CHAPTER 3 #2
We need to wake up our groups at seven so that means I will have time in the morning to go for a run or even just a walk.
I used to make sure to go out in the mornings at home to calm me down for the day and with all of the loud London traffic, it was never easy.
I think the quiet nature around us will be much more relaxing.
“It is very important that we stick to a schedule every day because it helps all the children get more comfortable with staying here, especially the young ones who tend to get home sick,” he continues smiling at us all.
He looked scary the first time I met him, but he has become warm and happy within the first few hours of today.
“Okay if there are no questions, let's move onto the plan for tomorrow.”
Tuesday and Wednesday were full of team building exercises and ‘challenging behaviour’ practise, where we were split into our groups separated by animals and forced to wear our matching shirts again.
Even in the lake. It was so uncomfortable but at some point, I forgot how much I hated it and started to love it.
We practised swimming drills, played games, and I learnt more about my new friends.
Bailey knows this entire place like the back of her hand, and she told me that when she and Lucas were younger, she often got into trouble by running off or trying to break into the supply closets.
She claims that getting into trouble was the only way to have fun after nine when it was lights out, especially as she got older.
James is Lucas’ friend from university. They both attend a college in New York on scholarships.
He has black hair to complement his warm, darker skin tone and he is one of the most talkative people I have ever met.
He really can make a conversation about anything he wants to and apparently is hungry almost the entire day.
He loves to scream random song lyrics that relate to whatever he's doing, which usually ends up being a duet with Bailey. Whilst we were on canoes they started singing ‘Proud Mary’ by Tina Turner, but they didn’t know all the lyrics, so they just kept repeating “rolling on a river” repeatedly.
Abby is extremely sweet and is very close with both Bailey and Lucas, as they grew up together.
Her red hair and green eyes complement her complexion perfectly and like Bailey, she is extremely gorgeous.
Her hair is straight, unlike my uncontrollable waves and she says that Lake Sylva is more of a home than her home actually is.
I think she's not the only one who feels that way, but many would not be so quick to admit it.
She's really interested in clothing design and by the photos she has shown me, she's exceptionally good at it.
Alec is similar to James but extremely smart.
His entire life has been on a similar course as mine.
His mums really wanted to give him everything they could, and you can tell, like James, he was absolutely spoiled when he was younger.
Unlike many, this made them just very happy people that saw the good in everything and everyone.
I think it's what this place brings out in people.
He says that his entire life he's been quite shy and never really made any extremely close friends, so he wanted to spend this summer around more people whilst also doing something that benefits his applications for the future.
I understand that. It feels like ever since I was born, everything I did was to benefit my future.
Unlike Bailey, her brother, Lucas, was much less of a troublemaker but still enjoyed trying to annoy his sister whenever he could.
That might have just been Bailey's opinion, and not the truth.
She says when they first joined camp, he taught her everything she now knows, especially the things that got her in trouble.
She told me that they enjoyed running off together but as they got older, he became more interested in either sitting alone or looking after the younger children in the camp.
This perspective of him seemed different to the Lucas I am learning to know.
He seems much more outgoing than how she described him when they were younger.
He also looks like he is enjoying the camp the way he was when he was younger.
He looks free, as if he is enjoying every single moment of it and I am too.
I have gotten closer with everyone during the past week and as I have, I decided to not get too close to him.
He distracts me. I can’t have distractions so that I can give Bailey the perfect summer that she has been wanting since we met.
The moment I leave, I have to move into my university housing and work constantly for the next 4 years.
I don't want to lose her friendship if I'm busy all the time when she's the closest I've ever been to another person.
While the next three days are filled with the same boring drills and emergency procedures, I still have more fun than I ever have. It's painful to know that once this summer is over, so might my friendship with the people I’ve just met.
I open my eyes to the morning sunlight pouring through the small window in my room. It's Sunday morning, which means this is the last few hours where we are alone. I get up quickly and check the time.
6:36AM.
At home I would wake up as early as five thirty to go on a run and then call Bailey as she would be staying up doing schoolwork, so now that I have caught up with the jetlag, I had assumed I would be waking up at that same time, but now waking up over an hour later feels much better.
Either way, trying to set myself a routine for when the children arrive.
I slip on some nylon shorts and a comfortable, baggy t-shirt.
With my shoes on, I silently leave out the door and run in the direction of the lake hoping to catch the sunrise.
The low sunshine is escaping through the small gaps in the trees which look bright green in some areas whilst others are yellow in the sunlight.
The thin pathways in the woods are dry but much more comfortable to run against than the roads and paths in London.
I used to wear headphones every single time I ran but I forgot them this time and I never thought I would enjoy it without the sound of my favourite artists, but I do.
I can hear the light sounds of birds waking up in the distance and the small crash of waves by the beach.
As I reach the pier, I stare at the sun rising slowly, creating pinks and oranges across it.
It's beautiful. I can start to feel the sun's heat hitting my face.
From the left of the pier, you can see the town with all the small buildings clustered together and the few lonely ones as the trees turn into more fields.
After a few minutes I grab my phone to take a photo of the sunrise, but the peace I am feeling is short-lived when I read the time on top of my phone.
7:08.
Shit.
