Chapter Text
It was early on the morning of arrival day, when all camp personnel had arrived. Robby listened from his office inside the Lodgehouse when their cars began to pull up, and despite Dana telling him not to, he locked his door.
He just needed a moment longer to settle his nerves. He felt his muscles tighten as he tried to focus on the countless emails and documents he needed to read, so instead he reached for his coffee mug, cold and halfway empty now, when the simply framed photo behind it caught his attention. The image captured 18-year-old Robby when he was a counselor hugging his camp director, Mr. Adamson.
It’s been four years since he passed, four years since COVID-19 shut down the world, four years since this camp has been open. Robby lifted his head to view the bulletin board littered with countless photos, polaroids, notes, drawings, bracelets, lanyards, and more keepsakes from all those years ago, even some of his own were hung on that board.
Robby felt his heart stop beating. His breath turned shallow, and all he could do was clutch his hand over his heart and pray for it to stop when suddenly there was a knock at the door.
Robby leveled his breath to clear his throat, “Come in!” He straightened out his posture and wiped the bead of sweat from the crown of his forehead. He heard a scoff as the door handle jiggled, stuck in a fixed state. Robby kicked himself up and unlocked the door, revealing Dana standing impatiently on the other side.
Dana leaned against the doorway, popping a stick of gum into her mouth, “Everybody’s gathered, Robby, waiting on you.” She stared at him inquisitively. She knew him well enough to know he was having a hard time, but she also knew him well enough not to expect him to actually open up about it. She felt the need to ask anyway, “You okay?”
Robby nodded his head, finding security in silence while he tried to get himself together. He walked back over to his desk, turned off his computer, and followed Dana outside the Lodgehouse.
-
The warm breeze that blew past Robby’s face as he came down the steps of the Lodgehouse was refreshing. It even helped calm those last stubborn nerves burning at his fingertips. He ran his hand over the back of his neck, trying to soothe himself before addressing the counselors.
Knowingly, Dana turned back to make sure he was still there.
Robby managed to give her a reassuring smile as they approached the seated crowd of camp personnel, who quietly murmured amongst themselves.
The more experienced personnel were visibly more relaxed than the newbies. They sat in small groups scattered throughout the seating area, catching up with one another while the newbies sat together exchanging pleasantries with their backs straight.
At the very front of the crowd was Jack Abbot, watching over his fellow counselors as he waited patiently for his best friend to reach him, so as soon as Robby came into view, Abbot rose with a sly smile, “Hey, man!”
Robby’s smile gained genuineness. “Hey, brother.” He felt himself relax, the breath caged in his lungs finally let out. There were very few people in this world who could make him feel grounded to the Earth, and now he was surrounded by three of them.
They shook hands and pulled each other close for a tight embrace, clutching onto each other for stability. Abbot was nervous in his own right, but he was better at hiding it.
Abbot whispered in his ear, “You got this,” before encouragingly patting Robby’s back. Just as Dana could, Abbot always knew when Robby needed some help getting through those hard moments.
Robby returned the favor before positioning himself in front of the crowd with Dana and Abbot on either side of him. He took in a deep breath, and with a couple of claps of his hands, the crowd grew silent, turning their collective focus towards their camp leaders. Robby cleared his throat once more, “Hello, everyone. Welcome to Evergreen Ridge Summer Camp and Exploration, which we oh so cleverly refer to as the ER. I am Michael Robinavitch, but you can call me Robby. I am your camp director. I have been managing this camp for many years, so please don’t hesitate to come to me if you have any questions about anything at all. I am here to help you. More importantly, this is Dana Evans, our camp administrator, and she is in charge of pretty much everything. She is also here if you have any questions, but my word of advice is to do what she says, when she says it.”
Dana stood proudly with her hands on her hips, a proud, smug smirk on her face, as she analyzed the crowd, specifically the newbies. Her stare sent a chill down their spines, and somehow, if it was possible, made them sit straighter. The older counselors, the ones who knew her, were amused.
Robby continued, gesturing to his left, “And this is Jack Abbot, our sports coordinator.” But before he could provide any more information, he was cut off.
Abbot abruptly interrupted, “I am not available for questions.” He leaned slightly forward with his arms folded when he addressed the crowd, delivering his words clearly.
The crowd broke their silence with a chuckle of amusement, as did Robby, who popped on a pair of glasses before speaking again, “I am going to call out names for attendance. If you could formally introduce yourself after I’ve called your name, please. Starting with…” Robby’s breath hitched, “...Collins.”
Collins rose from the back of the log benches. “Hi, I’m Heather Collins. This is my fourth year working as a Wildlife Rehabilitation Coordinator. If you or your campers find or encounter an animal, please come my way.” She sat back down contentedly.
Robby lingered on her for a long moment, his mind betraying him by recalling long-lost memories of their many summers together. He had never felt more seen than when Collins looked at him, but now, she hadn’t, not even for a second. It wasn’t until Dana nudged him that he managed to call out the next name, “Whitaker?”
