Chapter Text
Michael’s sitting in the front seat of his mother’s car, his earphones in and Metallica turned up full volume. He knows she is trying to talk to him, but not hearing her is making the silent treatment easier. He’s mad at her, and there’s nothing she can say to him right now that will make him forgive her.
He feels her pull out one of his earphones and he goes to put it back in when she slaps the back of his hand. “Michael,” she says sternly, and he knows she means business because for the past few weeks she’s been speaking in hushed tones and using loving words because she knows what she’s making him do is mean – almost evil – but it seems she’s cut the crap and is letting it all out. “I know you’re mad at me and you think I’m the most horrible bitch alive right now, but this will be good for you. Another summer shut in your room with that playstation was not happening, and this way, you’ll be able to meet people and make friends.”
“I have friends.” Michael mumbles.
“Your Pokémon don’t count.” And wow, low blow.
“You’re forcing me to spend eight weeks in some forest with a bunch of preppy rich kids who are going to judge me before they even know me, while looking after snotty little children whose parents would probably pull them out if they knew I was their counsellor.”
“Well, you could have dyed your hair brown or something.” His mother suggests and Michael scoffs, catching a glimpse of his bright green hair in his reflection on the car window.
“The hair isn’t the problem, mom. It’s just .... everything. They’re gonna be walking around in cashmere sweaters and boat shoes and I have two pairs of jeans and three year old Converse.”
“Ridiculous, it’s camp; they won’t be wearing boat shoes. And I think you’re judging them before you even see them. They’re just teenagers like you, Michael.”
“That’s the problem. I hate teenagers.”
“You’re impossible, d’you know that? It took a lot to get you this job. Think how good this will look on your resumé! And Sarah even put in a good word for you, don’t make her regret it.”
“Wouldn’t wanna upset Sarah.”
“Michael for god’s sake, at least try. Will you just try?”
“Yes, mom, I’ll try.” He rolls his eyes because he knows he won’t. If it comes to it he’ll lock himself in his cabin. The rules say he’s only allowed a mobile phone which is only to be turned on at weekends, but Michael has his Nintendo and PSP and if he can get away with staying in his cabin for eight weeks, he’ll do it.
***
The car pulls up at the camp gates and already Michael can see it’s expensive to go here and already he feels out of place. From the car he can see a large, glistening lake with a pier, and to the left of this he can see a row of wooden cabins. Behind the cabins lie the woods, dark and almost ominous and he hopes he never has to go in there because his sense of direction is terrible and he doesn’t feel like starving to death before he’s twenty.
His mom gets out of the car first and heads to the trunk and starts pulling out his suitcases. He allows himself one last second in the car before getting out and helping her. They’ve just hauled out the last one when someone tips Michael on the shoulder and when he turns around he’s met with a smiling face and blond curls barley contained by a bright red bandanna.
“Hi,” the guy says, extending his hand to Michael and then to his mom. “I’m Ashton. I’m like.... captain of the counsellors. Not that I can tell you what to do or whatever, I’ve just been coming here the longest. And you must be Michael, yeah?” he says, looking at his clipboard.
Michael just nods, and his mom elbows him in the side. “Yeah,” he croaks out. “I’m Michael. Nice to meet you.” And he wants to curtsey or something to let Ashton know how seriously he’s taking this, i.e. not at all, but Ashton seems nice and he isn’t speaking down to Michael or looking at him like he’s the gum on the bottom of his shoe, so he decides
to be nice. He can almost feel his mom sigh with relief.
“Ok, great. You’re the last on to get here, so you’ll be taking the blue cabin with Calum. I’m taking red with Luke, and then yellow is being run by Jake and Brendan. You’ll meet all these guys later, there’s a formal. Well, I say formal but we all just meet in the dining hall and have dinner and talk before the kids get here tomorrow. There, you’ll meet Spencer, who basically runs the camp, and probably Geoff and Sarah, too. They’re in charge of the kitchen. So, if you want, I’ll give you a hand taking your bags to your cabin. ‘Cause you’re the last here, I’m off duty for the rest if the day.”
Michael just stands there, because that’s a lot of information to digest in like, forty five seconds, and he doesn’t really know what to say. But his mom comes to his aid and says “He’d love that, just give us a minute?” and Ashton says “sure!” and starts moving Michael’s suitcases from behind the car.
“Alright, Mikey.” His mom says and her eyes are filling with tears, and Michael can’t look at her because if he does, he’ll cry too, and he’s 19 dammit, he should be able to go away from his mother and not cry. “Guess I’ll see you in eight weeks, huh?” she says, and when she pulls him into a hug he goes willingly.
“Bye, mom.” He says and is about to walk away when she calls him back. “What?” he says.
“iPod. Give it to me.” She says holding out her hand and Michael knew she’d find a way to spoil the moment.
“Aw, mom, please! I’ll go crazy if I don’t have it! Please!”
“The rules say no, Mike. Not me.”
“Please, mom. I won’t get caught.”
“Fine, fine! Go on, before I change my mind!” He gives her a kiss on the cheek before grabbing his duffel and a suitcase and walking towards Ashton.
“So, where’s the blue cabin?”
***
The word ‘cabin’ was kind of an insult to the mansion that Michael found himself unpacking in. Ashton showed him to the blue cabin and gave him a quick tour. He’d gotten a text message from someone Michael didn’t know saying they were all down at the pier and that he should come join them. Ashton had extended the invitation to Michael, but he said he was wore out from the car ride and wanted to get unpacked before he lost the motivation to do it.
