Silver Lining Summer

Chapter 3: Stay True to Yourself

Last night my parents told me I'm going to summer camp this summer. I really don't know how to feel about it. I mean, it could end up being fun but that's if I try hard enough. I'm uneasy about the whole idea. Twelve weeks away from my parents, from the comfort of my own home, I don't really know about that. What makes it even more weird is that it's the same summer camp my parents went to when they were my age. Apparently, they are like camp legends. That just makes it even harder for me to live up to their hype. All I'm going to try and do is go to camp with an open mind.

Today is the last day of school. Last day of school normally means no school work and tons of fun. I'm actually looking forward to today. I know for sure that Mr. Ford is going to make class awesome which I'm very excited about. I hop out of bed and start getting ready for today. Once I'm finished, I head downstairs to the kitchen to find something to eat for breakfast. As I round the corner to the kitchen, I come face to face with my dad.

"Happy last day of school," my dad says happily while presenting me with a plate that had a big chocolate chip pancake. I love chocolate chip pancakes. My dad rarely ever makes them so whenever he does, it's always a special surprise.

"Thanks Dad," I say while giving him a big smile. I grab the plate, a fork, a cup of orange juice and some syrup before heading to the dining table to devour my breakfast. You could tell I was very hungry considering I finished my chocolate chip pancake in what seemed like seconds. I finish up my orange juice then bring my plate and silverware to the kitchen so I can wash them up before heading off to school.

I put on my sneakers, grab my backpack and start heading towards the front door to leave. Just before I walk out the door, my mom stops me to say,

"Have a good last day of school sweetie. When you get home, you'll have to start packing for camp. You leave in a week!" she says then gives me a big hug.

I head out the door to catch the bus. While I'm on the bus heading towards the school, the words, "leave in a week" sink in my head. Wow. I leave for summer camp in exactly one week. I still can't believe I'm going. I've tried talking my parents out of the idea but they seem very insistent that I go saying that "it'll be a great experience for me to make new friends". Like I'm almost an adult and my parents are worried about me making friends? I mean, don't get me wrong, I do agree with them. I would die to have a few close friends. It'll make me feel way less lonely and ultimate make me feel way happier. A few close friends wouldn't hurt to have on my side but sending me to summer camp...as a teen...to make new friends...I don't know about that.

-Fast forward to lunch break at school-

I decided to spend my last lunch with the legend himself, Mr. Ford. He's always fun to hang out with, even if it's just us two in hanging out in his classroom together. Sometimes, a few other teachers from the history department come and stop by to say hello or chat for a bit. It's nice because we get to have personal talks about what's going on in our lives, inside and outside of school. That's kind of what were doing right now actually.

"Have any plans for this summer, Addy?" Mr. Ford asks me.

"Um, yeah. I actually do but you probably don't want to hear about them. They're kind of lame in my opinion," I say before talking a sip of water from my water bottle.

Mr. Ford gives me a puzzled look as to why I just said that.

"Addy, why would you say that. I'm sure whatever you're plans are, they're going to be fun. You don't have to tell me but if you do, you know I wouldn't judge you," Mr. Ford says reassuringly.

Having him reassuring me made me feel a bit better. 'Come on Addy, just tell him' I think to myself. 'It's Mr. Ford! He wouldn't care!'

"Actually, Mr. Ford, I'm going to summer camp this summer this whole summer," I say looking at him straight in the eyes. "My parents think it would be good for me to go so I could make friends there," I add on while rolling my eyes at the "make friends" part.

"That sounds like it will be tons of fun!" Mr. Ford says. "Addy, I had trouble making friends when I was your age too. I may seem like this really awesome guy that everyone loves and is super easy-going but truth be told, I'm an introvert just like you," he adds.

I look at him shocked. Mr. Ford an introvert, no way?! There's no way a man like him could possibly be an introvert.

"You're an introvert," I ask him surprisingly.

"Surprise, I am and I always will be," he says. "Don't knock down your qualities of being an introvert or even just your natural abilities. Embrace them," he adds while emphasizing the words "embrace them". "People need to love you for you. Best advice I could give you is to stay true to yourself. Once you find those few people who love you for you, you're golden," he finishes while giving me a big smile.

The lunch bell rings just as he finishes.

Those words stuck with me the rest of the school day and until I got home. "Stay true to yourself. Once you find those few people who love you for you, you're golden," I kept repeating to myself in my head. Sometimes I would softly speak them out loud to myself. I started to pack up some things for camp. Those words will definitely stick with me and I most definitely plan to follow them when at camp. Step one, be myself. Step two, find those who love/appreciate me for me. Lastly, step three, be golden.