There I was, floating as naked as the day I was born on this beautiful lake, the water at the perfect temperature, neither too cold nor too hot. The amber color of the late summer evening sky was casting an incredible shade on the surface of the still water. My eyes were closed as I listened to the sound of the wind rustling the trees that surrounded me, the smell of pine and sap drifting in with every breeze. I had just finished washing myself, and was now enjoying a moment of respite before returning to camp. Tonight was my last evening in this serene place, tomorrow, early morning, I would have to go back to reality, to start my new life.
As I floated there, I thought about how it had been my only real silence in years. No internet, no phone, no one else around to distract me, it was just me and mother nature and I was loving it. I'd just finished college and before entering the harsh corporate world I decided to take a week-long pause from my life, here in the middle of this vast forest.
I stayed in the water for a while longer, but the night was coming so it was time for me to head back to camp. I left the water, feeling the light chill of approaching night surrounding me. I wrapped my towel around my waist, grabbed the rest of my things and walked into the dense forest. It was a short walk back to the clearing where my tent was. I had found it on my first day, I was walking through the woods when I came across a dry, flat, patch of dirt with a small circle of rocks meant to make a fire in the middle with a couple of big tree branches that could serve as benches next to it. Somebody definitely arranged this place and used it as a camp before, but at that time there was nobody, which made it the perfect place for me to set up. The small clearing was surrounded by tall trees that provided a sense of comfort and security, like a tall unbreakable wall.
As I broke through the trees and entered the small campsite, I froze. There was a man standing near the campfire area, he had his back to me and was half-bent as he was looking through his bag that stood atop the makeshift wooden bench. Even from this angle I could tell he was tall with broad shoulders, he seemed much bigger than me.
He must have heard me arrive, because it didn't take him long to turn around and stand straight in front of me, a calm look on his face as if he was expecting me. He was easily a head taller than my 6 feet, with biceps that seemed like they would pop out at any moment from his worn green army jacket. He looked to be in his early 30's, tan skin, a bit of a stubble and a sharp jawline that gave him a commandeering aura. Everybody who would see him would call him handsome. And a man he was, the way he stood and peered into me with his dark eyes made him seem extremely manly. He wasn't like the boys I'd been in college with a few weeks ago, he was a real man, and he was intimidating.
"Hi," he said in a deep voice, breaking the silence. I stood frozen, dripping water onto the dirt, intimidated by his presence. I suddenly felt embarrassed as I was wearing nothing but a towel around my waist.
"So you must be the owner of this tent," he said, nodding toward it with his chin, unbothered by the fact I still hadn't said a word.
"Y-yes," I finally stuttered. In front of this Man, I had a hard time finding my words.
He was still staring at me, like he was expecting me to explain how I got here.
"I.. uhm.. arrived last week,.. umh - yes," I finally managed to get out. "I just finished college and wanted to go camping in nature for a week before I had to start working at my new job."
I added that in one quick breath - when he looked at me I felt like spilling all my secrets to him.
"Oh that's nice," he said, showing a small gentle smile for the first time. "I've been coming here for the last couple of years with my squad but this is the first time I saw someone using this camp."
Feeling pressured and awkward, I quickly understood the message and resigned myself to pack my things and move, "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know this was your campsite, I will move my things someplace else," I apologized as I walked towards my stuff on the side of the camp.
"Nonsense!" he said in a firm tone as he moved next to me while I was putting my vanity kit away, putting his strong head on my naked shoulder to make me look at him. The contact of his big strong hand on my cold dripping skin made me jump and raise my hands defensively in front of me, and with nothing to support it my towel fell to the ground, leaving me vulnerable before him.
Before I could take action, he picked up my wet towel from the ground and made no move to give it back to me, forcing me to cover myself with my hands as best I could. I looked up at him and a smile of amusement was plastered on his face, showing two rows of white teeth.
"You were here first, and we'd love the company, meeting new people is one of the joys of camping! Besides, this forest is big enough for all of us, don't you think?" he asked after opening his arms and gesturing to the forest around us, my towel still in his hand.
I remained still, slightly shivering from the early night breeze that was starting to envelop the silent forest. My hands were covering my genitals, and I was standing a bit crooked - instinctively trying to make myself as small as possible as if that would make me invisible somehow. But it was useless, his eyes were still on me, a curious look in them, combined with his slightly tilted head it seemed like he was trying to figure me out. When my eyes went to my towel he was holding once more, he stood back up with a sudden jolt, his eyes wide-opened.
"Oh! Right- I've got your towel, forgot about that!" he said, as if it had just occurred to him. And yet he still didn't give it back.
"You shouldn't be so shy, we're between guys!" he added, like this was the most obvious thing in the World. "Besides, here in nature it almost feels more natural to not be wearing anything."
I simply stared back at him, a dumbfounded look on my face. My whole body seemed ridiculous next to him, I seemed like a scrawny kid. In reality, he wasn't that much bigger than me, I am not Mr. Muscles but I do have an athletic build. It's just that naked before a real man, I felt very self-conscious and awkward, I just wanted to jump in my tent and wear every piece of clothes I owned. But I couldn't. I was scared to move and embarrass myself even more, and there was something more, something I didn't quite understand yet--something about him, the way he looked at me, made me want to impress him. Maybe even earn his respect. Maybe more.