I need to be back with everyone at the camp at seven thirty to eat breakfast because every day I need to be there at that specific time to wake up the girls in the cabin and today was supposed to be my practise day, to make sure I would have time to go for a run in the morning.
I get up quickly and start running back through the trees towards the camp.
I can't really see anything with how much I am rushing, passing the sound of the birds, only quickly glancing at the wooden signs pinned to the trees directing me back to my cabin.
My pulse is fast in my chest and feels as though it's surrounding my ears.
The trees start to disperse, and I pull out my phone checking the time again, whilst still running.
7:12.
Apparently sprinting like my life depends on it doesn’t make me run any faster, but just makes me panic more. I look up from my phone and instantly run into something. Someone .
The next thing I know I am on the floor, scrambling to get up. “Fuck I am so sorry, I was on a run and then I lost track of time and-”
“Really, don't apologise,” the man says, interrupting me and my eyes meet with those familiar blue ones.
The ones I've been thinking about all week.
“Are you okay?” he asks, helping me up. Lucas has lost the same small smile he always has.
His face is now full of concern. His hands are on my arms holding me up, scanning across me for any injuries.
“I am so sorry, Lucas, I just—” he interrupts me again, tilting my face up so my eyes meet his. It wasn't until now I realised they had been glued to the floor as I spoke.
“Ivy,” he says sternly, “Don't apologise.
Actually, you're not allowed to apologise.
You didn't do anything wrong. It was completely my fault, and I should've moved out the way so please answer my question. Are you okay?” I don't think he notices his hand resting upon my flustered cheek, which I am entirely blaming on my run back here and not the placement of his hand.
“Yes, I'm really okay, just a bit embarrassed,” I say, looking down again, moving his hand away from my cheek. Lucas awkwardly places his hands behind his back.
“So, you were on a run?” he asks, smiling again.
“Yes, I was and then I got distracted when I got to the pier and now, I am late. Wait, what time is it?”
He picks up my phone from the floor and passes it to me.
7:16
“Okay I am so s—” He gives me a look before I continue, “I apologise but I have to go.” I dart off again, running towards my room but before I close the door I hear him yell.
“That's still a way of saying sorry, sunshine!”
Trying to ignore what he said, I quickly rush in and out of the shower, style my soaking waves, get changed and spray some perfume.
Today I'm wearing a light pink top and another pair of denim shorts, but these ones have small daisies on the pockets.
I pick up the necklace I wear most days and clasp it around my neck.
It is gold with a small yellow gem in the middle.
My grandma left it to me when I was younger, and I try to wear it every day.
At least the flush has left my face and with the product in my hair I look presentable.
Hopefully the heat won't make my hair frizzy like it usually would be when it's twenty-seven degrees outside.
Sunshine. That's what he called me. Where the hell did that come from and how the hell did he say it so casually?
That name made my cheeks redder than ever. That name warmed my chest in an uncomfortable way and made an unfamiliar flutter erupt in my stomach. I quickly push the thought out of my head, leave my room and walk to the dining hall, picking my phone out of my pocket and checking the time.
7: 49
Yeah, I'm late again. The hall is much louder each day as it gets closer to everyone arriving.
The children arrive from 2pm until 5pm so today will be extremely busy from the start.
I walk towards the table where almost everyone is sitting.
“Sorry I'm late, what's the plan today?” I ask, sitting down next to James.
“For now, we just relax but we need to change into our house shirts before the children arrive,” Bailey says.
“I can't wait, me and Lucas love our shirts.
They're awesome. I think the orange brings out my eyes,” James says, while eating eggs and toast. “Don't you agree?” He leans over toward Bailey and Abby, blinking rapidly, with a smile on his face that makes us all laugh.
You would think he is into them but another thing I have found out about James is that he loves to pretend to flirt.
Abby just pushes his face away and says, “You wish I'd agree.”
Lucas, who still had not arrived until now, sits down pushing a bowl to me. “Here are your frosted flakes,” he says, smiling with his arms crossed as if he is proud of himself. I look down at the bowl with the sugar covered cereal and the perfect amount of milk.
“Thank you. I could have got it myself.”
“I don't mind. I want to get them for you.” His cheeks are slightly pink, and he looks down at his hands. I can feel a similar warmth spread across my own. I grab my spoon and eat a spoonful of cereal.
“Bro, you could've got me some more toast. You should have told me you were going back up there,” James says, pretending to be annoyed.He loves to pretend to be annoyed too, especially at Lucas.
Lucas replies, “Hey I owe her, I almost knocked her over earlier.” Right, he thinks he owes me. Of course I overthought one tiny interaction. As usual. I think I am a chronic over thinker at this point.
“You what!” Bailey yells, standing up and walking over to her brother, giving him a hard whack around his head, before sitting down back in her seat. “How dare you hurt her. She just got here! Are you trying to drive her away?”
“Bailey, calm down. It was entirely my fault and I'm completely fine.”
“I'm not!” Lucas says, holding his head.
Clearly, he was being dramatic because he seems okay minutes later as the conversation moves on. I look down at the cereal again. I know it doesn't mean anything and if it did it was just an apology, but it made the warmth from my cheeks spread into my chest.I have to be getting sick.