CHAPTER 1

The air was cool and crisp as Emiliana stepped off the bus and took in her surroundings.

The journey took up to 5 hours and thankfully, all of that was over. She set her luggage down and did a quick stretch, cracking her waist left and right.

She looked around and her eyes were pleased with the environment. She was surrounded by towering pines that rustled in the gentle breeze. The sound of a nearby creek trickled through the forest, and the smell of wood smoke hung in the air.

Emiliana wore a simple blue tank top, white shorts, and a pair of Jordan sneakers, ready for a summer of outdoor adventure. As she made her way toward the check-in desk, she felt a familiar presence. She turned her head and saw him.

Him? Wait, him?!

She looked at the figure approaching her with surprise all over her face.

Jace stood tall and confident, with a charming smile on his face. He wore a black fitted t-shirt that showed off his toned biceps, a pair of red athletic shorts, and a rugged backpack slung over his shoulder.

"Emiliana!" Jace called out, making his way over to her.

"Jace," Emiliana replied, her heart racing.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, same reason as you are,” He said as he took out his hands to give her a handshake. He looked into her eyes still revealing his overly white set of perfectly arranged teeth. “Who would have thought?”

Emiliana made an effort to smile lightly as her hand met his. They exchanged a handshake.

“Oh if so, that’s cool” At least she thought “Uhm, I’m exhausted and I would like to rest for a while, we would talk later in the day. Pleased to meet you.”

Well, she wasn’t actually.

She turned and collected her pass from the receptionist at the desk and walked past him in the opposite direction as she didn’t wait for a reply from him.

Jace shrugged and went ahead to his cabin.

Emiliana got to hers. The cabin was a cozy log structure, with a small porch and a set of bunk beds inside. Emiliana dumped her bags on the lower bunk. The cabin smelled of fresh pine and was impressively clean.

Emiliana changed into her camp T-shirt and shorts that she had earlier collected at the receptionist’s alongside her pass. She was excited to explore the camp. As she made her way through the camp, she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had often.

This was too early for this, she thought.

She noticed that Jace was everywhere, always in her line of sight. He was leading a group of campers on a nature walk, chatting with the camp director, and joking with other staff members.

Emiliana couldn't help but feel drawn to him. This was a guy she once had a thing with back then. She wondered if he still felt the same way. Well, even if he did, she didn’t think she was ready for that all over.

She decided to push her feelings aside and focus on enjoying her summer at camp. But little did she know that her feelings for Jace would be tested unplanned in ways she never imagined.

Emiliana spent the first few days at camp participating in different activities such as rock climbing, canoeing, and archery. She met new friends and enjoyed the fresh air and the beautiful scenery.

One day, she was walking back to her cabin after dinner when she saw Jace sitting on a log by the campfire. His face was illuminated by the orange glow of the flames. Emiliana hesitated for a moment but then decided to approach him.

"Hey," she said, taking a seat next to him.

"Hey," he replied, his voice deep and soothing.

They sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the crackling of the fire. Then, Jace spoke up.

"I'm sorry for being so awkward when we first saw each other," he said, looking at her with sincerity in his eyes.

"It's okay," Emiliana replied, smiling softly.

“I think I should be the one apologizing for that instead.”

Jace turned his gaze back to the fire, and Emiliana noticed how the flames danced in his eyes. She couldn't help but feel a spark of attraction.

He hasn’t changed. He looked even better.

She pushed the thought away and focused on the conversation.

"How have you been?" Jace asked.

"I've been good," Emiliana replied, "just busy with school and stuff."

Jace nodded and the conversation trailed off. They sat in silence once again, enjoying each other's physical company. Emiliana noticed that Jace kept stealing glances at her, and she wondered if he felt the same attraction she did.

Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the forest. They both jumped, and Emiliana looked around nervously.

"What was that?" she asked, her heart racing.

Jace stood up and walked toward the edge of the clearing. He peered into the dense trees, trying to identify the source of the sound.

"I'm not sure," he said, turning back to Emiliana. "It could just be a branch falling, or maybe someone's chopping wood."

Emiliana nodded but was skeptical that it was just that. She remembered the strange feeling she had when she first arrived, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was a sign of trouble to come.

As they stood there, a group of campers walked by, laughing and joking. Jace greeted them warmly, and Emiliana watched as he effortlessly slipped into his role as a counselor. She felt a pang of jealousy, wishing she could be as confident and carefree as he seemed.

"Hey, Emiliana, are you okay?" Jace asked, noticing the distant look on her face.

Emiliana snapped out of her thoughts and forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired from the journey, I guess."

“I thought you had your rest”

“I guess a need more.” She said with a wry smile.

Jace nodded, and they said their goodbyes. Emiliana walked towards her cabin, her mind filled with thoughts of that day’s event.

As she entered her cabin, she was greeted by the sight of her bunk bed and the smell of freshly laundered sheets. She unpacked the remaining contents in her bag into the neat wooden huge cupboard that stood at a nice corner in the room.

She wanted to change into something more comfortable, so she searched through her clothing and found a nice flowery loose gown. She changed into it and lay down on her bed, feeling the weight of the day catching up with her.

But even as she closed her eyes and tried to relax, she couldn't shake off that feeling still and wasn't sure if she was ready for what the summer had in store for her.

She slept.