The Summer I Found Myself

Chapter 1: Meet

Dylan never considered himself an outdoorsy person. Yes, he did have a slight obsession with nature and its beauty, he couldn't ever bring himself to spend long amounts of time outdoors. And yet, he was walking into a summer camp he knew nothing about. All he knew was this place would house him for the summer, and he would have to deal with it.

The reason for Dylan signing up for camp went back a couple months.

–Dylan had his back to the gender-neutral bathroom. A small group of friends had asked him to "stand guard." The gender-neutral bathrooms were very big targets for vandalism and just violence. It caused many to not really feel safe in them at all, which defeats the whole point of their use.

Dylan was often asked to "stand guard" during passing period. Dylan was one of the only "masculine" guys who wasn't homophobic or transphobic. Dylan found homophobia and transphobia disgusting. Dylan's beliefs became pretty popular in the school, just for the fact it was such a shock for a ''straight'' masculine guy to believe in that shit.

Well one day, the usual group grabbed Dylan from class and he did his usual lean against the door. Well his "friend" group decided to turn down the hallway during this particular passing period. "Dylan man" one of them shouted, "What the hell are you doing standing near the gay bathroom?" That made Dylan so fucking mad.

"Shut the fuck up," Dylan yelled, "I'm so sick of all of your shit." Dylan was fuming, but also not trying to cause a scene during school. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. These same guys had even gone as low as to use slurs. "Don't talk to me," Dylan said, "EVER again."

"Dylan," one of them said, |"They are disgusting..why do you care so much?" Dylan was practically about to punch someone. The fact someone even had the audacity to say something like that made Dylan's blood boil. It not only hurt those who were just trying to use the bathroom peacefully, but it hurt Dylan too.

Dylan had spent the rest of the school year sitting alone at lunch. All of the people he wanted to talk to sat in the GSA room during lunch, and Dylan didn't want to cause an even bigger rumor. Dylan wasn't ready to..be out.

To be completely honest, Dylan didn't know what his sexuality was. He knew he had liked guys before, and some girls too. It was all too confusing for him. Maybe that's why he decided to stick up for the few who felt comfortable expressing themselves. He was glad they could do it, but also upset that he himself couldn't be out like that.--

Just thinking back to that moment made Dylan so upset. He tried to forget about it all, but it still clouded his brain.

–Dylan had come home that day, after his run in with his ex-friends at school. He didn't feel like doing anything, and was eating ice cream in his bed, with the lights off. He felt like being lazy. and possibly skipping the next school day. He didn't have anyone anymore.

Dylan thought about the upcoming summer, and how it was probably going to be spent in his room, by himself. 'How fun is that' he thought. Not very fun was the answer. Dylan opened his laptop and looked up "Things to do over the summer." Camp Knowhere was at the top. It was located in the next state over, in Indiana.

Dylan had a moment of hesitation, before ultimately filling out the sign up sheet. He used the little money he had in his savings to cover the cost, and that was that. His dad wasn't t too pleased at first, but when they saw how miserable Dylan had become, they were glad he was getting out of the house.--

And now he was there, at Camp Knowhere. His impulsive decision was playing out into real life. After checking in at the small table near the entrance, Dylan walked towards the line of cabins. The cabins almost looked intimidating at first. These homes would house campers for two straight months, and Dylan had no control of who he was going to be rooming with for those two months.