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morningfears · 5 years

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Summer Nights [Chapter One]

Rating: PG-13 (Smut will happen in later chapters, though)

Summary: Calum is returning to be a counselor at Camp Clear Lake. The summer before, he’d gotten pretty friendly with Kennedy. This summer, he wants to pick up where he left off. Unfortunately, a figure from Kennedy’s past is back and looking to give Calum a little competition. | Camp Counselor!Calum! (Featuring Joey as the romance of summers past.)

Word Count: 4.6k

Chapter Two

“Welcome to Camp Clear Lake!”

The chatter that had filled the small wooden building that serves as both cafeteria and auditorium comes to a halt as Maxwell, the owner of Camp Clear Lake, yells his greeting and smiles at the sea of bored eighteen-to-twenty-somethings sitting in front of him. The twenty individuals scattered around the room are his counselors for the summer, the ones who will guide the campers and make the six weeks they spend at Camp Clear Lake worth the hefty price tag, and he’s excited to see so many returning faces. He’s always liked seeing his counselors return just as much as he’s liked seeing his campers return and it sets his mind at ease as he realizes the adjustment period won’t be as long this time around.

The people who have been counselors before know the drill by now and those who don’t know will learn by example. There won’t be that awkward period of confusion that comes with having a batch of brand new counselors nor will there be that moment of stagnation that comes with an entire roster of returning faces. He sees just enough of each to keep things balanced and he’s content with the way things are turning out as he clears his throat and begins to speak.

“I’m so excited to see all of your faces, those who are new as well as those who are returning. We seem to have a pretty even mixture of both this year and I’m sure all of you are glad to see old friends and make new ones. I just wanted to take this moment to remind everyone that I truly appreciate each and every one of you. You all make Camp Clear Lake what it is, the best camp in California, and there would be no Camp Clear Lake without all of you. So, I thank you all for returning or for joining us for the first time. This is going to be a magical summer,” he announces and when he pauses, his captive audience applauds.

Maxwell grins at the noise (his cheeks turn pink at the wolf whistles and ‘whoops’ that come from the boys near the back of the room) before he gestures to his son, Aiden. “For those of you who are returning, you’ll remember my son, Aiden. For those of you who are new, Aiden is my righthand man. He’ll be staying with you all this summer. If you have any problems, he’s the guy to see. I have to head out, I’m picking up the rest of the supplies for the welcome festivities, so I’m going to hand it over to him. Enjoy yourselves tonight at the bonfire but remember that you’ll be getting your campers bright and early in the morning. I’ll see you all later!”

The group claps again as Maxwell descends the three steps leading up to the platform they all call a stage and he waves on his way out of the building. The moment the door closes, Aiden whistles to capture their attention and rolls his eyes as they all shift in their seats to face him.

“Alright, listen up, assholes,” Aiden huffs as he glances out at the audience before him, “those of you who have, for reasons unknown, returned know the drill by now. Newbies, it’s simple. Leave me alone and I’ll leave you alone. Do not bother me unless someone is actively dying. Even then, go to the nurse first and if she can’t help, then come find me. I do not care if you drink, I do not care if you do drugs, I do not care if you smoke, I do not care if you fuck; just don’t let any of the kids see you. If they do catch you, make sure they don’t report you or write their parents and tell them what they learned at camp.

Your bunk assignments are posted on the bulletin boards outside the door. Your clipboards with camper lists, daily activity sheets, and all other relevant information are in your cabins. A frequently asked questions list is also attached. Do not ask me anything. If you don’t know the answer, make it up. The kids won’t know the difference. Remember that you are to wear your bandanas somewhere on your person at all times, just as long as it’s visible. I don’t give a shit about your body piercings, tattoos, or unnatural hair colors but when the parents are here, hide all of those things. Anything else, ask someone who’s been here before.”

Aiden pauses, stares down at the group before him, before he sighs and says, “Welcome to Hell, kids.”

The moment the final word leaves his lips, Aiden descends the three steps and leaves the small building. The new counselors are stunned by his attitude, those who are returning roll their eyes and begin to move from the uncomfortable wooden tables in search of their bunk assignments. The chatter begins anew as the returning counselors begin to grab their bags and greet old friends. The newer counselors remain seated, watching for cues, before they begin to follow.

“Remember our first summer here?”

