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If you couldn't guess from the title, we're taking a step back to humor. 

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The unfamiliar country fields sped past on either side of me, and I leaned back in the ripped upholstery of the dirty taxi. Stray wisps of hair from my ponytail tickled my face, and I groaned.

“How much longer until we get to the camp?” I asked the driver.

“Only about ten more minutes,” he replied, and I sighed. Thank God, because my supply of ice cold water had run out about fifteen minutes ago, and this awful heat was making me sweat like a pig.

My parents thought it would be a marvelous idea to send me to an all-girls adventure camp over the summer, since they’d be in Africa on a good-will mission for the next two and a half months. Personally, I would’ve loved to just stay home by myself and my boxed set of every past season of Trueblood, but since I was only seventeen, I wasn’t allowed.

Lucky me.

The taxi turned onto a long dirt road, and I watched as tall trees seemed to pop up on either side of it. I could just see a flag in the distance, and the sparkling blue of the lake, and I knew that I would be arriving at Camp Arrowhead in a matter of minutes.

Sure enough, the taxi pulled to a stop in front of a check in point. I slung on my backpack and grabbed my bright yellow duffel bag. Then, I handed the taxi driver a wad of money and ducked out of the car.

As the car door slammed shut behind me, I looked around and noticed that there were no girls to be seen. Instead, a bunch of guys my age were wandering around or chilling in groups. I frowned.

Maybe I’m in the wrong place, I thought, and I turned around to get back in the taxi, only to find it gone. I groaned and turned back the face the camp. My eyes settled on a man who looked to be in his thirties, and he was holding a clipboard. I decided that he looked informed enough to help me. As I walked over, he looked up and his eyes narrowed in confusion.

“Can you help me?” I asked, my cheeks growing red in embarrassment.

“Sure,” the man replied slowly, and I read the name tag on his shirt as Tony.

“I’m looking for Camp Arrowhead, and I have a feeling I’m in the wrong place,” I said, and Tony’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“No,” Tony replied slowly, “This is Camp Arrowhead. However, I do think you’re in the wrong place since this is an all boys’ summer camp.”

Did I just hear him right? All-boys summer camp? Please tell me that Ashton Kutcher was hiding in a tree or something and he was about to tell me that I was being Punk’d.

“Wa… Wait,” I said insistently, “My parents signed me up to attend Camp Arrowhead at this address.”

“Camp Arrowhead stopped being an all girls’ summer camp three years ago,” Tony said, and he glanced down at the clipboard in his hand. “What’s your name?”

“Drew,” I replied, “Drew Nash.” As Tony flipped through the papers on his clipboard, I wiped my forehead in frustration and kicked the pebbles on the ground.

Please, just let me wake up on the plane and have this whole thing be a dream. I pinched my arm and winced at the pain. Unfortunately, that meant I was awake… and surrounded by testosterone.

“Huh,” Tony grunted, and I snapped out of my thoughts and looked over at him. “You’re on the list,” he said, frowning.

“I’m a girl,” I replied, mimicking his confused expression.

“I can tell,” Tony snapped. He sighed and ran a hand through his buzz cut. “Come with me and we’ll go talk to the camp director and get this all sorted out.”

As I followed Tony through the camp, I tried to ignore the double takes and confused glances I was getting from all of the guys. Instead, I focused on my parents. How in the world had they managed to sign me up for an all-guys camp? I didn’t even think that that was possible.

Tony led me into a cabin where we found a man sitting at his desk, typing on a computer. He looked up, and when his eyes settled on me, he frowned. “Is this a joke, Tony?” he asked, “Because it’s not funny.”

“Unfortunately, Greg,” Tony replied, “It’s not.” He pointed at a chair and told me to sit down, and I did. “It seems that Miss Nash here was signed up for camp by her parents.”

“How the hell did that happen?” the man, apparently named Greg, asked, and Tony shrugged and said that he had no idea. Greg sighed, thought for a moment, and then turned to me. “Can you call your parents and figure out a way to get yourself home?”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to reach them,” I replied, and Greg frowned, so I clarified, “They’re in Africa. They left at the same time as me, and the place where they’re going doesn’t have internet, and their phones aren’t supposed to work.”

“Do you have any other relatives?” Greg asked, and I shook my head.

“I only have a 93-year-old grandma who has Alzheimer’s and lives in an old folks’ home,” I replied, rubbing my arm nervously. The magnitude of the situation was starting to hit me, and I realized that I had no idea where I would be spending my summer.

“This does pose a problem,” Greg said, stating the obvious. He closed his eyes and his forehead furrowed as he thought. “Alright,” he said finally, “This is what we’re going to do. Since this is a weird, special situation, I’m going to have to let you stay here.”

“What?” I asked, just as Tony said the same thing. I glanced at both of them before saying, “Me? Stay at an all boys’ summer camp? Are you crazy?”

“Possibly,” the man deadpanned, and then he turned to Tony. “Do we have any cabins that aren’t in use this summer?”

Yep; he must be crazy.

Tony checked his clipboard and nodded slowly. “Cabin four is vacant. We can put Drew in there. But Greg, isn’t that against the rules?”

“We don’t have much of a choice, now do we, Tony?” Greg asked sarcastically. “She’s going to stay here, and that’s final.”

