A black, convertible Mercedes rolled quietly down the barely paved road through the pine forest. It was very clean, as if it was new, evidence that it was a rental. The roof was up, and inside quiet classical music played from the radio. At the wheel sat a woman of about 50 years; her long hair was dyed blonde and straightened, and her face was caked with makeup. Her facial expression was straight, but with traces of anxiety as she occasionally looked over at her son who sat at her right, leaning his cheek on his fist. His dark brown eyes, that was surprisingly warm but also piercing, stared straight ahead at the road. The music playing in his earbuds was slightly audible as it was being played at volume too high for his ear health.
The woman cleared her throat and began to speak.
“Jack, I know you’re not—“ she stopped and saw her son wasn’t paying attention. “Jack! Jack!” She reached her right arm out and tapped him on the shoulder.
Jack turned to her and pulled one of his earbuds out. His lips were pursed, and it was obvious he was upset about something.
“What?” he asked her calmly.
“I know you didn’t want to do this, but—”
“You think?” Jack shot back coldly, turning his eyes back to the road.
“But I think you’ll enjoy yourself…” Ms. Lanceton tried to convince him.
“Mom, this is my last summer before I go off to college. Don’t you think I want to try to enjoy myself instead of going to some fucking two-month daycare?”
“It’s one of the highest-rated summer camps in the country, Jack,” she replied.
“It’s still a fucking camp,” Jack said. “And why couldn’t it be closer to home instead of on the other side of the goddamn country?”
Ms. Lanceton stayed quiet. Jack didn’t normally have this bad of an attitude; he was just upset, and she could understand. But he needed this. His behavior was getting out of control.
“We’re here,” she said finally after a moment of silence in their conversation. She came to a stop a few yards from the Activities Center. “You remember how to check in right?”
“Yeah, Mom,” Jack sighed, opening up the door and grabbing a single duffel bag from the trunk. Ms. Lanceton got out of the car quickly and came up to her son, with whom she was already pretty distant. A summer away from each other probably wouldn’t do wonders for their relationship.
“I love you, honey…” she said quietly.
Jack rolled his eyes. “I love you too,” he said curtly.
They stood there awkwardly for a moment, before Jack simply turned to leave and head off toward the Activities Center. After getting his key and map, and flirting with the bubbly receptionist, Jack was back outside, on his way to his cabin. As soon as he was registered into the system, he also received the text informing about orientation. He decided he’d go, but he wouldn’t be in any rush to make it on time.
Year number two. Claire Walker was no longer new to this job anymore. She didn’t exactly want to work here, but it was agreed upon within her own personal circle that it was the best place for her in the last two years before high school education ended. Her last summer before college about to end, and here she was once more to lead a group of campers through summer activities. To watch them laugh and cry, and make friends. She supposed she had shared some of that joy, but it was only for a moment. A brief period in the grand scheme of her life. Happiness and laughter was fleeting. None of these kids were here for the long haul.
They were simply summer birds flocking to the warmth of the season, enjoy what it had to offer and then leave. What about the people they left behind? What was there for them?
Claire went with it though. It was a better place than where she lived. Although, she couldn’t complain. Just, it was nice to get away. Although the deafening sounds of her thoughts about the future were nearly crippling. She had no idea what was going to happen once the summer ended, or where she would go.
She took a deep breath. No, more like an inhale. Anyone looking down between the activities building and the cafeteria would see a tanned blonde leaning up against the wall with a rolled up joint in her fingers. Puffing out smoke. Little did most people know, she was the tour guide of the camp, and the orientation leader. And, well, a counselor too. An up and coming counselor at that. Casually getting high. Other than that, she looked sweet in her cute summer top with palm trees on it. Shades lifted up and resting on her blonde locks.
Her head turned, and she nearly hurled the joint away until she realized it was just another camper. Claire smirked, looking at him with her blue eyed gaze.
“On your way to orientation?”
A pungent smell that was all too familiar to Lanceton began to appear once he crossed behind the activities building. He was caught off guard because he didn’t expect there to be weed, here of all places. Then, almost immediately, someone called out to him.
Jack turned to see a blonde girl leaning against the wall. Laced between her fingers was a rolled up piece of paper, that was obviously a joint. His eyes lit up—it was a double whammy. A hot chick, and a smoke. Suddenly, this camp didn’t seem so bad anymore.
“My cabin actually,” Jack replied cooly, nodding his head to the duffel bag that was still strapped over his shoulder. “But I’ll go to the orientation if you’re gonna be there. I’m Jack, Jack Lanceton.” His accent was apparent.
There never seemed to be a shortage of attractive guys who went to this camp. Jack was no exception to that rule. She could tell his eyes were already wandering to places on her body they shouldn’t be.
But, Claire couldn’t blame him. She knew she looked good, and owned it. At his subtle compliment that she caught immediately, a soft laugh escaped her lips.
