Summer Camp Escape
SamKaz
Max laid in bed and stared at the ceiling. The sun had already started to rise and he’d gotten no sleep. He was going to tell David. Even if he hated to admit it he trusted David more than anyone else. David always said he’d accept Max no matter what so why was he so nervous? David was the happiest most positive guy he’d ever met. When he tried to tell his mom, she kicked him out of the house for a month… He only had a vague idea of how David might react, they had had a few gay campers before and David seemed okay with it but this was kind of different. What if David was mad at him for lying to him about who he was for 6 years? He didn’t want to ruin the one escape he had. If he got kicked out he definitely wouldn’t be able to go home. These three months were always shit every year. It was dirty, loud, hot, smelly and the uniform was ugly. But he enjoyed these three months more than anything else. The three months a year he was finally allowed to be himself. No judgement, no questions. Just 100% Max.
“Max?” David knocked on his cabin door. “It’s time to get up, we have to do some stuff before the campers get here today!” Max groaned and pulled the blanket over his head.
“I’ll be out..”
“Okay, don’t take too long I could use some help setting up the kid’s tents!” Max sighed and sat up in bed, squinting at the sun peeking through his curtians. He grabbed his shirt and shorts off the ground where he threw them the night before. He made his way to the bathroom and switched on the light, looking at himself in the mirror.
“Ugh.” The bags under his eyes were dark grey. He splashed some water in his face to wake himself up and took off his pajamas, switching into his camp uniform. He smoothed down the shirt and put in a few of his earrings from various piercings he’d given himself over the past 2 years or so. When he exited his cabin David was already setting up the kid’s tents. Max walked over and stood by him. “David?”
“Can you help me with these, Max? There’s still a lot of them and I just got a call from Gwen, she said she found a new job so she won’t be here this summer..”
“Good for her. She never has to come back to this shithole again.”
“Language, Max! Don’t talk like that in front of the campers they’re too young to hear such harsh words!” David frowned and finished tying off the rope for the tent. “Max can you please help me, there’s only two of us this year we both have to chip in! It’ll be fun, I’ll teach you how to put up the tent then we’ll be able to do it twice as fast!” David smiled and grabbed the next tent bag and opened it.
“David I need to talk to you about something.”
“Can it wait? I’m sorry it’s just we have so much to do, Max. Can we talk later?” Max nodded and sat down, watching David put the tent together in silence. After finishing the last tent they made their way over to the road to wait for the bus. David smiled and looked down the way, placing his hands on his hips. “I’m so excited for the new batch of campers! Do you think anyone from last year will be here?”
“David can we like, talk about that thing now.” Max hated that he had to look up to even see David’s face why did David have to be so fucking tall. Why did he have to be so fucking short.
“Oh, yeah of course, Max! What’d you need to tell me?” David smiled down at Max who looked away.
“Look, uh I’ve been-“ The bus pulled up and Max stopped as David ran around the other side of the bus to meet the kids as they came off. Max sighed and walked after him, standing next to him and sticking his hands in his pockets. David was so fucking easily distracted. He actually had something important to say for once and he wouldn’t sit still long enough to listen. Whatever, David didn’t really need to know. David greeted every one of the kids and led them all to the mess hall for the introduction video. Once all the kids were settled in front of the video David and Max stood in the back. Max crossed his arms and leaned against the back wall.
“What was it you wanted to talk to me about, Max?” David spoke in a whisper, Max not so much.
“Nothing, David.” He stared forward, watching the video. Maybe that was a little too aggressive. David raised an eyebrow and turned toward him.
“Are you okay, Max?” Max rolled his eyes.
“Fucking peachy.” David frowned. Max was in one of his moods, he guessed. Maybe Max would want to talk about it later. He didn’t question further, David introduced all the kids to Camp Campbell, giving them the same tour Max got 6 years ago. Max didn’t say much. Max went to bed early while David sung campfire songs to the kids. After David sent all the kids to bed he knocked on Max’s door.
“Max? Are you okay? I’m a little worried, you didn’t say much today and then you went to bed early.. I know sometimes you get in moods but this seems different, I’m just checking up on you.. Do you want to talk about anything?”
“No.” David frowned and sighed.
“Well, okay.. I’ll be right next door if you need me, alright?” Max sighed and waited until David was gone before coming back out of his cabin. He closed his door and made his way to the dock. Max let his feet hang over the side and looked off onto the lake. He hated this place but it was nice at night. It wasn’t too hot or cold, the wind was never too much and it rarely rained. He fell backward and his back hit the old wood with a creak. Maybe he was just being dramatic about all of this.
“Um.. Counselor Max?” Max jumped and sat up and looked behind him.
“What? Oh, hey.. You.. I wanna say.. Jen?” Max felt bad for not knowing but his mind was preoccupied most of today. He’d learn their names eventually. “It’s just Max. Nothing special.”
“Well, um.. My mom said she called ahead and David said you guys would be okay with calling me Noah.. I talked to counselor David before I went to bed and he told me to talk to you about it too.. So..” Max raised an eyebrow and looked at Noah.
“Noah, huh? Don’t sweat it, kid. You want us to treat you like a boy then?” Noah’s eyes lit up and he smiled a bit.
“Yeah, if that’s okay..” Max smiled lightly and laughed a bit.
“You remind me of me when I was your age, yaknow? You’ll like it here.” Noah looked a bit confused and sat by Max criss-cross on the edge of the dock.
“Why do I remind you of yourself? You were born a boy..” Max laughed.
“I wish. That would’ve made a lot of stuff a lot easier but. I probably would’ve never stayed more than one year here if I were.” Noah smiled and looked up to Max. He looked so excited it made Max smile. “It’s late, David will get pissed at me if I let you stay up all night. Go on, get.” Max stood up and stretched.
“Okay!” Noah smiled and ran to the end of the dock then turned around. “Goodnight counselor Max! I mean, just Max!” He waved and ran back to his tent. Max waved back and watched him round the corner before he started walking back to his own cabin. He stopped before he walked past David’s cabin and turned toward the door. He took a breath and knocked loudly on his door.
“David! Get up! I have to talk to you!” David opened the door and yawned, rubbing his eyes.
“Max, it’s almost 1… What’re you-“
“I’m trans.”
