes, I genuinely feel to this very day that Melody understands me better than I do myself. I'd trust her judgement on most any subject, even in the rare cases when they were to clash with my own.

After we had erected all the tents in a circle around the fire pit, with ample spacing in between of them all for safety reasons, we took care of all our tasks related to the campsite and were free to enjoy the rest of the day however we pleased. It had taken a while to set up because Olivia and Evie couldn't figure out how to put the frame of their tent into place, and everyone else had to stop what they were doing and help them, but soon enough everything was settled. The smell of a nearby fire in the air, the breeze caressing our skin, the occasional snap of a branch as a tree swayed in the wind. It was a truly relaxing environment. Melody had already dug up our little cooler full of drinks and was sitting in front of it. She was holding a bottle of Heineken, her favorite beer. As I sat down next to her, she handed it to me, and I gratefully took a big sip from the neck of the bottle.

"Thanks for letting me bunk in your tent tonight," Melody said as I handed her back the bottle.

"Just don't drool on me" I repeated.

"I promise, I won't.. Probably" she said with a giggle. We both looked at each other, and without another word we started cracking up. This was our typical relationship - there was a certain light-heartedness to everything we said to each other, and the way we acted around one another.

I think all of us were longing for the water, because the sun was scorching hot in the cloudless sky, and so the decision to head down to the nearby lake once everyone was settled in was unanimous. A few of us opted to fish meanwhile most just wanted to go swimming so we could cool off.

"What about you, Marwin? Are you going fishing with the boys?" Mike asked me. Yes, my name is Marwin. I didn't pick it myself, so don't give me a hard time for it. Anyways, I was practically overheating at that point and just wanted to go be in the water, so I declined his offer. Myself, Scotty, and a guy named Samuel went with the six girls, while the others opted to fish further away from the spot most of the camps attendee's had decided was the most suited to act as a sort of beach. It wasn't sandy, it was an open stretch of land covered in grass suitable enough to put down your towels on.

I sat down next to Scotty, whom had carried a bunch of beers in a cooler, now resting by his feet. He was already a little tipsy - Scotty was a massive lightweight. He was a very easy going guy, and didn't have any issues letting loose like that. I myself didn't drink much, but I popped one can open and celebrated the start of summer with my friend. We talked about our upcoming college choices for a little while. We would not be going to the same state, and I could honestly say that out of all the friends I had made at Cumberland Valley, I'd probably miss Scotty the most.

There was probably almost 50 or so people down by the lake. The camping grounds were fairly popular - and the large, mostly shallow lake was clearly the place to be. It also allowed myself, Scotty and Samuel the opportunity to check out the girls in their bikini's. Some were already sunbathing, others swam and splashed around. In short, there were a lot of hot girls here, both that we knew from our group, and others visiting the camping grounds. The entire lakefront was enclosed on both sides by tall trees, and so it felt like our little corner of the world. Away from everyone else, away from prying eyes.

"How come your sister is still single?" Samuel asked me rather bluntly. It caught me off-guard. She was down in the water, wearing a modest one-piece swim suit. She certainly wasn't the bustiest, or skinniest girl here, but Melody was undeniably attractive - at least, that was the way I saw her. She had curves in all the right places and the swim suit hugged her body nicely.

"I don't know," I said honestly, because there wasn't really any reason to lie to him. "Maybe she's picky." In truth, Melody had a very limited dating history. She had gone out with a guy several years prior, but that didn't last long, and never got particularly serious either. We were still kids back then, of course.

Now that we were both 18, and becoming adults, there was no denying that Melody had transformed into a beautiful young woman. She was a bit of a late bloomer and hadn't gone through puberty until fairly recently, but the changes in her body weren't unnoticed. She was slightly curvier now, definitely more endowed in the chest department, and had a larger butt to match. Melody was by no means overweight, but there was no doubt that her body had become much more mature. Voluptuous, even. And I wasn't the only one that noticed.

