Summer by the Lake

by Kay Gordon

  “Where were you?” Christy asked as she wrapped her arms around his middle. “I saw you come in near the end.”

  Drew gently pulled himself from her grip and said something I couldn’t hear. Christy just gave him a bright smiled and nodded her head before pressing a kiss to his cheek. As she walked away from him, Drew’s head turned and his eyes met mine. His lips turned up into a smile and he shook his head slightly, as if to tell me not to make assumptions based on what I saw. I just nodded in return and held his gaze until Hannah called my name.

  She had Lizzy and Maria on either side of her and I motioned for everyone to follow us as we headed towards our cabin. I fell into step next to Hannah and we walked silently back to our cabin. The girls didn’t need to be told but instead immediately started preparing for bed. Hannah and I went into our room and she grinned at me as soon as the door was closed.

  “Your bed was made when we left for the movie,” she said as she gestured to the crumbled bedspread and sheets that now lay on top of my mattress. “Did you two kiss and make up?”

  “Something like that,” I mumbled quietly, feeling my cheeks heat.

  Hannah shook her head, a small smile on her face, and went into the bathroom. After she was gone, I used the mirror to inspect my chest to make sure Drew hadn’t repeated his performance from the week before. It looked clear, though, and I decided he’d live another day.

  While Hannah showered, I went out into the main cabin to check on the girls.

  “Shaylee,” Nicole called from where she was sitting on the edge of her bed. “Can you braid my hair?”

  I nodded and walked over to sit behind her. “Sure. Hand me that comb.” I moved my fingers quickly through her red hair until it was all up in a French braid. I tied it off at the end and clapped my hands together a few minutes later. “Done.”

  I helped Jenny and Lizzy with their hair, too, while the girls asked me questions about collegiate life. Hannah joined us and contributed to the conversation as well.

  “Is it true that everyone in college just hooks up?” Thalia asked from where she was painting her toenails and both Hannah and I shook our heads at the same time.

  “Most people in college don’t hook up,” Hannah replied honestly. “College is fun but it’s important to take your school work seriously, too.”

  Lizzy nodded her head in agreement as I attempted to get her to hold still. “Why would you pay thousands of dollars and not care about your education?”

  “Right on,” I said as I squeezed her shoulder gently. “You’re all done, my dear. And I think it’s time for lights out, guys. Morning will be here fast.”

  They climbed into bed and we shut off the lights before heading into our room. Hannah sat down with her journal as I pulled my running clothes on and waved to her.

  I walked across the grass and broke into a jog once I hit the path near the lake. The sun had already gone down but solar lights lit up the path. Running at night could be eerie but I’d gotten used to running after lights-out and felt comforted by knowing we had plenty of security guards roaming the grounds. They’d become used to my presence after the first few days and had even been kind enough to confirm that the path I took was three miles long.

  It didn’t stop me from letting out a small yelp and turning around quickly when I heard footsteps coming up behind me.

  “It’s just me,” Drew huffed, slowing his pace down as he approached me. “I called your name. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  I stood still for a moment as I tried to slow my heart rate down. Drew was shirtless even though it was kind of chilly and in a pair of running shorts and sneakers. He gave me a lopsided smile and I finally nodded before turning around to resume my jogging.

  “I didn’t hear you.”

  He chuckled from beside me. “Obviously.”

  We rounded the lake in silence and we were about a mile and half in before he spoke.

  “Still no regrets?”

  His words were coming out in puffs. Despite obviously being in overall good shape, Drew was not an avid runner. I glanced over at his shadowed face and raised my brows. “You’re too out of practice to jog and speak at the same time, Drew.”

  “Shay.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me to a stop. “Then let’s just talk. Are you okay?”

  “Why do you always ask me that after we have sex?”

  He brought his free hand up and brushed it along my cheek. “Because I care about you.”

  “You do?” I leaned my face into his touch and squeezed the hand that was clasped in mine. “This isn’t just about sex?”

