Daisy's Undeniable Truth

Welcome to camp

Every life has a moment that changes their life forever, if we are lucky they happen many times. A moment that stops them in their tracks and causes them to question everything. A sign if you will that their entire life is going to change. My entire life I had to hear of moments like those happening. For my neighbor, it was the moment he saw his wife walking down the aisle, and for his wife, it was the moment their baby was born. I thought it was all shitty lies. Then she happened ...

It was my 5 year at Christ's Love Baptist Church's annual summer camp. I was trying not to bounce out of my skin as I got into the registration line for camp. Mama had dropped me off at the camp and this was the first year, she was letting me do this alone.she was finally acknowledging that I was a teenager. Even though this was run by a pastor, it was much more freedom than I got at home under mama watchful gaze. Though as I  felt myself  calm smile turn into a beaming one, I reminded myself to get a grip because mama's eyes are everywhere. Her words shot through my head "A lady must be a lady at all times."

My eyes starting searching for my friend molly when my eyes locked with hers. The time came to stop as my gaze searched her as a deep ache to know her pulled at my heart. She had dark brown hair cascading down her back in a tight pinned back pony and dark hazel eyes that seemed to hold an ocean of mystery in their depths. I felt my heart leap in my chest at her beauty. She had almond richly colored skin that looked freshly kissed by the sun. To many, she was far from the traditional beauty due to the white scar cutting her left eyebrow in two or the baggy clothes that were covered in mud or the fact that all her teeth weren't quite complexly straight. Even the way she awkwardly moves her arms as she excitedly talked to her friend was far from the ladylike behavior but to me, it only made her more endearing.

I felt an arm grab me to pull me up in the line that pulled me out of my trance. I look up and see my friend molly looking down at me concerned. I was five foot nothing and molly was 5 foot 8 at only 15. Even though she towered over all the girls, she was very shy. She was the last one to speak her mind. Nonetheless, I felt her pull me close and lean down to whisper in my ear. "I have no idea what just happened but you need to stop". I knew that molly's comment came from a good place but that she was just trying to protect me. Protect me from what is the question. I knew that I felt something but I had no idea what this was. All I knew that I couldn't head her warning because I felt a magnetic pull to her. I knew she was trouble but at that moment all I knew was that wanted to be her friend desperately.

I stepped forward into the line until I was right at the registration table. The man giving out cabin numbers was pastor John. He was an elderly old man that went to school with mama. He had solid white hair and was clothed in a black pair of pants and a shirt. Everyone loved pastor John but to me, his smile seems to always be a bit to perfect and a bit creepy.

"Welcome to Camp, Miss. Hawthorne. You are in cabin 3. I hope that you have a very enlightening and spiritually connecting month"