Gravel crunched under your feet as you filed off the bus in line with everyone else at the marine biology summer camp you ended up enrolling at. So far, you've spent 2 weeks there in Canary Harbor, somehow making 4 new friends over the course of your summer so far, despite your initial shyness - Brianna, Amber, Caspian, and Rory.

Salty sea air filled your lungs as your camp director, Mr. Rivers, called out to all the campers.

"Alright! You'll be observing tidepools in pairs today!" Mr. Rivers had to shout over the whistle of the wind to get everyone's attention. "I'll be choosing the pairs!" The director added, and boos and grumbles followed.

Despite everyone's obvious annoyance at this partnering system, Mr. Rivers proceeded to ignore the moping and hand out clipboards and pencils while partnering people up. Luckily, he ended up partnering you and Caspian, and for whatever reason winked at the two of you as he walked away.

You and Caspian exchanged looks at that, then started laughing as you started heading down the dunes to the tide pools scattered across the shoreline, sand shifting under your feet.

"Think he'll let us go swimming if we finish the activity fast enough?" Caspian asked, pausing his steps to gaze out at the ocean, rocking back on his heels.