He was still in shock over the size of the place. He had his own bedroom, with an en-suite bathroom. The kids he was in charge of all had their bedrooms on the first floor. He and Calum occupied the two bedrooms downstairs. It was comfortable and airy and if he was here under any other circumstance he’d probably enjoy living here. He lugged his bags into the room at the other end of the cabin, the one Calum hadn’t claimed, and was a little bit put out when he realised that they were in the cabin closest to the woods, and he was in the room closest to the woods. He could see the perks getting here earlier had.
When he was finished unpacking, he plugged in his Nintendo to charge and lay on his bed scrolling through twitter. The service is shit and everything is taking forever to load so he just locks his phone and tosses it on the bed beside him. His eyelids are drooping and he decides to close them for five minutes.
***
Sometime later he wakes up to the sound of someone moving around the cabin. He knows he’s slept for a long time because his room is basked in an orange glow that was a bright yellow light when he went to sleep. His arms and legs are stiff and when he stretches, they make a satisfying pop and his body sinks back on to his mattress. He checks the time on his phone. 19:04.
There’s a tentative knock on his door and then it’s cracking open and someone is sticking their head in and smiling. “Ah, so sleeping beauty wakens! I’m Calum, nice to meet ya.”
“Hey,” Michael says, and his voice is laden with sleep so it comes out like a croak but Calum doesn’t seem to mind because he’s walking towards the bed and smiling.
“The formal starts at seven thirty, but I’m gonna head over now, if you wanna come with me?”
“Yeah, sure.” Michael says. “Do I need to change or, like, what’s the protocol?”
“Nah, you’re fine. It’s pretty laid back. It’s just like dinner every other night, but there’re no kids here yet so we get to let go a bit. When they get here tomorrow all Hell breaks loose. Have you met anyone other than Ashton?”
“Nope. I only talked to Spencer over the phone and my mom’s friends with Sarah, who works here.”
“Well the guys are great; you’ll get along just fine.”
Michael stands up and tugs on his boots, then runs a hand through his already messy hair. Meeting people isn’t really his forte and he just knows he’s going to sit there awkwardly while the others talk and he’s not looking forward to it one bit but at least he can cling on to Calum or Ashton. He grabs his phone off the bed. “Ready?” Calum asks, and Michael nods his head yes then follows him out of the room.
***
The dining hall is a ten minute trek over fallen leaves and branches and little hills and Michael is a little out of breath and a lot embarrassed because Calum doesn’t seem to be phased by it at all. Michael decides that from then on he needs to start doing exercise because he’s literally about to pass out. When they get into the hall, Calum is immediately pulled into conversation by a guy who screams skater boy stereotype and they’re talking excitedly and Michael knew he’d be forgotten but he didn’t think it would happen this quick.
“Oh, this is Michael,” he hears Calum say and he comes out of his daze quick enough to register the “and this is Jake.”
“Hey, man.” Jake says, holding out his fist for a fist bump and Michael feels awkward but he does it anyway and Jake smiles at him so Michael thinks he’s doing good so far. The rest of the counsellors file in and it’s a blur of hellos and how are yous and are you looking forward to the next eight weeks? When people say this Michael feels a little sick because he suddenly remembers - eight weeks.
Sarah finds him an hour into the party. He's standing alone picking at his burger and he's actually glad to see her coming. She comes up beside him and puts her arm around his shoulder. “Hey, kid. Jeez, when did you get so tall?”
“Hey Sarah.”
“You enjoying yourself?”
“Truthfully, no. I mean, the place is great and everybody seems nice, this just isn’t my scene.”
"It could be, if you give it a chance These people have known each other for years and are just excited to be back together, they haven't forgot about you."
"That doesn't make me feel any better."
"Well, I saw one of the counsellors in a Green Day shirt. And he's cute too," she says, nudging him. Michael rolls his eyes. “Well your mom told me to make sure you’re having a good time, so I’m gonna leave you and let you talk to the people you’re own age. Come find me if you need me.” She ruffles his hair and leaves, and Michael misses her because now he’s on his own again.
He walks over to the table to get a drink of coke and runs into Ashton. “Hey!” Ashton says, and he’s just as chirpy as he was earlier. “Cal introduce you around?”
“Yeah,” Michael says, taking a sip of his coke. “I think I’ve met everyone. Brendan thinks my name is Mickey but other than that it’s been good.”
“Haha, Mickey. It suits you. But if you need anything or get a little overwhelmed or anything you can come talk to me yeah? I know it doesn’t seem like that could happen now but wait until the kids get here. It gets easier, but the first couple of days are hard. And scary. But you can talk to me if you need to. Or Luke. He’s been coming here as long as I have.”
“Someone say my name?” somebody asks as they slide in beside Ashton and throw their arm around his shoulder.
“Jesus, you’re not as small as you used to be, stop throwing yourself at me. I can’t hold you up anymore.”
“You love holding me, shut up.”
“Michael’s heart stops when he sees Luke.
“So, Ash, introduce me to the fresh meat.”
“Luke, Michael.” Ashton says, nodding to each respectively. “Michael, Luke.”
Michael knew who Luke was the second he seen him, and when Luke hears his name and sees his face, his own face drains of colour and Michael knows he recognises him, too. But he’s quick to recompose himself, sticking his hand out and saying “Hey.”
Michael doesn’t want to shake his hand but he does it anyway and if he squeezes a little harder than usual, well, whatever.
If Ashton notices the awkward tension between the two he doesn’t say anything about it, just asks if they’re ready for the hike tomorrow evening.