ᯓ★ Summer of 2011.

You and Drew Starkey weren’t together. But you were definitely heading there.

At least—that’s what you thought.

The first few weeks of camp had been easy.

Drew was everywhere.

Waiting for you after activities. Saving you seats at meals. Walking beside you back to the cabins at night.

If someone had asked whether you two liked each other, neither of you would’ve had a very convincing denial.

Then Olivia arrived.

The counselor’s daughter.

Pretty, popular, the kind of girl who looked like she belonged on the cover of a teen magazine.

And suddenly—Drew started drifting.

Not all at once. Little by little.

Until one day you realized he wasn’t looking for you anymore, he was looking for her.

⋆˙⟡ —

At first you tried not to care.

Then you started noticing things.

How he laughed harder around her, how he always seemed to end up wherever she was, how he’d leave conversations with you halfway through because Olivia had shown up.

The worst part?

He still acted like everything between you was normal.

Like he wasn’t slowly replacing you right in front of your face.

Drew stopped saving you seats.

Stopped showing up outside your cabin before activities.

Stopped looking for you first.

⋆˙⟡ —

The talent show was what finally killed whatever hope you had left.

The whole camp was there.

Music. Laughter. People crowded around the stage.

And there was Drew.

Standing beside Olivia.

Of course.

Someone shouted: “DREW!”

The crowd laughed.

Then somebody yelled: “KISS HER!”

Immediately everyone started cheering.

Whistling, egging them on.

You looked at Drew, waiting. Because maybe he’d shake his head. Maybe he’d laugh it off.

Maybe he’d—Instead? he grinned.

Olivia grabbed his face. And Drew kissed her.

Right there. In front of everybody.

⋆˙⟡ —

The crowd exploded.

You left.

After that—you were done.

No confrontation. No dramatic speech. No tears.

You just stopped being available.

⋆˙⟡ —

At breakfast, you’d sit somewhere else. At the lake, you’d walk the opposite direction. At campfires, you’d find literally anybody else to talk to.

Whenever Drew showed up—you left.

⋆˙⟡ —

The first couple days he seemed confused.

Then annoyed.

Then genuinely irritated.

Because unlike before—you weren’t chasing him anymore.

You weren’t waiting around hoping he’d pick you.

Four days later you were heading back toward your cabin after archery practice when you heard footsteps behind you.

Fast ones.

“Hey.”

You kept walking.

“Hey.”

Still walking.

Then suddenly a hand wrapped around your wrist.

You immediately knew who it was.

Drew stepped in front of you before you could keep going.

Looking annoyed.

A little out of breath from catching up. “Hey—”

His eyebrows pulled together. “Hey, you’ve been ignoring me.”