I Haven't Seen You Since the Summertime
Rated: M
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the show Scandal in which I borrowed these characters. All other places, cities, people and such are my own creation.
"Mom! Where's my bug spray?!" Olivia ran down the stairs at top speed, carrying her bag of toiletries filled with the necessities for her five-week tenure at Camp Saxton. Olivia was practically reverberating with excitement. She's been waiting for this summer vacation since Christmas, when her parents surprised her with a brochure to the summer camp where her best friend Abby has been going for years. Being new to the Divine Mother School for Girls was rough. With having to up-root herself from her home of Brooklyn, New York and start all over in a new town and a new school in Chamblee Heights, Vermont was more than her fourteen-year-old mind could take. It took her some time and goading from her mother and father, but once she was paired up in biology with the fiery red-head Abby Whelan; they've been thick as thieves ever since.
Abby's been going to "Camp Saxy" as she calls it, since she was nine years old. Olivia was enthralled with the tales of campfires, water skiing, horseback riding and summer mischief of Abby and her camp friends and begged her parents to let her attend the following summer's session. So when her parents surprised her at Christmas with the brochure and card that told her she was leaving with Abby this summer for the five-week session, she's been counting down the days till she left. And Abby has been coaching her in the camp do's and don'ts for the last two weeks.
Sliding across her kitchen floor, she almost runs into her mother holding two cans of bug spray. "I thought you've been packed for weeks, Liv?" Maya Pope asks skeptically, glaring at her only daughter with a side eye before chuckling. She hasn't seen Olivia this excited in a long time and it warmed her heart to see her daughter finally smile after seeing her so down about having to move to a new state for high school.
Olivia grabbed the bug spray from her mom and stuffed it in the bag she was carrying and started her sprint back up the stairs to her bedroom. "I had everything but the toiletries, Mom. I can't pack those till the last minute."
Maya chuckled to herself watching Olivia dart up the stairs. "Are you sure you have everything? Double check the list on the brochure, make sure your name is on everything and get dressed. Your father will be home any minute now to take you to Abby's. Jeff said he wanted you guys on the road at five am tomorrow morning so you can be there in time for check in at eleven. You know Eli will be pissed if you aren't ready by the time he gets home to take you over there!"
"Alright mom, alright. I'm almost done!" Olivia throws her toiletry bag in the large duffle bag she had laid out on her bed. Triple checking she had everything on the list, she goes to grab her camera bag and throws on her clothes as her phone rings. Jumping over the smaller duffle bag she has packed by her bed she grabs her phone at the last minute, seeing it was Abby.
"You ready to go? Your dad just called my dad and said you should be here in the next hour. I'm so excited I can't wait for you to finally get to experience Saxy's." Abby cheerfully chipped over the phone.
"I can't wait either. I just finished packing." Grabbing her duffle bags she started to carry the bags out her room before kicking one bag down the stairs, it landing with a loud thud at the bottom.
"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND, GIRL? IF YOU DON'T CARRY THOSE BAGS AND STOP TRYING TO TEAR MY HOUSE DOWN!" Maya hollered from the kitchen.
"Sorry Ma." Olivia grumbled before picking up the second bag and carrying it down the steps. She perked up when she saw the headlights of her dad's car pull up in the driveway. "Hey Abs. My dad just pulled up. I'll call you when I'm outside your house. I gotta put my bags in the car." After a quick goodbye from Abby, Olivia slid her phone into the front pocket of her hoody and greeted her father at the door with a wide smile and a kiss on the cheek. "Hi, daddy!"
Eli Pope smiled at his daughter, although knowing she was only greeting him at the door because she was waiting to get to Abby's house. "Hello Baby Girl. You take that bag to the car and I'll grab the big one and put it in." He kissed the top of Olivia's head before going into the kitchen to kiss Maya while she cooked dinner.
"Dinner will be ready by the time you get back, ok?" Maya smiled as her husband hugged her from behind and kissed her neck.
"And once I drop off the princess then we get a full five weeks of freedom." Eli whispered in Maya's ear as she giggled girlishly.
"Seriously dad, that's gross. Like you guys couldn't wait till I was already gone. I don't need to know what ya'll be up to when I'm not here." Olivia walks into the kitchen with a look of disgust at her parents. "Let's go Dad. Ms. Natalie is getting pizza from Johnny's for dinner."
"Alright, baby girl. Say good bye to your mother at least." Eli states while grabbing Olivia's largest duffle bag in the foyer to take out to the car.
