As Jack stood there, waiting for the tour to begin, his eyes scanned the campers around him. Much to his surprise, there was no shortage of good-looking girls to be found. The vast majority of them appeared to be around his age as well. As more and more people showed up, Lanceton kept a close eye on Claire the counselor, just to see what she was up to. He didn’t know if she was playing games with him or what, but she was definitely a wild card.

Then something happened that he didn’t expect. Another boy came up to her. The newcomer was shorter than Jack by a couple inches and looked to be about the same age as him, if not younger. From where he was standing, he couldn’t catch a word of what they were saying. He leaned in very close to her and… Was he sniffing her? Jack raised an eyebrow as the boy continued to coquette the counselor.

I see… He thought. So I guess the boys are already crawling over Ms. Slutty Counselor. Not that it even matters. He chuckled to himself. I already got a piece of that.

But just by looking at Claire’s face for a second longer, he could already envision her response to his thoughts: Wouldn’t you want to come back for seconds?

Maybe. She was hot, yeah, but she certainly wasn’t someone he’d get obsessed, and most definitely not jealous, over. Obsession and jealousy, and other such feelings of attachment, required the energy he simply didn’t have. At any rate, there were plenty of other beautiful girls to pick from here.

---

Kalina was playing with her blonde hair slightly when she heard a voice not too far from her. It belonged to a boy who wasn’t talking to anyone in particular; he was just trying to orient himself among the crowd. When her eyes focused on him, her lips curved into a sly smile.

Oooh, cutie alert. This would be an excellent opportunity to step up her flirt game a bit. Kalina slinked a little closer to the new boy and smiled at him.

“Did I miss anything important? I'm Tony Valentine by the way,” he was saying.

“Oh, you didn’t miss much,” Kalina crooned to him. “The tour is just about to start, I hear. Did you just arrive? Oh, and I’m Kalina.” She held her soft hand out to him to shake. “Kalina Rigel, with a ‘G.’ Nice to meet you.” She stared up into his eyes. There was a slightly mischievous glint in her eyes.

Ryan simply stood around, waiting for the tour to start. He had cast a few glances at the councilor during his wait, but he didn't find her particularly interesting to his tastes. She didn't look bad by any means, but from what he had seen of her up on the stage, and how she appeared, he was sure that her thoughts and actions were clouded in some form or another. She didn't sound all that serious when she spoke, and it was like she was almost telling them to break the rules that were set up. He wasn't going to judge her too harshly at the moment, they hadn't even met, but he still had his thoughts about her that didn't favor her all too much.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Ryan heard the voice of his cabin mate, and looked to Baylen just as he nudged the councilor and... sniffed her neck. Ryan looked at his cabin mate oddly and glanced around. After hearing Baylen say that she smelled lovely, Ryan sighed to himself and took a few steps back. Hopefully Baylen wouldn't pull something like this to everyone that he met, and the young man was only taking a safety precaution by moving away from him.

Yolanda turned and exited the building as she saw that most were gathering near a table occupied by a group of girls. All except one seemed to be enjoying themselves; she focused on the one male who seemed to be less sociable. Ignoring her mantra of 'friends aren't necessary to have a good time', she moved over to the table and stood by it, her arms still folded as she attempted to guess the personalities of each present. Yolanda scowled lightly; it seemed as if most had already formed cliques. She had hoped the camp would be different from high school.

“the meteorite is the source of the light
And the meteor's just what we see
And the meteoroid is a stone that's devoid of the fire that propelled it to thee.”

-Joanna Newsom, “Emily”

Absentmindedly rolling the near-spent cigarette in between her thumb and index finger, Ophelia left cracked sneaker prints in the loose soil, which gradually transitioned to the greyish-green color only Northern California sand could boast. A straggler, seemingly determined to reach the organized chaos of the mingling teens, passed her in a swift stride, and Ophelia nearly called out in greeting before her throat snatched her back to the safety of her cigarette.

One stray wisp of smoke, twisting upon itself into the seaweed scented breeze.

Ophelia was raising the cigarette to her lips in one last, hasty inhale when, finally within sight of the teens milling around by the dock, she made eye contact with a woman only a few years older than herself but, unmistakably, stomach-droppingly, bearing the confidence of someone who was in charge. Their gaze held for a beat longer than Ophelia was comfortable with.

She realized the cigarette was still in her hand.

