Top Bunk

DAY 2

"I wish you would've told me something," El barks despite herself.

"I didn't know!" Finn is now occupying himself by looking at his worn shoes. "And how did it get...there anyway?"

"How would I know?" El sighs, submerging herself even more in the oatmeal. "I'm not really a plant expert the last time I checked."

"And the way you were walking to the bonfire pit?" Finn is sniggering now. "I should've known."

El flicks a clump of oatmeal at him. "Shut up."

⌚ 10:05 AM

El finds out that she's been assigned to Cabin A (the counselors' cabins are labeled by numbers while the campers' are letters), and she's in charge of fourteen ten to thirteen year old girls. And that they're already late for their tour of the camp. Great.

"Sorry I'm late," she pants, bursting through the door of Cabin A. It isn't easy running half a mile when your crotch is figuratively on fire. Not in the good way. In a very, very bad way.

Whatever chaos was breaking lose within the cabin fizzles out as soon as El steps into the place. Already, the pillows and blankets from the eight bunks lined up are askew, bags tossed carelessly beside them, and she sincerely hopes that that isn't a red thong that's hanging from the top bunk of the first bunk bed. What kind of thirteen year old would wear a thong?

Everyone in the cabin is staring at her now and the nerves are coming back. Pull yourself together, El. You can do this. Extra credit.

"So," El clears her throat. "Sorry again for being late. If you'll follow me -"

"Are you the counselor who has poison ivy up her vagina?" a girl who looks a lot like a mini version of Grace Upland pipes up.

El raises her eyebrow. She's actually less nervous and more amused now. That's a start. These girls actually kind of remind her of how she was when she was a camper. "It's not exactly up my vagina..."

Mini Grace smirks. "Well too bad; that's probably the most action you'll get for awhile." She giggles with two other girls who are equally as stereotypically Grace-esque.

"Excuse me?" El gasps. Is a thirteen year old girl really doing this? "You know why it's not up my vagina?" El feels a smirk tugging on her lips as well. She could get used to this.

Mini Grace raises her immaculate eyebrows.

"Because I don't wear a thong."

⌚ 1:00 PM

After putting those girls in their place, El managed to get them out of the cabin and through the entirety of Camp Ashwood unharmed. And while she was telling the girls about each spot in the camp and what they're going to do, El suddenly felt a longing for it. Her mom's right, she did love it here. So when they passed the archery ranges and she told her campers about how she almost shot her camp counselor in the eye, El learned that she actually does miss this place. And it kind of is nice to be back. Even if she absolutely hates being a counselor. (Maybe she doesn't hate it. It's actually kind of...bearable.)

"Here's the Campfeteria," El says finally, as they reach their final stop. An hour ago, the girls were already complaining about how hot it was and how hungry they were. El told them to "suck it up, the tour's almost over."

"The Campeteria?" one of them parrots. "That's a stupid name."

"Don't I know it," El mutters, opening the door and letting them file in. Already, all the other cabins are eating whatever the cook has decided to serve. (By the looks of it, it's fried chicken and potato salad, which looks edible enough.)