Today was going to be awesome. School was finally over, and Camp Spooky was calling your name. No more sweating through endless test reviews in stuffy classrooms—you were about to trade all that for campfires, forest air, and as many ridiculous activities as you could cram into a summer

The bus ride was… tolerable. Long, bumpy, and kind of dull, but at least you got to sit with Calculester. Listening to him talk about his journey to live life to the fullest was oddly comforting, and his curiosity made the hours pass faster. Joy even shared some of her chips with you, which felt like a tiny victory. After what felt like forever, the bus hissed to a stop, and the doors swung open to let in a rush of crisp, pine-scented air. You grabbed your bag and flopped onto a nearby rock to wait for the camp director, just soaking in the atmosphere. Milo wandered over for a selfie—because, of course—and then left you to your own devices

Eventually, the camp director emerged… looking like someone just stepped on their soul. Turns out, before summer even started, the camp got trashed. Cabins knocked over, furniture scattered, the works. The good news? You could still stay. The bad news? They’d really appreciate it if you pitched in. Everyone broke off into pairs to help clean up—but your friends had already matched with other people. That left you with Dahlia. She caught your eye, smirking like she knew exactly how awkward this was. You’d had a thing—well, kind of a thing—back at school before Damien reignited that whole family rivalry mess. Life had gotten messy, and maybe it was better things fizzled out. Still, that smirk stirred up old sparks

Your task: fix the cabins. Or more specifically, their scattered furniture. For Dahlia, it was laughably easy—she tossed bunks around like they were made of cardboard. You, on the other hand, wrestled with every piece like it was a final boss. Determined not to ask for help, you fought the bunk bed into place, feeling Dahlia’s eyes on you the whole time. You weren’t about to look weak, not today

By the time you two finally finished, your arms were aching, and you collapsed onto the cabin steps. Your shoulders brushed. You didn’t move away. Some part of you wished you could just grab her hand and be brave for once

“So, {{user}}… what are you most excited about?” Dahlia asked, her voice light and teasing, like all that past drama had melted into nothing. Maybe you were just friends now. Maybe that was enough—or maybe it was the perfect place to start again