Camp // phan

1- 6.The Birthday From Hell + Chris' Words of Wisdom

For the next two days, Dan spent as much time away from his cabin as he could possibly manage, which was a difficult feat, considering he hated being outside any longer than was necessary. The heat had become even more stubbornly insistent, and for the first time that week, he found himself donning one of the few pairs of shorts he owned. It was a low point for him.

Considering all the complaining he'd been doing about this place ever since he'd found out about it, he strangely was becoming attached to it; he'd gotten used to the abnormal amount of trees, and the hyper speed showers he had to take if he didn't want the water to become glacier cold.

And hell, he'd even gotten used to his cabin mates, or....the ones who still talked to him, at least.

Not a word had been passed between him and Phil since the incident he liked to call The Great Slut Shaming Extravaganza. An unfortunate but catchy title, and it summed up the whole thing pretty nicely.

He shouldn't take it so hard, he knew that, it was not the first time someone had called him a name, and it definitely wasn't the worst. It just felt a lot more personal.

So Phil was on the outs with him, and he didn't miss the hesitation that Finn gave him whenever they talked. Whether that was because of the Nick thing, or something else, he didn't quite know, but it was still infuriating.

"You know, you don't look so deathly pale anymore." Emery sat down next to him, and normally Dan would reject other people trying to force their companionship on him unwanted, but right now, he didn't really have the energy. "The sunlight you hate so much is really doing you some good."

"Fuck off," Dan said, rolling his eyes. "My skin cells are all dying right now under these harsh UV rays."

"Aw come on, you know you can't use those big science terms around me."

"If those are 'big science terms' to you, then I feel sorry for whatever teachers you've ever had." Dan grinned at Emery's middle finger.

"So what's got you in such a sulky mood lately, then?" Em asked, laying back on the grass and crossing his arms behind his head. Dan glanced at him curiously; it wasn't like very many people bothered with getting to know him at all, let alone want to know about his problems. And he'd only been here a week so far, which was nowhere near enough time for him to develop any sort of bond with the people here. He didn't much like the idea of spilling his secrets to near strangers.

But who the hell else was there?

"Just..." Dan shrugged and stared at his drawn up knees. "I wasn't expecting to, get attached to this place. You know, I didn't wanna come here at all. I was hoping to spend the whole summer hating my parents and avoiding anything to do with 'nature' or 'fun'."

Emery smirked up at him. "So you're all down and out because you actually like it here?"

"I think 'like' is a bit of an over exaggeration." Dan said. "It's just not as horrible as I was picturing it."

"Can I tell you a secret?" Em sat up again, glancing around as if someone would actually want to eavesdrop on their conversation. Then turned and said in a stage whisper, "I didn't like it here at first, either. Two years ago today, I was as glum and pissy about this place as you are now."

Dan shook his head. "Now I don't believe that. As spirited and enthusiastic as you are about it? No way," he said.

"I know that doesn't mean much to you," Em said, "but the point is, a lot of people were forced to come here against their will; me, Finn and his sister, honestly, about half the camp. You just have to get used to it."