Kennedy jumps at the feeling of a hand on her arm but relaxes upon hearing the voice of her partner in crime, Jade. The two have been Camp Clear Lake counselors for four consecutive years and have been assigned to the same bunk each time. They met the summer following high school graduation and have remained friends since. Now, seeing Jade makes Camp Clear Lake feel like home and Kennedy can’t help herself as she pulls her in for a hug.

“It was the worst,” Kennedy laughs as she releases Jade and grabs her duffel bag from the floor. “I didn’t want to be here, I think I refused to talk for the first week, and those assholes in the cabin across from us kept trying to steal our underwear.”

“And that creepy kid in their cabin kept trying to sneak into the showers when we were in there, remember?” Jade asks as she grabs her own duffel bag. “Ugh, that was the worst summer. I think I got into poison ivy, like, four times.”

“You’d think you’d know what it looks like by now,” Kennedy teases as she reaches the bulletin board and reaches a hand out to drag her finger down the list. “Kennedy Harper and Jade Winters, cabin four, just like old times.”

“Think my vodka is still under the floorboard?” Jade asks as she shifters her duffel bag to her left hand. “I was thinking about bringing it to the bonfire tonight.”

Kennedy shrugs and follows Jade through the throng of people lingering around the bulletin board. “Probably,” she hums as she glances at the sea of new faces, “they don’t clean these cabins for shit. Is it just me or do most of these kids look fucking young?”

“All the newbies are fresh out of high school,” Jade informs her as she pauses to glance at the crowd of new faces. “We didn’t look that young,” she mutters before she turns her head to glance at the returning counselors. “At least Molly and Mindy didn’t come back this year. What bitches,” she huffs as she continues to scan the crowd.

“I didn’t see them,” Kennedy sighs as she watches Jade crane her neck to see the counselors standing near the building. “Maybe they aren’t coming this year.”

“If Ashton isn’t here, I’ll lose my fucking mind. What am I supposed to do for eight weeks with no reliable internet or cell reception?” Jade asks as she adjusts her backpack once more.

“Read a book? Write a novel? Cure cancer?”

“Fuck you,” Jade huffs as she turns her full attention back to Kennedy. “Is that what you’re gonna do without Calum to drool over?”

Kennedy rolls her eyes as she turns away from Jade and begins to walk down the cobblestone path toward their cabin. “Calum was just a friend,” she huffs as she kicks a loose rock out of her way. “We didn’t even really hang out alone until the last night of camp. And it wasn’t, like, hanging out. It was just, you know, sitting together at a campfire. One of his campers threw up on Luke and interrupted us before it could be more than that.” When Jade sends a sympathetic look her way, Kennedy shrugs. “It’s fine. I mean, it’s clear he didn’t want anything to happen. He never texted me and he unfollowed me on Instagram. So, I’m sorry that you’re going to have to find a new guy to scratch your itch but I’m really not that bothered if Calum doesn’t show.”

Jade blinks at Kennedy’s shrug and shakes her head. “What a dick,” she mumbles as she follows Kennedy to cabin number four. “I’m sorry, babe. I know this whole camp romance thing doesn’t really work out for you. It’s just because you’re so damn big-hearted and such a hopeless romantic.” When Kennedy fixes her with an unimpressed stare, Jade grins and winks at her. “Seriously, though, you get attached. You want a real relationship and, honestly, you can’t have that here. It’s a wham-bam, thank you, ma’am sort of thing. You get two months, you flirt and you fuck, then you call it quits. There are no numbers, no Instagram following, no plans to meet up; you have fun and you forget it. If that’s not what you want, that’s totally cool. You just have to have realistic expectations going into this.”

Kennedy groans at Jade’s words as she shuffles into the small cabin. She takes in the sight of the mattresses propped up, airing out, and smiles at the sight of her twin bed tucked into the corner. As she works on flipping her mattress back onto the frame, she lets her mind wander to Calum and feels her smile fall.

The idea of Calum being nothing more than a meaningless summer fling hurts. Kennedy had really liked him, the summer she spent flirting with him was the most fun she’d had in ages, but she gets it. Camp Clear Lake isn’t real life. It’s a weird, abstract summer existence where time means nothing and the rules and norms of society don’t exist. Relationships forged here aren’t real (friendships, however, have proven to be very real) and she thought she would’ve learned that after hearing horror stories from every counselor around her. But she’d thought Calum was different.

As she begins to place the sheets on her bed, she realizes that Calum was just there to play the game. He’d been at Camp Clear Lake to step away from reality for the summer. He’d wanted time away from the hustle and bustle of his daily life, away from campus and the record shop he worked in, to focus on his music and relax. He hadn’t come to camp with the intention of falling in love and it isn’t right for her to resent him for that.