  “Not even close.” Drew shook his head and tugged on my hand until I was against his bare torso. He gave me a small smile. “It hasn’t been about sex since before you opened your smart mouth while trying to steal my bag at the airport.”

  “I don’t understand. You’ve been such…”

  He interrupted me before I could finish. “An asshole, I know. I can’t explain why, either, honestly.”

  “Is it the playground mentality? You chase me around the school yard trying to push me down because you like me?” I pulled my hand out of his grip so I could run both up his chest. I settled them at the back of his neck and stared at up at him expectantly.

  “I guess so.” Drew’s arms wrapped around my middle, his hold tight. “Any chance you have any feelings for me? Besides animosity?”

  I looked away and considered what he was asking. Did I have feelings for Drew? I thought about all of the times he’d annoyed the hell out of me and everyone had asked why I let him get me. I remembered how happy I’d been in that hotel room with him and how sad I’d been when he was gone that morning. All of the times Christy bothered me with her stories about the two of them. Drew could make me laugh in a second, even when he was pissing me off, and I looked for opportunities to be around him.

  Of course I had feelings for Drew.

  When I glanced back at him, he was smiling like he knew where my thought process had gone.

  I rolled my eyes and shrugged my shoulders slightly. “I guess I do.”

  “You’re so stubborn.” He pressed his lips to mine and increased his already-tight hold around me. I kissed him back immediately, my whole body wanting to sag in relief and tense in passion at the same time. Kissing Drew was easily becoming one of my favorite things. That thought had me pulling back from him slightly.

  “Wait. Wait a second. Did you talk to Christy?

  He nodded and dropped a kiss to my chin before gesturing to the path. “It’s getting late. I can attempt to jog and talk.”

  We broke into a slow jog and Drew waited until we had a good pace before answering my question.

  “Jordan did lights-out for me so I could meet her. I told her that she was a good friend but I didn’t have any feelings for her. I didn’t mention you or anything, of course. She had to have known it was coming but still didn’t take it well.”

  “I can imagine,” I replied with a nod, glancing at the Holcomb’s dark house as neared it. “She is pretty possessive of you.”

  Drew let out a long sigh. “I don’t know why, especially because I’m pretty sure she’s sleeping with Keaton.”

  I raised my eyebrows and looked over at him in surprise. “She is?”

  “Probably but it’s not any of my business and I honestly don’t care enough to ask.”

  “I heard her when I was jogging during the first week,” I confessed quietly. “She was down by the lake’s edge with someone. I honestly thought it was you with her.” I cleared my throat and chanced another glance at him. “I was jealous and didn’t want to be.”

  Drew’s eyes met mine and a grin stretched across his face. “I’m not going to lie- the thought of you jealous makes me happy.”

  “Oh, shut up,” I murmured, causing him to laugh. Silence stretched between us for a moment before he spoke again.

  “Last summer, it was just easy. Fun. I wasn’t looking for
anything serious and she was… there. We weren’t exclusive and we both knew that. I hadn’t spoken with her since last August but we kind of fell back into familiar patterns.”

  “But you’re not sleeping with her?” I was glad my voice remained passive despite the jealousy I was feeling.

  “Not since last summer. Only you, Shay.”

  It was amazing how those few words could bring me so much happiness. I looked over at him as we jogged, a stupid smile on my face, and he turned his head to return my smile with one of his own. We continued our run in silence and slowed to a walk as we made it back to the campus. Drew’s fingers entwined with mine and he didn’t let go to head towards the boy’s cabins like I expected.

  “Your bed is that way,” I pointed out quietly and Drew just squeezed my hand.

  “I know.”

  We didn’t say anything else as we approached Cabin Fifteen and when we reached the side door that led into the counselor’s room, we came to a stop. Drew leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to my lips before taking two steps back.

  “Goodnight, Shaylee.”

  I smiled at him as I reached for the door. “Night, Drew.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  A clap of thunder rattled the cabin and woke me up suddenly. I looked over at the clock and was surprised to see it was almost seven because the room was still pitch black.

