It Started At Camp

8 | Rumors

Derek

The camp coordinator, Sheila Brown, had greeted me with a terse nod and serious tone.  She occasionally looked at a file before she would address me, flipping through some papers and furrowing her eyebrows.  I assumed one of them was my application hence why she knew my full name and artistic focus, but knowing my hometown wouldn't make her tense up like she was now.  She closed the file and eyed me.

"You do understand the privilege that you have to be attending this camp, correct?" 

"Yes, m'am," I said.

"And you understand that being apart of this program includes following a number of rules to keep you in it, including but not limited to attending all classes, remaining in assigned residential cabin after curfew, and not engaging in inappropriate or illegal activities?" she continued without wavering. 

"Yes, m'am," I said more nervously.  I still couldn't pinpoint why I was here.  Was it the parties I attended and organized?  Was it the drinking?  The thought of being kicked out for either was beginning to stress me out.  

"I have received news recently that has led me to believe that you were engaging in sexual activity with another student here," she said.  My eyes widened.  I opened my mouth to say something but then closed it when I realized I had nothing to say that would excuse it;  I was at fault.  "We know who the girl is because of reasons I cannot disclose to you and I will be speaking with her as well, but I would like to confirm if you were involved before taking further action.  Were you?"

I was quiet for a moment, digesting everything she had just said then responded with a barely audible, "Yes."

"Alright well I will have to notify your parents and give you a strike which will deduct ten points from your final score here.  Be aware that a second strike will be twenty and a third strike will be thirty.  If you get to the third strike we will also ask you to leave our camp," she said.  Although I was now worried about how my parents would react, I was relieved I wasn't going to be dismissed from the camp.  "That is all.  You may go now."

I stood up and headed for the exit of her office but then stopped suddenly.  "If you don't mind me asking, what's going to happen with Lena?" I asked.

"That's a different situation," she said.  "Perhaps it'd be best you spoke with her, dear."

I nodded and left her office.  As soon I was out, I noticed Lena had been sitting in the waiting room just outside and had gotten up.  As soon as she saw me, she averted her gaze and brushed past me, closing the door behind her.

Lena

I shut the door and sat down in the empty seat before the camp coordinator.  She greeted me with a soft smile if you could call it that.  It was more so the slight up-turn of the sides of her lips.  While she looked down at her file, my mind was racing.  I still felt sick and being in here wasn't making it any better.  

"From what I hear from your instructors you are extremely talented," she said.  "I actually have a piece of your work in here and as a writer myself, I'd have to agree with them."  

I felt too hollow to muster a smile so I said, "Thank you."

"Despite this, I cannot be lenient when it comes to the rules of the camp," she said sternly.  "According to the records the nurse gave me, a clear one was broken."  I tensed up immediately and hung my head.  "Because of this I would have to give you a strike which would deduct ten points from your final score."  I looked up at her, hopeful.

She sensed this and for a second I saw something sweep across her eyes.  Pity.  "Lena," she said softly.  Her change in tone was accompanied by a change in posture.  She was no longer here to penalize but to console.  "Sweetheart," she added.  She paused again as though what she wanted to say was to painful for even her to bare.  I waited anxiously for her to speak, but when she did, I wish she hadn't.  "As a camp, we don't have the resources and thus cannot legally allow you to stay here so long as you are pregnant."