Whitaker stood upright in front of him, grouped with the newbies, beside Collins, “Hi, I’m Dennis Whitaker. I’m the Wildlife Rehabilitation assistant.” He slightly gestured towards Collins, signaling a separate greeting to her, which she acknowledged with a light nod. He added, “This is my first year working at a summer camp, but I’m here if anyone needs me. Always happy to help.” He pulled his hands together before sitting back down.
Surprisingly, Robby couldn’t pull his eyes from Whitaker. The constant buzz of thoughts, the constant preparation for the next moment, finally came to a peaceful silence. Robby couldn’t explain it, and he didn’t want to. He just took it in, maybe a moment or five longer than he should have. Now it was Abbot who had to nudge him to get his attention. Robby called out the next name, “Uhh…Langdon?”
Langdon rose from the other side of the newbies, not even bothering to face the crowd when he spoke, “Frank Langdon, fourth year, kayaking instructor.” He immediately sat down, completely uninterested in this entire welcome exercise.
Robby groaned, as he always was, annoyed with Langdon’s sense of superiority, but continued nonetheless, “Alright, Mohan?”
Mohan rose from the center of the log benches, “Hi! I’m Samira Mohan. I’ve been the arts and crafts coordinator for three years now.” She turned towards the newbies, greeting them specifically, “If there is any project you want to do, I am more than willing to help!” She sat down promptly, wearing a gentle, welcoming smile.
Abbot wore a small smile when he relaxed, opening himself up just a little and, admirably, watching Mohan tuck her hair behind her ears. He shifted his weight slightly, so much so that he managed to catch Dana’s attention.
She leaned behind Robby’s back, shooting an all-knowing look towards Abbot, who immediately straightened up upon meeting her eye. She manages to keep her laugh quiet.
Robby called out the next name, affectionately, “McKay?”
McKay stood while she fixed her sleeve, “Hi, I’m Cassie, the archery instructor. This will be my second year as an instructor, but I’ve been practicing archery for a very long time. If any of you want to learn, I’m happy to give a private lesson.” McKay ran her hand through her bangs, pushing them out of her eyes as she sat down. Her demeanor was calm, more so, generally laid back.
Robby was so amused by her introduction that it caused him to let out a small chuckle before he continued to call out, “Okay, next is King?”
Melissa King stood up from beside Langdon and delivered a tight and thorough wave when she spoke, “Hello, everyone! I’m Melissa King, but everyone calls me Mel. I’m the hiking and wilderness coordinator. Although this is my first year at this camp, I’ve been teaching courses for quite a while now, and I’m very excited to be here!” She delivered a sweet smile towards Robby, Dana, and Abbot, who all returned the notion. It was a sweet interaction that left a wide smile on her face and a glow about her aura.
Langdon silently admired her natural confidence, as well as her sweet voice. He followed her movement intently, unable to pry his eyes from her. He watched her as she sat down, but quickly avoided her gaze when she turned to him. He couldn’t understand it. This was the last thing he needed this summer. The last thing he ever expected to feel for at least a few years, but he was immediately drawn to her.
Robby called out the next name on the attendance list, “Santos?”
Santos stood up from beside Whitaker, composed, with her hands in her pockets and a thick huff of nonchalance, “Trinity Santos, rock climbing instructor. I’ve never worked at a camp before, but I don’t expect it to be that hard.” She shrugged, promptly sitting back down.
Robby couldn’t help but exchange a knowing look with Dana, letting out light chuckles with each other. They’ve both seen this arrogance before, and right now, he wasn’t sitting too far away from Santos. With a slight shake of his head, Robby called out, “Garcia?”
Garcia appeared behind Langdon, managing to shove him as she stood, “Yolanda Garcia. I’m the swimming instructor. I’m always, and only by the lake, anything to do with land has nothing to do with me, but I might be up for trying something new this year.” Garcia focused on Santos when she said that last sentence, keeping her eyes on her while she sat down.
Santos fixed her posture, feeling her cocky demeanor shatter completely. She was taken aback by Garcia’s beauty, her tight curls pinned back into a half up-half down updo, or maybe it was Garcia’s sly smile that Santos found enticing. It only made hers grow.
Garcia’s tone immediately caught Langdon’s attention. He followed her long gaze to Santos, leaning back to sincerely ask her, “Are you serious?”
Garcia sharply scoffed, “Mind your own business, Camper Ken.” She flicked his temple, shunning him away.
He couldn’t help but laugh at her quick turn of nerves. They’ve known each other for so long, too long, and Langdon knew her cold and calm demeanor was just a facade. Garcia was just as human as the rest of them, maybe even more so.
Robby focused on the roll call, “Okay, onto our counselors. Diaz?” He searched the sparse crowd, finding Mateo near McKay.
Mateo greeted the group pleasantly, “Hey, everyone. I’m Mateo, happy to be here another year with all of you. If you ever need help, I’m more than happy to lend a hand.” He sat down, keeping his introduction short and sweet.
Robby nodded, eager to finish roll call, “Okay, Javadi? Am I saying that right?”
