More friends

We reached some kind of recreational center; a hub with a little restaurant, café, swimming pool, playgrounds and a large courtyard. Isaac led me to a bright wooden picnic table where two boys were sitting. They were too preoccupied with a gameboy to notice us walking up to them, and only looked up when Isaac announced;

'Stephen, I'd like you to meet my friends; Dirk and Paul. The fat one is Dirk, and the dumb-looking one is Paul.'

I looked at them. Dirk was indeed a little larger than average, but not fat by any means. He had half-long black hair and dark-brown eyes which looked at me suspiciously. From what I can tell he was a geek, and a very intelligent one at that. But he didn't seem very pleasant.

Paul on the other hand seemed much more friendly with his bright red hair and hazy green eyes. He looked at me with vague disinterest, as if he didn't really understand what was going on. I knew right away what Isaac had meant with "dumb-looking".

'Found another one, eh?' Dirk said, looking from me, to Isaac. 'Is he as thick as he looks?'

'He can be,' Isaac smiled. 'But I think he will surprise us in the end.'

'Pleased to meet you, Stephen,' Paul smiled, holding out his hand. 'Welcome to club.' I shook his hand, then extended it towards Dirk, who begrudgingly took it as well.

'I hope you're not one of those religious freaks we seem to find here so much,' Dirk grunted, giving me a disapproving look.

'I'm not,' I answered simply. 'In fact, I researched a lot of atheist philosophers actually.'

Isaac and Dirk instantly burst out laughing, while Paul looked at me sympathetically. 'Good, good,' Isaac said. 'That's a start. Who did you research?'

'Christopher Hitchens, Stephen Fry, Nietsche, John Locke, just to name a few,' I answered instantly, unperturbed by their seemingly mocking laughter.

'Ah well, you started off right,' Isaac told me, a little impressed. 'Most people here have never heard those names.'

'It was quite a struggle to find them, actually,' I explained. 'My parents think computers are the work of the devil.'

'Idiots...' Dirk muttered darkly.

'Ain't that relatable,' Isaac told me, ignoring Dirk. 'I'm glad you did your research though. It seems like religious people want to withhold as much information as possible, like they're scared we'll find out the truth. Doesn't seem like they're very much convinced themselves, are they?'

'I guess you're right,' I answered smiling. I finally felt like these people really understood my struggle, and I was very glad to find them.

'Well, guys, Stephen is new here since today. How about we give him a warm welcome to this lovely camp?'

Bright smiles appeared on Dirk and Paul's faces when they heard this, as if they knew exactly what Isaac had meant.