“Well—”

“Look,” I said loudly, cutting off Tony completely. I’d had enough of his annoyance. Frankly, he was a dude. He was not nearly as uncomfortable with this situation as I was. I turned and glared at him, and he returned the expression with venom. “I don’t want to be here either, but he’s right.” I nodded and Greg, and then crossed my arms over my chest. “I promise to do my best not to start an orgy in my cabin.”

Tony’s jaw dropped and Greg burst into laughter, and I had to fight the urge to smile. “You have spunk, kid,” Greg said as he shook my hand, “That’s good, because you’re going to need it.”

“Thanks, I think,” I replied, and Greg nodded at me.

“Well, why don’t you go get settled in your cabin?” he suggested, “Opening remarks start in about an hour, and I’m sure you’ll want to freshen up before being tossed into the lion’s den.”

I chuckled and thanked Greg one more time before picking up my luggage and following Tony out of the cabin. I found myself having to take two steps for every step he took, and I swallowed hard as I felt the pressure of confused, male eyes.

Tony came to a stop in front of a cabin with a giant 4 plastered against the top of the roof. “This is where you’ll be staying, Drew.” He opened the creaky, wooden door and gestured with his hand for me to step into the threshold.

“Thanks, Tony,” I replied without looking at him. I chucked my duffle bag onto the bottom bunk of one of the two bunk beds and looked around the musty interior of the cabin.

“Like Greg said, opening remarks are in about an hour, and they’re in the mess hall across the campground.” I nodded and glanced back as Tony, and I caught him looking at me with narrow eyes and a suspicious expression.

“What?” I demanded, putting my hands on my hips.

“Nothing,” Tony replied with a shake of his head, and then he started to walk out of the cabin. “Miss Nash?” he asked suddenly, and he turned to look at me again.

“Yeah?”

“Just know I don’t agree with Greg on this, and I’ll be watching you,” Tony stated, giving me a meaningful look.

“Ooh,” I replied, tipping my head to the side, “I’m quaking in my flip-flops.” Honestly, I was tired of Tony’s disdain for me. I’d literally known the dude for fifteen minutes and he already seemed to have it out for me.

Tony glared at me for another long, painful moment, and then he turned on his heel and stomped out of the cabin. Now, I was all by myself, and I could finally process what had just happened to me and my summer.

I plopped down on the other bottom bunk and let out a deep breath. For the next three months, I was going to be surrounded by teenage boys. I was probably going to be teased, and no doubt objectified. My best friend, Ashley, would take advantage of the fact that she was at a summer camp of boys, but she was more confident with them than I was. That’s when I remembered I had my phone.

I reached in my backpack and pulled out my phone. Technically, I wasn’t supposed to have it, since my mom had hidden it, since she wanted me to experience the outdoors. However, the woman couldn’t hide anything from me, and I’d packed it in case I needed it.

However, just as I was dialing Ashley’s number, my phone beeped, and then it died. I swore loudly and fished in my backpack for the charger. That’s when I remembered that I’d left my phone charger on my bed.

“Brilliant,” I muttered, tossing my phone back into my backpack. I imagined Ashley giving me advice on what to do, and basically, it was something along the lines of: Drew, stop being such a coward! You are the only girl in a camp full of boys, and you have the power! Take this is a challenge, and don’t be such a baby!

Fine, imaginary Ashley, I will take it as a challenge.

I pushed myself up off of the bed and locked the door to the cabin, and I pulled down all of the shades so that no one would be able to see me. Then, I peeled off my sweaty, traveled in blue t-shirt and black, mesh shorts.

I unzipped my duffel bag and started sifting through the clothes until I found something that I knew would make me look good without looking like I was trying really hard. I shimmied into a pair of dark denim shorts and pulled on a white tank top with a pocket over my right boob.

I let my hair out of its ponytail holder and ran a hand though the tangled strands. I glanced at myself in the dirty, crooked mirror that hung on the wall and fooled around with my hair for another moment before groaning. I didn’t have time to hop in a shower, wherever they may be, so I just yanked my gross hair back up and tied it into a messy bun.

I opened the shades of the windows on either side of the front door to the cabin, and I saw a mass of boys making their way to the mess hall. A couple of them glanced towards my cabin, and when they caught sight of me, they nudged their friends, who in turn, looked at me.

I took a step back so that I was out of sight, and I reexamine my choice. Maybe it was better to just lay low this summer and not draw too much attention to myself. You’re the only girl at an all-boys summer camp, Drew, my inner self stated with a sigh, Attention is going to follow you with whatever you do, so embrace it.

“Let’s do this,” I breathed, my hand curling into a fist at my own little pep talk. I pushed out of the front door, and in front of a group of boys who’d paused to watch me exit my cabin, I took my first step down the three wooden stairs that led down to the ground.

However, my inner klutz emerged, and my flip flop caught on the wood. With a cry of surprise, my feet flew out from under me, and the next thing I knew, I was sprawled across the steps with a shooting pain in my back.

I could hear the guys who’d been watching burst into laughter, and I groaned inwardly. In my quest to be seen as desirable and cool by my feel dude campers, I’d completely forgotten that I had no coordination and I was one of the most awkward people I knew.

What a great start to a long summer. 

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NOTE: All of these, at this time, are pre-written, so this isn't detracting from Thin Ice, which I'm working on. I'm actually trying to finish my summer reading before tuesday, my first day of senior year, so... yeah. I just want to keep giving you things to read. 

I'm actually liking this junk drawer. It's fun to post things together that don't necessarily connect to each other. 

cover on the side.

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