(Daniel’s POV)
The door went flying open in the cabin and a voice boomed inside causing me and David to jump and try to scramble away from each other.
“I feel like my vacation should have been longer, but it's not too bad being back I guess. David is Daniel still- what the…?” it was Gwen, the girl who had hired me and then went on vacation, the other counselor. I had completely forgot about her. David basically shoved me of off his body and I landed on the foot of the bed, he crossed his legs and sat there smiling, waving to Gwen who was give us a really weird look. I wasn't sure if she saw us on top of each other or not, but even this scene was hard to explain. I was just sitting on the end of the bed with messy hair and David was laying down on the other side of the bed, lifting his torso up with his arms shirtless with a red face.
“Hi Gwen! Welcome back! Did you have a good vacation?” David asked her, Gwen was still looking at us with the world's most confused face. I wasn't even sure what to tell her so I just sat back and waited until someone asked me something, letting the situation play itself out.
“I had a good vacation… what is going on? Did I come in at a bad time?” Gwen changed the subject again, she hadn't even blinked yet she was staring so intently at us. David was clearly having a hard time lying so I eventually stepped in and spoke.
“Sorry no, I was just helping David out because he got a sunburn and I had Aloe gel in my bag so I was getting his back. You just startled us is all, we weren't expecting you back until morning.” I said as calmly and collectively as I could, Gwen seemed to take to my relaxed tone a lot better than David’s attempted avoidance as she broke her eye contact and walked over to her bed, the one I had been sleeping in.
“Yeah, I know, I should have knocked but I am just so used to waltzing in. It's late, you guys probably thought someone was breaking in.” Gwen laughed a bit, I laughed in the same tone she did and David let out a forced laugh, I nudged him a bit as if to tell him to relax but he was really tensed up.
“David you didn't even get a bed for Daniel while I was gone? Wasn't that something we talked about?” Gwen asked, David sat up and swung his arm.
“Gosh darn it your right! I completely forgot! I know we have a spare mattress in the supply shed, I should have gotten it already.” David said, standing up, I stood up with him.
“Oh, I'll help you with it and we’ll bring it in here. C'mon David, it's late, we don't wanna take too long.” I said, pushing David along. He agreed with me and we both awkwardly told Gwen we would be right back and then shimmed out of the cabin, the door closing behind us. David let out a huge sigh of relief and I shushed him as the walls in the cabin were not thick. David started leading me over to the supply shed where the mattress was supposedly located.
“Oh Daniel I feel so bad lying to Gwen, I've never lied to her before she's like my bestie.” David complained to me as we found the mattress and gathered up some sheets to go along with it. I pulled it out of the shed and leaned on it.
“Well, you can tell her if you want I mean I'm sure she wouldn't mind.” I said, David shook his head sadly.
“No, I can't. Dating coworkers is taboo.” he stated for the second time, I rolled my eyes at him and kissed his cheek.
“Stop saying taboo like you know what it means.” I laughed a bit, he laughed too but it was less than me. He got a better grip on the blankets and looked at the ground.
“It's not that easy anyways, I remember telling Gwen last summer that dating coworkers was a big no no because she liked this supply we had for a few weeks and I lectured he about not being allowed to date him.” David paused and rubbed his arm, “Now look how the tables have turned.” David explained, I messed up his hair a little and smirked at him.
“Yeah but, at least it's fun making out with me on those turned tables.” I joked, David giggled, swatting away my hands.
“You’re right. You are the only person I've ever known in my whole life who can make me feel this way. I feel so happy with you.” David said, I shook my head at him and nudged his shoulder
“That was super cheesy” I laughed, David laughed too and we both hoisted the mattress and carried it off to the cabin. We held the door open and pushed the mattress in, placing it on the floor beside David’s bed. Gwen was already climbing into her bed when we came back, she yawned and looked at us.
“You just gonna sleep on the floor?” Gwen asked, I nodded and she shrugged a bit.
