Camp Utopia.

04.

I ended up putting a shirt back on before I went to the court yard where the volleyball game would be held.
Well, more along the lines of Storm telling me to go put a shirt on before it stirred up unwanted trouble.
He understood my reasons but he was also against me exposing myself like that.
And instead of playing with everyone.
I watched from the side lines.
Only because my arms were really beginning to hurt and I didn't want to take the risk of making my body more sore than it was already going to be.

Jamie was also sitting out while Hyde walked over to the net with five other guys, one I recognized was Rocky.
And on the girls side was Chelsea, her friend Cruz and the other girls they associated themselves with.

"Why did you expose yourself like that earlier?" Jamie questioned quietly as he sat beside me.
I brought my knees to my chest with a frown.
"I got caught up in my own emotions that I wasn't even thinking, I guess I snapped.. sorry if that bothered you or Hyde." I said now.
Jamie smiled softly.
"It more or less set Hyde off wanting to know what Nash did for you to act like that, but I'm glad you're okay." He looked to me.
I sighed.
"He didn't do anything wrong--well I mean he did? But he apologized.." I looked away as Jamie made a face.
"Why do you look sad about that?" He asked me.
I looked at him fixing to speak but was thrown off at the sound of cheering.

Hyde jumped in the air spiking the white ball into the ground.
..
On the guys side.

We both sat there with poker faces.

"What was that?!" One of the guys yelled at Hyde who made a face.
Rocky was laughing his head off.
"Thank god this isn't an actual official match in the state or something, or that would of ended bad. But don't sweat it!" Rocky said slapping the others back who flinched but smirked.
"Right, my bad." Hyde apologized as he got back in position.

I smiled softly as Chelsea tossed the ball up in the air to be set as a girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes jumped up, spiking it on the guys side.
They all let out excited cheers high fiving each other.

"Oh he's actually playing?" I looked over my shoulder to Paul walking over with Nate who took a seat beside us.
Nate smirked.
"I told you he'd end up playing despite his constant protesting of not wanting too." He said now.
I looked to them.
"Did you guys go to the same school or something?" I asked them.
Nate looked to me.
"Oh yeah," he grinned.
"We went to a delinquent high school but it was all boys, so a boys volleyball club was pretty easy to create." Nate's eyes fell on Rocky.
"And Rocky became the vice captain of our team." He looked proud as he told us this.

Paul nodded in agreement.
"Rocky was passionate about volleyball, but after the captain of that team got sick and quit volleyball. I don't know, Rocky just lost that passion for a while? And now here we are, in the present where he looks just as passionate." He smirked.
"But he still sucks at spikes." Nate joked.

"I can hear you guys and you both suck so shut up!" Rocky cried getting ready to serve.
I smiled softly as the game continued.
I watched the curly black haired teenager jump into the air as he tossed the ball up and served it onto the other side, hitting the sand inside the bounds.

The game carried on for nearly two hours between two sets.
The boys surprisingly won and Rocky was ecstatic over it.
----
"Congrats on the win." I found myself saying as Rocky smirked at me.
"Thanks," his eyes fell on Hyde.
"You didn't too bad either, maybe some more practice and you'll actually do great next time." He told the other.
Hyde blinked before rubbing the side of his neck.
"Yeah probably? Volleyball isn't my thing but I wanted to try it out at least once to say I have, you know?" He looked at him.
Rocky nodded in agreement.

"So." Paul looked at me frowning.
"Do we get the story about those bruises too, or is that a touchy subject still?" He asked me.
I blinked but frowned softly.
"Well the staff crew know, Jamie Hyde and Nash also know.." I looked at the trio before frowning.
"Lets go somewhere else." I said heading away from the court yard.

We made it near the lake as I crossed my arms.
"Those bruises and scars you saw were from my ex boyfriend." I looked at them.
"Wait. You're gay?" Nate questioned with a groan after being elbowed by Rocky who glared softly at him.
"Shh." He hissed.
Nate raised his hands in defense.

I looked at them.
"Yeah, I'm gay." I confessed.
"But the bruises.. they're all because I was too stupid to leave a relationship full of abuse, the ex who won't be named right now told me it was love, and at one point I actually believed him." I frowned softly.

Paul frowned deeply.
"Your friends from school beat his ass right?" He asked.
My brows knitted.
"Friends?" I laughed rubbing the side of my neck.
"I stopped having friends after my dad died and not a single one showed up at the funeral, because they wanted to go to a birthday party that same day." I looked away now.
"Maybe I was childish for reacting like that." I shrugged.

