25. Jamie
twenty-five
Jamie
“It is a big deal, Em.” Ren sat between Grant and Lamar, scooting as close to Grant as he could.
I’d just returned from my date to find my friends huddled together.
“It’s our last night.” Ren had always been a little nostalgic, but I couldn’t help but agree with him here.
“This place is delightful, and I want to document it.”
Lucky for him, Jack walked by, and Emerson flagged him down with gusto.
“It is,” I agreed, and Ren looked at me with a strange sort of pride. “Come on, everyone, mush.”
Ren picked up the Polaroid camera from the middle of the table and handed it to Jack to take a photo of our pod.
He shook it out, and we all watched with excitement as it developed over the next minute.
There we were, a toothy bunch of friends gathered around for our last pod hangout.
We had all grown from strangers into friends in such a short amount of time.
It was impressive. Tomorrow would be a frenzy of packing and goodbyes, but right now, we had some final memories to make with each other.
I was still full from my late lunch with Autumn.
We had walked back to the car, and I’d felt full in a soul-deep satisfied sort of way, not just from the cherries but from Autumn’s confidence in me.
Her eyes had sparkled as I told her the big news.
I’d gotten the promotion. It still hadn’t sunk in that I’d have the future I’d worked so hard for. So why was I second-guessing myself?
“We’re going to keep in touch.” Emerson’s words brooked no argument. She might act as cool as her perfectly coiled curls, but I’d seen how tightly she’d hugged Lola and Tara when she spotted them earlier. This place was special, and this group of people were once-in-a-lifetime friends.
Today’s buffet spread was extra camp-themed, as silly as that sounded. There were hot dogs, burgers, mac n’ cheese, chicken salad, twice-baked potatoes, and yet everything was elevated, gourmet style with a unique and delicious flare mixed in.
Unfortunately, I was too full to try much of anything.
I made room for a Shooting Star Shooter that a mischievously grinning Lamar brought and even drank himself despite his strict superfoods only diet.
We reminisced about the good times, ending when Emerson had a little too much that first night and serenaded our pod with eighties jams until we were all singing along.
“Of course we’ll be in touch. Outside of my family, you all are my favorite people,” I confessed, feeling more open around them than I’d ever imagined I would be after only a week together.
Even though this week was nearing its end, it felt like I’d known them for a lifetime and that I’d keep getting to know them. This was far from over.
“I’m going to miss all of you—” Lamar started, as Sawyer came by and playfully flicked his ear.
“Gonna miss you too,” they called back as they sauntered off to their pod.
There was a buzz around the table over this almost goodbye. We had time, but not much, and I knew they felt it too. We weren’t going to waste a minute.
After swapping stories and drinks, Ren mischievously pulled me toward the zipline, one of the few events I hadn’t done yet. “Look, there’s no line.”
We watched as Nat sang a song from the platform with Monica and Marisol.
“See you on the flip side!” Monica yelled out, arms extended as she launched herself, still singing her duet with Nat until her voice got too far away.
Marisol couldn’t wipe the smile off her face while Nat got her situated into her harness. Then her walkie went off, signaling that Monica had landed. She gave Marisol the go-ahead, and she sent herself flying, no doubt trying to catch up.
Looking up at the platform, I couldn’t help but think of how it felt to ride the ski lifts with Autumn.
Had she ever ziplined? Based on her reaction to the ski lift, my guess was a big nope.
I could imagine her suiting up, her cheeks red as she talked herself into it, then the smile that would take over her face once she reached the end, jumping into my arms to kiss me.
“You two coming?” Nat yelled down at us.
“Yeah, you’re right. We gotta do it.” I gathered myself and climbed the ladder to the top.
Ren’s grin spread wider as we stood on the landing harnessing ourselves.
Nat’s long dark hair was trying desperately to escape the red bandana it was trapped behind as she inspected us.
Her cheeks were apple-pink, kissed by the friendly sun, which made her freckles stand out.
I remembered her kissing Gia in the dark, fierce and unrelenting.
But here in the sunshine and on her platform, she seemed carefree and giggly.
There was a Bluetooth speaker blasting K-pop hooked up to her bejeweled cell phone, a hot pink water bottle covered in flower stickers, and a small cooler I assumed was chock full of snacks.
She danced around wearing faded rolled-up shorts and a tied-off oversized T-shirt that slightly contradicted her sparkly diamond necklace.
Her attitude made me wonder if she was aware of the effect she’d had on Jack, or if she just didn't care.
