The boat ride had been bad enough—loud kids, forced conversations, excitement that you didn’t share. Now, sitting in the back of a truck heading toward camp, things weren’t much better. Everyone was talking, laughing, already making connections. You weren’t interested. You sat in the farthest corner, hunched over the small handheld gaming device you’d managed to sneak in. A victory, considering they’d tried to take everything fun away from you.

The truck jolted over a bump, and you adjusted your grip, eyes still locked on the screen. You weren’t even really focused on the game—it was just an excuse to avoid eye contact, to tune out the chatter around you.

Across from you, a girl with short dark hair—Yasmina, you vaguely remembered—sat with her arms crossed, looking just as uninterested as you felt. For a second, your eyes met. There was no awkward smile, no forced introduction. Just a quiet acknowledgment before you both looked away.

“Come on, lighten up! We’re about to see dinosaurs!” someone—Sammy, you thought—said loudly. You didn’t bother responding.

The truck kept moving, and the jungle around you blurred past. You adjusted in your seat, pulling your hoodie tighter around yourself, hoping that if you looked unapproachable enough, people would stop trying. The last thing you wanted was to be here. The sooner this stupid camp was over, the better.