“Ok. Just don't call HR on us.” Gwen joked, David scratched his head nervously.
“Do we even have an HR here?” he asked, and Gwen burst out laughing but then she slowly stopped and shook her head in sorrow.
“No. Probably not.” she stated. I began putting the sheet onto the mattress and then placing my pillow where I wanted it and unfolding the blankets while David got a shirt back on and brushed his teeth and Gwen tried to fall and sleep with the lights on. Once David was done in the bathroom however he turned off the lights and climbed into his bed and I climbed into mine. David swung his arm down so it was skimming the corner of my pillow and he said goodnight out loud to both me and Gwen. Gwen replied with a yawn and I grabbed onto his hand and squeezed it, smiling to myself as I did so.
“Goodnight.” I replied to him, and he slowly let go of my hand. That night I actually fell asleep, didn't have any nightmares, and felt safe.
Until my phone buzzing in the early morning mad my stomach turn. I opened my eyes which was a task and a half and lifted the bright phone screen to my eyes. I saw the contact that was calling me and panicked slightly before just declining the call and then mentally stabbing myself for doing so. It was Simon. As the call went away because I hung up on him I cursed at myself under my breath. Why did I do that? He's going to call back and get mad because I hung up on him.
For a second I thought I was in the clear because my phone just stayed on the lock screen for a while, but then it vibrated again and sure enough it was Simon. I pushed decline again and cursed at myself louder this time. I quickly unlocked my phone and checked the time. It was 6:30 in the morning. David would most likely be awake or just waking up now, I couldn't explain this to him, but I couldn't just continue hanging up on Simon or he would end up showing up here and do god knows what to David, Gwen and the campers. Another call started coming through but I ignored it for a second. I had mentioned god, not Zeemuug. I took a moment to process that and the call ended up running out and showing as a missed call. The fourth time I got a call from Simon I assumed they wouldn't stop and I jumped up from my spot in bed and rushed over to the bathroom, locking the door behind me and answering the phone in a whispering voice.
“Have you been hanging up on me?! Daniel that's not ok! What the fuck is going on?! When I call you you answer it or else-” this was Simon, he started going off and yelling at me about what he would do if I kept declining hid calls but I wasn't listening, I was sweating and trying to figure out some kind of lie to tell him. I had been lying to so many people lately you would think this was easy for me, but if anything I was just running out of lies to tell people. I shushed Simon and he stopped talking.
“Stop! I'm in the middle of something right now!” I said, whispering still, Simon took a breath as if to go off on me again but I just continued talking so he wouldn't.
“There is a guy here who is onto me, he just showed up a couple days ago. I think he is actually trying to investigate our group. He keeps asking me very specific questions and he keeps trying to get all this information out of me about my passed and he has even brought up Zeemuug” I was completely talking out of my ass but I made what I was saying sound so true, and given the circumstances of what I was telling Simon I knew he wouldn't question me.
“You haven't told him anything have you?” Simon asked, I shook my head even though he couldn't see me.
“Of course not, but he's going to think this phone call is suspicious. I just need some time to… get rid of him… and then I can put this operation back on track.” I explained, but I was still lying. I had gotten a lot of practice at this in my life. Simon paused for a second but he did end up replying to me.
“Are you sure you can handle this? Do you need me to come and-”
“No. Trust me I got this. It's just, this camp is a bigger threat then we had previously imagined. I'll get it all taken care of, I promise.” I cut him off. He took a pause before speaking again.
“Ok. But if you need something you need to call me then. The elders are getting impatient, but they will understand the situation. Take care of that guy, and see what he knows.” Simon told me, I stood up straight and cleared my throat.
“Will do Simon. But I need to go so I don't blow my cover.” I said, Simon agreed and hung up the phone. I stood in the bathroom, clutching my phone and shaking a bit because of how close that was. If I didn't think quick enough that call could have ended with Simon coming to kill me, or worse. I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding in and shut my eyes, leaning over towards the sink and splashing my face with cold water. I turned to face the door and pushed it up, jumping a bit as David was standing right there and startle me.