“Well I guess we both have a reason to be at orientation now, don’t we?” Claire smiled. After taking another hit, and blowing the smoke out in a perfect ring of vapor. She knew fun tricks like that. Clearly going great places in her life. With an outstretched arm, she handed the joint over to him.
“Claire Walker. Want some? Unless a handsome, southern gentleman like yourself is against it.”
“Hell no,” Jack said, plucking the joint straight out of her hand. “Who in their right mind would be against this shit?” He held it up to his lips and took a nice long drag, held it, then exhaled, feeling the effects of the cannabinoids, which he desperately needed right then because he was so tense, despite the camp’s rather relaxed atmosphere.
“So what’s a cute little blonde doing at a place like this?” he asked her as he returned her joint to her.
“Little?” She kinked her eyebrow at him and then laughed. “Is that your game? Subtle ‘little’ backhand compliments to get me interested.” Inhale. “Well, it might be working.” Claire flashed that brilliant smile of hers, before coughing some smoke out after she took a rather too large hit.
“I suppose I’m here for the same reasons you are. Summer, relaxing place. Pushed to go here by the ‘rents. Blah blah blah. You know the drill. How about you Jackie Boy?”
Jack gave her a strange look when she tried out a nickname he had never been called before on him.
“Pretty much the same, Claire Bear,” he replied, throwing back an equally as cheesy nickname. “I thought this place was gonna be boring and dry, but it looks there’s at least someone else with the same…” He thought of the right word. “Priorities,” he decided, “as me.”
He flashed her a smile as well.
“Do you think you could help me find my cabin? I really don’t wanna get lost on my first day,” Jack asked her innocently, going in for the kill.
Hooked. Both of them were. The chemistry between them was as electric as the feeling the weed was giving Clare. “So clever, pretty boy. I should get that nickname trademarked and get money every time it’s used. But sure, I can find you your cabin. It’s not very far.”
Claire threw the last of the joint down and stomped it into the dirt. Walking along the paths, finally reaching Cabin Four. His roommates hadn’t locked the door when she twisted the doorknob. “I guess you might need to lock this door so your stuff doesn’t get stolen.” She trotted inside, swaying her hips maybe a little too sensually as she moved in front of him.
The cabin was spacious but still small. Three beds in the same room, and a bathroom. She looked at the untaken bed and sat on it, looking at Jack. “I think this is your bed. A bit cold, but still comfortable.”
“It’s summer, it’ll warm up,” Jack told her. He walked over to the dresser next to the bed and dropped his duffel bag to the ground. He really didn’t want to unpack everything right then, but he’d might as well get started now, or he’d never do it.
He bent down and unzipped it, putting some of the clothes away in not-so-neat piles, not bother to sort them in any particular way. Once a drawer was overstuffed, he’d simply move on to the next one.
When he was mostly done, he took a break from all this “hard work” to go to the bathroom quickly. He excused himself and shut the door behind him. He quickly checked himself in the mirror to make sure everything was “on point” before going any farther with this chick. Of course, there was hardly anything that needed to be fixed anyway.
He came back out of the bathroom, letting out a sigh of relief.
Claire laughed, clearly waiting on him and knowing exactly why he went into the bathroom. She stood up from the bed and walked right up to him. The gap between their faces was nearly non-existent. With absolute ease, she closed the distance and the closeness of them could only be described as intimate.
She hooked a finger into the collar of his shirt and smirked. “You look fine to me, pretty boy.” She whispered in a seductive, sultry tone. Tugging softly to bring her face to his, her lips locking with his.
Oh. That was easy. Jack hadn’t expected this girl to be so easy.
He kissed her back, though he had to admit that her passion was pretty unexpected. After a few brief moments of this, which felt much longer to him, he pulled away for a moment and stared into her eyes. A smirk played on his lips.
“How about before we go to this orientation…—” he began to speak.
Claire forcefully pulled him back into the kiss. Their lips crashing against each other as she pulled him back and fell onto the bed. Giggling, stopping for just a moment.
“This is orientation.”
After what felt like an hour of having irresponsible fun, although it was really just an intense makeout session, Claire heard her phone buzz.
She instantly pushed off. Somehow able to turn the switch on and off just like that. “Shit!” Claire rolled off the bed and re-adjusted her hair and her clothes. Making her way to the door.
Jack sat up on the bed in confusion and quickly pulled his shirt back on over his head. Why on earth had she stopped so suddenly. “Whoa!” he called out to her, standing up from the bed. “What the fuck is the matter with you?”
She stopped for a second and looked at him. Claire smirked, reaching into her shorts’ pockets and grabbed a metal object. It was a nametag that she pulled out and clipped onto her dress. ‘Claire Walker - Counselor’.
When she saw the look on his face, Claire had to contain her laughter. “I’m your tour guide, orientation leader, and a camp counselor. See ya’ around Jackie Boy.” And she couldn’t hold it in anymore. Laughing on her way out the door.
Only two thoughts went through Jack’s head right then. The first: Score. I got with a counselor. The second? Oh, shit.
