Nathan sat in the back of his parents' van, lightly drumming his fingers on the arm rest of his seat. Every few seconds his eyes would drift to the digital clock on the dashboard. They were late. He let out a small sigh, but apparently that one gust of air contained too much attitude for his mother to handle. She turned her head to glare at him from where she sat in the passenger seat, lips set into a firm line. Nathan glanced back timidly, but could only hold her gaze for so long until he looked down and muttered an apology. He could practically feel her rolling her eyes as she turned back around.
Nathan resigned himself to staring out the window for the remainder of the silent ride to a Camp Improve. He remembered the first time he had gone to a summer camp, back in third grade. He'd felt a whirlwind of emotions then, but now he just felt indifferent. Numb, even. When they finally arrived, both his parents got out of the car to help him get his bags from the trunk. His father simply stared at him for a long moment, a stern yet disappointed look on his face, before handing him his bags and getting back into the car. His mother tried to be a bit more sentimental, but it felt forced, the way she gently wrapped an arm around him and mumbled "Get better," in his ear. Nathan simply nodded in response, and then they were gone.
He took in a shaky breath, trying to regain his composure. For the first time since his parents told him they were shipping him off to this camp for the summer, Nathan actually felt something about it. He was nervous as hell. He pulled on the sleeves of his jacket as he glanced around, unsure of where to go next. He caught sight of a trail and decided to follow it, slightly relieved when cabins and other camp structures came into sight. Once he'd reached the campgrounds, Nathan felt at a loss. "Where am I supposed to go?" he muttered under his breath, looking for a counselor, or anyone who seemed less lost than he was, really.
