Where They All Go

~Chapter two: Shaking my head and smiles~

Day one.

I go down to breakfast, squinting through the fog coming off the lake. I push open the dining hall doors and stumble into the warm embrace of breakfast smells. Bacon, eggs, waffles, and more.

The other Cabin leaders study me intently as I walk up to the counter and grab a plate. As the dining hall lady serves me my food, I stare back at the curious faces. I find Pearla's beaming smile almost immediately and since she's the only familiar face, I automatically begin to walk towards her table. I stop at the head and look at the residents. There's Pearla with her lilac-pink hair, a light blonde woman, a small white guy, and a very tall, very skinny man with beaded dreads that hang over his eyes.

"Hey, Jac! Would you like to sit with us?" Pearla asks, a little too loudly.

"If you don't mind."

She waves a dismissive hand. "We've all just met anyway, one more won't hurt!"

I smile and sit down next to the small white guy. He glances up from his waffles with wide Hazel eyes. He has a gentle smile. He seems nice.

"I'm Jac," I say.

"Steven," he answers, extending his hand.

I smile and give it a firm shake.

"Blight," The tall man says. He too extends his hand, that I too, shake.

Finally, only the light blond woman is left. She has beautiful blue eyes and a stunning smile for this early in the morning.

"I'm Ali. I would shake your hand, but you're on the other side of the table, and my hands are covered in maple syrup right now," she says, laughing and licking her fingers.

I smile. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you."

"You guys ready for the kids to come today?" Pearla asks.

"No way," Steven says quietly.

"Well, you better get ready because they'll be here in a few hours," Pearla says, taking Steven by his shoulders and shaking him gently.

Blight groans good-naturedly. "Sometimes I wonder why I do this to myself."

"You've cabin led before?" Ali asks.

Blight nods."Many times. I also used to come here as a camper."

"What about you, Jac?" Ali asks, pointing at me with her spoon.

"I've cabin led once before, but as an assistant, never alone. What about you? First time?"

She nods and smiles shyly.

"Aw, you'll have a blast. The kids are great!" Pearla says.

"Usually," Steven adds, and we all laugh.

I find it interesting how we laugh at things sometimes that aren't even that funny. In a sense, we're laughing at our insanity. That we have signed ourselves up to waste a week of our summers to keep care of a bunch of bratty kids, for free.

Sure, to the parents, we're saints, but to everyone else, we're a bunch of insane young adults. And I couldn't agree with them more. I mean, who is crazy enough to sign up to cabin lead the thirteen through fifteen-year-olds camp?! We are apparently. I am. It will be a miracle if I last the first two days.

~~

After breakfast, the director, the woman in the dark orange shirt, Jane or whatever her name is, calls us to the first official cabin leader meeting. We are supposed to have a meeting every day after breakfast to talk about the campers, but since none of us have campers yet, we have to settle with getting to know each other.