Paul frowned at me.
"Well there's a restraining order on him right? There's no way you actually stayed quiet-"
"Yes! I had no choice but to stay quiet because no matter what I said, no one would of believed my word over his. Whether that makes me look like a disgusting piece of shit or a pathetic teenager, I don't know." I leaned against the tree with my arms crossed.

No one said anything.
"You're not a piece of shit." Rocky looked at me with a frown.
"But at least you're away from him, and when you do go home. You'll stay the fuck away from that guy right?" He asked me.
I nodded without hesitating.
They each looked relieved at my response.

We walked back up to the camp and I felt some weird relief fall off my shoulders now that I was actually telling people what happened.

"Hey did you guys hear the news?" Joel walked up to us with his arms crossed.
I made a face.
"What news?" I questioned.
Joel looked at us.
"Apparently they're bringing in two more cabins because there were more kids that signed up for summer camp this year, so the staff crew got permission to get two more cabins as well as sixteen more kids. As if there wasn't enough of us already." He shrugged.

Paul frowned at that.
"So what, eight more guys and girls or just one gender?" He asked.
Joel blinked.
"Well I reckon both genders, not just one." He said now.
"Did you hear how soon that would be?" I asked him.
Joel frowned.
"Well they already scheduled the two cabins to be here within the next four days so the other kids won't have to wait to come here, so I guess the kids will be here the day after." He told me.

I wasn't sure why but it made my stomach turn in knots knowing more kids would be coming here.
Wouldn't that make the camp feel cramped? There was already thirty two of us, that would be another sixteen mouths to feed.
Were they actually thinking this through?
I mean it wasn't even my business.
But still..
Sixteen more kids?

"Maybe they'll bring in some competitive kids who are actually good at volleyball." Rocky teased as Hyde rolled his eyes at the other.
"Maybe they'll bring in some competitive kids who are actually good at volleyball." He mocked in more of a whiny tone earning Rocky to shove him.
"Fuck off you know I'm kidding." He smirked.
Hyde smirked now.
"I'm sure you are." He said walking ahead of us now.

Jamie stayed to my side as he looked to the three beside us.
"S-So I hate to be that guy to bring it up-- but where is Nash if he isn't around you three?" He asked.
I frowned but shrugged it off.
Paul looked to the other.
"He's probably being unsocial, he actually went to our school but this camp is the first time we've even seen him talk or interact with others. It's kinda weird, but since that blow up with blondie here he just went back to what he does best." He crossed his arms.
"Being alone." He told him.

"Great now I'm the bad guy." I frowned.
Paul looked to me.
"No one said that, did anyone hear me say that?" He asked the others.
Everyone shook their heads as I rolled my eyes.
"I wasn't saying that you said it, but because of you saying that I know based on your tone it was aimed at me on why he's being alone. Yet, he isn't the victim in this mess. I am." I said now.

Paul shrugged.
"The question was asked so I answered it, simple as that. If you're bothered knowing he's all alone now, no one is stopping you from going after him to clear the air. Besides." Paul placed his hand on my shoulder and leaned in.

"I know how the two of you look at each other when your backs are turned, so even if it is day two. You may want to talk to him before someone new comes into the picture and tries to take him from you." He told me.
I stared at him.
"I'm guessing you know from experience or else you wouldn't be saying that to me." I pointed out.
Paul smirked.
"I'm the heart breaker not the heart broken Casey, my past hook ups may tell you a different story but only the smart ones will tell you the truth. I don't allow myself to get attached to people in that way," something flickered in his eyes.
"They tend to let you down more than you know." He patted my back before shoving me forward.

"So go talk to that guy before some slut comes in ready to jump him." He told me now.
I stood there for a moment but let out a heavy sigh.
"I really don't like you, Paul." I told him heading off.
Paul stayed back with a smirk.
"Likewise blondie." He said motioning the guys to follow him as I went ahead.

Why would I want to talk to him?
I just said earlier I wanted time alone.
But after hearing what Paul told me about him being alone at school.
It really did make me think about myself and how life was behind those walls.
Ever since I became that unsocial student who hated everyone.
Life only looked black and white.
Until Jordan came into my life and that color mixed in red and it became more ugly than before.

And now that I was here?
There was a lot more colors than those three.
And it was nice.