“Yes, that’s fine,” Javadi rose, front and center of the log benches, “Hello everyone, I’m Victoria. This is my first year as a counselor and working at a camp, obviously, but uhm, I’m happy to be here and excited to see what happens…” She stood longer than she intended to, trying to think of anything else to say, “Uhm, yeah, that’s all.” Javadi sat down, feeling helplessly embarrassed.
Robby tucked the clipboard under his arm, taking his glasses off when he addressed them again. “Okay, well, now that we all know each other, it’s time for a quick tour of the grounds. This is the Lodgehouse, also known as the administrative office, the sports center, nurses' offices, and service lounge. Over yonder is the Mess Hall where we will meet three times a day. Behind us is the Grand Lake, where if you follow the ridge east, you’ll find the Waterfront and our hiking trails, and if you follow the ridge west, you will find your counselor cabins, next to the camper cabins. Just beyond the Mess Hall are the activity cabins, including the Wildlife Rehab Center, the Arts and Crafts Studio, and the Greenhouse. Finally, the most important place in this entire camp is right here, our campfire, also known as the Pitt. This is the center of our lovely camp and where we will meet for our weekly meetings. Before we disperse, I just wanna say thank you all for being here. It’s been a while since this camp’s been open, but I know that if anyone can make it the welcoming and exciting place it used to be, it’ll be all of you. The campers should be arriving…” Multiple bus horns blared in a repeated tune from the entrance road of the camp. Robby clapped his hands together, amused, “Now, apparently.”
Dana grabbed a handful of prepped clipboards from the empty bench in front of her. “Alright, let’s get to it! Everybody, take a clipboard! Take attendance of the campers as they come off the buses and check their luggage before you let them reach the cabins. Good luck.”
-
The counselors made their way back to the entrance of camp, splitting into their gender groups to separate their campers easily. Collins, McKay, and Garcia lead the way for the others, as did Langdon, now bickering with both Collins and Garcia as they walked.
As the counselors handled the campers, Robby, Abbot, and Dana talked to the bus drivers, specifically Ahmed Zidan.
“Hey, Robby! Dana! Looking beautiful as ever!” Ahmad sweetly wrapped his arms around her, embracing her, before turning to Abbot, patting his shoulder when he asked, “Hey, man, how are you doing?”
Abbot smiled, shrugging when he answered, “No reason to complain yet,” and despite knowing the answer, he had to ask, “Easy drive?”
Ahmad’s warm expression dropped when he shook his head, letting out a long, dramatic groan, “Hell, no! You know how crazy these kids are. Throwing shit, talking shit, God, I need another job.” They burst with laughter. Ahmad continued, “But what’s new? Looks like a lot of new faces, how's it going for you guys?”
Robby rubbed his hands together, “Good so far, everyone seems to be getting along.” He turned his attention back to the counselors, who had neatly organized themselves into groups to handle their tasks.
Ahmad also watched them closely, his mind racing with the countless possibilities to reap their money any way he could. Ahmad was a gambling man at heart and moved through life like it was a game. Everyone around him was just an opportunity, waiting to be discovered.
Dana knew this about him, and she enjoyed it, but knew better than to show it, so she lightly smacked his shoulder, “You better not be thinking what I think you're thinking.”
Ahmad put his hands up in defense, “Of course not! I wouldn’t dream about betting on our sweet and lovely campers…the counselors, on the other hand, now that is promising.” Ahmad exaggeratedly rubbed his hands together like a fly, with an cheshire grin plastered across his face.
Robby laughed, covering his ears, “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that,” quickly walking away to maintain plausible deniability.
Dana kept a stern expression, “Me too,” following after Robby.
Abbot smacked Ahmad's shoulder, “Let me know when to place our bets,” following after both Robby and Dana.
Mohan, Mel, Mateo, and Langdon were in charge of taking attendance, while McKay, Javadi, Whitaker, and Garcia were checking out bags for the attendant campers, separating themselves a great distance.
Javadi asked, “So, what exactly do we do?” shyly, leaning close and turning upward towards McKay.
Letting out a small chuckle, McKay answered, “Well, first we pull all of the baggage from the buses into a pile, but we have to wait for attendance to be taken before we can hand them out to make sure everything arrived on time.”
For the first time in her entire life, she was doing something without the looming presence of her parents. There wasn’t any expectation to live up to. No legacy weighing her down. She was here for herself, and the last thing she wanted was to ruin it, and as much as she wanted to remain calm, she couldn’t help but bounce on her nerves.
McKay noticed immediately, “You okay?”
Javadi froze, petrified, “Yeah, I just…uhh, wanna have a good day.” She interlocked her hands behind her back, still bouncing.
McKay placed her arm over Javadi’s shoulders in an effort to keep her still. “Hey, look, it’s okay to feel a little nervous when doing something new. There’s nothing wrong with that, and you’re already doing great by asking questions. You got this, Victoria.”