  “Are we under attack?” Hannah mumbled sleepily and I yawned as I shook my head.

  “Thunder.” I swung my feet over the side of the bed and went into the bathroom. My dark brown hair was sticking up in every direction from going to bed with it wet. I brushed my teeth, only after confirming it was toothpaste and not mayo, and attempted to tame my hair by pulling it into a ponytail.

  I walked back out into the bedroom as the wake-up tone sounded over the speakers and Hannah groaned when she stood from her bed. As she went into the bathroom, I walked out to the bunks to make sure all of the girls were getting up. I trudged to the main door of the cabin and pushed it open so I could look at the weather. The sky was an angry grey color and it smelled like rain.

  “Dress for a storm, ladies,” I said, pulling the door shut. “It looks like we’re in for more than a drizzle.”

  I pulled on a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and my sweatshirt before slipping into my sneakers. After everyone had clothes on twenty minutes later, we walked across the campus to the dining hall. We all got in the buffet line and grabbed trays as we waited for our turn to dish up. I loaded some eggs, hash browns, and bacon onto my plate before grabbing a cup of coffee and some orange juice.

  I sat at our table and immediately took a sip of my coffee in a desperate attempt to get caffeine into my veins. I’d just reached for the ketchup when lips grazed my ear.

  “Good morning.”

  Turning my head, I smiled up at Drew. “Good morning.”

  His hand squeezed my shoulder and he hurried to join where his campers were lined up for breakfast.

  “What was that?” Hannah asked quietly and I gave her a look that said we’d talk about it later.

  “So, what do we do if it rains?” Maria asked from across the table. I swallowed the bite I’d just taken before responding.

  “Well, if it’s pouring down rain, we’ll go to a modified schedule and do mainly indoor activities. Things like arts and crafts, dance, media center, rec hall… If it’s only sprinkling, we’ll stick to our schedule as much as possible. The lightning is going to be the wild card. We should get used to it, though. This won’t be the only storm while we’re here.”

  As if we’d planned it, Howard’s voice chimed over the PA, causing a hush to fall over the dining hall.

  “Good morning, campers. This announcement is for the counselors. Due to lightning in the area and the likelihood of sudden downpours, please proceed to follow schedule C for the day. Thank you for your flexibility.”

  Hannah chuckled and looked at Maria. “I think he heard you.” She turned and grabbed the clipboard that we carried with us everywhere and flipped the pages until she found schedule C.

  “We have gymnastics, arts and crafts, and activities in the rec hall this morning.”

  “Sounds lame,” Jenny said as she ate the special breakfast that was prepared for her daily. “We should be able to choose on days like today.”

  “We’ll be rotating with you all day, though. That means Shaylee and I get out of manning the driving range today.” Hannah held up her hand and I immediately leaned over so I could high-five her.

  “Ladies,” Jordan said as he approached with Cabin Seven’s clipboard. He stopped to drop a kiss the top of Hannah’s head. “What does your schedule C look like?”

  Hannah and Jordan compared it for a moment before a loud clap of thunder caused people to cry out in surprise. The lights flickered for a moment before staying on, as if nothing had happened. I just picked up my orange juice and drank the rest of it as Jordan straightened up.

  “Guess we’ll see you girls in the rec hall a bit later.”

  He grinned at Hannah before waving to the rest of us and heading back to his table. We all finished eating before cleaning up and heading outside. Rain was drizzling slightly and we detoured by the cabin so a few girls could grab jackets and sweatshirts or change clothes on our way to gymnastics.

  The building was full of girls from the seventh through tenth grade cabins and I grinned when I saw Aubrey. She, Hannah, and I spotted those on the balance beam while other counselors helped different girls on the uneven bar and floor mat.

  “Keep your toes pointed,” I said to an eighth grader as she crossed the beam slowly and nodded when she immediately took my advice. “Great job.”

  Aubrey helped the girl down while Hannah helped a new one up on the other side.

