Blake maneuvers one of the canoes resting next to the pier off and into the water. He grabs the paddles, places them inside the canoe, and climbs. He offers me his hand, and I smile at the gesture while taking it, stepping inside. The canoe topples a bit to the side as I gain my balance. As soon as I get myself to balance, I sit down and grab the paddles from Blake as he gives them to me.
"I'm glad you're here," Blake says as we paddle into the lake. "It's been too long since I've gone rowing."
"Me too," I say, glancing over at him. He smiles back at me and then turns his attention to paddling us across the water.
"So, what's your favorite part of the lake?" Blake asks.
"The water. Is so clear," I say. "It makes me feel like we're in another world." Blake nods his head as he paddles us across the lake. We both stare out at the blue waters of the lake, taking in its beauty.
"It's beautiful," I say. "I love the way the sun reflects off of the water." Blake nods his head and then looks at me with a smile.
"You're right. It is beautiful," Blake says. We both sit in silence for a moment before Blake speaks up again.
"So, I was wondering if you want to go to the bush dance with me," he says.
"Oh, Blake," I say. "I would love to go with you." He smiles at me, and I see something else he wants to say.
"I'm sorry I haven't been around much," he says.
"It's okay," I say. Blake nods his head and then looks out over the lake again. I look in the distance and admire the entire surroundings. In the distance, I can see the outline of the activity center. The bright red doors of our cabins are also not as hard to miss. Students are walking around and playing games on the grass near the gazebo.
I can feel the boat drifting slowly, and I look in Blake's direction. He had suddenly stopped rowing for some reason and was looking at me with a smile on his face.
"What?" I ask. Blake shakes his head and then looks back out over the lake.
"Nothing," he says, shaking his head. "Actually, I want to give you something," I furrow my brow in confusion, and he suddenly starts to dig in his pants pocket.
"What are you doing?" I ask. Blake looks at me and then back out over the lake again.
"I want to give you this," he says, pulling something from his pocket, and I look down at what he is holding in his hand.
"Turn around, and I'll put it on," I smile as I turn around, and he slips it around my neck. I look down, take the heart-shaped pendant around my neck, and I feel a smile creep up on my face. On the front of the charm, it was plain. I turn it over and see some engraving words. I hold it closer so that I can read the fine writing.
"Forever yours," I read out loud. I whip my head around and look at Blake. He is smiling broadly at me.
"Do you like it?" I nod my head with tears forming in my eyes. What happens next is so unexpected that I don't even comprehend what is happening around me. Blake leans in, and his lips reach mine before he kisses me. His lips are as soft as a baby's bottom.
"It's beautiful," I say softly as he pulls away from the kiss, but it is not just the pendant that has caught my attention; it is him too. His hair is tousled from our kiss, and his light green eyes shine brightly as they look into mine. He smiles again, and I can't help but smile back.
"I'm glad you like it," he says as he looks down at the pendant.
"I thought about what I wanted to put on the necklace, and this is the only thing that came to mind."
"It's perfect," I say, still smiling. Blake leans in again and kisses me softly on my lips before pulling away. My heart beats so fast that I feel dizzy with excitement. I am definitely starting to fall for him.
***
Cara asks me to help her decorate the activity hall for the bush dance. She is busy hanging up the middle piece from the roof, a disco ball. I was shocked when Cara told me she wanted to put a disco ball in the decorations. But she assured me that she knew what she was doing. I just shrugged it off and let her go with it, and I must say it looks nice with the plants and twinkle lights.
I am sitting in one of the corners painting some fake brick walls. The brown paint is spilled everywhere on my apron and pants. I move the finished painting to one side and started with another one. Cara climbs off the ladder she uses to stand on and looks in my direction.
"Thank you for your help. I appreciate it," Cara says as she joins me. I look up at her and smile. Her body is plopped next to mine on the floor. She takes a dry, new paintbrush, dips it in the paint, and begins to paint the top half of the brick wall.
"Why don't you want to talk to me?" Cara asks.
"I don't know. I guess it's just hard to talk about things that are going on in my life," I say as I paint the other half of the wall.
"Like what?" she asks, still painting.
"Well, like...the dance and all." She stops painting for a moment and looks at me with her eyebrows raised high on her forehead.
"Really? I don't think it's about the dance. You can tell me," she says.
"Well, I don't know if it's about the dance or not," I say as I paint another brick wall. "I just feel like things are so different now."
"How so?" she asks. She looks at me with her eyebrows raised high on her forehead but a concern in her eyes. I sigh, deciding I should just tell her about my father.
"Well, um... my father is in prison, and he called me the other day. He never calls me. And I mean never." I say with a sigh.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she says as she finishes painting the wall.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I nod, and we sit down on the floor together. I told her everything that happened between my father and me. She listens patiently, never interrupting or asking any questions. After I finish telling her, she sits there for a moment with a look of sadness on her face.
"I'm so sorry," she says finally. "That must have been really hard," she says, pausing as if contemplating something else to say.
"Do you not think it is better to leave and go back home so you can sort stuff out with your family. I think you need their support now," she suggests.
"I don't know," I say, shaking my head. "I just feel like I need to face him and tell him how I feel. He's done so much damage." She nods in agreement, and we sit there for a few more minutes in silence. Finally, she stands up and offers me her hand. "Let's go get some punch," she says with a smile. We walk out of the room and down the hall, laughing and joking. It feels like a new beginning, where everything is finally going to be okay.
YOU ARE READING
Summer Camp Sweethearts
Teen Fiction"I'm sending you to Summer Camp." Sometimes, there are two words that you don't want to hear. Mine is Summer Camp. At Point Lookout Summer Camp everyone gets a chance to enjoy the beauty of nature while improving their grades but, when teenagers fro...