Oh, shit–

In a frantic dance of movement, Ophelia let the cigarette fall to the cool sand and attempted to cover it in as much unremarkable detritus as she could. Despite her efforts to make the disposal of the cigarette as casual as possible, she knew it was useless– a juvenile attempt at best. With a grimace, Ophelia recalled the time her parents had returned from the movies early, leaving her thirteen year old self trying to flush a barely-spent cigarette down the toilet while clumsily masking the ashy smell that clung to her hair and skin. She hadn’t been punished, but she had been incredibly embarrassed. Apparently, getting caught smoking still brought back that familiar childlike shame, Ophelia realized as she tried to catch someone else’s eye, anyone but the older woman’s.

Fantastic first impression.

The turn out for campers wanting to participate in the tour was surprisingly high. Claire hadn't led a group this large last year. Everyone wandered about, going their own routes and eventually they came together. Maybe. It did get cliquish at times. But, this was a well-rounded group that seemed to have a variety of appearances and interests. She eyed them one by one, getting a read on their mannerisms. How they walked, and what their nervous tics were. Not to judge them, but to get a feel for how she should speak with each of them as individuals. They all were probably cool people to hang with, but in the end they were summer birds. Here for the fun, and when the fun burns out, they'd disappear. Flapping their wings for greener pastures. Claire mentally checked herself back in. These kinds of thoughts could drag her mood down and cause her to lash out. At least, that's what her therapist had told her once.

She shook the negative feelings off, turning the switch of optimism and positivity back on. The multiple sides of Claire Walker at work. Bright, full smile flashing at all the new campers. "Awesome, I can't wait to meet every single one of you!" Voice full of youthful exuberance. She didn't mean any of it, but this girl could put on an act for just about anyone. Well, she might want to get to know some of them. At least temporarily. Her eyes locked with Baylen as he came up to her side and began talking with her. Yet another handsome boy. This year might be several times more fun than the previous.

Playing along, Claire laughed. A quick glance to Ryan. "No, not at all. I'm not easy to bore, and I don't know your friend's name yet. I'm sure I'll be learning them all soon." Eyes back on Baylen, then the group. She tried to hold it all together, but Baylen kept coming onto her strong and she couldn't help but giggle. Pretending not to notice that he sniffed her. He knew what he was doing, and her weed habit was completely busted. That tone of voice he took was undeniably flirtatious. Claire put on quite the performance of a blushing beauty. "Why thanks. You don't smell half bad yourself. Handsome, too. So is your roommate." Oh, she was on her game today. Going head to head with Baylen and tossing a casual flirty girl smile at Ryan. Her gaze shifted over to Jack and held on him for a moment. As if she was saying to him 'more than one person can play this game'.

Click the switch one more time and Claire took a step back. Taking control of the situation, until she broke out laughing. She had smoked far too much and was finally taking the full hold. "I'm sorry, I completely forgot to say my name. I mean, I have the name tag but wow. Excuse my silly self, everyone. I'm Claire Walker and you know what I'm here to do. So." Another small giggle. "So, let's get this show on the road. Feel free to chat amongst yourself, I'll answer questions you have during the walk, or after. There will be some ice breaking orientation 'get to know you' activities. I know, I know. It's annoying but it's my job. Once we get to the pier, we'll get that down and then you can go to the bonfire. Now, forward march!" She excitedly waved her arm forward, as though she were a general leading her soldiers into battle.

With sexual interest in the air, clashing personalities, and two months worth of being in close quarters with strangers, it was only a matter of time before this group found itself clawing for survival on the battlefield of conflicted emotions.

Outside of the activities center, Claire began the long and prepared speech of the campgrounds. "You already know your cabins, so there is no point in me touring you through there. And this is the activities center where we just exited. The administrators live here, and so do I! I live in a single in room 203. That's where you should go if you need me to help with something, or if you want to have a good time. I probably won't be there much, but my cell phone number is listed in all the cabins. I'm easy to get a hold of! Anyway. At the center, you can help create events. Check for things that are upcoming. File complaints, get help, etc. It's where you go for anything specific, other than eating. That's what the cafeteria is for." Her arm stretched out to point at the cafeteria that was close by.

"Open 24 hours a day! Buffet style. Great place, believe me. Many noms will be had. I'm starting to crave a bit of food right now." Hoo boy, those munchies sure were hitting her right in the stomach. Too bad she didn't have a water bottle either.

"And if you had too much, there happens to be a tennis and basketball court outside the center. It's right around the corner, here." Claire stopped and showed off the outdoor basketball court with expensive looking basketball hoops and a fancy tennis court. "This place takes care of you. Definitely wish I could've gone to a summer camp this cool when I was younger."

That was not a lie. A sense of bitterness in her voice, hard to detect.

