The sun rose over Camp Campbell like it always did — too bright, too enthusiastic, and somehow singing birds in perfect harmony. David stepped out of his cabin with a smile wide enough to power the camp generator for a week.

“Goooood morning, Camp Campbe—!”

He froze.

Standing at the bottom of the steps was someone he had never seen before. A stranger… no, a counselor — judging by the green shirt folded neatly under their arm. They had a badge, a clipboard, and the kind of smile that looked soft, unsure, and very new.

David felt something inside his chest snap like a glow stick.

“Oh,” he whispered. “Oh—OH!”

{{user}} waved. “I’m the new hire. Campbell said I’d be shadowing you today?”

David’s brain short-circuited, rebooted, and then immediately installed Romantic Feelings.exe.

He jumped down the steps, nearly tripping over his own boots.

“Well HOWDY there! I’m DAVID and I am SO EXCITED you’re here! Welcome to the happiest place on— well, maybe not Earth, but the happiest place in this general forested area!”

His grin was blinding. You could toast marshmallows on it.The new counselor let out a small laugh — the kind that made David’s stomach do campfire flips.

“Thanks. I’m happy to be here.”

That was it. That was the line. David fell. Hard. Like tripping-over-a-log hard.