Page 14 of Beyond the Summer

I stared at my stepbrother for a long moment, feeling a little sick to my stomach."Why do you always have to be so annoyingly right about everything?"

Ben

Lakedaysweremyfavorite, and they were even better when we were scheduled for a larger group activity with the kids from Ravi and Parker's cabin.Session two was off to a rocky start, and though I'd been growing closer to Ravi and Parker in the evenings, my days were spent with Sutton, who had become surly since the session break.I needed someone cheerful to talk to.

Something must be broken in my brain if I was craving social activities with Parker Layton.

After Matt's advice, which had been followed by a lecture from my stepfather, I'd been trying my best to give Sutton the benefit of the doubt, and be kind to him.I was determined to be the bigger person during session two.Or so Matt kept reminding me, with very pointed looks.

So what if I'd started inventing new camp rules that helped me avoid Sutton a little more?It wasn't mean, it was just practical.

Sutton hadn't come to my mom's party; not that I'd been disappointed by that.

Not that disappointed.

And that was definitely not why I'd told Sutton to stay on the shore of the lake and "watch for stragglers" while Parker, Ravi, and I bobbed around on our kayaks, watching the campers paddle their kayaks.The gentle rocking of the water lapping against the hulls provided a soothing soundtrack to our conversation.

"What's up with Sutton?"Ravi asked, pointing to him."Is he scared of boats?"

I sighed, adjusting my grip on my paddle, using it like a rudder to hold my kayak still."Oh, um… I told him he has to stay on shore, because it was a rule that we have to stay on both sides of our group of campers at all times."

Parker tilted his head."He doesn't notice that Ravi and I are both out on the water?"

"I suppose he thinks you guys are piss-poor camp counselors," I said with a shrug."You also don't have anyone guard the door of the arts and crafts cabin."

"Guard the door?"Ravi asked."Why?"

"He didn't ask.I'm sure I would have come up with an excuse if he had."The only plan was to keep Sutton away from me, when the tiny little arts and crafts cabin made him feel way too close.

Parker burst out laughing."No!What else?"

"I'm the engine and he's the caboose on hikes, but that's normal, right?"

"He's definitely a caboose," Parker said, snickering."Shit, is that why you stand so far from the rock wall when your group is rock climbing?"

I grinned sheepishly."I told him someone needs to watch the auto belays from a distance to make sure they don't get tangled.And I may have told him that I have to do a perimeter check on the cabin while he gets the kids settled at bedtime.To look for wildlife."

"A perimeter check?"Parker hooted.

"Shh.He might hear you idiots.I think Sutton and I do better if we both have our space, that's all."

"How do you handle the backpacking trips?"Ravi asked.

I shrugged."I bring two tents.He doesn't know that counselors usually share."

Ravi gasped and poked Parker's arm with his paddle."Two tents were an option?"

"It's so much heavier, Rav.Not worth it," Parker said, jabbing Ravi back.Both of them wobbled for a moment, getting into a brief splashing fight as they bickered over their last backpacking trip with campers.

"Be good examples, guys," I said, scooting my kayak between them."You don't want to see 24 middle school-aged boys in a water fight.Believe me."

"You probably have a fake rule for that, too," Parker joked.

"Shut up.Anyway, I need to come clean to him, especially since Matt wants me to be kinder to him."

"Matt wants everyone to be kind to everyone," Parker said."Sometimes it's not possible."

"Nah, this is more.I fucked something up for Sutton over break."I quickly recounted the phone incident."I'm still not sure who was on the other line."

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