"The tour won't take too much longer, we're onto the best part!" Claire took them down the path, going past the beach. The bright glow of the sunlight was starting to fade a little. Getting closer to the sunset with each step they took. She could see another counselor handling the several teenagers by the beach with great command. The bonfire had just been built and the fire wasn't large but the glowing flames flickered and sparked. Wouldn't be long until it was roaring and standing alone in a great fiery blaze illuminating the darkness of night.

"I see the bonfire is getting started, and the beach looks great, doesn't it? Ah, I can't wait for all of you to see what it looks like at sunset." The emotions a sunset over that gleaming and endless sapphire pool stirred inside of her could only be described as bittersweet.

"If any of you love to run or swim, this is a wonderful spot. Oh, and those huge forests around us are a great sight as well. I run through the woods and down the beach just about every single day. I'm your girl if you need a running partner." Claire pointed out the trees all around them. The forest looked surprisingly grand. Someone might get lost if they weren't careful. Luckily, there were camp markers on several parts of the trees. "Don't forget to bring the camp emergency supplies in your cabin to the forests. There are markers to help, but if you do get lost there is a flare gun you can shoot up and we'll get you."

After what seemed like an hour of walking, Clair finally trotted them out onto the pier. Her golden locks bounced with each step, reaching her arms out and letting the soft gusts of wind soothe her skin with the salty scent of the ocean air.

Once she reached the edge, looking out to the vast beyond. Close to sunset as the light of day became noticeably more dull. She turned around to the campers. "Well, here we are. I told you it wouldn't be long. Before I get to the fun activities, does anyone have any questions?"

Yolanda had left the table of strangers to follow Claire on the tour, silently taking it all in. It was a beautiful place, she had to admit, and it seemed quite high class. She recalled staying in places that boasted three and a half and higher stars that didn't have the same kind of quality of accommodation. She smiled a little at the leader, bemused at her attitude. Yolanda wondered briefly if all the officials at the camp were just as full of life and joy. She thought that might grate on her nerves after awhile.

She realised that a question had been asked about inquiries. She had learnt to always ask questions, something her father had instilled in her at a young age. 'A questioning mind shows intelligence', he had often said. Yolanda missed him. Shaking her head slightly, she stepped forward from the group and cleared her throat.

"I have a question," She said, her accent prominent. "I know that there is a twenty four hour buffet. But is there any kind of curfew in place?"

After Tony greeted everyone he was delighted to see a girl with blond hair turn her attention to him. She gave him a deviously cute smile and he returned his trademark grin. She moved closer to him and said, “Oh, you didn’t miss much,” Kalina crooned to him. “The tour is just about to start, I hear. Did you just arrive? Oh, and I’m Kalina.”

Tony nodded, "I slept through my alarm by accident," he admitted sheepishly.

“Kalina Rigel, with a ‘G.’ Nice to meet you.” Kalina said as she reached out her hand for a hand shake. Valentine gripped her delicate hand lightly and shook it. She looked up at him with the most mischievous eyes he had ever seen. He smirked, "nice to meet you."

Tony then followed Claire, and toured the camp. The opportunities and fun were endless, hopefully this camp would live up to his expectations. One thing is for sure, the girls definitely did! The only thing weighing on his mind was Gwen. What are the fucking odds? He chose to believe that it was not a sign to get back together with her. Valentine pushed those troubling thoughts away and came back to reality. He was torn, play music by the bond fire or swim? The water would probably only get colder so he picked swimming, while he had the chance. Tony debated whether or not to go back to his cabin to change or not. Valentine mentally shrugged, whatever. He whipped off his shirt and right before he dived into the pool Claire asked if any one had any questions. He yelled as he was in mid air, "bet I'll be the first one in the water?" Tony loved the feeling of being underwater, when he finally surfaced, he came up laughing. "Water's great!"

Kalina went along on the tour, and she had to admit, the camp was really a lot nicer than she expected. Sure, she read through all the pamphlets and stuff she had received earlier in the year, but she didn’t think it’d be this… perfect. Well, nothing was perfect. But it was pretty damn good. She walked along silently, listening to the bubbly, kinda quirky, but seemingly friendly counselor named Claire while she happily explained the bits and pieces of the tour to the group of campers. She took note of one of the boys who was flirting with her earlier, and she wondered if all the boys were just as flirty.

Once they arrived at the pier, the sun painted the western sky with dazzling shades of red and orange, which faded into a majestic purple in all directions. A few clouds lazed along the horizon glowing like lamps and sending more concentrated beams of sunlight upward and outward. It was simple picturesque.

Claire the counselor asked if there were any questions. A blonde girl toward the front of the group asked a question, but before Claire could answer, the boy Tony Valentine, with whom she had spoken earlier, shouted something about who could get in the water first, ripped off his shirt and dived into waves.

