The Story of us

25. Stay with me Ro

Before I know it the kids arrive at camp, and my calm, unplanned days are suddenly turned into crazy, event-packed weeks. I am assigned to be a counselor for a group named the catapillers. The age groups are 8-9,10-12,and 13-15. The catapillers are one of the youngest groups, filled with eight and nine year olds. But since my group has younger kids, most of them are doing the day camp instead of the over night camp.

The first week is the craziest. All of the kids in my group are filled with energy and excitement for the weeks ahead. They run around, playing tag, and climbing the big trees. I push them on the tire swings, and we go on nature hikes. Very simple, yet fun things.

Did I mention that Molly and Kyle are also counselors for my group? Well they are and it's a lot of fun.

The second week is filled with daring challenges and lots of memories. Kyle dares three little kids to go skinny-dipping for five bucks. They all agree and the rest of us laugh as the three eight year olds jump into the lake butt naked. When they get out of the water Molly, Kyle, and I rush over to them with towels. They wrap the towels around themselves and look at Kyle dead in the eyes,"where's the money," The red head asks. Molly and I laugh as Kyle unwillingly gives the kids five bucks each. They happily take it and skip off.

We end the week with s'mores by the fire. The kids roast the marsh mellows until they are dripping from the stick. They put the gooy mess into their mouths along with chocolate and sprinkles of gram crackers.

The third week is craft week. We make tons of friendship brackets, arranging from red to purple. The kids laugh and stories are told as we string out beads onto the thin yarn.

Later that week we make bird callers. As we walk on a trail in the forest, the kids get anxious to try the bird callers. We stop for a moment and let the kids turn the peices of metel. And before you know it five birds fly over and sit on a branch above us. The kids cheer and scream with delight.

The third week is ended with cookies. We take the kids into the kitchen and allow them to pick out what flavor of cookies they want. The kids delightfully roll the dough into balls and place them on the cookie tray. Molly, Kyle, and I then put the trays into the oven.

While we wait for the cookies to bake we play never have I ever. Once we hear the beep go off, we scramble into the kitchen to get the cookies. I allow the sweet dessert to cool off for a minute before giving them to the kids, along with some frosting.

The fourth and final week is game week. We play capture the flag, followed by a cooking competition, and of course the annual scavenger hunt.

When I wasn't being a counselor I was hanging out with the crew. Well most of the crew. Jacob, Kyle, and Jack didn't hang out with us a lot that summer, and I know that  it was because of Jacob and I.  I haven't even talked to Jacob since the night Zach called me girl.

And of course Zach tagged along. He was quiet most of the summer, meaning he was absolutely no fun. This is how he has been the past two-three months. I keep hoping it's just a stage, but he isn't correcting the behavior.

Some days I was glad when he didn't want to come out of his dorm to hang out, it was more fun without him. And I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to feel that way about your boyfriend, but hey, all relationships are different right?

It's currently 10:30 p.m, a half hour past curfew. I stare at my ceiling and sigh. Tomorrow is my last full day of camp for this summer. That means I have to talk to Jacob tomorrow.

The kids are going to the beach, followed by a movie night with Abby and Emily tomorrow, meaning that us counselors have most of the day off.

I lay in bed for another minute, my non-tired eyes closed shut. I finally realize that I'm not tired and decide to go outside, to our spot.

As I walk down the dark path, I guide myself with a flashlight and am covered with my favorite hoodie.

As I get closer to the water fall I hear the familiar sound of a guitar being strummed. Only one person comes to my mind. Jacob.

I figure that he probably doesn't want me to hear him sing right now, and I'm too tired to talk to him about everything over the past few summers, so that is why I walk carefully. As my feet move me closer to the water fall I continue to remind myself, slow, quiet steps Rowan. Slow, quiet steps.

Once I reach the curtain of vines I pull them back carefully. Thankfully the sound of the leaves can't be heard over the booming noise of the guitar.

I sit down about 10 feet behind Jacob, hiding behind a rock. He continues to strum a sweet sound and I feel my head swaying to the beat.

As last, he begins to sing. His voice escapes from his lips as he sings a song that I know well, setting the world on fire, by Kenny chesney and Pink.

My heart beats fast as Jacob sings the beginning of the song,

"Yeah we got drunk on La cienega Boulevard,
Taking pictures of people we thought were
Stars.

"It's easy to give in to your heart, when you're
drunk on La Cienega Boulevard. When the song coming out of the speakers, was the band that you had on your t-shirt.

"We were screamin' cause the streets were empty, and you kissed me, and we were up all night and we were feeling so good, yeah we got a little higher than we probably should.

"We were in a hotel singin' in the hallway lights, we were strikin' the matches right down to ashes, setting the world on fire. Setting the world on fire.

"Wrote I love you in lipstick on the mirror, we were shouting out the window, like they could hear us at the pier. Said 'do you think we'll last forever?' As we killed another beer, and you wrote I love you in lipstick on the mirror.

"We were laughing until we were breathless, never felt anything so reckless, we were all lit up and restless and comin' alive, and we were up all night and we were feeling so good..."

He continues to sing and my heart beats faster and faster by the second. This song is definitely about us. Of course we never got drunk, nor did we drink beer, but that's what love feels like. Love feels like a drug. Once you feel love, you feel addicted, like you can't live without it. And I for one can't live without Jacob Scott, and I hope this feeling is nutreal.

Once the song is over he stands up, smooths his jeans, and sighs. He grabs his guitar, raking a hand through his blond hair, and says one last thing before he leaves,"I love you Rowan marshal", he whispers into the night, to no one in particular,"I love you, I always have, and I always will. Stay with me Ro, stay with me." And just like that he disappears, walking back through the curtain of vines.

Hey! So obviously I double updated!! Yay! Don't worry, the next chapter is much longer. Now I'll let you continue your reading...

Oh and listen to setting the world on fire I put it up at the top. Just slide the picture👍🏼

Xoxo
Gentry💜