Soft Lips And Some Pearly Whites

One

(first person)

I sat up in my chair, as my English teacher told me to. I had zoned out again, as I had multiple times before in that class.
I guess I should start paying attention, I mean, although its the last day, I might aswell just incase.
Its June 30th 1978, and im going to a summer camp tomorrow. I've gone to the same summer camp since I was 9, though I only started as a counselor afew years back. I'm 18 years old, a grade 12 in shadyside highschool.
I like going to camp, atleast when I was a camper, it's okay as a counselor though.
We decided that all of the shadyside counselors would meet up outside school around 3:15, they wanted us to go shopping for grocerys and whatnot to restock the things at camp. I think it was being payed for by whoever owned the camp, I wasnt really paying attention to whoever told me.
As time passed, it eventually was the end of the day. I stood from my desk as the bell rang before grabbing my things to leave.
I walk to my locker, grabbing all of my belongings, before walking to a bench outside the school to wait.
I place my headphones over my ears and tuck my knees to my chest.
I decided to play "Detroit Rock City" by KISS, when I hear footsteps approaching me.
I look up to find Tommy Slater making his way over, before sitting on the bench. I dont really care, hes a counselor so its not irregular for him to be waiting aswell. I look back forward.
"Everybody's gonna leave their seat
You gotta lose your mind in Detroit Rock City" Plays through my headphones.
I feel a tap on my shoulder.
"hm?" I turn to Tommy, removing my headphones.
"er- how long have you been sitting here?" he said, embarrassed to repeat himself.
"like, 30 seconds." I laugh.
"oh, okay." He went back to whatever he'd been doing before. Reading, maybe.
I nod, placing my headphones over my ears once again.
How do I explain Tommy Slater?
He's my age and in afew of my classes. He's about 6'0, and he has blonde short-ish hair. we've both been going to Camp Nightwing around the same amount of time.
We dont talk, I mean, sure whenever we were paired in classes or some other scenario where we needed to we would, but other than that its more of a smile in the hallway.
He's like the kid you can't quite tell if you're friends with or not.
Soon enough, the other counselors started appearing, talking amongst themselves.
Eventually, everyone was here.
Joan, Gary, Nick, Cindy, Alice, Arnie, Tommy, and me.
i slide my headphones off my head as they start trying to figure out who should buy what and with who.
"Okay.. Cindy why dont you go with Alice and Arnie to get toiletries?" Gary started, recieving a nod from each of the three he had named. "great, Nick, Joan, and I can get extra clothes?" he looked at the two, another nod. "then that leaves y/n and Tommy to groceries." he turned to us, still sitting on the bench.
"okay." Tommy replied.
I nod in agreement.
The others turned into their groups, figuring out whatever they had to.
"I'll drive, you ready?" Tommy stood up, looking down at me with a smile.
"oh god." I laugh, standing up and following after him to his truck.
It's an older red truck, it looks to have been one of his parents old trucks.
He makes his way to the drivers side, as I do the passengers side.
He starts the truck once were both in.
Almost immediately, the radio blasts "Hotel California" by the Eagles.
"oops" he chuckles, turning the volume down a ton.
I scoff laugh.
"what do we even need to buy?" I ask.
"you've been shopping for camp before.." he looks over at me.
"yeah, for, like, clothes." I reply.
"mhmm" he turns back forward, starting to drive to the store.
"thank you for answering my question." I smile.
he scoffs.
"Okay, when we find something we think the campers will like, we ask the other to make sure, and we buy it." He motions with one hand, the other on the steering wheel.
"right." I look out the window.
we drive for around 5 minutes when he stops.
"well, were here." he parks his truck.
"Great." I sarcastically smile.
"what? you didn't want the car ride to be over? am I that nice to be around?" he laughs, unbucking his seatbelt.
"oh yeah, a dream." I say, doing the same before opening my door.
"thanks!" we both get out of the truck, walking into the grocery store.
He grabs a cart, pushing it down one of the aisles. I feel like a dog following him around.
We walk around the store for about 30-45 minutes, occasionally adding to the cart, and talking every once in awhile.
A

fter we figured we had enough to last the summer, we checked out and loaded everything we bought into the back of his truck.
"if you want, i can drive you to camp." Tommy said as I slid the seatbelt over my chest.
"really?" I replied.
"yeah, I mean, I usually drive there." he lays his hands over the steering wheel.
"sounds good." I smile at him.
"just have your stuff packed and ready to go by nine tomorrow." He started his truck. "ill even be so nice as to drop you off tonight." he smiles at me. "whats your address?"
I told him, and off we went.
sooner or later we arrived at my house.
"thank you" I smile, unbuckling my seatbelt and opening the door.
"No problem, see you tomorrow. Nine." he reminds me.
"yeah, yeah." I laugh, shutting the car door behind me. I wave as I walk up to my door.
"Im home!" I call out once I get inside.
"where were you?" My mom ran up to me.
"I told you, the camp counselors were shopping for camp tomorrow." I laugh, taking my shoes off.
"right. how did you get home?" she sighed in relief.
"A friend offered to drive me. oh, right, he's also gonna drive me to camp tomorrow." I start walking to my bedroom.
"he?" she smiles at me.
"shut up." I call from my room as I shut the door.
I change into a pair of shorts and a Pink Floyd tee, before laying down and falling asleep.