Chapter Text
Chapter One: Homecoming
"Lexi! Alexis Trainor!" I yelled flailing my arms, trying to get the attention of the blonde girl across the soccer field.
"Holy shit! Is that Savannah Lyons!" I heard her scream back.
We immediately started running so we could throw our arms around each other. We rocked from side to side and she held me tighter with every second.
"I missed you so much," Lexi whispered.
"Lexi, you have no clue," I chuckled as I let her go.
Lexi Trainor has been my best friend since we were eight years old. Pearl Lake Summer Camp has been our home since we were eight years old.
We are the only two people who have been here for over ten years, so we have been through it all together. Through every cute boy, every mean girl, and every counselor who was deemed 'iconic' by Pearl Lake standards.
Even though Lexi and I didn't see each other from September to May, our friendship never ever changed. We would still act like sisters who had never spent a day away from each other in their lives.
"Did you hear?" She asked as we both unpacked my suitcase. She would always take the cutest items to put in her own drawer.
"Hear what?" I replied, "You could be talking about anything, Lex."
"Apparently the guy who's replacing Louis is hot," she grinned sitting on my bed with a shirt in her hands, "you know what that means."
"Yes, I know what that means. He's going to be my co-counselor," I replied not even making eye contact with her while I took my shirt back. She giggled and pushed me around.
I had been the head of the eleven year old girl cabin for three years now and Louis Tomlinson had been my co-counselor since I started. I was going to miss him a lot. Louis and I had a rhythm at this point. We could speak without words. I was nervous that the new guy was going to ruin the routine I had been in for the past three years, but if everyone said he was hot how bad could it possibly be?
"Come on! Are you not excited?" She asked.
Lexi was the biggest advocate of getting together with a guy just because he's cute. I never felt the same way. Especially not at camp. To me, camp was sacred, something not to be messed with.
"Do you think this new guy could help you get over the whole Michael situation?" She asked.
"Oh, shut up!" I exclaimed sitting with her.
"Sav, it's been three years. Everyone else has flings. Except you of course," she said as I sat with her.
I had only ever had a 'fling' with one guy at Pearl Lake Summer Camp. His name was Michael. I was sixteen and he was seventeen. I fell for him from the moment I saw him. I was never the same after that summer.
"Has it ever occurred to you that I just don't find anyone attractive?" I asked.
"No, because I know that's not true!" She exclaimed, "I know for a fact that you thought Lucas from two years ago was so hot, but you didn't do anything because of Michael.
This was my last summer as a counselor. I was nineteen, about to be a sophomore in college. After this year, I had to get a 'real' job. Camp couldn't be an escape anymore. As much as I hated to admit it, Lexi was right. I would so much rather have a positive romantic record at camp than the one I have now.
"Fine, fine. You're right. I do finally need to get over it," I sighed standing and helping her up with me.
"Okay, perfect," Lexi grinned, "I have a plan for you this summer."
"If I don't think the new guy is hot nothing is happening," I replied.
"Fine, but if you do. You have to at least make a move! There is no reason for you not to try. It's not like you'll see him next year."
So we were already starting with the last year at camp comments. I took a deep breath. That was a pill I was going to swallow in two months. I didn't have to think about it quite yet.
"I agree. It's about time I get over the freak of a boy that Michael was," I replied taking her hand. She giggled and pushed me.
"I've been telling you this!"
"Okay, then when is my new prospect getting here? I have to take some notes," I joked. She started giggling.
"I'm sure Paul knows, we haven't been told yet. It's probably the same as last year," she replied.
"Paul! Paul! When are the new people coming?" I asked our director.
"New kids don't come until 4:00. Get your head in the game, Lyons, you know that!" He chuckled wrapping an arm around me and messing up my hair. I pushed him away laughing.
"How could I be so stupid?" I mocked as we walked towards the main cabin.
"Oh, Savvy," someone sang from behind me. I turned to see Brielle walking with Liam and Lexi. Brielle Devons and Liam Payne are the only two other people who have been here almost as long as Lexi and I.
I met Brie when I was nine and Payno came the following year. Every year all four of us came back, summer felt normal, it was right. We made it good.
"Brie, Liam, how were your senior years?" I asked putting an arm around the two of them.
The two of them had known each other since before they could speak and you could tell. They argued like siblings but loved each other like best friends.
"Oh, they were great, Savs. I assume Lexi told you the big news?" Brielle replied.
"About the guy replacing Louis?" I asked.
"Oh, Niall!" Liam exclaimed, "I hear he's awesome, really, I've also been told he's quite attractive.
"How do you know him?" I asked.
"He's from the town over. He played soccer. I think he's a year older than you," Liam told me.
"I have no clue how he found out about Pearl Lake, but, hey, he's here now."
"So he's from Massachusetts?" I assured.
"Yeah, I think he's from Somerville. But it could be Belmont or Medford or something. He lives around me that's all I know," Liam replied. I nodded.
"Don't you guys agree that she should so totally make a move on him?" Lexi asked.
"I don't know it would be the first guy since Michael. Is that a good idea?" Brielle asked opening the door.
"I think he's overstayed his welcome at Pearl. We shouldn't even talk about him this year," Liam replied. I shook my head.
"I told Lexi I'd make a move if I thought he was attractive. There's nothing I can do if I don't think he's hot," I explained to Brielle.
"That's fair enough," she said, "it's not your fault if you don't like him."