“What a little shit,” Kalina muttered under her breath. It was more of a sarcastic term of endearment than an insult, though. She smiled and considered jumping in herself, since she still had her bikini on underneath all her clothes, but she decided against it. She’d probably lose her clothes—or worse, someone would steal them. Not that it’d matter, as she’d still be in her bathing suit, but she loved the outfit nonetheless and didn’t want to run the risk of losing it or getting it caked in sand.

She turned her attention back to Claire and crossed her arms curiously.

---

Jack stood by the back of the group. It almost caused him physical pain that there were going to be activities ‘to get to know each other better.’ He’d rather consume a bottle of arsenic. But it was too late to break off from the group now, and it wasn’t like he had anywhere else to be. So, against his better judgement, he stayed, but didn’t speak up to ask a question.

As he watched Claire and the crowd, he saw someone approaching the pier from the camp. He looked just in time to see her quickly throw a dimly glowing object out of her hand. Though she seemed to be well aware that such an attempt to hide whatever she had wasn’t very effective. With a coy smile, Jack took a few steps back and walked up to her.

“Smoking a cigarette, huh?” he asked her in a low voice. “No need to worry about throwing that out in front of Claire.” He nodded toward the giggling counselor. “She’s high as a kite right now.”

He smirked and then added, “But do you think you could hook me up a little later with a cigarette? I’ve got some spare cash if you’re not feeling generous.” He grinned at her.

Alan stood lamely as the group waiting for orientation grew and grew. He tried to look busy, and scanned the surroundings, which hadn’t changed in any dramatic fashion since the last five minutes he had scanned. However, the people around him certainly had. Several new people entered the orientation building, and left rather quickly. As he turned his head, his eyes landed on a blonde, pale girl, looking at him intensely. She appeared to be on the outside of the group as well, and for a moment, he felt a pang of relief, as he realized he was perhaps not alone. This moment did not last long, as he was interrupted by the start of the young counselor’s next presentation.

Alan held onto every piece of information given. He still wasn’t exactly sure when he would ever need to return to the activities center, but he didn’t focus on this too much. Next was the cafeteria, which was a an important location for any teenager. Claire told them of a basketball court, which held little of Alan’s attention, but mention of a tennis court made him perk up. He hadn’t brought his racquet, but he was sure he could figure something out. He wasn’t great at the game, but he still found some joy in playing. Not that the people surrounding him seemed that interested.

Lastly, they approached the beach. One look at it and words flew through Alan’s mind. His hand twitched. Longing for the comfortable grip of a pen, he settled for taking a breath and merely looking. The white sand glowed in the sun, and was mirrored by the gentle waves. While he stood in awe, he realized the rest of the group had started moving. He ran to catch up.

After a while of walking, they stopped at the pier. The view was just as spectacular, though the sun was lower to the horizon. He sat, looking upon it. The scene was interrupted by one of the latecomer’s throwing himself into the water.

“Water’s great!” He said. Alan didn’t plan on finding out for himself. He hadn’t changed, and was not ready to ruin his attire to show off. Still, he admired the one who could just hop in without any consideration of social implications. He wasn’t blessed with such an ability. He looked over to the empty spots beside him. He hoped it wouldn’t be a common theme throughout the summer.

Greg paid some degree of attention during the tour, but mostly he was just taking in the sights.. Claire grabbed his attention fully when she mentioned running. He was a little surprised, he'd been prepared to run by himself every morning. A running partner would actually be nice. He decided that he'd ask later, once he was settled in. And of course, he would need to grab his stuff from his car. He left most of his stuff there. His bass might have been nice for the bonfire, but he decided against it. 'Wonder who brought a guitar?' he wondered to himself. 'Too cliche. An acoustic bass, though...'

As they were concluding the tour on the pier, some guy decided to run off and jump into the water. Ooooookay. Greg wasn't expecting that. Who was he, anyway? It didn't really matter, but, at least the guy could have a good time. There were a couple other things going on at the same time that Greg noticed as he stood around. The group building the bonfire - where he'd admittedly rather have been -, and a pair talking over on the beach. So there wasn't too much else going on, but they were something. At least the fire would be soon.

Katherine followed the councillor, now known to her as Claire, around the camp. It was fantastic, way better than she could have ever imagined, or even seen when she had gotten there earlier on her own. Though she was, and always will be, a city girl at heart, there was something about the vast array of nature that could be seen here that was just incredible. It was something that just brightened her spirits, something that hadn't happened to her in a long time.