She groans as she realizes Jade was right and turns to face the girl in question. “I hate you,” Kennedy sighs as she takes a seat on her bed. “Fuck. I need to just, like, swear off summer romance. No love interests from June until September. No crushes, no boys. Just me and bettering myself.”

“Yeah, I’d hold off on that thought,” Jade hums as she glances out the small window beside her bed. “You will never believe who’s here.”

Intrigued, Kennedy stands from her bed and crosses the room to stand beside Jade. The two crowd against the window, heads pressed together, as Kennedy glances out at the pair of guys stepping up to cabin number five. She can only see the backs of their heads but she nods approvingly at the shock of pastel green hair and raises an eyebrow at the brown curls. She’s about to ask if she should know who they are (she’s one hundred percent certain that it’s not Calum and Ashton) when the brunette turns just enough for her to see his face.

“Holy shit, that’s Joey.”

“And Cole,” Jade nods as she continues to stare at the pair. “Fuck, Joey got hot. Like, he was cute four years ago but, Jesus. Yeah, forget Calum. Forget the ‘no summer romance’ thing. If you don’t tap that, I will.”

“Okay, first of all,” Kennedy laughs as she turns her head to glance at Jade, “no one has said tap that since two-thousand three. Second, holy shit. He was cute and funny and I had a crush on him back then but, holy shit. Look at him!”

“I’m definitely looking,” Jade hums as she stares at the pair of them. “I know I said I’d be lost without Ashton here but I think I’ll be alright.” When Kennedy glances at her from the corner of her eye, Jade grins. “He’s yours, you were into him first, but art can be appreciated without touching.”

Kennedy turns her head away from the window and faces Jade. Jade follows suit and meets her gaze head-on for an impromptu staring contest. The girls keep their eyes on each other for a long moment, neither indicating anything with their facial expressions, before Kennedy cracks and laughs.

“I hate you,” she giggles as she turns her head to watch Joey and Cole disappear into their cabin, “you’re so annoying.”

Jade doesn’t reply. Instead, she just winks at Kennedy and steps away from the window to return to her own bed linen. Kennedy stares out the window for another long moment before she crosses the cabin to return to her own bed. She doesn’t want to get her feelings hurt, not again, but she remembers how sweet Joey was. While Calum reminded her of him in some ways, in others they’re worlds apart. She doesn’t think he’d be the type to flirt with her for an entire summer, get her hopes up and make her feel something, only to crush her spirits at the last minute. She can’t remember but she doesn’t think she wants to find out.

She thinks that summer nights are best spent reading on her own and she says as much to Kennedy the moment she tugs her pillow from the linen bag. “No summer romances,” she repeats, unsure of who she is trying harder to convince, as she reaches for the thin blanket she uses in place of a duvet. “I’m just here to spend my last year as a counselor as peacefully as possible. Why would I want to do anything other than enjoy my time with the kids? Guys are a hassle. Not worth the time and energy.”

Despite this thought remaining firmly in the forefront of her mind, Kennedy puts in way too much effort getting ready for the bonfire. She stands at the counter in the crowded bathroom, struggling to see under the flickering florescent lights, and applies the little makeup she’d brought with her. She wears the cutest summer dress she’d packed and the only pair of clean shoes she’d thought to bring. Jade grins at her as she attempts to put on perfume, despite being caked in mosquito repellent.

Kennedy doesn’t know why she’s trying so hard but she is and it annoys her. “I hate myself,” she huffs as she follows Jade down the path toward the fire pit. “I’m going to sit in a cloud of smoke for a few hours and get shitfaced. I did not need to do this,” she grumbles as she gestures to her outfit. “I’m a fucking idiot.”

“A beautiful fucking idiot,” Jade grins as she tosses an arm across Kennedy’s shoulders. “You look cute. Even if you don’t want a thing with Joey, at least he’ll know what he missed out on a few years ago. And if Calum magically appears, he’ll know what he missed out on last year. This can be your ‘fuck you, I’m an independent woman who don’t need a romantic partner to be valid’ look.”

Kennedy stares at Jade for a moment before she shakes her head and grins. “You’re so fucking weird and I love you so very much,” Kennedy laughs as she wraps an arm around Jade’s waist. “What would I do without you?”

“Have a breakdown and spiral out of control, probably.”