Javadi gave McKay a sweet smile, feeling a boost in her confidence, but it was short-lived. The sun caught Javadi’s eye when McKay parted from her, pushing her attention towards Mateo. She shielded her eyes as she listened to him call out names and greet the kids sweetly. He gave out high-fives and fist bumps to each of them. Javadi admired his obvious warmth and the way that the kids were so relaxed in his presence, fresh off the bus. It was a quality she felt envious of, and petrified she didn’t have.
McKay saw Javadi’s entire body tense. She followed Javadi’s glossy gaze and let out a belly laugh when she figured it out. It was so loud and genuine that it startled Javadi so much that she leapt away from McKay.
It wasn’t physically possible for Javadi’s muscles to grow any more tense, but she found a way. “What’s so funny?” Javadi asked, overspilling with worry.
McKay waved her hands to signal that it’s alright, “Nothing, absolutely nothing. Oh my god, this summer is going to be amazing.” She clutched tightly onto her stomach, feeling a sharp pain in her ribcage.
While working through her laughter, McKay started to gather the campers' bags from underneath the buses, grasping at the breath left in her body.
Mohan and Mel stood side by side, gathering the campers into their designated cabins. Mel would call out a name, and Mohan would give the camper a colored bracelet to signify which cabin she would be in. As for the boys, Langdon called out names, and Whitaker handed out bracelets. They moved efficiently and effectively, having organized their campers and their luggage within the hour, setting a brand new record for the camp.
Mel checked off the final camper's name, “Okay, that’s our last camper.” She held the clipboard flat out, balancing the pen against the metal clamp, trying to stay as still as she could.
Langdon followed after her, “Yeah, same here. The rest is up to you guys.” He tucked his pen under the metal clamp before holding his hand flat out, expectant of Mel’s clipboard. It was an unthinking kind gesture and completely unlike him. Garcia caught sight of it, and she couldn’t believe it, couldn’t conceptualize it, couldn’t imagine it occurring in this life. Mel was unsure whether to give the clipboard or not, so she kept it close to her body, giving him a blank stare. Langdon delivered a sweetly assuring look, earning him a gentle smile in return. It only made his grow wider. Mel handed the clipboard over to him, the loose pen falling into his hand. He handed the pair to McKay, turning on his heel and heading for the Mess Hall.
Garcia, working her way out of confusion, kept her eyes on him while she took his clipboard from McKay. Once he was out of sight, she focused on handing out the campers' luggage. Still, she couldn’t help but note his behavior regarding Mel, and she planned on how to utilize it against him later.
Mohan kept her eyes on Langdon as well. She may not have known him as well as the others, but she knew how odd that gesture was. Nevertheless, she moved on, keeping herself together enough to ask McKay, “Do you want our help?”
McKay shook her head, “Nah, we should be okay,” releasing them from the physical exhaustion of helping the campers haul bags back and forth from the cabins.
Whitaker shrugged, “I’ll help out anyway. Get it done quicker.” If there was a way for Whitaker to help out, he was going to take it, no matter what. It’s just who he was.
Mohan nodded, “Okay, we’ll be in the Mess Hall with everyone else. If you need anything, just holler.” She motioned for Mel to follow after her.
They passed through the Mess Hall doors just in time to catch the camp chefs, John Shen and Parker Ellis, laying out snacks for the campers’ lunch. Mel, whose head was always on a swivel, saw Langdon sitting alone on the edge of the stage, munching on a pack of brownies while Robby and Dana sat at the farthest tables discussing something that must’ve been important given their expressions. Indulgent, Mel found her eye wandering back to Langdon. She didn’t know exactly what it was that enticed her so much. Sure, he was tall and handsome, but something about his assuredness was just as pleasing. If it were possible to exist in a single moment, Mel would’ve been content spending the rest of her life in this one, admiring him, but Mohan pulled her out of that entrancing thought when she held out a bag of brownies towards her. Mel took it without any hesitation, softly speaking, “Thank you.”
Ellis shook her head, dramatically disapproving, “Oh, uh-uh, do not come in here and think you can get these snacks. These are for campers, not greedy counselors.”
Mohan smiled devilishly, “We’re out here camping. Doesn’t that make us qualify as campers?” She snatched a bag of kettle chips for herself, passing down the long arrangement of snacks.
Shen leaned half of his body out of the service window. “Oh yeah, come on in, take the snacks meant for the campers. That's great. Great of you guys.”
Mohan turned to Mel, informing her, “Something you should know is that these two are inseparable. If you see one, the other isn’t too far away, so be careful around them. They love to gossip.” Mohan shot them a snarky expression. She recalled the time she had fallen victim to one of their unwarranted gossip sessions, learning intimate information about her past co-counselors that she could’ve gone her entire life without knowing.
Ellis’s offended demeanor had vanished completely. Her eyes, once narrow and stern, relaxed, and her pursed lips fell into a pleasant smile. She folded her arms, sinking into a sense of superiority as she stared at Mohan, “We don’t gossip about just anything, just about the good stuff.” Shen’s laugh sounded from somewhere in the kitchen, an evil, conniving laugh.
