"Hey there, all you wildcats!"

        "Wildcats? Really?"

        "Shush, child, you know nothing."

        The cameraman had to chuckle to himself before aiming the camera down. He took a deep breath to quiet himself. He said nothing as the two argued among themselves.

       "Do you know how many other groups use "wildcats" as a mascot? You're so creative," said one, a woman they called Evvie. "I did not get a degree to follow an imbecile around all day long and listen to faulty information."

        The other smirked at her. "Actually, I suppose you did, getting paid seventy dollars an hour!"

        "Hervey."

       "What?"

       "Taxes?"

        "Ah, who cares about that anyways?" Hervey paced around the forest clearing. "Hey, camera dude! Get over here, it'll look better this way!" The camera cut out, and the cameraman followed the arrogant man to the opposite end of the clearing. Dead decaying leaves crunched as Evvie moved to where she was supposed to be with the new change, and she glared as Hervey kicked up a pile. "Just you wait; once we get this series solid and popular, we'll be rich!"

        With a roll of the eyes, Evvie scoffed. "Sure, whatever you say."

        The cameraman set up the equipment yet again. Hervey was quiet for a few moments - too few, in Evvie's opinion - before he spoke up again. "If "wildcats" is overused, then what do you suggest I say?!" he huffed.

        Evvie shrugged. "I don't know, maybe you could say something like," she used a mock-like voice to continue, "now look at this clearing. Do you see the many wonders this world has to offer? No? Then come with me; I'll show you."

        Hervey looked at her. His stare was blank for a moment, then they lit up. "That sounds great! Let's do it!" He fist bumped the air as if he was a cringy twelve year old dork. The cameraman was ready for a while at that time, and Hervey gave another naive hand signal to let him know that they were ready to start the official recording. After the cameraman gave the ready, Hervey puffed out his chest and smiled directly at the camera. "Why hello there. Take a look around," he gestured to the clearing. "Do you see the many wonderful things this world has to offer? No? Then come with me; I'll show you," he turned and made his way down a trail with Evvie following.

        With the time to ponder her thoughts as they did the intro scene - consisting of them simply walking towards where the actual video will be performed - her eyes drifted towards the ignorant man. He has no idea what he's doing, so how can he act so confidently as if he knows everything? She wondered things like this constantly. Being insecure herself, she could never pull off the kind of intro that Hervey pulled off seconds after learning what to say. He's still an idiot, but I guess you could learn something from anybody.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

        "Now take a look at this," Hervey squatted besides a trunk of a dead tree, covered by fungi. "This is a type of mushroom; you see how it's in good health? That's because it's poisonous, so animals avoid it to avoid death!" Evvie scoffed and earned a glare from Hervey. He ignored her and continued. "So kids, remember this: don't touch anything if you don't know what it is, and even with that alone, do not eat something if you don't know what it is."

        Evvie muttered "well at least that's accurate" before she walked up behind him to say her line. "Now why is that?"

       Hervey smiled and winked at the camera. "No one likes a sick child!" He then got up and walked down towards another path, with Evvie - yet again - following. She wasn't sure where they were going next. The producer didn't give them the rest of the script. It didn't matter too much, they were told, since they decided to make it similar to a "reality TV show" or something alike. She felt slightly suspicious of what they had planned, but hey, she couldn't complain.

        The pay's good.

        There was quite a bit of time of walking before Evvie figured that Hervey had no idea where the heck he was going. "Hey, noob," she called, "where are we heading?"

        "Uhhm..." he hummed. He looked around for a few heartbeats. He turned around, shrugged, and smiled like a child. "I don't know!"

        Evvie sighed and rested her forehead against her palm. "I should've known..."

        They heard a noise, coming from neither of them nor the cameraman. Evvie looked around with worry, and for once in his life, Hervey showed genuine concern for their well-being. Leaves rustled. Breaths quickened. Fear developed. No one knew what was going on.

        Someone stepped into the small clearing they stood in. She wore a sling bag and sunglasses on her head, and her eyes were filled with excitement and anticipation. Evvie gave a heavy sigh of relief and collapsed to her knees. "Oh thank the lord it's you, Jerry!"

        The stranger, Jerry, gasped. "Evvie!" She ran towards her old friend and gave her a hug. "Man, it's been forever! I wasn't even told that you would be here!"

        "It's great to see you!" Evvie pulled away from the hug, and Jerry helped her up. "Why are you here, of all places? You were near the top of the class!"

        "Well-"

        An annoyed cough from Hervey interrupted Jerry. "Well this was a pleasant surprise, but we have a show to film!"

        Jerry gave him a slightly offended look, but Evvie just rolled her eyes and nudged her pal with her shoulder. "Don't mind him; he's just a high school graduate," she said.

        Hervey's eyes widened and glared. "Well excuse me, for a high school graduate who wasn't filthy rich, I have came a far way!"

        "So where are we filming?" Jerry asked. Hervey gave a pained look as he was flat out ignored, but neither expert acknowledged it.

        "I believe we have something to do with thorned plants?" Evvie assumed.

        "Alrighty!" Jerry cheered.

        Hervey forced a deep breath and a smile. "We'll be heading this way!" he said and scurried down the path so that they couldn't see his eyes tearing up. It's true; being ignored gives the equivalent feeling of physical pain.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

        Hervey stormed into the woods by himself. The two experts were left at the thorn bushes to give accurate information. He scoffed at the thought. Accurate information. He knew he didn't go through the trouble of university, but he was confident in his skills. So what if he didn't know the difference between perennial and annual plants? Why did that matter anyways?

