By the time we rolled into camp, Brian already knew two things: one, Shin's chaos could be classified as a natural disaster, and two, the camp itself seemed like a magnet for chaos.
The buses dumped everyone in a swirl of luggage, yelling, and the occasional counselor trying to regain control. Shin immediately ran off, glitter spilling from her backpack like some kind of sparkly trail of destruction. Georgia muttered something about "civilization ending," and I just sighed, dragging my backpack behind me.
Tent assignments were posted, and my stomach did that weird, nervous thing it always did around… Tyler.
Tent 14: Brian… Tyler.
Great. Perfect. Lucky me. Tyler leaned against a tree, calm and cool, observing the chaos around him like it was a Netflix documentary. His smirk didn't help my nerves.
"Uh… hey," I said, trying to sound casual, "looks like we're tent mates."
"Seems like it," he said, voice quiet but somehow perfectly teasing. "Lucky you."
I blinked. Lucky me? Totally normal response. Definitely not making my stomach somersault.
Shin was already snapping photos from the side, muttering about "tent-mate vibes" and "pure comedy gold." Georgia was in the back, eyeing the scene like she'd already made a mental list of insults she'd deliver at dinner.
Tent setup was… chaotic, obviously. Tyler unpacked with precision and calm that made my own stuffing-and-throwing method feel like amateur hour.
"You don't… plan much?" Tyler asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Not really," I said, trying not to drop my bag on his neatly folded shirts. "Organization isn't my thing."
He smirked. "Yeah, I can tell."
Shin, of course, captured every second on camera. "First awkward moments preserved! History will thank me!"
I gasp and said "can you stop for a moment shin?!" Shin murmured and left.
After the tent was "set," Tyler and I wandered outside, curiosity tugging us toward the darkened woods. Fireflies. The counselors had mentioned them. We wanted to see them, but all we found were… well, nothing. Not a flicker. Not even a hint of glowing magic.
"Maybe they heard about your coordination and ran away," Tyler said dryly.
I shot him a look. "Very funny. Very helpful."
A few steps further, the woods opened into a small lake. Moonlight shimmered across the surface, perfectly still and serene. No chaos. No glitter. Just… calm.
We sat on a fallen log, shoulders almost touching, and for the first time that day, camp felt… normal. Tyler glanced at me. "It's nice here."
"Yeah," I said softly. Quiet. Peaceful. For a moment, nothing else mattered. Just the stars, the water, and that weird, unexpected calm.
Meanwhile, back at camp, Shin had gone off to find Fiona after I scolded her about being too… well, Shin. She needed a moment, which meant I could finally breathe.
And then Georgia, already annoyed by the forest, decided the bus was her personal sanctuary.