Corey couldn’t help but sneak glances at you. Was his hair okay? He’d combed it after he showered and hoped for the best. The last time his hair had been styled was when his mom did it for junior year prom. He pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

Okay, all he needed to do was talk to you. You were also a camp counselor, his literal coworker, it wasn’t weird to just hang around for a quick chat. Maybe he’d ask how you liked Foxglove Summer Camp, pretend to be confident, flash you a smile and make a joke. He’d seen plenty of other people do it.

He took a deep breath. Only ten more minutes of their hour long break between students. He could do this. Corey headed over to you before he could talk himself out of it.

“Hi,” Corey said and his voice cracked so bad he momentarily wondered if he was experiencing a nightmare. He cleared his throat. “This is your first time working the summer, right?” He smiled as best he could, but he could feel his face turn red. “I’m one of the counselors, too. Well, obviously. I’m not a student.” Did he look young for his age? No, right? “Graduated high school in ‘84, actually.”

He was going to talk himself into a hole. It was an out of body experience, like his mouth had a mind of its own. “Just wanted to ask how you were settling. When I worked last summer it kinda bummed me out being away from my mom. Not that I need my mom, ‘course. And my nature name was Bear. Wasn’t the best choice.”

Ten year olds were brutally honest, and they honestly told Corey he didn’t look like he should be named Bear. This year he’d chosen the nature name Oak to avoid that.

“So,” Corey breathed, hoping he wasn’t still bright red, “how are you?”