Bait Girl

ch 1 . stranded

"Alright boys, we're here. Evergreen Lake and Lodge. Your bags are in the trunk, good luck." Our tour manager Oliver turned around in the passenger seat of the van, looking at the four of us. I think part of him was glad to be getting rid of us for the summer. We were on a break, and he decided it would be good for us to get away from the glamour of celebrity life. Honestly, I thought it was the stupidest idea ever. Basically anything we needed we could access with our phones. I pulled mine out of my pocket to check my texts. Nothing. That's strange. I looked up at the signal. Nothing. "Also, your phones probably won't work, but there is a phone in the cabin you can use if need be. If you don't know how to use a phone with a cord, ask someone who cares. Now, out the van!"
We all groaned and yanked the doors open, stepping out into the Iowa heat. It was thick and sticky, I could already feel my shirt sticking to my torso. We all walked up to the main lobby, which was a smaller cabin in the middle of all the others. Air conditioning blasted as we stepped in, immediately cooling us down.
"Dude, this is kinda cool." Niall nudged me between the ribs as we looked around. Signs and taxidermy lined the walls. I giggled at a small plaque that adorned what it called a "hamster buttocks". As we looked around in awe, a man appeared from the backroom.

"Hey! How can I help you?" He said with a big smile, tapping his fingers against the wood desk.

"Hi mate, our manager booked us a couple cabins here, name's Liam!" Liam said, his accent thick as ever. The man's facial expression changed suddenly.

"Oh, hello! We've been expecting your arrival all week." He came out in front of the desk and shook each of our hands'. There was dirt under his fingernails and his palms were a little sweaty. I'd have to remember to wash my hands well that night. "I'm David, the owner of Evergreen Lodge and Head of Recreation on the lake. Come to me if you need anything, and I mean anything! We've saved our best cabins, just for you four!" He rambled on, being extremely expressive with his hands. Before he could start another sentence, the door squealed open and a girl appeared at the door. I except a scream to come out of her at the sight of us, but her eyes just scanned over us and landed on David.

"Dad, Cabin 8 wants me to bring them room service. Can I tell them to kindly fuck off?" She leaned against the doorframe, a bucket in her hand. Although her tanned face was twisted into a scowl, she still looked gorgeous. She didn't look like all the glamorous girls of Hollywood with pounds of makeup and designer clothes, but something about her natural beauty was breathtaking. She wasn't wearing any makeup, which was apparent as acne dotted her face and subtle tan lines where she left her sunglasses on too long were present. She was in simple jean shorts and a t-shirt advertising the lodge with some ratty old converse. The fact that was wasn't trying at all, but managed to look so amazing, was one of the most beautiful things about her. After a moment, I realized I had been staring a bit too long and that she has realized. "Also, why are these wonky-eyed freak and his friends standing around?"

"Charlotte! These are our guests. Very special guests, might I add. They are going to be staying in Cabins 2 and 4 and I expect them to have the best service possible. You are to cater to their every wish and command."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"No. Now show them to where they'll be staying. And tell Cabin 8 we can order delivery for them and bring it to their cabin. Well, you can. Since you decided to come in here and be rude." The brunette huffed and stomped off, and we hesitantly followed, our bags in tow. There were several families and fishermen wandering the grounds, but none that seemed to recognize us too well.

"So Charlotte, how'd you get this job?" Liam asked politely.

"My name's Charlie, first of all. It's on my birth certificate and everything. Char-lie. My dad just likes to do that to piss me off. Second, my mom died and my dad went crazy and sold our house and bought the lodge. I didn't really have a choice." She had stopped walking and turned around to face all of us. We were standing in front of a cabin with a shiny metal "2" on the door. She looked annoyed, but there was also a twinge of sadness behind her brown eyes. We made eye contact but she quickly darted her eyes somewhere else. "Okay, well, this is one of your guys' cabins. There two beds."

Liam slapped a hand on Louis' back. "Come on, mate. Let's take this one." I was glad he said that, because honestly I wanted to spend more time with Charlie. She held the door open for the guys as they carried their bags in, looking as bored as ever. I hadn't realized it before, but the light caught a diamond stud in her nose. It wasn't something I expected from her, but it fit her well. After Niall and I said goodbye to the others, Charlie silently guided us over to our cabin.

"Cabin 4, here ya' go. If you need anything, call the front office. Here," she took a paper out of her back pocket, "is a schedule of all the activities happening around here. It says the time and who's leading it. D is my dad, S is Sam. He's my little brother. And C, obviously, is me. Any questions? No? Great."

"Thanks Charlie! You've been a huge help!" Niall cheered with his thick accent. He walked into the cabin and I went to follow but stopped in front of the brunette who was absentmindedly picking at the end of her braided hair.

"I'm Harry."

"Okay? Shave then."

"No, that's my name."

"I know, it was a joke. Brits can't take a joke, huh?" She rolled her eyes and picked up the bucket she had sat down during our conversation. "There's dinner in the mess hall at 6. I'd suggest you don't be late." She turned around and began to walk off.

"Charlie!" I yelled impulsively. She turned around and glared at me.

"What?"

"What are you doing?"

"Going to get some minnows for the bait shop, wanna join?"

"Sure!"

"I was kidding..."

"Can I join, though?"

"Uh, I guess?" Charlie turned back around and went the way she was going. I assumed I was to follow her. I watched her back as she walked down the path. I read the back of her shirt.

"Bait Girl?" I asked, referring to the name printed on the back of her shirt.

"Yeah, that's what they called me around here. I spend a good amount of my time at the bait shop, and when I'm not there I'm lifeguarding or out getting bait. Hence, Bait Girl." She turned out of the circle of cabins and began to walk down towards the lake's edge. Setting down the bucket, she peeled off her shirt. I coughed, not expecting her to do that. A worn red swimsuit was beneath that said lifeguard across the chest. She turned around and glared at me.

"Got a problem, Styles?"

"Uh, no...how'd you know my last name?"

"I don't live under a rock. I know who you are, I just don't exactly care." Pulling down her shorts and tossing them on top of her shirt, she began to walk in the water. I looked down at my skinny jeans and back up at her. She was rolling her eyes. "Forgot about you being a city boy. Run back and get your trunks. I'll wait."