𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏 𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐙𝐈𝐍 || 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱 𝘢𝘶

━━𝐍𝐈𝐊𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐈

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐

⭒☆━━━━━━━━ ゜✭・.・✫・゜━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Nikolai could describe Zoya using a variety of words: intelligent, hard working, beautiful, difficult, loyal, etc. However, one he would have never thought to use was " a kid person". But as Nikolai observed her glaring daggers at the approaching campers, he realised her "hatred" of children was false pretense. Both Nikolai and Zoya had been working at Camp Keramzin since their friends Alina and Mal had taken it over 3 years ago. And during those three years of running weekly dodgeball games that always ended in half of the campers being littered in bruises, and telling scary stories by the campfire, every word emphasized by energetic hand gestures, Nikolai realized that Zoya not only likes kids in her own way, but she is also good at handling them. While the campers might fear her prickly demeanor and ice cold glares, they also know that Zoya is there to protect them and that protection will come with a bit of tough love.

"If looks could kill Nazyalensky, all of these campers would be dead." Zoya crossed her arms, her piercing blue eyes narrowing as she flashed her signature glare at Nikolai.

"On second thought, I would most likely be dead too."

Zoya opened her mouth, most likely to make some snarky comment in response to Nikolai, but she was interrupted by a camper standing in front of the desk. Zoya rose from her foldable chair, a strand of black hair slipping from its place in the ponytail she adorned, and Nikolai was overcome by the unwelcome urge to remove the damned blue ribbon that held it in place and re-tie her hair.

"What are you up to now, Brekker?" Zoya asked the camper in front of her as she read over his registration forms.

Even though Kaz had gained a few inches on Zoya over the last year, still managed to look down on him. "Whatever do you mean, Nazyalensky?"

Zoya looked as if she was about to dunk Kaz's head into the lake. "You know what, I don't have the patience for this right now. Camp literally just started Brekker and I would prefer it if you didn't cause trouble but that is obviously too much to ask from you. Just don't do it till we are at least 3 days in, at a minimum. Do you understand?"

Kaz gave a careless nod, obviously not paying attention. Nikolai was always wary of Kaz. The boy constantly looked like he was calculating a way to burn the whole camp to the ground. Yet today, he had a giddy smile on his face and that was more unsettling than any other expression the boy had ever adorned. Zoya looked down at the sheet in front of her. "You're in Crow Cabin 2 Brekker. And don't forget I'm watching you."

"Awwwww, You're no fun" Kaz frowned, grabbing the itinerary Zoya had handed him.

She sank back into her chair."I'm here for a long time, not a good time."

Nikolai and Zoya kept checking registration forms and distributing itineraries. Despite the fact that it was a mundane task, Nikolai was grateful for every minute of it. He relished the never-ending cycle of him and Zoya bickering back and forth. While most men who had met Zoya saw her typically bitter behaviour as something to be tamed, Nikolai found it refreshing. Campers were entertained by their constant banter. Genya Safin who ran the arts and crafts sessions with Alina teased that most of them picked up the "tension" between Nikolai and Zoya. Some gossiped, while others were less discreet and directly asked them about it. Last summer, near the end of the camp session, a young Suli girl approached Nikolai quietly. She'd wisely told him some sound advice she'd gotten from her father. The person who deserves your heart is the one who will "learn your favourite flower, your favourite song, your favourite sweet. And if they are poor it would make no difference. The fact that they have taken the time to get to know you is all that matters." For the rest of that Summer, Nikolai had sworn to himself that he would be that person for Zoya, repeating the Suli girl's advice over and over in his head.

A young girl approached the desk, clutching her registration forms. She appeared to be clinging to them for dear life, most likely because she was nervous. Nikolai watched as something in Zoya softened at the sight of the girl. He quietly observed her as she leaned down to reach the girl's height, read over her forms, and taught her how to read her itinerary. The girl's gaze shifted up at Zoya just as she was about to head off to her cabin. "You're really pretty," she said and Zoya appeared as though she were trying to suppress a giggle.

Now it was Nikolai who crouched down to meet the girl's eyes. "I agree."

He leaned forward, bringing his hand to his mouth as though he was sharing a treasured secret with the girl."Between you and me Zoya is one of the prettiest people I have ever met and she's brimming with spite. A double threat."

Nikolai looked up at Zoya and he could have sworn he saw her cheeks turn a faint red. The girl spared Zoya one more look of admiration and then walked off to her cabin.

"What was that for Lantsov?" Zoya asked, back to glaring daggers at him.

"Oh, just speaking the truth."

The look in her eyes was all mirth but the faint tinge on her cheeks and the smile forming on her face told a different story. Gazing at Zoya, Nikolai realized that he had fallen. He had fallen so hard that he wasn't going to come back up. He was crashing into her, the sun, the brightest star in his universe. 

⭒☆━━━━━━━━ ゜✭・.・✫・゜━━━━━━━━☆⭒

━━ 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒

I love how like last week I said that Chapter 2 would be uploaded the day after I uploaded Chapter 1. I lied :\ 

Anyways... sorry for the delay, school starts soon and I am not looking forward to it. Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 are almost done though!!