I walked towards the showers and sure enough he was sitting near the bonfire just staring off into the woods.
It was the perfect pose for a picture but that would be weird.
Even for me.

I cursed myself for my foot skidding against the concrete earning his eyes to fall on me.
I frowned crossing my arms.

"What are you doing over here alone?" I asked him.
Something lit up in his eyes as this smirk appeared on his face.
"Why do you care?" He asked and I felt my face grow warm.
He was asking the exact same question I did.
It sounded more embarrassing now that I thought about it.

"I don't." I lied as I walked up to him my arms remained crossed.
"I was just wondering--"
"Wondering leads to worrying Casey." Amusement danced in his eyes as he looked at me.
"How about you tell me why you came this way? You look clean aside from your sunburn and there hasn't been a kid over here since earlier," he got to his feet as he walked up to me.
"Were you looking for me?" He asked.
I glared now.
"Of course not, why would I look for you?" I asked him.
"Then why is your face red?" He smirked at me.
"Because I'm sunburned you dumb ass." I hissed.

Nash towered over me.
"You're a bad liar Casey, what did they say to you?" He demanded now.
I froze but frowned at him.
"Who?"
"See I know you're blond and all, but you're real bad at acting blond." He grabbed the front of my shirt pulling me closer to him.
My heart was racing.
I wasn't scared.
This wasn't scary.
It was actually.. exciting?
As weird as that sounded.

"Paul told me the short story about how you were always alone at school until camp got here." I said now.
Nash arched a brow with a smirk.
"I had my own reasons on being alone, people just didn't interest me there." He answered and I couldn't tell if he was being honest or not.
I looked at him.
"So what, you came here and suddenly those thoughts changed and people actually interested you?" I asked him.

"Not people." He shook his head as if thinking about his answer until his eyes fell on me, locking as this small smile appeared on his face.
"Only you-- wait no that's a lie, Hyde actually interested me at first, but then that whole blow up yesterday with your gender problem happened and then I really became interested." He looked at me.
"And then you told me your story, well the short story of it but I fucked that up." He frowned confused.
"Which now I am confused because you wanted me to leave you alone, but here you are going against your own statement." He smirked now as I grew more red.

"Well excuse me for being a person-"
"Why do you get so angry at a joke?" He looked at me.
"Did your ex hit you for making jokes and now it makes you an unhappy person around them?" He asked me.
I glared softly.
"No he never hit me for jokes, we didn't exactly stay around each other long enough to tell jokes, it was sex and get out." I stepped away from him now crossing my arms.

"He was my first boyfriend and because of him, I can't ever tell if a guy is flirting with me or just being nice." I looked at him frowning.
"I don't want to come off as mean as I do, but because of that guy.." Tears burned my eyes but I brushed them away.
"Anyway-- I think the guys wanted to do the rope swing and I guess I wanted to see if you were man enough to swing off into the lake with us." I smirked now.

Nash smirked now.
"If I'm man enough? Its just a rope swing, now if it was a rope swing into the fire or into nothing. Then--then I may not be as much of a man as I thought I was." He told me.
I shook my head with a small smile.
"Okay fair enough." I shrugged as we walked away from the showers and headed towards the trail where the rope swing would be.

The walk there was quiet but at times I would hear Nash whistle or playfully bump shoulders with mine.
Was this him flirting?
Was he actually flirting with me?
I mean it made my heart race each time I felt him near me.
So maybe?
But I was never one for making the first move.
Jordan burned it into my head that if a guy was into you, they would make it known.
Like he did.

"Aw they made up!" Rocky hugged Nate jokingly but he only hugged him back as the two laughed.
Paul rolled his eyes before they fell on Nash.
"Blondie was worried about you." He told him.
My face grew warm.
"I was not worried!" I hissed.

"He was-"
"You were." Nash smirked at me before his eyes fell on the rope swing, he walked to the edge.

"Hey look at thi--whoa shit!"  He hissed falling off.
"Oh my god, Nash!" I ran to the edge my heart fixing to pop out of my chest as we all ran to the edge.
We all looked over it to only find Nash hanging there with this huge grin plastered on his face.
"Aw you were worried about me!" He teased.
I glared at him.
"You're a fucking dick, you know that?" I demanded feeling like I was going to explode any minute now.

Paul and the guys were grinning wickedly at him.
"You're supposed to make the guy like you Nash, not give him a damn heart attack." Paul laughed clutching his own chest as if he were worried.