Kennedy knows that this is true so she doesn’t reply. Instead, she and Jade remain connected and continue their journey down the winding path toward the fire pit. They can see the smoke floating above the trees, can hear the music blaring through the speakers that someone (likely Jason, the counselor that has seemingly been at the camp forever) connected earlier, and it makes them happy to catch sight of counselors wandering toward the party. The scent of marijuana permeates the grounds and a keg is situated just outside of the circle of benches and it feels like coming home.

“God, this is the same every year but I don’t think I’m mad about it,” Jade laughs as she watches the new counselors eye the circle surrounding the fire pit. “There’s comfort in the ritual, I guess.”

“I guess,” Kennedy laughs as she watches a returning counselor trip over a rock and spill a cup full of beer down the front of his shirt. She rolls her eyes as he tugs off the now soiled piece of clothing and twirls it above his head. “Looks like we’re late to the party. First round is on me, then,” Kennedy grins as she squeezes Jade’s side before letting go. “D’you want shitty beer, shitty beer, or, and this is the best one, shitty beer?”

“They all sound so amazing,” Jade gushes, her voice playfully excited as she claps her hands. “I don’t know how I could ever choose. Surprise me!”

Kennedy laughs at Jade’s faux enthusiasm and watches for a moment as she weaves through the crowd to find the group of girls they’d befriended over the years. Only three of them had returned, not counting herself and Jade, but it’s still nice to know that she’s going to have friends to keep herself occupied over the next eight weeks. Kennedy had only chosen a few books to bring with her and she’s certain that she’ll get bored of reading fairly quickly. The only way to beat the boredom is by socializing and she doesn’t exactly feel like making an entirely new set of friends this year.

Nor does she feel like letting herself build a fantasy romance that will only bite her in the ass.

As she mulls over her tentative plans for the summer and reaches for a red cup, a solid mass hits her and knocks her into the side of the keg. She manages to tilt the cup away in time to avoid staining her dress with beer but knocks her side into the edge of the keg and groans as she feels her breath leave her in a rush. She stands for a moment, regaining her senses, before she sighs in relief when she realizes that all she’s done is spill a bit of beer onto the ground. She stares at the puddle for a second before she straightens and turns toward the source of the impact. Upon seeing Joey standing behind her, a surprised look on his face and curls in his eyes, she blinks.

Joey stares for a moment, his eyes wide and cheeks flushed from a combination of alcohol and physical exertion, before he smiles sheepishly at her. “I’m sorry, Kennedy,” he apologizes, “I wasn’t paying attention.” Kennedy glances at the small group of guys he’d been standing with, smiles and waves when she catches Cole’s eye, before she waves off Joey’s apology. He grins at her nonchalance and watches her for a moment before he adds, “Is it bad that I’m kinda glad it was you, though? You just saved me from knocking over the keg and, honestly, camp would’ve been hell if I’d done that.”

“I get you,” she laughs as she glances at the keg. “Knocking that thing over would’ve been a disaster. Take the alcohol away from them and they’re forced to interact sober. Who in their right mind wants that?”

Joey grins at her quip and nods. “A whole night without beer? Unacceptable,” he agrees with a faux serious nod. “Everyone would lose their shit.” The pair fall into a moment of companionable silence, the noise of the party around them holding their attention, before Joey speaks again. “It’s good to see you,” he offers with a genuine smile. “I wasn’t sure if you were still coming. I’m glad you’re here, though.”

“It’s good to see you, too,” Kennedy nods as she truly looks at him. The few years they’d spent apart had done him wonders. He’d grown his hair out and gotten a few tattoos. He looks comfortable in his own skin, happier than he had been the last time she’d seen him, and it makes her smile to see him look so content. He’d been a goofy kid the last time she’d seen him, a freshman in college with no idea what he wanted to do with his life, but now he looks every bit the adult she knows him to be and it feels good.

She doesn’t even think before she adds, “I’ve been here every summer. I don’t know what I’d be doing without this place but it’s good to see you back. Things were boring without you. No one took to weird ass pranks like you did.”

Joey grins at this. He remembers the pranks that he and another counselor played on Aiden. The ones that he and his campers played on the cabin across from theirs. The ones that he and Kennedy had played on Jade and Cole.

He remembers the fun he’d had that summer and smiles at the memories. “Think Aiden will kick my ass if I put another snake in his cabin?” he asks as he reaches around Kennedy to grab a fresh cup.

“Technically we’re all adults,” Kennedy grins, “but I think Maxwell might kick his ass if he tries to fight one of the counselors. Speaking of Max, why didn’t Max join you guys? I’m sure a new generation of campers would love to hate him.”

