Oak Ridge

thursday. june 27

Mallory and I figured it'd be best if we avoided each other a little more in the next few days. Not so much that people would think something's up like Myles and Mary Anne, but enough that it won't be so obvious that we're fucking around.

It was difficult enough this morning at breakfast not to make a beeline for the seat right next to her, but now at lunch I see that all the spots at her table are full. I suck it up and slam down my lunch tray next to Mary Anne and Princeton and get to work on my hot dog. A few moments later Myles comes and sits down, eyeing Mary Anne like he's scared or something. Once she sees him, Mary Anne promptly gets up and moves tables to sit with some campers.

Someone didn't bring any fucks to lunch today.

Myles runs his hands over his face and groans. He lightly hits his fists on the table and looks at Prince and I with a pitiful helpless look.

"Do you see what I'm talking about? She doesn't even want to be anywhere near me! She's been fine since we got here and all of a sudden since that bonfire she's been mad at me," he complains.

"Honestly I think you're acting like a pus- I mean wimp," I say. "She'll get over it in a few days anyway. She's probably on her period."

"Okay no she's not. She usually doesn't get angry when- whatever! What I'm frustrated about is she said the other day that she was fine and now she's not."

"Well man y'all haven't talked or anything. It's not cool for whatever's bothering her to just fester like that," Princeton chimes in. "Y'all have got to figure this out."

"Yeah I guess."

The conversation drops off there and no one says anything else until the bell rings for activity time. I get up and throw away my trash before going over to the storage shed by the Shack to get out the stuff for ladder ball. It's pretty overcast today so hopefully we won't get too hot and pass out.

A couple of older campers come over to play and I supervise for a while, sitting back in the grass. Across the path, Mallory is watching her volleyball game with Princeton. A slight breeze blows through the trees making them sway towards the top.

I'm in an amazing mood today and nothing in this world can bring me down.

◾️◾️◾️

"Myles!" I shout through the cabin.

"Yeah, man."

"Where the fuck is my bag?"

I look through my suitcase again, pulling at my hair when I can't find the small bag that's supposed to be in it. I groan and slam it shut, kicking it against the wall. Myles comes running out of the bathroom to see what I'm doing.

"Blake, calm down. What's going on?"

"I can't find my bag! The black one that stays in my suitcase," I say, panicked. "My inhaler's in there!"