        Oh yeah, he remembered, people actually care about that kind of stuff. He bumped his head against a tree and closed his eyes for a few moments. Why do I even bother? No one takes me seriously anyways.

        His mind drifted towards more darker thoughts. When was the last time I saw my friends? Do my old pals even remember me? If they do, do they even care? Where are they anyways? How about my family? None of them have called in a while. Then again, I was never really close with them anyways.

        What if my life is a lie? After getting honors in all my science classes, is it worth it? Do I really want to spend the rest of my life faking my knowledge and confidence? Do I really want to live a lie?

        He glanced over towards a fallen tree. I've always been a fan of nature. Maybe I'll find comfort when it's the last thing I see.

        Hervey took a step towards the dead tree. He placed a shaky foot on the end, closest to the forest floor. He looked up at the somewhat steep slope. He paused a few moments. When was the last time someone had shown care?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

        School bells rang. Students filed out of the building. Some were chatting excitedly with friends, some were waiting for the bus, and others began their walk home. Teenaged Hervey sprinted out of the doors. A few teachers yelled to try and tame the boy while other teenagers spat curses at the careless child. The thought of checking both ways before crossing the street was nonexistent, leading him to almost get hit by moving honking cars.

        It was just an average day.

        He raced up the uphill street and skipped steps leading to the door of a house. He knocked a cheesy rhythm on the door and waited while bouncing on his heels. The door opened and revealed a small freckled boy with a shaved head. "Oh, hello Hervey, how was school today?"

        "Fantastic! How was homeschooling classes, Emerson?"

        "It went well! Come on in; my mom is making some sort of fancy snack again."

        The small teen opened the door wider to allow Hervey in. He smiled, stepped in, wiped off his shoes, took them off, then followed Emerson up the stairs into his room. He launched his backpack on the bed, then followed his friend back downstairs and into the kitchen.

~ ~ ~

        "You're here later than usual. Is everything alright?" Emerson asked. He faced the window, leading to the darkening sky. The first of stars could be seen, and insects cried their songs as the day grew cool. On the average day, he would already be out the door at this time so that his parents wouldn't make a big deal about him going through the door after they came home from work. They always worked late, but this day, Hervey didn't seem to care.

        Hervey faked a laugh. "Of course! I just don't feel like taking the walk home yet."

        "Don't try me. Tell me what's up."

        Darn... Hervey thought to himself. It always amazed him how Emerson could read him like a book at any time of the day. He sighed and sat up on the bed. He looked around at the scattered homework papers, then down at Emerson, who looked back up at him with calm and concerned blue eyes.

        Hervey took a much deeper sigh before speaking. "I don't want to lose you." Emerson's eyes widened slightly. He sat up himself and looked at Hervey in the eyes, which were avoiding all contact. "I really don't want to lose you..."

        It was a while until either uttered a word. Crickets and other insects, filling the silence, chirped outside the open window. Emerson tried to think of what to say, but Hervey beat him to it. "I care about you more than anyone else. I don't want to lose you..."

        Emerson didn't know how to respond, so he simply said what was truly on his mind. "I'll miss you...I love you."

        "HERVEY!"

        The grown man's head shot up as he heard his name being called. He was at the higher point of the dead tree, near the end, and he saw Evvie running towards him. She panted and placed her hands on her knees. "Gosh darn it, get down from there! I don't want you getting hurt or accidentally doing something you'll regret!" she spat.

        Hervey looked down at her with shock. Hmm?

        She sighed with annoyance at his dumbfounded face. "What the heck are you doing, getting existential out here by yourself?! Didn't I tell you to come to me if you're hurt?!"

        Hervey didn't respond.

        Evvie took a deep breath and stepped closer to the tree. "Come on, pal. I'm sorry I got impatient with you-"

        "It wasn't that," Hervey interrupted. Evvie cocked her head at him in confusion. Hervey took some time to get his thoughts together. He looked down at the trunk before speaking. "I didn't mind your wisenheimer attitude or your sassy remarks. I was used to that. Heck, I enjoyed that," he paused. "But, when your old friend came by, I was reminded of my own relationship back at home - you know, the good old days." He looked up and smiled. "Those days were the greatest days of my life, simply because I lived them with the one I wanted to call mine forever." For a moment, life flooded through his veins. Pure joy enhanced his senses; it was as if he was traveling back in time to before Emerson was slaughtered by the cold heart of cancer.

        His smile dropped. His happiness crashed. Sorrow replaced the split moment of joyous history. "But then, it all disappeared." Hervey looked back down at Evvie. "Being ignored really hurt. I didn't mind rude comments or witty remarks, but being flat out ignored...it's not too nice." His focus zoned out. "It was triggering."

        Evvie had wide shocked eyes. She felt a crushing sensation in her chest as she recalled the stories Hervey had told her in the past. Guilt crashed through her corpse as regret took it's course. "Hervey..." she murmured, emotion evident, "I'm sorry..."

        Hervey stood still for several moments. Tension was rigid and motionless as time seemed to be nonexistent. Neither really knew what to do next. So, Hervey simply did what was on his mind.

        He climbed down the tree and walked past Evvie. She looked at the man with a worried look, but her shoulders sagged with relief as she heard his response.

        "That's alright. Let's just continue with what we need to do."