Summer Camp For Special Teens

Welcome to Camp!

  There were kids milling around and going to and from places. Embracing and kissing and talking and sitting and playing and... Just doing stuff. There were people going in and out of cabins and unpacking and meeting people dressed khakis and shirts that had something on their bright red shirts. There was just action everywhere you went. No one wasn't doing anything. There was just so much stuff going on.

  Everyone filed off the bus and went to the side to gather their belongings. There were so many suitcases that it took a good ten minutes to find mine. I could tell that many girls brought three or more suitcases. I could see them hauling them off to separate cabins and people helping them. I just shook my head and found my blue one and started to carry it to... I don't know. I turned around to find Binky nowhere in sight. I then spotted him with Connor and they were walking in the opposite direction. I just stood there for a few minutes and pondered on what to do when a hand lightly gripped my shoulder. I jumped and turned around. I saw the bus driver smiling lightly while holding his hands up in surrender.

  "I'm sorry if I scared you, Miss," he said politely. "I just wanted to point you in the right direction."

  "Oh," I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks Mr..."

  "Evans," he said. "But you can call me Mike."

  "Okay," I said smiling, "Thanks, Mr. Mike."

  "You're certainly welcome Miss Cooper," he said. "Now, what you will need to do is go to that building right over there," he directed, pointing towards a cabin saying 'Newcomers'.

  I turned around to thank him, but he already disappeared. I glanced around in worry, not finding him anywhere in sight. After a few minutes of searching, I finally gave up and started walking toward the little cabin, lugging my suitcase behind me.

  I walked up the steps and knocked on the door. I waited for a minute and the door swung wide open revealing a smiling, over jovial older gentleman. He was wearing the same red shirt as most of the older people were wearing and had an old cane in one hand and a water bottle in the other. He had wired-rimmed glasses that were pressed high on his crooked nose. I smiled and waved shyly.

  "Hi, honey! Are you new?" he asked politely, gesturing me into the cabin. It smelled of vanilla incense and a little musty. It was very neat and tidy. There were two chairs in front of an oak desk. There was a couch pushed against the wall behind it with a TV hanging over the foot of it. There were pins and pencils neatly arranged in two rows on the top hand right hand corner of a large calendar that was completely empty of any activities. The old man appeared before me, behind the desk. His chair squeaked as he sat down.

  "So, Hun, are you new here?" he asked again pulling a pen off the calendar and pulling out a piece of paper.

  "Yes, sir," I said quietly.

  "No need to be shy, Hun, we're all family around here!" he said brightly. "Now, what's your name sweetheart?" he asked, poising the pen over the paper, ready to write.

  "Um, Rayne. Rayne Cooper, sir," I replied fiddling my thumbs in my lap. I don't know why I was nervous. Guess it was because of the new atmosphere and many people.

  The pen paused over the paper as he stared at me. "Rayne Cooper? As in, Aaron Cooper?" he asked curiously leaning on his elbows.

  "Yes, sir," I said again, eying him curiously.

  "Well, ma'am, it is certainly my honor, to meet you," he said holding out his hand for me to shake. I took it lightly and shook it for a few seconds. "If you need anything, anything at all, you come to me. Your father was a remarkable man," he said and bowed his head. I nodded, thanking him.