  “Okay, Shay. Dish.” Hannah looked at me expectantly and I chuckled before quietly giving her and Aubrey cliff notes of what had happened with Drew the night before. I made sure to keep my voice as low as possible since I was well aware that Christy was on the floor mat fifty feet away, helping girls with their handstands.

  “Wow,” Aubrey whispered with a smile. “That’s so sweet. And it also explains Christy’s foul mood this morning.”

  I held my hands up as the girl on the beam wobbled but she caught herself rather than falling. When she hopped down, Hannah turned to me with her hands on her hips.

  “I’m happy for you, Shay. I’m surprised it took you two this long, honestly.”

  Aubrey chuckled and I narrowed my eyes at my roommate. The head counselor for the facilities blew the whistle and we all gathered in the middle. We listened as new rotations were assigned and I walked over to the foam pit at the end of the trampoline run. Christy stood on the other side of the high mount and we watched as girls ran, jumped up, and then fell into the foam. I offered up my hand to those who were stuck in the pit and yelled words of encouragement to others.

  “I couldn’t do the gymnastic rotation full time,” I said to Christy with a smile. She met my eyes but didn’t smile or give me any sign of acknowledgment before turning back to the next camper. The next twenty minutes were spent in awkward silence as she ignored me.

  When the whistle was finally blown, I immediately walked back over to Hannah and Aubrey and shivered.

  “It’s cold over there.”

  Aubrey just laughed and shook her head. “She’s suspected that Drew’s liked you for a while so you’re not her favorite person. Are you guys rotating to arts and crafts now, too?”

  Hannah and I both nodded and Aubrey said she’d see us over there as she went to meet Christy and her campers. Our own gathered up around us and we headed over to arts facility. The rain was still coming down lightly so we power walked until we were inside the next building.

  Still with same group of cabins, our girls groaned when the arts and crafts counselor announced they’d be making their own soaps.

  “How lame,” Robbie mumbled while three others murmured t
heir agreement. I released an exaggerated gasp and took a seat at the table.

  “Such pessimism. Open those narrow minds, girls. This could be fun.”

  Even though they didn’t want to admit it, the girls ended up loving the art of soap making. They could pick their colors, scents, and even shapes thanks to the abundance of molds we had. I popped some heart shaped, peach scented, pink soaps out of the mold and shoved one in Hannah’s face.

  “Smell this.”

  Hannah sniffed the soap and gave me an approving nod. “Oh, wow. I’m going to do some peach next.”

  We spent the hour completely engrossed in our soap making to the point that no one even noticed the loud thunder that continued to shake the building. Soon, each girl had a gallon plastic bag full of different shaped soaps. Aubrey held up her last batch and frowned at the flower shapes in her hand.

  “I don’t know if vanilla and rose scents go together. I’m really torn on this.”

  I reached my hand out for one and brought it to my nose. It took me a moment to really absorb the scent but I nodded. “That smells fantastic.”

  The lead counselor called for us to clean up and we said goodbye to Aubrey since she was going to the media center with her campers for the next activity. Hannah and I led the girls to our cabin so they could drop off their soaps before heading to the rec hall. The skies opened up on us about one hundred feet from the building and everyone shrieked as they ran for the doorway. By the time we were walking inside, we were all soaked.

  “That sucks,” I complained as I pulled my dripping sweatshirt off. I used it to wipe down my wet face and pushed my damp hair off of my forehead. Hannah took the sweatshirt from me and used it to towel off her arms as she nodded.

  “I feel like I just jumped in the lake fully clothed.”

  The rec hall had indoor activities set up for the kids to do, including corn hole, ping pong, foosball, air hockey, darts, board games, and other things to keep them occupied. We’d squeezed eighth, ninth, and tenth grade cabins of both genders inside. Hannah and I stood back as the kids went to activities and I caught Drew’s eye from across the room. He and Jordan were doing the same thing as their campers settled in to play games with each other. He said something to Jordan, who nodded and pushed off the wall.