Mohan rolled her eyes, disregarding any significance in Ellis’ words, when she and Mel moved towards the many picnic tables. She called out to them in a singsong manner, “Thank you guys, really, for all your hard work.” Popping open the bag of chips, mockingly.
Shen and Ellis gave her a death glare. Shen pressed his tongs together, generating a loud clanging sound to match his frustration, while Ellis fixed the unbalanced snack piles, wanting them to be perfect for the campers when they came in after their long journey.
Mel leaned in close, settling her elbows on the abrasive wood grain of the picnic table while fidgeting with the twist tie on the bag of brownie bites. “Everyone here is so close. Do you guys know each other well?” She asked, eager to assimilate.
Mohan nodded, swallowing the chip in her mouth before answering simply, “Relatively well.”
Mel tilted her head, a subtle way to communicate her confusion and need for more information.
Mohan added, “Don’t get me wrong, we all get along, and we’ve spent a lot of time together over the summers, but it’s been a while now, and honestly, if it doesn’t have to do with the camp, we don’t really talk about it. So yes, we know each other well, but not too well.”
Mel nodded, finding herself feeling relieved. “Well, it’s still nice to see all of you interacting.” She finally opened the bag of brownies, extending it towards Mohan to offer her a piece.
Mohan grew concerned, “You said you’ve taught hiking in other places. Surely you worked in a team. You weren’t close to anyone?” She asked before shoving a brownie bite in her mouth.
Mel visibly shriveled up, “Not really, no. I had a…lot of responsibilities, so I couldn’t mingle like my co-workers.” Mel fiddled with the brim of the bag.
Mohan could tell this topic was difficult for Mel, so she dropped it. “Well, you’re doing amazing now, Mel.” She took the bag of brownies from Mel’s hand, reached inside for one, and offered it back to her, hoping she would receive it how she intended. She did.
Mohan and Mel were both expressive people. It was enticing to watch them interact, at least it was for Langdon. He watched them wave their hands to emphasize their words or demonstrate what they were talking about. He watched their eyes grow wide with surprise or shut with genuine laughter. His favorite part was witnessing their smiles beaming with that typical summertime joy. He remembered what that joy felt like, but that was all a distant memory now. Langdon was unsure if he’d ever feel that joy again, so he had no problem settling in to watch it. He admired that Mohan still had it in her. He admired many things about Mohan, like her ability to express herself. If it needed to be said, Samira Mohan was the one willing to say it, always. He liked that about her, but not nearly as much as Jack Abbot did, who just so happened to walk into the Mess Hall.
Shen exaggerated his groan, playfully, “Oh, look, more people to poach snacks from children.”
Abbot gave a fake laugh, “Just the good stuff.” He grabbed a bag of kettle chips, the same as Mohan did.
She wasn’t too far away to not hear the similar expression. The shift in Ellis became clear to her now. Mohan shifted her focus briefly to observe Abbot, but skillfully avoided his darting gaze when he tried to do the same.
Shen and Ellis snickered to themselves, feeling the sweet bliss of control.
Abbot then took multiple protein bars, stuffing them in his pockets for later. He chose not to sit with Robby and Dana because he knew that would lead to his helping with administrative questions, so he found himself settling on the edge of the stage next to Langdon. They’ve known each other long enough not to need any sort of introduction when having a conversation. Abbot only sighed when he stated, “There’s something different about this year.”
Langdon scoffed, not bothering to turn to him. “Yeah? What’s that?”
Abbot shrugged, “Don’t know, maybe I just want it to be different.” He kept his focus outward, indulging in his daily daydream.
Langdon didn’t need to follow his gaze to figure out what he was talking about, because he was already looking that way. “Yeah, maybe this year will be different.”
Abbot knew better than to concern himself with the matter, but his nosiness and curiosity wouldn’t let him ignore Langdon’s tone. He turned to him, skillfully calm when he spoke, “There are a lot of new faces this year. Melissa seems like a sweet girl.”
Langdon didn’t hesitate to answer, “Yeah, she does…” He caught himself, but it was already too late. He pressed his eyes shut in shame. Langdon knew to be careful with what he said around Dana, Robby, and Abbot. After all, they didn’t need to be told anything because they already knew it, and there wasn’t one secret between them. When he turned to Abbot, there was already a knowing expression, sly and deceptive.
Abbot handed him one of the protein bars from his overfilled pocket, “I wish you nothing but luck, Frank.” Speaking for himself as well.
Langdon’s head hung a little lower than before. “Yeah, you too.”
-
The Mess Hall was filled to capacity by lunch hour. The floor practically vibrated with the number of voices ringing out. Girls were seated on one side while boys were seated on the other. They mingled, laughed, and ignored first-day nerves as they argued. Javadi and Mateo walked around trying to keep the campers orderly in hopes of minimizing the amount of cleanup they were gonna have to do.
Mateo fixed his headband that held back his luscious curls, “I just had to mitigate three different arguments. We haven’t even been here for four hours. How about you?”
Javadi cleared her throat, “Oh, I was lucky and only had two. You’re so much better at this than I am.” She pushed the frazzled baby hairs down with the rest of her hair pinned back into a ponytail, trying her best to stay presentable.
