The first few days contained no elaborate plans towards the dare, all our focus was on setting up the campers and getting them settled with their bunks and the schedules for the days ahead.
Luckily, Taylor didn't push during this time, what with us all being in the same hectic boat, but it was easy to tell that she was eager for them both to make some kind of move on their own initiative.
They didn't, though Dylan wasn't subtle with his glances towards Spencer.
I spent much of my time, at least when I wasn't working on camp plans, trying to figure out how I would play matchmaker, which is a lot harder than it sounds.
There had been some nights that I found myself still awake and stupid times in the morning, staring into darkness as my mind raced with a growing dilemma that Taylor was getting antsy about.
"Come on, you must have thought of something," she whined on morning five, slouching dramatically over the breakfast table as she pouted.
"No," I sighed, scooping up some porridge. "It's hard to play Cupid when you aren't a natural at it, you know I don't really do romance.
"Exactly why I turned it into a dare and not a request to work with me."
I glared at her as I stuck the spoon on my mouth, diverting my eyes as I chewed to take in the room.
Double sided tables were filled with kids excitedly eating and chattering, as they were wont to do when in a group, though they were thankfully keeping things civil and hadn't started a food fight.
Yet.
Three other counsellors were sat at the end of the table nearest the door, looking tired and eating while talking lazily as they prepared for another day of activities.
One table over, Spencer was sat with Pearl, fussing over her breakfast to make sure she had the right nutrients to get her through the day without leaving her with too much energy by the night, ever the faffer that he was.
Though he didn't have anything of his own in front of him, no plate nor bowl to tide him over until the noon dinner slot.
I was close to making a comment when movement caught my eye and I had barely turned my head before Dylan slipped into view with a brisk walk, two plates in his hand as he neared the table and slid into the empty spot opposite Spencer.
Then, with a pointed look, he set one of the plates down in front of himself and the other in front of the man opposite him.
The look was so unusual from his typical laidback demeanour that it threw me off for a couple of seconds, but I quickly recovered as he leaned in to speak to Spencer while grabbing his own cutlery.
Their words were mingled into the cacophony of sound surrounding me, but Spencer's look of shock and then gentle resignation with the smallest of smiles and a nod of his head was enough to convey exactly what had happened.
It also helped in cropping up an idea.
I wouldn't tell Taylor, but plans were brewing.
I just needed to find the right time to set everything up.
Tonight was going to be a late one.
---
Dylan stepped back into his cabin fresh from the shower, towelling his dyed black hair and knowing full well that it wasn't going to meet a brush for a good while.
As he stepped inside and pulled the door closed behind him, his bare feet and the bottom of his red plaid sleeping bottoms scuffed something on the floor.
With a soft hum of curiosity, he lifted his foot and looked down to find a folded piece of paper with his name written in neat handwriting that he could only take to be Spencer's.
"Wonder what he wants?" He mumbled, leaning down to pluck it up. "He's never written me a letter before."
Continuing across the small room that had been designated to him, he dropped onto the bed and draped the towel over his shoulders to free up his hands and make sure no drops of water from his hair soaked the neck of his band shirt.
As he turned the letter over in his hand, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he started to open it.
"How old school."
---
Spencer stepped into his cabin and pulled the door closed, letting out a sigh of relief.
Pearl had been tucked in and he'd done his rounds to make sure everyone was settled and not up to mischief before lights out.
Only then did he finally feel that he could settle down for the night, ready to get up early to have his shower and prepare the next day's activities.
He set his clipboard down on the small wooden table next to the door, ready to get changed and hit the hay after brushing his teeth and setting his clothes out ready for the next day.
As he turned to grab his toothbrush, a flutter of paper caught his eye as it fell to the floor.
Raising an eyebrow, he leaned down to pluck it up and looked it over, noting the scruffy writing that indicated that it was addressed to him.
Pushing his glasses up his nose, he turned to continue grabbing the bits he needed.
He waited until he was already in the process of brushing his teeth to unfold the piece of paper and give it a quick read, not that it was a lengthy letter to begin with.
As his eyes danced over the page, he found his hand slowing in its brushing as the scruffy handwriting gave a simple set of instructions, ones similar to the neatly written note Dylan was reading:
'Tomorrow evening, once the kids are settled, meet me in the Spooky Story clearing in the woods. Only bring yourself. I'll meet you for a surprise.'