Quick as a breeze, Ren leaped off backward because Nat mentioned it was “the most badass way to go.”
A few minutes later, her walkie went off again. “And you’re good to go.”
Flying above the grounds was surreal. I’d been feeling this warm sense of wonder, of something fitting just right all day, but seeing the full view of camp from above was something spectacular.
Autumn was everywhere I looked, from the mess hall and location of my unfortunate sauce explosion to the craft cabin where we participated in Paint and Sip.
The zipline didn’t go over the lake per se, but I could just spy the dock where we’d talked alone, naked and laughing.
The campfire was quiet at the moment. Soon, it would crackle and pulse as if it were the heart of this place, calling its amazing counselors and the eclectic, fun, and sometimes rowdy group of campers together.
The mess hall had campers going in and out of it still.
Some stopped and waved up at me as I whooped at them, waving back.
It was hard to believe that soon, I’d be back in Seattle while Autumn was here planning for the next summer of campers.
The image filled me with a bittersweet sort of joy.
I could never ask her to leave this place, but I also couldn’t stay.
Once the ride ended, we planted our feet back on the ground. All in all, the zipline went by too fast. Just like everything else here.
Ren’s face matched mine, our smiles wide and carefree.
My cheeks were getting used to it, but smiling this much was still quite the workout.
We set a slow pace as we meandered back, taking in the scenery.
We walked past the Meditation Meadow, witnessing a serene sight: a couple of campers sharing a blanket.
The man appeared to be napping, his head resting on the woman’s lap as she turned pages in her book, her back up against a western hemlock tree.
“Hey, man, I have something for you.” Ren’s tone was far more earnest than I was accustomed to.
“Yeah?”
“Well, I just wanted you to have this… It’s not a big deal or anything.”
I stared down at the braided friendship bracelet he placed in my hand and met my best friend’s eyes. I stopped in my tracks. “You made this? Seriously?”
The bracelet sat nicely in the palm of my hand. Braided colors, a mix of blue, gray, and yellow, woven together into intricate little diamond patterns.
“I love it.” I hugged him and put it on immediately, wishing I had something to give him in return. “Before I forget, I wanted to tell you about something.” I rubbed my hands back and forth. “Margaret called earlier today, and I got the job.”
“Oh, that’s great. Are you gonna take it?”
I half-laughed before realizing Ren was serious. I was floored. “Why wouldn’t I take it?”
“I just thought—”
Before Ren could finish that sentence, my phone started blaring the loud and happy ringtone I’d assigned my sister.
He raised his eyebrow just like he did every time he chastised me for my inability to abandon technology.
“I went off the premises,” I whispered, like I owed him anything.
I answered the phone to Marley’s wide smile as she hugged Savannah so they filled the screen.
Ren nodded in understanding and left without a word.
“Look at you and that scruff. So, are you, like, Paul Bunyan now?” Marley asked.
“I haven’t chopped any wood, and they probably won’t let me go near an ax since mine ended up in the lake.”
“What? How?” she asked through a peel of laughter.
“Well, you remember Autumn? It was all her fault.”
“Autumn… Autumn ? As in your high school love Autumn? She’s there?”
“Yup, she’s here.” Stunning as ever.
“Weird coincidence that you two would attend the same camp at the same time. What’s she up to now? She become a fancy doctor like she planned?”
“Actually, no. Get this: she’s a counselor here.”
Marley’s eyes bugged out of her head, giving Savannah a chance to speak.
“Hi, Jamie the Lumberjack.” Savannah spoke loudly over the children screeching in the background. That house was always chaotic. I loved it.
“I don’t chop wood all day. Have you two ever been camping?”
“I thought what you were doing was glamping. ” She stuck her tongue out at me like a rotten little sister. “So, what do you do all day, then? What’s it like there?”
How could I even put into words what this had meant to me?
“It’s unbelievable. You would love it. Mom and Dad would love it.
In fact, I was thinking we should treat them to a week here, maybe for her birthday?
There are all kinds of arts, crafts, and games.
The cabins are charming and cozy like you wouldn’t believe.
The food is amazing, and there’s an open bar.
We have campfires every night that bring everyone together, but really, it’s the people.
The counselors make it even more magical.
People come from all over to be here. There’s nothing else like it. ”
Marley made a hmm noise. “Camp’s really stolen your heart, then, huh?”
“Yeah.” I paused. “I guess it has.”