Mateo nudged her shoulder with his own, “Hey, don’t sell yourself short, Victoria. I think you’re doing amazing.” He immediately walked away when he spotted a group of boys standing and shouting over one another.
Javadi was left there alone with nothing but butterflies in her stomach, but was quickly brought back to reality when she heard one of her campers yelp, “Ow! My hair!”
Shen, Ellis, and Ahmad had the best seat in the house. They leaned out of the service window, safely watching the chaos from the sidelines while eating the carefully curated sub-sandwiches Shen made earlier, a sacred arrival day tradition between the three of them.
Ahmad chuckled, “I feel like I’m in the colosseum.” His head balanced on the palms of his hand as his elbows pressed against the cold steel framing the window. He added, “Look at these little gladiators go.”
Shen laughed, “Have you missed this as much as I have?”
“Hell no,” Ellis answered truthfully, her expression stale, “These heathens are ruthless.”
Ahmad shrugged, “I don’t know, it seems pretty exciting if you pay attention to the right things.” He watched Javadi try to pry two campers apart while keeping her eyes on Mateo cleaning up some plates. He looked over to the counselors, finding Collins and McKay keeping close eyes on them as well, but Ahmad saw beyond them. He focused on the stage, finding Langdon and Garcia arguing on stage, but he also caught both of their wandering eyes falling on the newbies sitting at the table beside the other counselors. “Interesting,” fell out of his mouth by accident.
Shen and Ellis turned to him, speaking in unison, “What?”
Dana pressed through the doors of the kitchen. “What exactly are you guys doing? Don’t you have dishes to wash? Dinner to prepare? Come on.”
Shen and Ellis answered in unison, “We’re on break.” They gave each other a questioning look. It was strange for them to fall into unison every once in a while, but it always made them feel uneasy.
Dana shook her head, a little disturbed, “Break? And what’s on TV today?” She gave in to their antics, as she typically does.
Shen described the scene, “Table 17, two female campers throwing food, and table 9, an animated argument between three male campers. I wish we had subtitles.” he clenched his fists in grievance.
Ellis nudged Dana, “My bet's on blondie, she looks scrappy.” They were all horrible gamblers, but Dana was secretly the worst of them all.
Shen sipped on his capacious navy blue Stanley, “Oh yeah, she’s definitely a biter. I wouldn’t be surprised if she could lock jaw.”
The laugh that spilled from Dana couldn’t be withheld despite how much she wanted to hide her amusement, but still, things needed to be done, so she clapped her hands together, barking, “Alright, c’mon, you guys have better things to do. Get to it!”
Ellis questioned sarcastically, “But do we?” dragging her feet as she made her way over to the veggie prep station.
Dana snapped her fingers, “Yes, you do. Prepare dinner.” She ordered the pair, turning to Ahmad, “I need you to move your bus out of the way of the entrance. Should’ve been done an hour ago.” Without protest, Ahmad left the kitchen to do as he was told. “I need a raise,” Dana whispered to herself, looking out the service window.
-
It was sundown when the camp had finally settled into a quiet, peaceful murmur. The past few hours had been spent settling into camp, unpacking, and performing introductions between the counselors and campers. Now, camp personnel and campers alike sat around the Pitt, waiting for their camp director to address them.
Langdon had finally settled his campers down, and the only seat left throughout all of the benches was right next to Mel, who was currently laughing gleefully with Javadi, Mohan, and Whitaker. Well, actually, Whitaker sat there plainly while the girls laughed, but with no choice, Langdon fell beside Mel with an exhausted huff, “So what are we laughing about?”
Javadi, Whitaker, and Mohan hesitated to answer, feeling unsure if he was sincerely asking or not, but Mel jumped at the chance. “Oh, Dennis was just telling us how he saw two kids being chased by a five-lined skink. He had to chase after them, and in an effort to calm them down, he tried to show them that the lizard was harmless, but then it bit his pinky.”
Whitaker shamefully held up his pinky, which was bandaged in kids Flash themed band-aid. Mohan and Javadi both covered their mouth trying their best to hold back their laughter, but just couldn’t find the strength to do so.
Langdon chuckled, leaning closer to get a better look at the band-aid. “I bet Perlah and Princess were amused when they heard the story.”
Whitaker’s eyes sank farther into despair as he remembered their laughs, nodding, “They laughed the whole time.”
Mohan gasped for air, “That’s just like them, but don’t let that make you avoid them. They mean well. They’re amazing nurses.”
Langdon himself had an act for clumsiness, so he asked, sincerely, “Are you okay, though?”
Whitaker nodded, “Yeah, I’m fine.” He put his hand down to rest on his thigh, but felt the rush of blood induce a throbbing sensation. He couldn’t help but wince.
Javadi wrapped her arms around her stomach, trying to hold herself together. “Well, at least we know you can handle any animal, big or small.”
The four of them laughed, while Whitaker could do nothing but sit there and take the torment.