As the group reached the pier, Katherine looked at the ocean, which reflected the colours of the sky and shimmered in the waning light of the day. The thoughts of how boring these eventual get to know you games might be faded from her mind as she looked out over the vast sea in front of her. Though it was the ocean and of course the tide was keeping it from being completely still, there was a calmness to the water that really helped bring the serenity of the setting all together. That was, until one of the boys who had introduced himself earlier jumped into the water and disrupted it. She couldn't be too surprised though, she's known tons of people who pretty much would have done the same thing, even if she wasn't the type to do it herself.

It was then when Katherine noticed another girl walking towards the group, she was obviously smoking but Katherine felt she shouldn't call attention to it, because she looked visibly embarrassed as she attempted to put it out without anyone knowing. Katherine knew the feeling well, smoking after school and putting out blunt after barely used blunt under the bleachers when the football coach came around, getting caught more times than not. She made a mental note to try to get to know this girl better.

Gwen glanced around quietly as others joined the group, smiling a bit at each in her friendly way. She did notice one girl who had been quiet herself, get surprisingly talkative around Tony. Gwen just smirked, shaking her head and turning away. Oh she should warn her. But then, it might be funny just to see her figure out Tony for herself. He wasn’t a bad guy, but dating him wasn’t always easy, that was for sure. Gwen hated tempers. She was all about relaxing when she could. Passionate guys were great, but not hot heads always ready for a fight. That was just stupid. Luckily, it seemed most of the guys here were pretty chill and she could get along with them easily.

Seeing a girl with a cigarette made Gwen crinkle her nose. Like cursing, girls smoking just didn’t seem lady like to her. She didn’t say anything or even make too much of a face, but it was there. Her thoughts about smoking being a rather dirty habit were interrupted by Claire’s overenthusiastic Awesome! before the tour began after she revealed her name formally. Cabins, activity center, cafeteria, courts (ah, Gwen made a mental note of them), oh and the beach. Looked like the bonfire was on its way. Gwen wasn’t much for swimming, never had been. But she loved the woods so she imagined a few hikes in her future.

They finally arrived at the pier and were asked if they had questions. Gwen hesitated to ask anything, whereas a girl with tattoos volunteered one about a curfew. Good question. Gwen wasn’t out late much, but with her new philosophy of chilling out, she just might become a night owl. She’d always been an early riser type though.

Splash What was that idiot doing? ”Yeah, just stay out there,” Gwen mumbled with a smirk so only those around her might hear in response to Tony’s statement about the water. She shook her head, smirk still in place and eyes sparkling as she was ready to ‘win’ any activities they were about to partake in.

She looked her fellow camp members up and down, and noticed Alan off by himself. Attitude shifting slightly, Gwen moved over to him and nudged him ever so slightly with her elbow. ”Do you plan on staying for the bonfire?” she asked with a smile, learning long ago that approaching someone to ask if they were okay just irritated people. It was better to be genuinely interested in what they felt or had to say instead of just making sure they said ‘fine’ so you didn’t feel guilty for not approaching them.

Alan sat there, looking upon the body of water with the slightest frown on his face. However, he was drawn out of his reverie by the sound of footsteps approaching him. He felt a gentle nudge from his left shoulder. "Do you plan on staying for the bonfire?"

Alan turned to look upon a blonde girl wearing a sleeveless denim dress. He turned back, shrugging. "I'm not sure. We'll see." He looked for one moment longer, taking in every last bit of the scenery that he could, and committing it to memory. He closed his eyes for a moment, then stood. "Alan Hyll, good to meet you." He extended a hand, open and ready to be shaken.

"It's really nice here, I must say. I'm interested in seeing what sort of orientation activities there are. And everyone seems rather... sociable. I don't know, it may be an unfair judgment. I just." He looked out to the teenager swimming, ready to go. "Is that who we should all aspire to be?" He stopped himself from rambling with a groan.

"I'm sorry. I stand alone for most of the tour, and now someone is kind enough to speak with me, and I begin discussing social dynamics." Exasperated, he threw his arms in the air. "I'm- It's been a long day. I'm not normally like this, I swear." He wasn't sure how true the statement was. He pushed up his glasses and brushed his hair back with his hand, his tie hanging loosely below his concerned face. A air of earnestness surrounded the lanky boy.

Ophelia peered up at the boy and bit her lip thoughtfully. He was nice, she decided. Or rather, interesting. Yeah, that was it. Interesting. She'd have to keep an eye on this one, Ophelia thought, letting the left corner of her lips curve upward into a coy smirk.

Amidst all his talk about cigarettes (thank god she could smoke without a stern lecture from a staff member) and counselors (if she smoked weed, she'd probably be ecstatic), she almost didn't notice that he'd paused expectantly, as if waiting for a response.

Ah.

Ophelia combed her short term memory. Was there something he needed from her? Her name? How many more idiots were going to strip down and jump into the water?

