A Silver Summer

Chapter 15

Chapter fifteen

Anika glared at her bedside clock as she watched the red numbers transform in the dead of the morning. She also noticed the stupid thing made an annoying ticking sound. 

She let out an inaudible groan so that she wouldn't wake Mel and Keira up. Both of them were happily content with their heads buried in their pillows, a muffled snore vibrating in the back of Keira's throat. 

Rubbing her eyes, Anika brushed her hair out of her face and changed into a pair of shorts and tank top with her bathing suit underneath. She glared once again at the little red clock as the numbers changed again. Five thirty... too damn early to see the devil, Anika thought. 

Rummaging through her drawer, she found a hair elastic and her brush. Pulling it through her hair, she quickly threw up her raven curls and left the cabin. Watch him not even show.... 

Along the way to Gelsey's office, Anika stopped off at the bathrooms. She winced at her reflection in the mirror and fingered the fading yellow green bruise on her chin that Ryleigh gave her the first day in the car. Next was the long horizontal slash above her brow. A thin line of black crusted blood plastered against her forehead and took a while to wash off. The gash must've reopened a little while she slept. She had to be careful so it wouldn't bleed again. Once she was cleaned up, she continued to the office. Anika knocked softly against the door and it swung open moments later. 

"Ah, good morning Anika." Gelsey stepped aside with her fairly large cup of coffee. Anika politely returned her words and walked in.

"I ran to the kitchen beforehand and grabbed some muffins and what not. Ryleigh's not here yet so dig in." Gelsey opened a white box and watched a cloud of steam roll off the tops of the muffins. 

"Thanks. I didn't know the cafeteria ladies started this early." Anika thought. Those little ol' ladies were spectacularly wonderful. 

"Yeah, they're pretty dedicated. And they also gossip like the rest of you kids." Gelsey took a seat at her desk. Anika dared to look up at Gelsey's raised blond brow. 

"I can explain?" Anika ducked her head. 

"No need. I asked around and it sounded like you met Victoria." Anika nodded. "You didn't exactly fight her so I guess I can't add on to your punishment this morning. It's too early anyway. I'll just recommend that you stay away from her. Mel and Keira on the other hand..." Gelsey rubbed a hand down her face. 

"Is it always like this between them and Victoria?" Anika asked with a small chuckle. 

"Yes. And there's no stopping it so as long as there is no real damage... or blood. I think we're good.  For now at least." Anika let out a small laugh as she picked at her muffin. 

"Sorry for the fight yesterday." Anika sincerely apologized. "I know you probably had more important things to do other than break up our fight."

"Don't be. I'm not that naive to think that I can prevent all fights from happening. I run a camp for a bunch of troubled teens. Add in the raging hormones and summer heat and we've got flaring tempers. I'm just lucky that for some reason you all fear me."

"You aren't lucky. It's just that we all chose to come here for a reason. That other option is our own worst nightmare." Anika said quietly. 

"I know. And between you and I that's why I'll never turn anyone away. It happened to me."

"You were a delinquent?" Anika asked in open shock. 

Gelsey let out a laugh and shook her head before a dimmer smile pulled at her lips. "No, when I told my family I was going to open my own camp in the middle of nowhere they were disappointed. In their narrow minds delinquents can't be fixed, like you're all some broken toy. Sometimes these kids don't need help, but rather another person, another kid their age that's just like them. Someone that understands. But my parents didn't understand that. They looked at me as a failure."