“He’s an adult, adult now,” Joey informs Kennedy with a nod as he hands her a cup. “Moved in with his girlfriend, has a ring in his sock drawer, has a real job; he makes the rest of us look like slackers.”

“Oh, shit,” Kennedy nods, “yeah. Damn. I can’t even get a text back.”

Joey laughs at this and nods his head in agreement. “I feel that,” he laughs, “at least out here we can pretend that it’s the lack of service.”

As the pair of them share a laugh, Jade watches from across the clearing with a grin on her lips. “Twenty bucks says they’ll hook up before the summer’s over,” she offers to the pair of returning counselors standing with her.

“Twenty bucks says they’ll hook up before the week’s over,” another laughs as she points at the pair of them. “Look at how close they’re standing.”

“Look at how close who are standing?”

Jade blinks in surprise at the sound of Ashton’s voice and turns to see him standing behind her. “Holy shit,” she laughs, “what are you doing here?”

“Giving up our summer break to spend eight weeks in the woods with a bunch of kids,” Calum answers as he follows Ashton into the clearing and joins the small group. “Hey, Jade.”

“Hey, Cal. You guys missed the welcome session,” Jade points out as she hugs Ashton. “Which cabin are you both in?”

“Cabin number three,” Ashton informs her with a grin as he wraps an arm around her shoulders and glances around the clearing. “Where’s your partner in crime?”

“Flirting with Joey by the keg,” Abbey, a returning counselor, answers for Jade as she points to where Kennedy and Joey are still wrapped up in conversation. “They’ve been eyefucking for the past fifteen minutes.”

At the mention of Kennedy, Calum’s attention is drawn to the keg. He frowns at the sight before him and crosses his arms over his chest as he watches. He knows that he has no right to be jealous, no right to be annoyed, but he can’t help the surge of emotion he feels in the pit of his stomach. He’d done well last summer, avoiding his feelings for her and keeping her at an arms length, but he’d thought about her far more than he imagined he would over the course of the year. He regrets not keeping in touch with her, especially when he sees that she’s more beautiful than he remembers, but he’d thought his reasons were justified.

Now, though, he’s not so sure.

“He was here our first year at camp,” he hears Jade tell Ashton. “They were friends and he and Cole almost always ended up with us for the partner activities. Everyone thought they’d end up at least having a summer thing but they were both too oblivious to do anything about it.”

Calum frowns at this. He wonders if she realizes the feelings he’d had for her, wonders if she knew that he wanted to be more than her friend, and could kick himself for not being more straightforward. He let his fear get the better of him and her obliviousness had gotten the better of her. Together, they made a heartbreaking pair and Calum knows this.

Maybe it’s for the best, he thinks as he watches Kennedy follow Joey toward the small group of counselors near them. He watches her hug the guy with shaggy green hair, watches her settle into a spot close to Joey, and rolls his eyes before he begins to glance around the small clearing for something else to hold his attention.

Behind him, Ashton and Jade grin. “He’s so jealous,” Jade whispers to Ashton with a smirk. “Like, if this was a cartoon, steam would be pouring out of his ears.”

Ashton stares down at Calum for a long moment before he asks, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Jade laughs at Ashton’s question and shakes her head. “Not even,” she grins as she glances over at Kennedy and Joey. “I’m not getting in the middle of this. Whoever Kennedy wants, that’s who I support.”

“You literally just bet on her and Joey hooking up,” Abbey reminds her as she glances between Jade and Ashton. “It’s clear where your loyalties lie.”

“That was before the two of them showed up,” Jade defends with a laugh. “If I’d known, I’d have made it forty bucks.” When Ashton fixes her with an unimpressed stare, she grins. “The weird ones are the ones you have to watch out for,” she shrugs. “But let’s make a promise; no meddling. Let the summer run its course. Whoever Kennedy ends up with, or if she ends up alone, that’s her choice.”

Abbey shrugs, not really caring, and Ashton rolls his eyes. “Fine,” he nods, “no meddling on our part. But when she and Cal end up together at the end of the summer, I’m going to really enjoy that forty bucks.”

Jade rolls her eyes in response and holds her hand out to Ashton. “You’re on, Irwin.” She pauses for a moment, watches Calum cross the small clearing to get a beer, and grins when he pauses to stare at Kennedy and Joey. “I don’t know about you but I think this summer just got interesting.”

Author’s Note: I know it’s a lot of Joey but I promise, more Cal is coming.

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