His eyes flicked down to the cigarette, buried halfway into the sand like some halfhearted funeral, and back up to meet Ophelia's puzzled stare.

An eyebrow raised in recognition met one raised in optimistic expectation.

She nodded.

She smiled.

Camp was starting to get interesting. The din of the group following Claire was a pleasant sound, a reminder of the begining stage of camp as it always was: new relationships, pleasantries, excitement and eagerness to begin the fun. Baylen knew all to well from experience that this was just Day 1 of camp and things would drastically change as they continued. One aspect he loved about camp was the unknown. There was always drama but how and where it came from he was almost eager to find out. While the camp was full of amenities it never took in too many campers so as not to be over-booked or over crowded. This allows all campers to inter-mingle and certainly, probably very soon, everyone will know everyone; and let the chaos begin. He had gotten a look of most all of the campers and it was quiet an eclectic bunch. He didn't mind at all as he loved meeting new people, so long as they didn't try and probe him too deep. He especially liked people that intrigued him or that he found particularly interesting. He had a lot of great people to take pictures of during his stay here. Gwen was still on his mind though as the first camper he wanted on his camera. First and last. He wasn't head over heels for her, even though she was very attractive. But as he already knew, he enjoyed a woman's company, had formed an early bond with her, but something about her intrigued him. She was a lovely person to look at but seemed equally lovely in the inside. She had a sense of calmness and a powerful quietness that lured him. But while she seemed like a strong and in-control kind of girl, there was an essence of innocence he yearned to explore. She was simply...fascinating, and he wanted to get to know her better. She would be his first picture, and her last.

After hearing Baylen say that she smelled lovely, Ryan sighed to himself and took a few steps back.
Baylen glanced to Ryan from the corner of his eye, catching his movement as a subtle sign. He didn't know exactly what he was inferring but it seemed clear enough he wasn't stepping over his toes. Good thing. He liked Pratt and didn't want to screw up their new found relationship because of a misunderstanding. Baylen laughed a bit with Claire at her response to his joke about Pratt. Baylen knew Ryan had been quiet almost all evening but was sure he just needed to relax and open up. He told Claire "this is Ryan Pratt. Pratt's a great guy." He didn't have much else to say as he barely knew the guy himself but hoped it helped.

"Why thanks. You don't smell half bad yourself. Handsome, too. So is your roommate." Claire said

Baylen looked to Pratt when Claire did and gave him a wide grin. Hopefully he would catch on that he wasn't claiming her for himself. Before Baylen could croon sweet nothings to her Claire switched in to a giggle-mode and piped up for the buzzing group with instructions. Baylen exhaled deeply in defeat and stepped back, placing his hands in to the back pockets of his jeans. His listened patiently as she gave the camp more orders for their stay. Claire was distracted and essentially had to fulfill her tour for the day so Baylen let his quest go for the time being. He would pursue her again when no one else was around. She sounded very...accessible, so reaching out to her in a private moment wouldn't be so hard.

"I'm your girl if you need a running partner." Claire said.

Baylen thought about this a moment. This could be a possible time to get her alone. He worked out 5 days a week with both weights and cardio and was currently training for his first sprint tri. There weren't too many kids who took fitness so seriously so he doubted anyone else would be interested in running, especially if it was early. He took a mental note of this possible opportunity.

As the tour continued Baylen jogged over towards Gwen, after taking a moment to find her in the crowds. Ignoring Alan's presence, not even thinking Gwen might have been in conversation with him, Baylen spoke to Gwen as if they hadn't been separated but talking the whole time. "Camp sounds like it will be a lot of fun, huh?" He gave her a smile but his attention was quickly diverted when he heard the sound of water splashing and a guys voice. He glanced over to the beach to see Tony already diving in and exclaiming "Water's great!". Baylen laughed, loving how care free Tony was. The people who were so up tight he didn't care for. But he knew the first-day fears were common so he always gave them a day or two to loosen up. If they never did and it turned out to be their dull personality, in his opinion, he made sure to stay clear away lest his summer fun be ruined. "The water does look great, doesn't it?" Baylen asked Gwen, glancing to the water longingly. It was very tempting to jump right in after him. "Oh" Baylen the said in surprise, a realization hitting him. He hadn't seen Tony before, perhaps the last kid to come join the camp? He had been involved with Claire for a bit and hadn't been paying attention to any stragglers joining their group. Perhaps this was his and Pratt's roommate? If so he was thrilled. Tony seemed like a fun guy he could hang with.

"I have a question," Yolanda said, her accent prominent. "I know that there is a twenty four hour buffet. But is there any kind of curfew in place?"