Robby and Dana approached the center of the Pitt. The unexpected laughter from Langdon caught both of their attention. Robby was used to seeing Langdon amuse himself by bickering, but he hadn’t heard him laugh in a long time, so he curiously asked Dana, “When did that happen?”
Dana kept her expression composed, trying to piece it together herself, “Your guess is as good as mine.” Dana patted his back, gesturing towards the center of the Pitt where Robby needed to stand, before taking her seat in the front next to Abbot.
Robby stood tall and sure in front of the entire camp, wanting nothing more than to end the night on a high note. Twice, he clapped his hands together, “Alright! Hello everyone! Now I know, it’s been a long day for everyone, and I know you’re all tired, but I just wanna wrap up today by telling all of you how happy we all are that you’re here. This place is very special to me, to all of us counselors. I remember what it was like here at camp. I remember the early mornings, challenges, competitions, campfires, and countless injuries.” The crowd laughed. Robby smiled, relishing in the sound, “This place is one of a kind, and we hope that by the end of the summer, it’ll be special to you, too. We have an early start tomorrow, so sleep well. Goodnight, everyone!”
The crowd erupted into thundering applause. Dana, Abbot, Mohan, McKay, and Mateo shouted encouragement for Robby. Garcia, Collins, Santos, Whitaker, and Javadi hollered with excitement about what the summer would bring. Mel placed her fingers in her mouth and let out a sharp, penetrating shrieking whistle, catching those next to her off guard. Langdon just smiled down at her unknowingly as he clapped, not prying his eyes from her for a second.
-
Robby sat alone, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees, at the Pitt, watching the campfire embers dance with the gentle nightly summer breeze. They swirled through the air, just as his thoughts did.
Dana settled down beside him, “All the bed bugs are tucked in for the night. We’re officially off the clock.” She pulled out a cigarette and pressed it against the campfire, only pulling it close when she saw it match.
Robby judged her, “Are you serious?” He watched as she flicked some of the ash off into the campfire. “In front of me?”
Dana, calm and collected, spoke with certainty when she said, “We’re off the clock, and you can move if it bothers you so much.”
Abbot joined, settling on the other side of Robby, “The way I see it is we didn’t lose any luggage or any campers, so I’d say the first day can officially be marked as a success.” He handed over the two beers in between his fingers.
The three twisted off their caps and clinked their beers together in a quiet celebration. Robby smiled, saying, “Today was certainly interesting,” before taking a swig of his beer.
Dana laughed, recalling the scenes from lunch. “Yeah, how about Victoria and Mateo? Poor girl, god bless her…that’s gonna be fun to watch.” She took another drag of her cigarette.
Abbot clicked his tongue, “My bet is on Frank and the newbie, Melissa.”
Robby stared at Abbot, shocked that he would even suggest such a pairing. He was nearly spitting out his beer when he shouted, “What!?”
Dana shrugged, unsurprised, “I could see it. Mel’s a natural leader, level-headed, and kind. Frank needs someone like that.”
Robby shook his head in disbelief, remaining speechless on the matter.
“Ahh, summer love.” Abbot laughed, immediately regretting giving Dana the segue he knew she wouldn’t miss. He froze with the tip of the beer bottle barely touching his lips.
Dana wore a conniving smirk, “Maybe this will be the summer our rustic Jack finally makes a move on our lovely Samira.”
Robby shook his head, obviously amused, “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that.”
Abbot stood up, “I am not going to entertain this topic. Robby, it was a great first day. Tomorrow will be amazing. Goodnight.” All Abbot heard as he walked away was their combined laughter, which rang in his ears like a humiliating symphony cascading throughout the quiet summer air.
Robby looked towards the cabins and, in the distance, saw a glow identical to the one in front of him. “Should we be worried about what our counselors are doing right now?”
Dana practically hollered, “You know exactly what they’re doing. You’re the one who started the tradition. Don’t worry, they’ll be fine and up early in the morning, ready to work…with massive headaches.” She wrapped her arm around him and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze before leaving him at the Pitt alone. “Night, Robby. Get some sleep. It’s a big day tomorrow.”
Robby nodded, “I will certainly try.” He sighed, watching the fire slowly die.
-
Down the shoreline of the Grand Lake was the Waterfront, and just behind that was a closed-off dock. Many summers ago, the counselors had renovated the secondary dock into a secret spot to relax after hours. There was even a closed-off trail in the back that led down to a meadow in the forest. The counselors gathered at the fire pit just outside the Waterfront. There was a staircase leading to the dock. They took turns making s'mores and telling stories from their previous years at camp while drinking beers and seltzers.
Santos could barely form the words through her cackling, “Wait a minute! What do you mean by accident? How do you accidentally drop a kayak on a camper?” She pressed her beer against her lips.
Garcia scoffed, “Well, you try running after a group of rebellious children while balancing a kayak all by yourself and tell me how easy it is, hmm?” Garcia nudged her lightly. “You’d think that the kayaking instructor would’ve helped.” Garcia gave Langdon a contemptuous look.
