We woke up to someone banging a metal pot with a spoon like we were in the army. "RISE AND SHINE, BURBERRY HIGH! LAST DAY TO BE YOUR BEST SELF!"
It was 6:03am. I know because I checked my phone before remembering we weren't supposed to have them. Miss Theresa had clearly decided sleep was for the weak.
Outside, it was foggyyy and cold, and everyone looked like zombies in matching camp hoodies. Megan had bed hair that defied gravity. "If 'best self' means awake before the sun, I quit," she mumbled. I had half a bag of gummy bears for breakfast. Don't judge me.
"Campers, assemble at the teaching hall in ten!" Miss Theresa yelled, and somehow her voice sounded even bigger at 6am.
The hall smelled like coffee and regret. The camp director was way too energetic. "Today is your final day! We laugh, we cry, we reflect, we compete! And yes, there will be mud."
Everyone groaned. I perked up. Mud meant chaos, and chaos meant distraction from the weird, heavy thing sitting between me and Luca since last night.
We weren't _not_ talking. But we also weren't talking. He gave me a small nod when we sat down. I gave him a smaller one back. Distance, but not completely. My stomach did a weird flip anyway. Stupid stomach.
the day wasn't so good so the teachers suggest a change of today's activities.
First event: "Trust Fall & Team Cheer." Each group had to make a cheer, then do trust falls off a log. Our group — me, Luca, Emory, two twins named Jess and Tess I could never tell apart, and a guy who introduced himself as "just call me Chip" — huddled up.
Emory started, "Alright, team, ideas?" No bossy tone. No smirk. Just… normal? Suspicious.
Chip suggested we just scream. Jess-or-Tess said we should rap.
Luca was quiet, drawing circles in the dirt with a stick. I was quiet, pretending to be super interested in the dirt.
Then Emory looked at me. "Mel, you've got the best comebacks. What do you think?"
I blinked. "Sorry, did you hit your head?"
He laughed — not the mean one, the real one . "Nope I answered why me ?. Just figured if anyone can make us sound cool, it's you."
My brain short-circuited for half a second. Nope. No feelings. Shut it down.
"Fine," I said, all flat. "How about: 'We're group go with the rap .
"It's terrible," Chip said, delighted. "I love it."
We won third place for enthusiasm. Miss Theresa said our cheer had "raw honesty."
Trust falls were next. Chip went first and nearly took Tess down with him. When it was my turn, I climbed on the log and looked back. Luca was supposed to catch me with Emory. But Luca stepped back last second. "My wrist," he muttered, holding it. He didn't look at me.
Before I could panic, Emory was there. "I got you, Mel. Promise." His voice was low, steady.
I fell. And he caught me. Solid. No jokes about my weight, no "oof you're heavy." as a total Emory will do .He just set me down easy and said, "See? Told you."
My heart did that annoying flip again. Traitor. I stepped away fast. "Whatever. Thanks."
He just nodded . God, who _was_ this guy?
Next: "Wilderness Relay of Doom." It was just an obstacle course, but Miss Theresa loves drama. Crawl under ropes, carry a "wounded" teammate, solve a riddle, run through tires.
Our wounded teammate was me — Emory volunteered me before I could argue. "She's lightest," he said, which was facts, but still.
He carried me piggyback through the tires. I was prepared for him to dump me or say something gross. Instead, he goes: "You okay? Not bouncing too much?"
"...I'm fine."
"You sure? Your gummy bears might fall out of your pocket."
I snorted before I could stop it. "Shut up and run."
He ran. And we didn't come in last. When he set me down, he handed me my hoodie I'd dropped three obstacles ago. "You'll get cold."
Megan grabbed my arm after. "Okay what body-snatcher took Emory and replaced him with a decent human?"
"I know," I whispered back. "It's freaking me out." I glanced at Luca. He was high-fiving Chip, but his eyes flicked to me and away. Still distant. Still here. Ugh.
Lunch was "make your own trail mix" but someone put chili flakes in the M&M's bowl as a prank. Half the camp was crying. I was crying laughing. Megan was crying actual tears. Emory silently handed her his water bottle and then gave me a napkin for my eyes. No comments. No "I told you so." Just… kind.
The afternoon was "Reflection Circle & Time Capsule." We all had to write a letter to our future self and bury it by the big oak tree. Mine said: _Dear Future Mel, if you're reading this and still letting boys ruin your day, I'm gonna come back in time and slap you. Also, invest in gummy bears._ and don't stay in no Burberry for college and ended it with a big yoooo!
We buried the box. Luca was two people away from me the whole time. When we patted the dirt down, our hands brushed. He didn't pull back. But he didn't lace his fingers with mine either. Just a brush. Distant, but not gone.
Final event: "Bonfire & Open Mic." Sunset, fire, smoke in our hair. People sang bad karaoke. Chip did a magic trick that was just him dropping cards. Megan told an embarrassing story about her dog. I spent more time with Megan because the other girls keep getting out in different group.
Then Miss Theresa goes, "Anyone else want to share before we close out camp?"
Silence. Then Emory stood up.
My stomach dropped. Here it comes — the old Emory. The public humiliation.
He cleared his throat. "I just… I wanted to say sorry." Everyone went quiet. "To Mel." Oh god. "I was a jerk for a long time. Thought being mean or selfish was the same as being right. You were right to call me out. You're not the same girl I used to know. You're stronger. And I'm sorry I ever made you feel small."
The fire popped. Someone in the back whispered "damn."
He sat down. Didn't look at me for praise. Didn't wink. Just stared at the fire.
My throat was weirdly tight. Feelings? Maybe. Would I admit it? Never. I looked at my hands. "Cool," I said to the log. Super smooth, Mel.
Luca was sitting across the fire. He heard all of it. He didn't say anything. Just poked a stick into the flames.
Later, packing up, Emory walked by my cabin. I was sitting on the wood stairs again, alone this time. He stopped. Didn't come closer.
"You've got a good heart, Mel. Even when you're pretending you don't." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Night." And he left.
I sat there for a loooong time. The moon wasn't full anymore, just a sliver.
Luca came out of his cabin later with his duffel. He saw me. Stopped. "Hey."
"Hey," I said.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. You?"
"Yeah."
We were both lying. We were both there. He sat on the other end of the stair, not close, not far.
can't believe we leaving tomorrow," he said.
"Yep."
"Camp was… something."
"Sure was."
We didn't talk about college. Or feelings. Or why he was mad. Or why I was mad he was mad. But he didn't go inside. And I didn't either. We just sat in the quiet, distant, but not completely, watching the fire die out across the field.
I went to bed thinking — if Emory being nice was a sign the world was ending? And if Luca sitting on the same step as me was a sign he still cared, even if he wouldn't say it? And why does my brain have to like _both_ those things at the same time?
Stupid camp. Stupid boys. Stupid me for kinda not saying how I think it was uncool to be bad mad at me especially since we are not dating.