The Summer Reunion (unedited version)

25| Control Yourself

Tosh's arm wrapped around my shoulder as Grayson and I led her up the steps to her Bunkie. It was just before dinner time and we had left right after the incident, not wanting to overstay our welcome. The car ride was silent on the way back, and Izzie didn't offer to help Tosh before she stomped up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door. Although I don't blame her. We were supposed to be on our best behavior and we ended the evening playing real life Mario Cart. Once we got in the car we were all shooting glances at each other over Tosh's head as she laid back in her seat.

The door swung open to her shack and hit the wall as we helped her inside. A pungent smell hit me as I stepped in, filling my senses with weed and cheap beer. It smelt like a frat party. Grayson scrunched his nose as it hit him too.

The Bunkie had two sets of bunkbeds on either side of the dully lit room. The carpet flooring sat underneath a minifridge in between the beds on the wall opposite of the door. To my left beside Grayson there was a dresser which was covered in empty beer cans and weed. He looked at me in concern over Tosh's head as we held each of her arms. She drank so much, even after we got caught on the golf carts, that she was close to passing out. The only clue we got she was still conscious were her incoherent mumbles she slurred every few minutes. 

The mood had shifted drastically from the excitement that entailed this morning. Now we were stepping over eggshells in the limited conversations we had to avoid addressing what we were all hesitant to discuss. 

I lifted the covers with one hand while still holding onto her and saw her bed was covered in an unpleasant combination of crumbs and bits of weed.

I sighed and adjusted my grip on her arm, "take her over to the other bed."

We moved her over to the mattress across from her own and placed her under her sheets. The air was thick with tension as we stared down at her tossing and turning in her drunken stupor.

I took a step back from her bed. "I have to go do something but I'll be back to check on her later."

Grayson stayed silent as he followed me out the door. Our paths split apart as I walked towards the front of the house and he headed towards the back door.

                                                                                *****

The front office to the camp was noticeably more airconditioned than the rest of the activity rooms I'd been supervising. After spending the day outside on the golf course it was refreshing to be in the cool air.

I walked up to the empty front desk and waited for the receptionist to come back. You would think in such a small wooden cabin people wouldn't be so hard to find. There was another room a few feet behind the counter that said Mr. Clearwater on the door on an engraved wooden sign. A muffled conversation made its way through the door as I stood in the office. 

If I want to win the bonus Mr. Sawyer was talking about I need to do more to help out. I'm already at a disadvantage by sharing my group of campers. 

After waiting impatiently for another minute, I rang the gold bell sitting on top of the desk.

The receptionist walked out of his office and greeted me at the desk.

"Hi, how can I help you?" her lips smacked as she chewed a piece of gum.

"I was looking for Mr. Clearwater," I peeked over her shoulder to his door. "Is he in at the moment?"

She shook her head, "he's on a call right now. Can I take a message?"