Mohan already knew the answer, but asked anyway, “And what were you doing, Frank?”
“Laughing,” Langdon answered proudly before drinking, completely unbothered.
They laughed together and continued talking, more so teasing each other about their past mistakes. Langdon zoned out most of it. He’s heard these stories plenty of times and was involved in most of them. Instead, he found his attention focused on the dock, where Mel, Whitaker, Javadi, and Mateo were sitting. He watched Whitaker get up first to make another s’more. A little while later, Javadi and Mateo left to join in on the stories. Collin, McKay, and Mohan’s laughter filled the air, making the fire pit seem irresistible. Leaving Mel alone on the dock.
Finally building the courage to leave his seat, Langdon grabbed another beer from the cooler beside Garcia and Santos.
Garcia leaned back in her chair, sneakily enough as not to pull anyone else's attention, so that she could mutter, “Good luck,” as he walked past.
The night sky was decorated with brightly shining stars that reflected off the ripples of the Grand Lake. Mel watched the water closely, unconsciously swirling it with her feet, dreading the moment she would have to pull away and face the cold that came with the nightly summer breeze.
Langdon's voice was soft and level when he asked, “You okay?”
Mel turned her head up to him, nonetheless startled by his words. “Huh? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. How are you?” She overcompensated for whatever she might have missed.
Langdon chuckled, “I’m good.” He sat beside her, mindful of keeping distance between them. “Drink?”
Mel appreciated the gesture, “Thank you, but I don’t drink.”
Langdon nodded, “Oh?” He placed it on the other side of him, raising his own drink to his mouth, “Well, Mel, you certainly are better than me.”
Mel shook her head, “I don’t think not drinking is any better than drinking. I just don’t like the feeling.” Mel felt as if her words might have been offensive, so she added, “It’s not cause I think drinking is immoral or anything, it isn’t. I mean, you seem pretty moral to me.” to be safe.
Langdon raised his brow, not entirely sure of how to respond, “Really?”
Mel nodded, sure and content.
Langdon found himself fighting an unsuspected smile, “Thank you.”
Neither Mel nor Langdon minded the silence they settled into. Surprisingly, Langdon didn’t find it as suffocating as it typically was with anyone else, but he couldn’t deny that he wanted to hear her gentle voice. “I’m curious, how’d you get into hiking and wilderness training?” Langdon witnessed a spark ignite in her eyes.
Mel squeezed her own hand, “My mom and dad were really into nature. They loved watching things grow. They could grow anything, ultimate green thumbs. They would take me and my sister, Becca, on hikes to teach us how to depend on nature. They even kept an index and read us so many different books about what plants could do, where they grow, and how to find them.”
Langdon smiled warmly, “They must be proud of you, passing on that knowledge.”
Mel nodded shyly, “Yeah, I’d like to think so…they passed quite some time ago now. I enrolled in a certification program not too long after, and I’ve been teaching ever since.”
Langdon was completely and utterly impressed. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, Mel, but it sounds like you made the most out of it. There aren’t a lot of people who can do that. You should be proud of yourself.”
Mel took his words to heart, “Thank you, Mr. Langdon.”
Langdon cringed at the formality, “Oh, please, call me Frank.”
Collins and McKay called out to them from the fire pit, “Hey! It’s time to pack up. Early start tomorrow.”
Langdon stood up first, holding his hand out for Mel, which she didn’t hesitate to take. Langdon grabbed the unopened beer before they walked back and joined the rest of the counselors to help clean up. The fire was put out, the food was back into the Waterfront’s pantry, and the counselors were heading to their cabins.
Mel was walking with Mohan, arms interlinked, softly laughing together. Langdon followed behind them, desperately trying to focus his mind on anything other than the golden braid swinging in front of him, but couldn’t find the willpower to do so.
When they reached the cabins, Mel walked up a few steps before turning back to Langdon, “Goodnight, Frank.”
Langdon felt as if his entire body was wrapped in a blanket. The warm summer air clung to him tightly as he smiled, “Goodnight, Melissa.” He felt it, after all this time, he felt that summertime joy again.
Mel had never liked the formality that accompanied her first name, but she didn’t mind it so much when he said it. Somehow, it felt more special than Mel. For a long moment, the pair just stared at each other.
Mohan waited for her at the door, witnessing the entire interaction, “Mel? Coming in?”
The moment passed, and when Mel walked in, she couldn’t help but tease her, “Looks like you made a good first impression on Frank.”
Mel couldn’t help but light up again, “Really? You think so?”
Mohan laughed, “I’m gonna go get ready for bed. I won’t be too long.”
Mel stood there gleefully, “Okay, no problem.”
Abbot was drinking by himself on the porch of the boys' counselor cabins, feeling responsible for making sure they all got there in the end. He watched Langdon wait until the door to the girls' cabin closed before heading to his own.
“Good night?” Abbot asked as Langdon came up the steps.
Langdon sighed, “It wasn’t what I expected, that’s for sure.”
Abbot and Langdon entered the boys' cabin, and when that door shut behind them, arrival day came to a close.