I wasn't jealous, though. I don't want you to get the wrong impression of me. I admired her beauty - even told her so to her face when she had asked me - but she was my sister, and there was nothing romantic going on between us. Although Melody could be rather difficult sometimes, she was family, and I cared about her, and always wanted what was best for her. So even if other guys at our camp were getting flustered over my sister, I didn't care. So long as they would treat her right.

"Maybe she's just not interested in dating." Scotty suggested. "Too busy studying." He didn't sound like he was sure about his suggestion.

"She does take her studies very seriously.." I commented.

"Almost like you're twins.." Scotty joked. I always tried hard in school, and he was well aware of that. It had always been important to my parents, and I had learned that if you want something to go right in life, you'd better have the discipline to stick to it. And my sister did have a tendency to act the same way. She was one of the smartest people I knew. She could even be quite cunning and a tad sly when she wanted to be.

The sound of the grasshoppers and cicadas in the trees almost felt like music in the background. Our spot under the tree wasn't outstandingly shady, but the wind still rustled the leaves and provided us with some slight relief from the heat. I took another swig from my can of beer. I felt this was a special occasion. We were celebrating the end of our childhood, and the start of something new, together with all our closest friends from school. If I drank slowly, I figured I wouldn't have any issues getting back up on my feet afterwards. Samuel was flailing around as a bee landed on his chest, and Scotty started laughing at him as he ran away, a look of absolute terror on his face.

"Marwin, come join us in the water!" Julia shouted to me from the water's edge. I had finished my beer by then, so it was about time to take a cooling dip anyway, and the girls were beckoning me. Scotty didn't mind, as he was now in the process of gathering his courage with the intent of trying to get some random girl's phone number - and besides, he seemed content to just keep hanging out with his alcoholic beverages regardless.

"Don't have too much fun without me, Scotty." I told him before making my way to the girls. Melody was already waist deep in the water, as were Olivia, Kristine, Nikki and Evie. Julia waited for me right at the water's edge and took my hand as I approached her in my swimming trunks, and she pulled me into the water with her. I yelped loudly at how cold the water was, especially as it touched my balls, but soon adjusted and relaxed in its crisp embrace. It was actually refreshing rather than freezing, once I got used to it.

Now, I should mention that my relationship with Julia was.. Complicated at this point. She was one of the most beautiful girls at school, a slender brunette with dark blue eyes and beautiful skin. She had quite a large bust as well, which drew attention to her. In comparison, Melody had a much smaller chest, but she had a more proportionate figure and a nicer butt. Still, there was something to admire about Julia's ass as well.

Julia and I were good friends. We had gone to the same school for 8 years now, and there were few girls that I found more appealing than her. Even now, on a holiday with no responsibilities to take care of, I could barely keep my eyes off of her body. It wasn't just her looks either. She was bright, bubbly, and fun to be around. Always smiling, with little dimples in her cheeks.

And perhaps more importantly, as sad as it may sound, she had been implying quite heavily that she was into me. And who doesn't want to be appreciated like that? It felt like the two of us would have ended up dating eventually if not for the fact that we were going off to college in just a couple of months, on opposite sides of the country. But I guess there was no harm in flirting a little while we still had time. She had been my prom date a few weeks prior, and we had shared a couple of kisses that night.

"Feels nice, doesn't it?" Julia said with a mischievous grin as I struggled to get used to the water's temperature. I smiled back at her as we continued to head out towards deeper water.

"It sure does." We were floating around now, our toes barely touching the sand beneath, our bodies bobbing up and down as we treaded water. The moment felt a little romantic somehow, with her being so close to me wearing her bikini, and the sun reflecting across the lake's surface, and her blue eyes glimmered as she looked at me.

Suddenly, I was splashed from behind, and the romantic atmosphere was ruined instantly. Melody had started a war. "You want some of this?!" she yelled at me playfully. "I'm going full Poseidon on you!"

