Stella Viotto was expecting a summer of fun when her best friend, Rose, suggested they become summer camp counselors at Camp Silverlake. She never expected to cross paths with their school's golden boy, Hayden Carter.
He was every girl's dream. He...
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"Are you sure you packed everything, Stella?" Mom asked me for the fifth time that morning. She helped me carry the last of my luggage into the trunk of her black minivan. She shut the door and turned towards me.
"I think so," I replied, nodding as I mentally went through my checklist. "If not, I'm sure they have a store there."
She nodded, tears starting to well up in her eyes as she walked over to me and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. "I'm gonna miss you honey."
Oh no not this again.
I hugged her back and we stayed like that for awhile. "Don't worry, Mom, it'll only be for the summer," I whispered, breathing in her familiar scent.
My mom had raised me as a single mom since I was 12 years old. My dad had passed away in a major car accident on his way to work. My mom has been depressed ever since but she has tried her best to take care of me and raise me as both a father and a mother. She's done a great job so far and I'm very grateful to have her. I always tell her she needs a break for herself but she refuses to take one.
"Call me or text me if you need anything," she said, sliding into the drivers seat. I followed her and slid into the passenger seat quickly because we were going to be late. The buses that would be taking the counselors to the camp were waiting at Starrymont High School and they were going to be leaving at 9am sharp.
"Don't worry about me, Mom," I assured her. "You can finally have the house all to yourself. You deserve a break too."
She smiled slightly. "You know I love it when you're home."
I nodded, smiling back at her. "I'll be back as soon as you know it."
As we pulled up to Starrymont High School, people were already lingering by the flag poles at the front of the school. I stared at the groups of people chatting away with their friends and started to feel excited. The bus drivers were helping counselors load their luggage into the bus and escorting them onto the bus.
Every summer there was a summer camp held in a forest in the middle of nowhere and high school students from Starrymont and other high schools around the area volunteered their time to be counselors for the summer. The kids attending the summer camp were middle school students from around the area who needed somewhere to go for the summer. Activities at camp were the typical summer camp activities such as hiking, playing in the lake, swimming pools, and sports.
This was the first year I was volunteering at this summer camp because I figured I should be doing something with my time instead of sitting around and watching Netflix. Besides, I loved kids and I wanted to be a teacher in the future.