Nash grinned.
"I'd apologize to him, but I don't want too." He smirked pushing off the cliff as he swung out towards the water before letting go and canon balling into the lake.

"Oh hell yeah my turn!" Hyde exclaimed not even thinking twice as he ran and jumped off the cliff grabbing the rope as he swung in towards us, then outwards into the wall before letting go.

"Come on Jamie, Casey!" Hyde called out to us.

Jamie took a step back.
"U-Uh no thanks, I value life? Like a lot.." He said continuing to back up.
"Oh come on!" Paul crouched down.
"You can go with me." He smirked.
Jamie frowned.
"No really that's ok-"

"Jamie Jamie Jamie~" The guys began to chant as Jamie stood there trying not to squirm.
"Okay okay!" He got on Paul's back.
"Hold on barbie." Paul smirked running the two of them off the cliff, Jamie's eyes squeezed shut the whole entire time.

Nate Rocky and I walked to the edge now, the others looking up at us.
"Come on ya chickens!" Paul and Nash called.
Rocky smirked.
"Man screw the swing." He walked towards the trees before turning back around.
He let out a loud yell before running and tossing himself off the cliff.

"What a wild kid he is." Nate ran a hand through his hair with a laugh.
His eyes fell on me.
"Wanna go?" He asked handing me the rope.
"Uh actually you go ahead-- I'll go last." I told him.
Nate shrugged with a grin before running and jumping off the cliff.

I ran a hand through my hair.
I walked over to the edge where the guys were.
They were all looking up at me.
"Come on Casey!" Hyde called out to me.
I looked at him.
"Give me a minute!" I cried down to him.

"Casey!" Nash called out now.
I glared at him.
"What?" I questioned.
"If you jump, I'll kiss you!" He told me.
I blinked.
"What kind of encouragement is that? Do you think you have heart melting lips or something that would make me jump just for you?" I demanded placing a hand on my hip.

"Oh shit the hand is on the hip, prepare for the blondie's sass." Paul teased.
I flipped the other black haired teenager off before walking to the tree line.
I took a shaky breath.

"You won't jump." His voice echoed.
"You're a coward."
"Pathetic."
"You're fixing to make a fool of yourself."

I shook my head.
Just shut up already! I screamed inside my head and without thinking I took off running towards the edge.
I felt my legs trying to stop themselves but my motivation to prove the voice wrong was a bit more stubborn.

I felt myself leaving the ground as my legs kicked in the air on my way down.
Holy shit.
I jumped.
I really jumped!

I hit the water going further down than I thought I would.
But I resurfaced fast with an excited gasp.
"I jumped!" I cried out.

The guys all cheered and I felt my chest grow tight seeing Nash's eyes already on me.
"See? You knew if you jumped you would be awarded by a kiss." He smirked swimming up to me.
I arched a brow.
"Again, do you think you have some kind of charm that would make me want to kiss you?" I asked him.
Nash smirked at me.
"I think I do." He said and just as I was about to protest against his self confidence.
His lips were on mine.
Not forced.
Not bruising themselves on mine.
But gently and with warning.
On them.
And I felt like I was going to melt in the water.
----
"I need a damn shower after that!" Nate groaned as we walked out the water.
"I think I have sand in my shorts." Rocky confessed.
"Sounds rather personal, Rocky." Paul smirked at the other who grinned.

"Speaking of personal." Hyde looked at me as I walked ahead with Jamie and Nash.
I looked to him.
"What is it?" I asked.
Hyde made a face.
"What is it?" He repeated with a grin.
"What the hell happened just now? One minute you can't stand this guy and now you're all about him?" He smirked.
I blushed but shrugged it off with a small glare.

"I wouldn't say all about him," I smirked at Nash.
"It was just a kiss its not my fault this ego has some kind of gift with kissable lips." I stated.
All of their eyes grew wide with grins.
"You fucking heard him." Paul laughed.
"We all heard him, Paul." Nash's eyes fell on me with a smirk.
Wait.

"Wait wait wait! I messed that up." I cried with my face burning.
"Oh no, you can't go back on what you just said." Paul laughed at me as I glared my face burning.

"Whatever, screw you guys." I stormed walking ahead of the rest.
Leaving them all laughing and teasing me in the distance.
My heart was racing.
Damn him.
Damn this summer camp.

I had three months of this.
And I wasn't sure my heart could take it.
Not with these jerks lingering around.

But still.
I'm glad I was here.