Divided (camp camp) {danvid }

Chapter 14

David's POV __

"Tell me what's on your mind, David." Jen asked him, initiating a friendly conversation after minutes of silence. Or was he the only one imagining time stretch between them?

"Just camp things. The kids and their shenanigans. I find it all overwhelming sometimes," he sighed into his palm, feeling at ease.

"Anything else?" she hummed. David shrugged. He hadn't been thinking much before she came along. He was looking for some time alone and maybe take a nap. But with so many people around, it's hard not to be disturbed by them.

"Not really. Everything's been pretty dandy ever since you and Daniel came up with those cool camp activities," his neck prickled, knowing he almost crossed a topic he did not want to talk about. "The campers are pretty hyped about it too! It keeps them busy most of the time. But that's what camp is about. Having fun and learning new stuff." He turned to her bravely. He realized his fear was irrational and that Jen wasn't out to get him. No biggie, he reasoned.

"Hmm. Is Daniel on your mind too?" She asked nonchalantly. She seemed to have missed his pause, which was good. The question didn't register to him at first but when it did, he felt the blood start to rise to his cheeks.

"What makes you think that?" he laughed hesitantly. The girl shrugged and looked at him.

"You seem to be pretty smitten with him," she suggested. His eyes grew wide. "Or enamored, more like." Jen added and laughed at the expression on his face. David, unable to keep down the blood in his face, put a hand on his cheek and turned away.

"Heh, well, aren't you?" he tried to taunt her. David didn't want to admit the itching jealousy he felt when he saw them together. Of course he'd hang out with Jen. Why should he care what Daniel did?

Her eyebrows furrowed and tilted her head the same way Daniel did. Gosh, they're so alike. They even do the same things!

"You were all up in his space that one time last night. Gwen and I were almost sure you two had a little something something going on," he jokingly nudged her. As she caught on, Jen started to guffaw.

"No, silly! Y'all were imagining it. Daniel and I are good friends, like you and Gwen are. Unless, you and Gwen are more than friends?" her voice lilted in a questioning manner. The camp counselor smiled as the tension in his shoulders eased. "If we were more than friends, I'd say we were best friends." David looked back at the campers and found the other counselors with them.

"Good to know," Jen sighed. Unexplainably, David felt the need to sigh as well. Why did this conversation give him butterflies in his stomach? The two of them continued their little chit chat. It was reluctant at first when they started asking about the other's friend. Jen wanted to know more about Gwen, and David wanted to know more about Daniel. But it soon came to a point where none of them were bothered by the fact that they were asking personal questions.

The two camp counselors gossiped and laughed. David felt the start of a new friendship. Jen's hilarious to talk to, he thought. From her, he learned things about Daniel that he knew the blonde would never tell him. And he too gave up a few secrets he learned of Gwen that made the other giggle. The two unlikely pair grew closer than they realized. As the sun started to set and the counselors—or what's left of them­—started to clean up the mess, Jen and David got up from their seats with a newfound closure.

"Thanks for leaving us with all that crap to deal with," Gwen deadpanned.

"It wasn't that bad. The kids learned something new today, all thanks to our scientist, Neil." Daniel piped up. Seeing Gwen and Daniel, a more unlikely pair sharing in each other's misery, made the camp counselor smile. "I'm sorry guys. I guess I just needed a small break." David rubbed the back of his neck in shame. It was more than just a small break and they knew it.