Chapter 3

JAVIER

  "Okay the truth is I came here for you" I watched as her face scrunched up in confusion. I burst into laughter.

"Haha, very funny" she said sarcastically. 

"Fine don't tell me" she started the car and drove to our Cabin. The short drive was silent but it was a comfortable silence;it was soothing. I can't tell her the reason I came here cause even I don't know the reason. I just needed to get out. My voicemail is probably filled by now with messages from friends at school, basketball team and maybe Lucy. I doubt my dad even cares about where I am. Lucy might show concern but I know it was all an act. She was just trying to get close to my father so she could flaunt his riches. I clenched my fists in annoyance. I heard my name and turned to see Marina looking at me with concern in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" I'm not.

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Cause I've been calling your name for sometime. Also we're here" she got out of the car and got into the Cabin.

I followed her inside and looked around. A lounge area with coffee brown chairs, a center table, a couple bean bags and a fireplace-typical. It looked cozy. In one corner of the room, a little island divided the kitchen from the rest of the lounge. Marina went over to the kitchen. I went further into the Cabin through the hallway and checked the rooms. 

"I call dibs on the first room on the left"I announced as I entered the lounge. Marina was already stuffing her face with chips, I wonder where she got it from. 

"Where is your stuff?"she asked with a mouthful. She looked cute sitting there stuffing her face with chips.Her sparkling blue eyes staring intently at me. "A friend of mine is bringing it over" I replied. "By the way you don't get to call dibs. I do"she said her long,black hair in a ponytail bouncing around. "I said it first." She groaned in annoyance. 

                                                               

     Later in the evening, there was a meeting of all Camp Coordinators with Camp Ranger. He was basically telling us the rules and regulations of the camp, camp timetable and listed activities; basically camp orientation package. He also told us to take care of the little ones when they arrive tomorrow. Looking around, I can estimate the Camp coordinators to be 15-20 people. After the meeting, a bunch of girls crowded around me. I tried to extract myself from them but they were quite clingy. Not to brag, but I know I'm hot. I managed to get away from them eventually, I tried to find Marina but Mr Barnaby called me aside.

 "Javier my boy, I would like for you meet my niece, Bianca."

"Bianca, this is Javier. He's like a son to me." She smiled at me and I smiled in return. 

"Bianca, here will give you a small tour of Eastern Springs since its your first time here." He smiled and left us. I groaned mentally as I realized what he was doing. I like to think of Mr Barnaby as a father but sometimes, he gets on my nerves. 

 MARINA

  After the meeting, everyone separated into clusters talking to their friends. Just like high school. But this isn't high school so I will try to interact. I walked up to a group where Scarlet was talking to her friends. 

 "Hi" I greeted awkwardly. I was so out of my element. 

"My name is Marina." 

"I'm sorry but do we know you?" Scarlet asked. Before I could get a word out, someone cut in. "Don't you know its rude to interrupt people's conversations" a short girl with dyed purple hair piped up. 

"So as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted-." I backed away from them. Okay this was a bad idea. What was I thinking, this may not be high school but these are high school students. I tried to look for a friendly face I could talk to but there was none in sight. Going to my cabin seemed like a good choice. On my way to my Cabin, I saw Javier huddled up against some Blondie. He is looking for trouble if he thinks he can cheat on my best friend. I may not look like much but I'm a pretty bad ass myself. I was going over there to give him a piece of my mind when a boy got in my way.

"Hey"I looked at him. 

"I'm Nick" he extended his arm and I took it. His handshake was quite firm for a guy who looked like he didn't work out much. He retracted his hand and pushed a brown lock from his forehead. As he did that, he looked strangely familiar but I couldn't where I'd seen him. He must have noticed my look of confusion. 

"We met at the S.a.M, Science and Math convention sometime last year. You represented your school in the science exhibition and I was in the coding." It hit me like a truck as the memories come flooding back.

"Yeah I remember you now. But you wore glasses then." 

"I got contacts. So you here as a Camp coordinator?" 

"Yeah. You?"  

"Same" he didn't look like someone who gets out much. I know most people like to think I'm a nerd but there are other nerds out there whose social life is 0.0. At least I have a social life. I suddenly realized I was staring. 

"Sorry for staring but you like the kind that don't get out much." I regretted those words as soon as it left my mouth. But he just smiled and I felt relieved. I thought I had offended him. The only person who bothered to talk to me and not treat me like some invisible thing. 

"Yeah I look like the kind that don't get out much. But I do. They kinda hired me as some sort of IT guy to help around with stuff." 

"So like you're being paid?" I was surprised. 

"Yeah, kinda like a summer job." He shifted uneasily. 

"But don't tell anyone, they might freak out if they find out I'm being paid." I nodded and he visibly relaxed. 

"Why don't I show you around. You're a new face we don't get that much people volunteering to spend their summer at camp." 

"Really, so almost everyone here is an old-timer." He nodded, no wonder they connected so easily. They've been camping here together for some time now. I felt like an intruder. 

"Let me introduce you to some of my friends before I give you the official tour." He said smiling. I nodded eagerly glad at the prospect I made a new friend and with some luck I might make more new friends.

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