Adding to my typical nighttime unease is the fact that I’m enemy number one at Camp Prairie Star. It doesn’t hurt my feelings that my new coworkers aren’t speaking to me—I experienced enoughMean Girls-style cliques in high school and college that it usually rolls off my back—but I’m not sure how long I can last without talking toanyone.
Except Gage, I guess. I flop my head back against the pillow. There’s another problem. I don’t want to get too buddy-buddy with him, but if my choices are to talk to no one or to talk to Gage, I’m going to talk to Gage. I’m not wired for seclusion.
Still feeling restless, I check my phone, prepared to scroll mindlessly through social media. I notice a text from my sister Molly, sent a couple of hours ago to our sister thread.
Molly:
How’d your first day of camp go?
I text her back, grateful for the distraction. I also figure she might find my current predicament funny.
Olivia:
Well I destroyed 30 years of camp tradition and I think I’m shunned now
I’m surprised when she responds right away.
Molly:
What?
Olivia:
But Gage says this isn’t a cult so
Molly:
Gage? Annie’s brother Gage?
Oh shoot. I shouldn’t have said anything about Gage.
Olivia:
Yeah. He’s working here too
Nicole:
That’s interesting…
Olivia:
Omg Nicole aren’t you supposed to be on your honeymoon?
The rest of the week, Gage remains the only coworker who will talk to me. Even Nina makes herself scarce. So, it’s the two of us, partnering up for orientation sessions and sitting together at meals.
It’s nice, actually. Not as bad as I feared. I slip back into the familiar comfort of his friendship, and it feels like how we were back before everything got complicated at prom. Hanging out with Gage satisfies my need to be with other people, and actually I have a tough time even noticing all the cold shoulders beyond our little bubble.
At least until Thursday when the junior counselors arrive.
Junior counselors are high schoolers assigned to each cabin to assist the adult counselor with their group of kids. Gage’s junior counselor is a sixteen-year-old kid named Jayden, and it's Gage’s job to train Jayden ahead of the first group of campers arriving on Sunday.
My job is to create the activities schedule, rotating each cabin through swimming and water sports, arts and crafts, and nature hikes throughout the week. I use the bulletin board in the main office to map out the schedule, giving each cabin a color in addition to the number Linda has already assigned them. It’s easier for my brain to find the patterns that way.
As someone who thrives being around other people, working on my task alone on Thursday and Friday is unbearable. I’ve been waiting for the whole I-burned-your-sharing-stick fiasco to blow over on its own, but I realize I might need to help things along. I make a plan, and hope that Gage will be willing to lend a hand.
Chapter eleven
Gage
