Camp Counselor

Ch. 28

I woke up with a overwhelming sadness as Cats voice boomed through the camp speakers. "Rise and Shine campers, we are now approaching our last 10 days of camp." The realization kicking me in the gut as my heart sinks and my thoughts swell. "It can't be," I think to myself but no matter how much I want to deny it it's not gonna change the fact that tomorrow will be 9 days and the next only 8 days left.

The hourglass filling at the base. The clock ticking. The sun rising and falling as the moon goes through it's final few phases of summer. I can't bare to think what it will be like to go back home to the city where there's a constant crowd of people and cars and a constant swelling of anger and impatience. I've grown so attached to the seclusion of Vermont, the free spirited environment up here. The comfort of not having to worry about some hung over business man who's late for work ruin your day just because he can't get his life in order. Here the least you have to worry about is pesty mosquitoes.

But for gods sakes Kara. I know I can easily go and see her but that's only good for as long as my mother doesn't catch onto the excessive use of jet fuel back and forth from National City to Maine and with it being our senior year I know I won't be able to see her enough.

I'd understand of course but the thought of being away from her after growing so close this summer is almost overwhelming. I've grown so used to seeing her first thing in the morning and the last thing I see before I go to bed. Sitting beside her at breakfast, across from her at lunch, side by side at the camp fires with our fingers interlocked and her eyes on me whenever I looked. I already feel her lingering touch from last night lingering away and I'm desperate to recollect it and preserve it for when I really miss her. I still have the bracelet she made me in crafts except the clasp broke as soon as she put it on so now it hangs just above where I sleep. My own personalized dream catcher.

Almost as if on cue my cabin door swung open as a unbrushed mess of blonde hair comes flying in, covering Kara's face for only a second before her lips are one with mine and although she's taken my breath at the start of the lip lock I push on because I know the moment is dire and I don't want to waste it. If the parents of the kids in my bunk knew about this they'd probably try to sue me for every penny I have upon corrupting their precious angels but they deserve to know that love comes in all forms and there shouldn't be a format for it. There should be no guidelines and no judgement passed because I'm happy, and Kara is happy and if one of these days these kids grow up to find that they are attracted to whichever personality connects them then that should be it.

Love is nothing more than finding a true connection and staying with it. Luckily all the kids were still asleep and those who weren't have already conjured at the breakfast tables. Finally the kiss is broken and I felt bare. My lips cold where hers were so warm. Her eyes look deeply into mine and the level of fear is so high that I can't read into what is scaring her the most.

"10 days." She mutters, her tone low as though she was anticipating my own reaction. "10 days." She repeats, her voice breaking this time and before I know her her head crashes into my chest as her arms wrap around me tightly and from this point I think I now know what is scaring her so much. Myself.

"Kara, shh," she's sobbing and my heart is literally breaking to see her so upset about this. "Kara, come on," I say as I gently pick her head up to look at me. "Let's go talk, okay?" I suggest which she agrees to almost instantly. Not verbally of course but through a small head nod as she peels her arms away long enough for me to slip on some shoes and a light jacket to warm myself from the slight breeze to this August morning.

We leave the cabin with our hands intertwined and as we walking through the morning mist from the lake through the fog soaked forest and under the changing lavender morning sky until we are seated at the edge of a boating dock that hasn't been used for a good number of years since this camp was divided in boys and girls which Kara wasn't even around for then.