"Hmmm, good question." Baylen said out loud, more to himself. He glanced to the girl who asked the question, surprised to see the light skinned girl with the dark eyes as the one speaking up, and in such an interesting accent. At his angle he could now see part of the prominent tattoo on her back, a striking display of ink that gave him the desire to see the entire design. He imagined the whole piece must look exquisite on her pale skin. He spaced out for a moment, as he does, until he caught himself and turned back to Gwen.

"Hey you owe me that picture right? The water looks great. I can get a nice picture of you with the beach in the background or we can go free style and I can snap a shot of you in the water, or even an action shot of you jumping in the water!" He eagerly pulled out his camera. "Isn't it great?" he handed it out to her so she could see his pride and joy. His passion for photography was becoming evident. "Water proof too" he said grinning, glancing back to the beach then back to her.

Gwen smiled and shook Alan’s hand. ”I’m Gwen. And you should stay! Or well, maybe set yourself a time limit, and if you aren’t having fun by then, then bail? Like a goal?” she suggested, relating how he felt to one of the things she did best. Set and meet goals. She nodded and listened as he spoke about the scenery and how social everyone was. Although, Gwen had spotted several people that weren’t. When she’d come up to the tables outside the activity center, several people seemed rather closed off. ”Um well, I think perhaps the most social, outwardly, people, could be the most withdrawn and introverted about their feelings perhaps?” Gwen offered up, hoping he found her relatable enough to be friends. She was very good at listening, as much as talking at least. Though she did tend to have a problem giving advice when people didn’t want it.

She shook her head dismissively when he apologized, laughing softly when he threw his hands in the air. ”I don’t mind talking about social dynamics. When I took behavioral psychology class it was one of my favorite sub-fields,” she shrugged. She was about to say something else when Baylen popped up beside her saying she owed him a picture.

”Of course!” she said smiling happily. It did seem like a perfect setting for a good picture. ”I don’t mind getting in the water I suppose, but take any of me dry you want first cause there’s no going back once I’m soaked,” she laughed, taking the camera as he handed it to her and turning it over in her hands. She turned it on and began messing with the buttons, figuring out how it worked though a few functions on it eluded her. ”That’s awesome, Baylen. Well,” Gwen said, turning back to Alan. ”I hope we talk more later, truly,” she said with a sincere smile before looking back to Baylen and returning his camera, walking out ahead of the two boys closer to the water. ”So… I’ve never been a model before… what should I do?” she asked, tilting her head a bit while a breeze blew the skirt of her dress about her legs.

Colline stood awkward on the edge of the group. Everyone else was here having a good time, making friends and even flirting already. And here she was, good ol' Colline, being the wallflower she was always known to be. She always tried, real honestly did, but she could never summon up courage to hold a conversation, much less start one. Sighing she stepped forward, ready to try and make an acquaintance when the councilor, Claire, spoke up again.

"Awesome, I can't wait to meet every single one of you!" She acted friendly, but Colline noticed she seemed a little wary and tired. It was probably hard, having to act all happy-go-lucky and shepherd a bunch of kids around.

"So, let's get this show on the road. Feel free to chat amongst yourself, I'll answer questions you have during the walk, or after. There will be some ice breaking orientation 'get to know you' activities. I know, I know. It's annoying but it's my job. Once we get to the pier, we'll get that down and then you can go to the bonfire." Colline followed after, following the tour. The camp was much larger than she had thought when she was planning on coming here, but looked just as picturesque as in the pamphlet.

They passed the cafeteria, and though it was most likely going to be filled with people most of the time, Colline knew she would have to eat, and made note of it. There was a trail, and Claire talked about being someones running partner. Colline had always been more academic, and didn't really do well at sports unless it involved swimming. Oh, she did love swimming.

Slowly the group made their way to the beach, where another group were setting up the bonfire. The walk to the pier was short, and Colline stood in awe of the sight before her. Clouds drifted across the sky, sunlight sifting through their cracks. A sparrow flitted across it, gone in an instant. All around them, beautiful green grass shifted into sparking white sand, which changed into the dazzling turquoise sea spread out before them.

"Wow" She mumbled, coming to a stop next to someone. She couldn't see them, she was too busy looking. It seemed too good to be true, like she had been sucked into the illustrations of her book or into a particularly gorgeous sounding song. Smiling softly, she forgot all that she had previously been worrying about. Maybe, just maybe, it would be a great summer after all.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a splash, and she jumped slightly, water droplets landing on her and several others. A boy resurfaced, having jumped into the serene sea, most likely on impulse because of its inviting shimmer. Colline shifted. She thought about jumping in too, but she didn't have a swimsuit on and it most likely wouldn't make a good impression. Sighing disappointedly, she twirled her hair around her fingers. People were so difficult, with all the social standards, either pushing people up or forcing them down, and for Colline it was usually the latter.

