Chapter Text
Lena had always been the high-spirited, overly-optimistic, and generally-explosive girl. Since grade school, she'd been described by peers and teachers alike as outgoing, pleasant, and wonderful to be around. Her cheery demeanor made her a perfect fit for the job of junior camp counselor.
Amélie, however, was on the opposite end of the spectrum. It took every bit of energy in her to maintain a smile during the hour in which parents dropped off their kids. The strategy was practical enough; impress the head counselors and camp managers while in their line of sight and do whatever the hell she wanted the rest of the time. They were the ones who determined her paycheck after all.
The camp had twenty-one staff members in total. Ten junior counselors, two head junior counselors, three adult head counselors, three camp managers, two cooks, and a security guard.
That meant a grand total of sixty children under the supervision of twelve junior counselors, some of whom were barely five years older than those they were taking care of. Amélie was entirely responsible for five of them. Five hyperactive, irritating, and overall disgusting forms of life were in her custody for the next two months. For whom the experience would be worse for, Amélie was yet to find out. But she was starting to get a feel for the answer.
She sat back in a maple chair with her arms crossed. It had taken three minutes for the first signs of a bad day to come to light. Two of her boys were already arguing about who would get the top bunk. Two of her girls were in a similar situation involving rights to the singular electrical plug. And the last girl already had her headphones on and had a computer on her lap.
"Counselor La-Cro-icks!" called one of the girls. Amélie winced at the butchering of her last name. "Kylie won't let me use the outlet to charge my phone even though her's is at seventy percent!"
Amélie closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Pour l'amour de Dieu,"she whispered. "How about neither of you use the plug? I doubt you were sent to camp so you could take selfies in better lighting." Amélie's cold gaze stayed on the girl who seemed to have lost the will to speak. The counselor turned to the lone girl on her laptop.
"And you!" she yelled, making sure she was loud enough to penetrate the headphones. The girl looked up with an annoyed expression. "I hope that computer doesn't affect your listening abilities or we're going to have a problem."
The girl simply looked back down at her screen before nodding dismissively.
Amélie turned to the boys.
"And if you two can't decide on who sleeps where in the next two minutes, you're both sleeping on the floor. Comprenez vous?"
Neither teen said a word. They both nodded quickly without making eye contact. A few words were whispered and one of the boys began to set up his things on the bottom bunk.
One of the girls by the plug conceded and let the other charge her phone.
The girl with the laptop continued as she was, but Amélie noticed her turning down the volume of the music, discreet as she tried to be.
"Parfait. Now all of you run along, they're having a meet-and-greet kind of thing just outside," Amélie told them while she made a shooing motion with her hands.
The five kids were slow in their awkward shuffle out of the cabin, but eventually Amélie was alone.
With a heavy sigh, she went back to her slouched, cross-armed, sitting position.
About two seconds later, there was a knock on the door. Before Amélie could even say "go away," the door creaked open.
"Hiya, love!" Lena called from the doorway. "Just came by to see how you're holding up."
Not her again.
Amélie responded with nothing but a glare.
"You look like you could use some company."
Again without an answer, Lena moved across the room and plopped herself on the bed nearest to Amélie. The long haired girl said nothing.
"Must be hell for you," Lena said, eyes focused on the wooden planks that held the top bunk from falling on her.
"They are annoyances, much like you," Amélie responded. "Why are you here?"
Lena frowned slightly as she sat upright. So, she talks.
"I already told you. To see how you're holding up." Her frown twisted into a small grin.
Amélie was used to it. Ever since orientation she could not seem to lose the girl. She was reminded of that fateful day in which the nuisance arrived in her life.
She'd been minding her own business, taking the far left seat and preparing to watch the safety video that was more obligatory than necessary.
A few others sat scattered along the singular row of tables. Angela began to strike up a conversation with Jesse, Hana and Lúcio were whispering to each other.
Lena was sixth to arrive. Amélie watched as she smoothed her gelled hair back with one hand, while the other rested cooly in her jacket pocket. Seven seats were unoccupied, and most had empty adjacent seats as well. Yet Lena chose to sit next to Amélie. The French girl could have sworn that she saw the Lena wink in her direction after pulling out the chair.
Lena had tried to introduce herself properly with the colloquial "Hi, my name is" and even followed up with a genuine "I really like your shirt". But Amélie had given her no ground, not even bothering to respond. It was only when attendance was taken that Lena learned the name of the brooding girl beside her.
From that moment up until now, Amélie had only spoken to Lena three times. Once to tell her to "screw off", a second to tell her to "fuck off", and a third just a moment ago.
Amélie was brought back to the present as Lena spoke.
"By the way, Winston may or may not have informed me that tomorrow's activity involves groups of ten kids, a football, and two goals."
Amélie simply gave her a What do I care? look before refocusing her eyes on the floor.
Lena frowned again, but this time playfully.
"I thought you'd appreciate a bit of inside information, love." The corners of Lena's mouth formed a smirk. "Especially since we're on the same team."
Amélie finally seemed to take notice of Lena. Her amber eyes shot up but were greeted by nothing. Lena hadn't even waited for a reaction. Quick as she'd come, she was out the door again. Even if she hated the heavens for pairing her with Lena, she was still grateful that the girl wasn't there to witness the reddening of her cheeks.