“You ok Daniel? Who were you talking too?” David asked, my stomach turned. Great, I’d have to come up with more fucking lies. All I ever did was lie, lie, lie. Like a fucking rug. That's just what I did now. I tried to make up something but it was getting so difficult.
“Oh. That was my ex.. He is just being annoying and I told him off and not to call me anymore, he often calls me just to cry and complain about how we used to be, no biggie really, I just have to change my number again.” I informed David. A pure lie but, it was a believable one. David gave me a weird look then, one I hadn't seen on him before, jealous looking. When he didn't say anything for a while I smirked and laughed a bit.
“What? Are you… Jealous?” I asked him, wagging my eyebrows towards him, David’s face went red as it usually did and he crossed his arms with a humph.
“No. Why would I be jealous of your crazy ex who still has your phone number and calls you regularly.” David said, instant regret washed over his face. I laughed harder at him and pulled him in for a quick kiss. He swatted me away lightly and I walked out of the bathroom. I went over to my bag and gathered my clothes for the day and gestured towards the bathroom again.
“Should I get changed in there? Gwen isn't here right now but will she come back?” I asked, noticing Gwen was in fact out of the cabin. David nodded pointing to the bathroom.
“That's your safest bet. She just went outside to get some things she left in the car, she’ll be back soon.” he said, I gathered up my clothes and walked back over to the bathroom, leaving my phone on my mattress and stepping inside, hearing David mumble to himself before I shut the door.
“Wait… Was he just going to strip naked in front of me if Gwen wasn't going to be coming back in here?!” I heard him say, his eyes go a bit wide. I laughed to myself once I got in the bathroom and began to change. I caught myself smiling in the mirror, and I looked a lot more bright and alive then I had in the past. I didn't dwell too much in my reflection because of the horrible thing that happened last time I was looking in this mirror and I quickly finished getting changed into my camp shirt. I walked out of the bathroom to see Gwen was back and putting away her things and David was just making his bed. Once we were all done our morning routine we headed out of the cabin. Standing right by the doors leaning up against the wood of the cabin was Max, picking at his fingernails nonshalontly.
“Max? What are you doing?” David asked him, Max didn't take his eyes off his fingernails.
“Oh. Just hanging around. Wanted to know what was taking you guys so long, usually your in the mess hall an hour early.” Max answered to David, David apologized for being late but it didn't seem like Max really cared. We shut the cabin door behind us and Max waved to Gwen as go say welcome back and just continued to pick at his fingernails.
“Well Max sorry to keep you waiting! We’ll go and get the rest of the campers awake and you can meet us in the mess hall!” David replied, Max again acknowledged what David had told him but didn't more or take his gaze off of his hands. We started to walk away and I shook my head a bit as we did.
“Max is being a bit weird this morning” I stated, Gwen rolled her eye.
“Max is always weird.” she said, clearly annoyed by Max’s behavior. David looked like he was about to explode for a second until he took a deep breath and said;
“Daniel hit him.” Gwen’s eyes went wide at these words and a grin appeared on her face. I frowned at David and tossed my arms in the air.
“David that was supposed to be a secret!” I shouted, Gwen burst into a laughing fit once I said this and patted me on the back, wiping away tears from her eyes.
“That is the best thing I've ever heard. He probably deserved it…” she giggled, I placed one hand on my hip.
“He sure as hell did.” I replied. We all laughed and headed over to the kids tents to wake them up and have another sunny day together.
A/N I've already published this chapter but I'm already getting notifications about it and Shout out to redcherreys for legit being here seconds after I published this chapter commenting up a storm I legit am so thankful for you. Thank you soooooooo much for your dedication. ❤ that is all!
Also thanks just for everyone as we have hit 1.9k reads and I fell as though we will hit the 2k mark very soon!