Claire turned to look at Yolanda when she asked a question. There normally were very few questions, but what Yolanda asked was indeed relevant. A little smirk appeared on her face and she almost laughed. Mainly because, there was a curfew. However, it was broken constantly. And, it didn't help that Claire spent time with a lot of campers around her age breaking the rules and staying out late at night. She encouraged it. Don't break too many 'huge' rules, of course. But, some rules were meant to be broken so people could be young, wild and free. That's how kids are supposed to be.

"There is a cur-" She started, but was interrupted by another question. Well, more of a bet from Tony as he ran and leaped into the ocean with a big splash. Claire laughed, and clapped her hands.

"I'd say you get a eight and a half. The splash was great, but your execution was off!" She yelled out to him, playing along. Then, she turned back around to the group. Having a thought in mind. God, she really just wanted to jump into the ocean too.

"Alright, the curfew is at 12:30 Midnight. If one of the counselor's catches you out and about after that, they'll lecture you. Although, lots of kids tend to break that rule every year and there is never any real consequence for it unless you do something completely stupid. Maybe I'll see some of you out late at night." But, the way she said it indicated none of them would be in trouble. They would be making the trouble.

"Now, I guess it's onto the ice breaker orientation activities. And, well, we had all these typical questions planned out. But, our not so professional ocean diver over there gave me a much more fun idea. Could be pretty refreshing too." Claire walked to the edge of the pier where Tony had jumped. Standing by the railing. A devilish look glinting from her eyes.

"I want everyone to form up into groups. Pairs of two. Tell each other your names. Then, you will tell each other two truths and a lie. If one of you gets it, or both of you gets it. I won't peer pressure you to jump off into the water. If one of you doesn't succeed, and the other does, then the one who fails will jump into the ocean. I know it's a choice and you don't have to. But it's fun. Like peer pressure. This is to test everyone's limits. If you really don't want to jump, don't worry. I'm going to be friends with you while we're here. So, form up! If there's an odd number, we'll figure it out. But, I'll choose my teammate first."

Claire had watched Colline through all of this. Not a lot passed her sharp gaze. But, she could tell she was a bit shy. And maybe needed that right shove in a good direction. There's nothing wrong with being shy, reserved, or introverted. But, those people have things to say. She knew that from one of her closest friends, if that was the right word, back home.

"You." Claire looked directly at Colline. "Get on over here, girl!"

Yolanda nodded to indicate that she had heard and understood Claire's answer. She grimaced a little at the orientation game they were about to play and glanced around, unsure of who to pair with. Being a secretive person, she didn't particularly want to reveal anything about herself; if it were up to her, she would make all of her responses a lie. Crossing her arms, Yolanda watched as the campers paired off with one another.

"Eg belaglik. Getting te jy weet? Hoe dom.* " She muttered, somewhat bitterly.

[* Truly ridiculous. Getting to know you? How dumb. ]

At the mention of his name, Ryan simply cast a look at Baylen. If one was good at reading faces, they could tell that he was only slightly annoyed at his cabin mate casually throwing out his name to the councilor woman. Even his reaction might have been overreacting, but he would have preferred that he introduce himself to her himself, if he ever got around to it. He then glanced at the councilor, taking note of her obvious flirting. He hoped that she didn't expect him to go along with whatever game she was playing. He wanted to advise Baylen to be careful as well, but remained quiet for the time being. He would tell him when they were away from the now named Claire Walker, who casually gave him a flirty smile. He was about to start meandering away, but Claire kept him from going.

Upon hearing her sudden fit of laughter, Ryan knew well that she was high off of her rocker. He had his suspicions from when he first saw her, but now he was sure. It began to make sense why Baylen smelled her, as he must have been looking for whatever was causing her to act like that, weed most likely.

He kept quiet while they walked, but took note of everything she was saying. She was practically putting herself on a sliver platter by telling them where she lived, as well as how to get her phone number. He also didn't forget to note that they should get her if they wanted to have a good time. He knew something was up with that, and only questioned it's meaning for a brief moment before going back to listening. Something was off when she spoke about wishing that she had a camp like this one. He couldn't identify just what was in her voice, but he knew that something was off about it,

Her offer to be a running partner actually interested Ryan. He could spend his days swimming at the beach and running all around the camp. He would be perfectly fine, and her certainly wouldn't mind running with someone, even if that person seemed just a bit questionable to him.

Arriving at the pier, Ryan was just as quiet as ever. He had little to say, but he did take note of the questions that were asked.