"So he kissed you?" May asks excitedly after listening to Kassandra tell her about the night before.
Kassandra nods her head as she continues walking to the dining hall. "He kissed me and I was in shock. I didn't kiss him back but I didn't pull away because I didn't want to hurt him. You know me. It was a bit too fast for my style."
"Yeah, I know. That's why I was a bit surprised when you told me. What are you going to do?"
"Just try to be friends with him. He's coming on this tradition thing with us so I have to put up some type of front, you know?"
"Right," May responds, holding up the door to the dining hall for Kassandra. "Kassie, are you sure you'll be ok with everything?"
"Yup. It's just one relaxing day before we all buckle down to prepare for the campers in the last two days. Then boom! They're here!"
May laughs. "You know you love the kids though."
"Of course. Why would I come back if I didn't?"
"To see that special twin," May says with a wink.
"Whatever," Kassandra replies, rolling her eyes.
The two girls grab trays of food and walk to their usual table, noting as usual they were the first there. 'May and her obsession of being up early and first.'
"Morning ladies," Joey says, walking in. "Are you ready for an awesome last free day?"
"Of course," Kassandra replies. "We're always up for some fun."
"Always?" he asks in a low tone, making Kassie laugh. "Good."
Vicky and Allison approach the table with their trays. "Are things all set?" Vicky asks, sitting down next to May.
"Yup, all is set. Do you girls even know where we are going or what we are doing?" Joey asks.
"No, we were told to wear bathing suits, bring towels, and a light jacket."
"You're all set then."
Joey turns around and leaves the table to get his own food as the four girls settle into an easy conversation.
"Hey, isn't that Jason over there?" Allison asks, looking over at one of the twins who is sitting down at a table with some of the other male counselors.
Kassandra turns her head. "That's him all right. What of it?"
"Doesn't he usually eat with you?"
She shrugs. "He eats wherever he wants to," she says, leaving it at that.
Vicky pours some water she got from the water fountain into her water bottle that's filled with red powder. "What is that?" May asks.
"Red dye juice mix, otherwise known as Kool-Aid. I'm allergic to it but I'm addicted to it. I was going to bring it on the adventure."
"Sounds interesting."
"So Kassie, don't mean to be overstepping my boundaries here but I was wondering, what's going on between you and that hottie Seth? I mean, does that mean the twins are on the market?" Maya asks, sitting down at the table.
Kassandra feels her cheeks flush. "I never had any claims on Jason or Joey or even Seth for the matter."
"Come on, aren't you going to share what it was like to lock lips with the boy?"
"Leave her alone Maya," Vicky says. "She doesn't have to say anything to us. I mean, I wouldn't tell you crap anyway."
Maya rolls her eyes. "I can tell I'll have my pick of the guys easy. You girls really need some hormone shots."
None of the girls answer and continue eating until Joey comes around to round everyone up.
"Let's get going!" he says, stopping at their table and smiling down at the girls. "Everyone ready?"
"Most definitely!" Maya says, answering for the girls and getting up the quickest to deposit her tray. "Let's go girls."
They roll their eyes but put away their trays and head outside to where they were to meet the rest of the group.
"So where are we going?" Allison asks, no longer able to deal with being so curious.
"The beach. We're going to one further down the road though and then into town for a nice dinner and some bowling," Jason answers, heading towards his car. The group divides up and piles into three different cars.
Once at the beach, Kassie and May are the first out, running down the sand dunes, dropping their stuff, ripping off their shorts and tops and racing each other for the ocean. The rest of the group laughs as they watch the two finally make it in the water, seeing Kassandra jump neatly into a wave before May gets a chance to reach the edge of the water. The two surface and begin laughing, splashing around.
Joey looks over at everyone. "Well, what are we waiting for? Obviously, the water is fine!"
The group laughs and places their stuff around the same area and heads down into the water where Kassandra and May are splashing each other. Kassandra is so busy splashing her best friend that she didn't see Seth swim over until she feels something tug at her leg and she screams. Soon, his head pops up next to her, laughing while sputtering out water. A boyish smile is on his face and she finds she has to laugh.
"You are so silly Seth!" Kassandra says, treading water as he continues to smile at her.
"I couldn't resist," he says with a chuckle. "So this is what you do every summer huh? Before the campers come?"
"Yup. One full day of beach fun, dinner, and bowling in town. Then, two days of hard work and then the campers come. Enjoy it. You don't get many days like this."
"I couldn't imagine any other way to spend my last free day then than being here with you," he says, leaning in and kissing her.
Kassandra responds but then pulls away. "Seth…" she starts.
"Shh. I know it's fast but I can't help this attraction I have to you. After all our talks last night, I just feel so close to you already. Maybe it's that camp syndrome I've heard about."
"Camp syndrome?"
"Yeah. One of the guys was talking about how a lot of relationships, friendships, and romances both are accelerated here because it's camp time."
"Oh yeah. It could be."
"Kassie, are you okay? If you don't want me, I'll understand. I don't want to do anything to make you uncomfortable."
Kassandra pauses, looking into Seth's brown eyes. After a few moments, she says, "It's okay. It's a bit fast for me but I do like you Seth. To be honest, I've never done the camp dating thing."
"Really?" he asks surprised. "Well would you maybe consider doing it this summer?"
