Hello again!
Yes, I am finally alive again and apologise for dropping off the face of the earth for a while. Less time and next to no inspiration but now I am back and hopefully better than ever!
Welcome to my Summer Camp AU which I started with Zax just under a year ago. This time around we are ditching Zax and starting fresh with new couples and characters focused on in each chapter. If you have a request to add to the list then you can leave a review, PM me or message me on tumblr: araliaeshade
The list is already pretty long as I opened it up to tumblr and the response was pretty incredible. But I'm planning to write a lot today to be released methodically and...well we'll see what happens.
Anyway, hope you enjoy this first chapter!
Araliae xx
Pairing Focus: Riain
Rita sang along to the radio, fingers tapping out the rhythm on the steering wheel as she drove. When Connie, her best friend, had told her that she had booked tickets for them both to go on an 'Adults Adventure Summer Camp' she had to admit she'd been a little skeptical but she was beginning to warm to the idea. A chance to meet new people and, possibly, new, single people? Couldn't be all bad, she supposed.
She spotted the sign and flicked the indicator with an excited flourish. Turning in, her eyebrows lifted in involuntary surprise as she saw the dense forest ahead of her. A bald man, smiling broadly, waved at her and she slowed, winding down the window.
"Hi, my name's Big Mac and welcome to Escape: the Adults Adventure Summer Camp! Could I have your name please?" she had to force down the chuckle that threatened to appear at his nickname but still smiled at his seemingly genuine excitement.
"Rita Freeman."
"Ah, yes, Rita! If you park your car in the car park opposite and get your bags, head into the forest via the path on the left," he pointed in a few random directions as he talked, "Oh and make sure you bring everything with you because there is no coming back to your car once inside!"
"Thanks!" she exclaimed, pressing her foot down on the accelerator and heading for a parking space. Once parked, she allowed herself a proper look at her surroundings. A constant queue was in line for Big Mac's instructions which seemed to hold the same enthusiasm for every car that came in. She began to worry about just how many people were going to be here but all that melted away as she saw Connie Beauchamp's car sliding effortlessly into the space besides hers. Her grin could not be contained.
Connie stepped out of the car and faltered, her heels struggling to keep her upright on the sinking gravel. Rolling her eyes, she shakily made her way to Rita.
"Connie!" Rita exclaimed and Connie finally returned her grin. They didn't hug, it wasn't something they did but they both knew how excited the other was.
"Rita, always a pleasure." Connie purred in her usual business-like tone. Rita knew this would dissipate quickly once her mind fully registered that she was not, in fact, working. "I'll grab my bags and we can head through."
Rita nodded and went to collect her things from the boot. She only had a few suitcases; she travelled reasonably light, as did Connie, but she still struggled to carry them all at once.
Two hands appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the last suitcase left in the trunk, causing Rita to jump. Her head swivelled to glare at the culprit but her breath hitched as she saw him.
Just as she was beginning to get a good look at his rather good looks, he simply winked, hauled the bag over his shoulder and sauntered off into the woods leaving her gawping at his retreating form.
"Who was that?" Connie asked nonchalantly. Rita considered telling her that he had rather rudely stolen her bags but thought better of it and instead said:
"I have no idea."
The two friends made it to the main hall and queued up to be registered and sent to a cabin. The forest itself which had looked so dense from outside was much more sparse inside yet towered above the hall in question which was surrounding by around twenty log cabins that didn't look quite as comfortable as Rita might have liked.
Cautiously, she glanced around for the man who had unscrupulously stolen her bag but found that she couldn't see him. Rather than being angry as she probably should be, she was simply curious. Why had he taken her bag? Was he planning on returning it? Rita huffed impatiently, needing some answers. Connie sighed.
"Something wrong?" She asked, glancing sideways with mild annoyance at Rita who hadn't noticed the frown that had befallen her face. She corrected herself quickly, reapplying the smile from earlier on.
"Oh yes, just need the loo!" Rita admitted with convincing sheepishness.
Connie replied with a hum before pointing to their right, "I believe they're over there?"
Rita bowed her head, mumbling something about watching her bags for her and scurried to the toilet. She didn't need to go of course, so she waited inside for a minute or two before opening the door to leave.
His head hit hers before she had the time to see it, let alone react. There had been enough force to knock both of them clean off their feet and onto the floor with a rather large bump and cry from both parties. Rita rubbed her head as she sat up, dazed.
"I am so sorry!" He exclaimed, jumping up and offering her his hand like a proper gentleman. Unfortunately, she was preoccupied with the fact that she could see multiple versions of his hand to appreciate the gesture.
Blinking, she held her hand out and he pulled her up gently. She stumbled, but he caught her, hands on her upper arms. He bent his head to look into her eyes.
"Are you okay?" He asked, concern seeping into the words.
Slowly her vision cleared and there stood the bag-stealer in all his glory, looking at her as if she were a delicate piece of china that may break at any moment.
"It's you," she murmured, narrowing her eyes and putting her hands on his chest as if to push him away. In her current condition however the hands just stayed there, resting on him with a reasonable percentage of her weight.
"Guilty as charged,," he grinned, releasing one of her arms to rub the back of his neck nervously. Wait. Since when was he holding her arms anyway? And when did she put her hands on his chest? She took them away all too quickly and attempted to stand up tall.
"Could I have my suitcase back now?" She asked, wrenching her arms from his grip and folding them over her own chest indignantly.
"After you've sat down and got your head checked out," he replied, matching her crossed arms position. She opened her mouth in protest but closed it again when a wave of pain crashed into that spot on her head. Again. And again.
"Fine." She responded curtly, "But then I want my bag back…"
"Iain." He held a hand out for her to shake, "Iain Dean."
"Rita Freeman." She half-smiled as she shook his hand, "I would say it's a pleasure but…"
He chuckled and offered her his arm which she accepted without much hesitation.
Whilst the medic checked her bump, she found she had a lot more time to get a better look at him. Now that, that was truly a pleasure.