Julia, whom was caught in the crossfire, squealed and splashed back at Melody. I retaliated as well. This carried on for a while before we all turned our attention to the much more important target - Nikki. She was a nice-enough girl but she was easily riled up, and the perfect victim for a splash war. She shrieked as we approached her and started our combined attack, and responded by splashing us right back. Then Evie got involved, and suddenly the whole group had been engaged in a massive splash fight. It was utter chaos, and a mess of limbs and laughter, until suddenly Melody found her chance and wrapped her arms around me from behind, pulling me away from the group.

"Come on big boy," she teased me, still hugging me. "I'll protect you from the other ladies!" She guided me to a spot away from the rest of the girls, into deeper waters. "Sorry I got you involved in all that," she apologized warmly. She was pressing her body against mine, and I have to admit that it felt nice. There was something erotic about Melody being so close to me whilst wearing something so tight, even if she wasn't trying to be inappropriate in any way.

"It's fine, I'm a tough guy, I don't scare easily." I said as confidently as I could. "Besides, you just want a reason to touch me." She blushed and let go of my chest.

"You got me there," she laughed. I grinned back at her. We had grown so close over the years, and I knew exactly how to tease her. "Anyways, how can I make it up to you? You know, for getting you all soaked."

"Don't worry about it," I replied, then added with a smirk: "Just don't drool on me tonight." I was making a thing out of it, repeating it again, because Melody was notorious for drooling all over her pillow whenever she slept, and she was a little self-conscious about that.

"You think you're funny, don't you?" she scolded me, but there was no malice in her tone, only good humor.

We stayed in the water for hours. Eventually, the sun was starting to set, and the girls started to make their way to the showers and bathrooms to get themselves ready for the night. Scotty was fairly wasted at this point so I decided to just keep him company as he tried to sober up with some water, and I went back to the campfire with him, which we had just lit. Some of the other guys were having a drink too, and John had brought his guitar, which was now out of its open case. He seemed to be tuning it.

There was a lively discussion over what we should have for dinner, and Adrian said we should just make some s'mores, and that no camping trip was fully authentic without them. That was hardly a healthy dinner food, but I think most of us were tired from being in the sun all day, and were content with just about anything.

"Do you think we'll ever see each other again after college?" Scotty suddenly asked me. His tone was somber, and he slurred his words slightly.

"Sure we will," I replied without missing a beat. "We just won't see each other every day. But we'll keep in touch."

"It won't be the same, though.." he continued. "We've been friends for 10 years, Marwin. I joined the soccer team because of you, you know?" He looked up at me with tears welling in his eyes. He really was drunk. "You are my best friend.. And now you're going off to college.. We might not see each other for years."

"Scotty.." I wasn't sure what to say. He was right. Most of the kids at Cumberland Valley High School knew each other from elementary school onward. The bonds between us were strong. "I know that things will be different, and I don't blame you if you think I'm being insensitive," I said, realizing my words were making Scotty feel a little uneasy. "But I really think that you and I have nothing to worry about. We go together like peanut butter and bananas." That was an inside joke of ours, and it got a smirk out of him.

"I don't want to lose any of you," he lamented, the fire crackling in front of us, the flames casting a red glow over our faces. I understood his pain, as I felt it too.

"You won't," I tried to promise him. "And who knows, after college, maybe most of us will return here to Pennsylvania? And if we do, maybe we can return here to this campsite a few years from now."

"Do you really think so?" Scotty asked with a childlike innocence. It felt like he just wanted a happy ending to this story.

"I really do," I replied with confidence. The truth is that I wasn't sure if all of us would remain close. I was not the best of friends with everyone in the group, and people like John were keeping us together in a way. Would Melody hang out with these guys if I wasn't around? Probably not. Would Julia? Unlikely. Maybe with John. But the truth is that while the group worked as a combined unit, I had never once picked up the phone and asked Evie or Nikki to hang out, for instance. But my relationship with Scotty was different. I trusted him more than any other. I gave him a pat on the back and tried to cheer him up. "But let's just enjoy our time right now, all right?"