"Maybe," she says with a smile. "Can we take it slow though?"
"Definitely," he says, leaning in and kissing her again softly, which she returns again. When Seth pulls back, he smiles as he sees her smiling up at him.
"Anyone up for some volleyball?" Joey asks, running over to where the girls are laying out on their towels.
"I'm in!" Maya exclaims, immediately jumping up.
"Anyone else?"
May, Kassandra, Allison, and Vicky all shake their heads to Joey's disappointment, leaving him to walk over to where the guys had set up the net with just Maya.
"Anyone notice how guy hungry that girl is?" Vicky asks.
Kassandra laughs. "Here I thought it was just me that noticed."
"Hormone shots indeed! Maybe she needs a hormone reduction," May says, giggling.
"Speaking of hormones, May, how are things with you and Tyler?"
"Me and Tyler? No where yet. He's shy, I'm shy, which equals being friends but not much more at this point, which is something I cannot say for you and Mr. Seth."
Kassandra blushes. "Guilty as charged. I don't know. I think it's so unlike me to agree to something like a camp romance but part of me is saying to try it because I have never done it and it's my last summer. Too fast huh?"
"A bit but hey, you have nothing to lose," May returns. "Besides, he seems like a nice enough guy. Just take it slow, okay?"
"I plan on it, don't worry."
"If you don't mind me saying so, he's a pretty hot guy and nice so it's a better chance with him than any others," Vicky says.
Kassandra smiles. "Thanks Vicky. I've noticed you eyeing Vince by the way."
"Not as much as Maya!" Vicky responds. "That girl really has it in for all of them."
"I never have understood girls like that," Allison admits. "I mean, why go chasing after them?"
"You're just saying that because you've got a guy back home!"
Allison blushes. "Maybe."
"You have a guy back home? Tell us about him!" Kassandra prompts.
"Well, he's actually my fiancé. We're to be married next spring."
"Congrats!"
Allison smiles as the rest of the group on their towels smile back at her. The four girls continue to talk, getting to know each other a lot better.
"May I?" Tyler asks May, helping her slip on her light jacket back on after dinner. The group was getting tired but felt that one game of bowling was still in order.
"Thank you," May says, giving him a small smile. He smiles back and walks out of the restaurant with her, following the other people of the group. May notes that Maya is draped all over Vince and that Kassandra and Seth are walking hand in hand up ahead. 'I wonder where all of this will lead us.'
Once at the bowling alley, the group divides up into two teams: Seth, Kassandra, May, Tyler, and Allison on one team and Jason, Joey, Vince, Maya, and Vicky on the other. Both teams seemed ready to compete and the teasing escalated as the game continued. At the end of the game, there were a lot of groans coming from Vince and the rest of his team as Seth and his team let out whoops of delight.
"We won!" cheers May, being hugged by Tyler who leans down and kisses her quickly, causing both to blush.
"You cheated!" Joey accuses. "Kassandra is a pro bowler!"
"Pro bowler? I think not!" Kassandra replies. "You're just angry because for the first time, we weren't on the same team and you lost!"
Joey grumbles something but doesn't say anything more. "Congratulations," Vicky says, shaking each member of the winning team's hand. "You did an awesome job."
"See, at least someone has good sportsmanship," Allison says, smiling at Vicky.
"Why thank you," Vicky returns.
"Well, let's call it a night," Jason says. "We'll all need our sleep for these next few days."
"Always the father of the group," Joey responds. "I'm up for hitting up the bar. Anyone with?"
"I'm in!" Maya says quickly, earning a roll of the eyes from each girl present.
"Me too man," Vince adds.
"Anyone else?" Joey asks, looking pointedly at Kassandra.
Kassandra shakes her head. "Another time."
"Have it your way. Jason, you good to ride with Vicky back?"
"Sure," Jason says. "Don't total my car though Joey. I mean that."
"Duh," the twin says.
The group says their good-byes and disperse, two cars heading back to the camp and the other to the local bar that was the counselors' favorite hang out.
After saying good night to the guys, the four girls walk back to the cabin in comfortable silence until Vicky asks, "Was it me or did Jason not talk to you at all today?"
Kassandra looks startled at the question but continues to walk. "I thought I was just imagining it. I guess I was hoping I was imagining it."
"What do you think happened?" May asks.
"He could just be in one of his moods. I don't know. He's also overprotective of me and always has been, right May?"
"That's true."
"He's just probably worried I'm going to get hurt."
"That could be, but I know Joey looked pissed whenever Seth would grab your hand or kiss you," Allison adds. "It was actually a bit funny."
"Can you actually believe Maya though? She's so see-through!" Vicky exclaims. "I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't come back to the cabin tonight!"
"Vicky!" May yells.
"Well it's true. She struts herself around like she's some gift."
The other three girls laugh at Vicky, and she joins in. "You know, I can tell we're going to be great friends!" May says. "The four of us versus the rest of the camp! I can see it now!"
The group laughs even harder but nod their heads in agreement. "That's right young campers! Throw whatever you want our way! There's nothing the power of four cannot handle," Allison says.
"Even easy girls crawling over guys we like!" Vicky adds.
The four continue to laugh until a light turns on in their cabin, alerting them that someone must have woken up. "We better get inside before someone comes out to yell at us," May says.
They all nod their heads and sneak back inside, settling down for a good night's rest.