The first day of camp always came with an excruciatingly long 'veteran orientation meeting'. I would never understand why we didn't wait until the new kids got here.
"Moving on. This year there's only one new counselor. I don't want you all making him feel like an outsider, so please do your best to make him feel at home at Pearl Lake," Paul told us.
"Isn't Sav his co-counselor? Trust, he'll be a veteran within the week," Harry, the eight year old boy counselor chuckled from across the table.
"He'll be fine, I'm sure," Paul agreed, "but just remember all of your first years. Remember how the people before you made you feel at home. Do that for him."
After Paul finished the first day meeting there were minutes until Niall would be here. While Liam and I talked about his senior prom, Lexi was freaking me out.
"What if he's really annoying? Or a dick? What if he's not actually hot and you don't like him? What if-"
"Lexi, it'll be fine. It's just a guy who won't affect how awesome this summer is going to be," I replied cutting her off. I genuinely believed that. He was just a guy.
"You're right," she replied, "he literally does not matter at all. In fact, maybe you shouldn't even make a move on him at all!" She exclaimed.
"Lex, it's okay, calm down. There is no need to get worked up," I chuckled rubbing her back.
Lexi would get anxious about things that never truly mattered. She would always think things matter much more than they do This was one of them. Whether or not Niall and I got along would not matter in the grand scheme of things. Sure, we would spend a lot of time together, but we didn't need to actually be friends.
The main cabin door opened and in walked a boy I had never seen before. Niall Horan. He was around 5'8" and had long blonde hair. He looked like he was around nineteen years old.
"Hey! Come on over!" Paul smiled ushering Niall to come to the table.
I felt bad for him immediately. Here he was entering into a group of eleven people who have worked together for summers. We had inside jokes, we knew camp like the back of our hands, and we knew the campers like they were our kids. He was going in blind.
"Uh, hey, I'm Niall," he said, "I am taking over for Louis Tomlinson, so eleven year olds." Oh, so he knew Louis. That's how he found Pearl Lake.
"Louis was a great counselor, so him being your link to Pearl Lake is a great connection," Paul told Niall.
There was some awkward small talk between Niall and everyone before Paul decided it was time to settle down.
"Perfect," Paul grinned, "Savannah, introduce yourself and take him to the cabin." I stood slowly causing Niall to stare at me.
"Good luck," Lexi chuckled pushing me.
"Shut up," I mumbled hitting her back.
I took a deep breath before starting towards Niall. This one interaction was going to set the stage for the rest of summer.
"Hey, I'm Brigid," I smiled holding out my hand.
"Niall," he replied shaking it, "it's really nice to meet you."
I started to lead him to the eleven year old cabin. We were silent. I could tell that both of us felt awkward, but didn't know how exactly to break the ice.
"I heard you're from Massachusetts," I said breaking the silence.
"Yeah," he replied softly, "I'm from Somerville. You know right outside of Boston?"
"I'm from Mass too, just about five minutes from Gillette Stadium," I replied.
"Oh, awesome," he smiled awkwardly, "I know exactly where that is."
"Okay, the rundown of Pearl Lake," I began like I was a college tour guide who was a little too excited to show a perspective student the library.
"These are the two rows of cabins. We go from eight to thirteen years old. We are in that one," I pointed down the left row and he nodded.
"Down that path are the fire pits and lake. Past the cabins are the art barn, basketball courts, and tennis court." We were standing on the porch of the eleven year old cabin.
"Back towards the main cabin is the dining hall, flag pole, stage, and forest trails." I pointed to our right.
"Finally, that way," I pointed straight ahead of us, "are the fields where we do full camp games and archery."
"Any questions?" I asked.
"I am going to need the tour about five more times before I know where anything is," he chuckled.
"Fair enough," I replied opening the door to the cabin, "it's an intricate camp, there's a lot to go over."
"The hallway goes down to the shared bathroom. On the right is the girl's room and you guys are over here to the left," I smiled opening the door. In each room there were ten sets of bunk beds along with a single bed at the end of the room.
"You're down there," I told him pointing to the head of the room.
"I have an assistant counselor right?" He asked.
"Yeah, but assistants and C.I.Ts don't come until tomorrow. You'll be in charge of eighteen boys," I told him.
"God," he mumbled, "what did Louis get me into?"
"Louis was my partner for three years. Those are some big shoes to fill," I told him as he unpacked some of his belongings.
"Trust me. Louis has told me everything there is to know about you, Savs," he replied, "he told me that I was in good hands." Savs. So he decided we were already best friends.
"He's right. I won't let you drown out there," I told him, "I'll help you whenever you need it."
"You shouldn't offer that so freely," he chuckled, "I'll probably be taking advantage of it."
"Hey, I mean we're going to be working together for every minute of every day for the next two months. It was going to happen anyway," I replied standing.
"Fair enough," he replied, "I guess I'll help you whenever you need it too."
"How kind," I smiled, "when you're done unpacking I'll be out by the lake. I'll introduce you to everyone formally."
"That sounds nice," he replied, "before you go, could I get your number?"
Part of him seemed nervous as a force of habit. I knew he didn't want my number for any other reason than just to be able to contact me, but he was still softly blushing. I chuckled before taking his phone and typing my number in.
"Now you'll really be able to ask me for anything," I smiled.
"Perfect," he replied, "my first request will most likely be directions to the lake, so expect a text very soon."
"Hey, give yourself some credit. I think you got this," I told him before walking out of the cabin.
He was attractive. But I wasn't going to make a move.