summer {n.h.}

five

I sit down next to Piper on the newly-cut green grass, my cheeks burning with embarrasment. She sees me turn and look at Niall and she gasps.

"Were you just with Niall?" She asks, her blue eyes wide.

I bite my lip and nod. "Why?" I whisper. "Is that bad?"

"Well, my counselor last year spent a lot of time with Niall and had to leave before camp was over. None of us know where she went!"

My face pales.

I should stay away from Niall.

"If you haven't already dropped your bags off at your cabin, you may do that in a few minutes! Now before we disperse, let's have a little game! Counselors, pair up!" Sidney had now moved to the front of the crowd, megaphone in her hand.

I stand up and look around, frantic. I see girls hugging boys from past friendships and I see Harry pair up with Niall. Well, shit. What do I do know?

I feel Piper tug on my shorts and I look down.

She points to a guy leaned against a tree, sunglasses perched on his nose. "Choose him," She says and pushes me towards him.

"Uh, hi. Do you need a partner?" I ask.

The guy pulls the sunglasses off and I get a clear look at his hazel eyes and high cheekbones.

"Yeah, I guess so." He also has a thick British accent like Harry. Is everyone here an international or am I just noticing this now?

"I'm Zayn, and you are the late girl. You got caught up with Niall, I see." He chuckles, throwing his hand in the direction of the blue-eyed boy.

"Does anyone here actually like Niall?"

"Nah, I'm just teasing ya. He's one of my best buds. So, do you have a name? Or should I just call you the late girl?" He looks at me, waiting for the response.

I feel my cheeks heat up again and I tuck a piece of my hair behind my ear. "Yeah, I'm Andy." I started confidently.

"Oh, you're Sidney's daughter!"

"No. I'm her stepdaughter." I say angrily, rolling my eyes at the common mistake.

Zayn puts his hands up in defense. "Sorry, sorry." He apologizes.

"It's okay. Stuff like that strikes a nerve in me. Anyway, any idea what we're doing?" I ask.

Zayn rolls his eyes and takes my hand. "I forgot you're a newbie, c'mere." He pulls me behind the tree and lowers his shades. "It's a name game with the campers. You have to meet mine, I have to meet yours and we learn all of the campers names within a couple minutes."

"I have to learn twenty kids names in five minutes?"

Zayn shrugs. "Don't worry. No one ever gets them perfectly. Plus, you're in luck. I'm great with names and most of the kids I already know. Like Piper? She told you to be partners with me, didn't she?"

I laugh. "Wow, you really do know her."

He nods and leans close to me. "Be careful, though. She's a trickster."

Niall jogs over to us. "So, Andy, it seems that you've met Zayn?"

"Yup," I hum and turn away, attempting to look the slightest but distracted.

"Andy, you're not really mad I got us here late, are you? The big speech is a joke."

"Not for some of us, Niall. This is my first summer here, and I don't want to lose my job. Do also know how many first impressions just got ruined?" I tell him.

He whistles. "Man, you're gonna have to get used to this. Camp is supposed to be fun and easygoing. You're so worried and uptight-"

"I am not uptight. I just have my priorities straight." I defend myself.

Niall snorts. "Ha, like you-"

"Alright, pairs! Harry and Emily, Zayn and Luke, Calum and Michael, Ash and Morgan, Jenna and Carry, and Niall and Andy." Sidney said and gave us a stern look.

"Wait, Sidney, I'm not with Niall, I'm with Z-" I try to yell as loud as I can.

"Five minutes on the clock, and...go!" Sidney yells out.

I look at Niall. "Priorities aren't straight, oh please."I mutter and Niall looks at me.

"C'mon, let's just get this over with. I always win this game," he says cockily and I cross my arms.

"Well, Zayn told me he's great with names." I say and Niall huffs.

"Three minutes!" Sidney yells with a smile.

"Shoot. Okay, go around in a circle, and say your names. Quickly, please!"

"Piper!" She grins and waves at us.

"Ty." A small boy with brown hair who is drawing in the dirt.

"Reed." Black curls, blue eyes.

"I'm Brittany." Big pink bow in her hair. How is she not melting in her tutu? It's so hot out.

"I'm Abbie and that's Ava. We're sisters and we-" Identical twins; very talkative.

"Okay, thanks Abbie and Ava!" I said with a smile. "So we have Piper, Ty, Reed, Abbie, Ava and..."

"Brittany. You forgot Brittany," Niall said and I grimaced.

"Sorry, Brittany. Who's next?"

"Mason." Long brown hair, green eyes.

"Aidan." Bright blonde hair and very cute.

"S-S-Sophia." A stuttering girl with glasses says quietly.

"Hi, I'm Zoe!!" Energetic and strawberry-blonde hair. Many, many freckles.

"Tony and Ben." Two boys with mud striped across their faces.

"Times up!" Sidney yells. "Zayn and Luke first."

"Okay. Hank, Jay, Max, Oliver, Peter, Reggie, and uh..." Zayn rattled off names, while his partner Luke stands there.

"Joshua and Owen.. and.. I can't remember!" Luke and Zayn look at each other.

"Nice try, guys! Alright, Niall and Andy next."

"Ready Niall? You do the girls, I do the boys."

"Piper, who has red hair. Abbie and Ava who are identical twins, Brittany who loves pink and tutus, Sophia who has glasses and Zoe who has freckles. Andy, your turn." Niall smugly looks at me.

"Ty who draws in the dirt, Reed who has blue eyes, Mason who likes soccer, Aidan who has blonde hair, and Tony and Ben who are best friends."

It was silent.

"Did we do something wrong?" I quietly ask Niall. All eyes are on us.

"Niall and Andy, can we speak to you? Keep going with the Name Game, great start!"

My eyes widen as I follow Niall and Sidney to the Chow Hall, as Harry called it.

"Wow, you guys. I am thoroughly impressed. Niall, we're short on a lifeguard and Zayn is certified, so he's being moved. Andy, your co-counselor has a family emergency and isn't available, and we just saw how well you work together, so... we've decided to conjoin your groups for activities!'

"W-What?" My face pales, I could not stay with Niall for all four weeks, it would be impossible.

"Now, of course, for camp regulation, the bunks have to be seperated, but it's great because you guys are already next to each other so-"

"Wait, Sid. Can you explain again?" I ask and she grins.

"His group of boys and your group of girls will be doing all activities together." She grins.

"Okay..." I nodded and glanced at Niall, who was staring right at me, happily. I knew he would be so glad to bug me even more.

"Basically, Niall is your new co-counselor." Sidney tells me blankly, like she didn't saw how dreaded I was with working with Niall.

-Mia