"Bye Mom, I'll call you when we get checked into our bunk and stuff, ok?" Olivia wraps her lithe arms around her mother's frame as Maya kissed her head.
"Be safe and please act like you have some sense. I love you." Maya smiled at Olivia playfully but also glared making sure Olivia knew she was also serious.
"I will Mom. Promise."
Camp Saxton
Oxford, New Hampshire
After a grueling four-hour drive through the country and traffic through Vermont to the shores of New Hampshire, Abby and Olivia finally emerged onto the dirt gravel round that wound all the way to the woods where Olivia's eyes lit up at the sprawling expanse of the camp coming into view. Just like the brochures there were woods as far as the eye can see, concealing the cabins and dining halls. Further back you could see the waterfront where the campers already enjoying their session where jumping from inflatable trampolines into the ocean, while others water skied and splashed around. To the right there was the pool and activity hall before a trail that takes you to the basketball and tennis courts as well the soccer field and horse stables.
"Welcome to Camp Saxton Olivia." Abby's dad smiled warmly at Liv in the trucks rearview mirror as he pulled into the car drop off section for new campers. Olivia climbed out the car and began to start pulling her bags out. "Let me go get you guys checked in." Jeff Whelan smiled with his bright green eyes and huge smile that stuck out against his tousled red hair and perfectly trimmed beard to match, his warmth reminded her so much of Abby when she wasn't hyper active. Olivia was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard Abby squealing at the top of her lungs before the tall red head flung herself into the arms of someone and tackled them to the ground before both girls broke out into laughter.
"I MISSED YOU SO MUCH QUINN!" Abby practically hollered before Olivia could make out another shorter brunette girl who was about Olivia's height with a bright brown eyes and cherub cheeks to match. "Let me not be rude. Quinn, this is my friend Olivia. She just moved to my school this year and has never been to summer camp so I had to bring her to Saxy's." Abby grabbed Olivia's arm and pulled her over. "Olivia, this is Quinn Perkins. She's another one of our bunkmates. This is Quinn's 3rd summer here. Quinn, this is Olivia Pope."
Olivia smiled and held her hand out to shake before Quinn looked at it oddly before pulling Olivia into a hug. "Girl we're going to be living together for five weeks. No need to be formal. Any friend of Abby's is a friend of mine." Quinn said hugging Olivia tightly. And Olivia instantly felt welcome, silently hoping that her other bunkmates where as nice as Quinn was.
"Alright girls, let's go take your bags to your bunk. The counselor should be over here in a bit to give you your assignments. I think you guys should still be in Hill 3, right?" Jeff walks back over and grabs Abby's trunk and Olivia's large duffle bag.
"Daddy, you do this every year. I'm fourteen now. Hill 3 is for the seven to ten-year old's. We'd be in Grove 7 now with the thirteen to sixteen-year old's." Abby rolled her eyes playfully as her dad chuckled.
"Well welcome back to Camp Saxton. Good to see you again this year Abby and Quinn!"
Both girls whipped their head around at the voice and practically pummeled the person with hugs. "Hey Nar!" Abby and Quinn chirped at the older girl of about maybe nineteen and of some Asian decent (Olivia couldn't tell what) as she walked up to the car with a clip board and dressed in a yellow and green Camp Saxton shirt with green shorts. Her smile as bright as the sun and her jet-black hair shined in the sun. Handing Abby and Quinn nametags with their names on them. "Plus, I hear you brought a new camper with you." The girl turned her attention to Oliva and reached out her hand. "Hey, Welcome to Camp Saxton. I'm Nari, and I'm one of your counselors in Grove 7."
"Olivia. Nice to meet you." Olivia smiled warmly at the woman who handed her a nametag.
"I'm sure Abby and Quinn will show you to Grove 7. We'll give you guys a chance to get in and get settled and then we'll meet up for our first cabin pow-wow of the session at 3 o'clock. Make sure you guys get your Camp Saxy shirts to wear today. There is one on each bed. It's tradition first night that everyone wear them. Sound good?"
"Thanks Nar, we'll see you in a bit." Abby grabbed Olivia's arm and linked her arm through hers. "Come on Liv, we gotta make sure we get a bunk together."
Olivia flopped onto the bottom bunk of the Grove 7 cabin while Abby helped Quinn get her sheets on the single bed next to theirs. She took the time to call her parents and let them know she was situated before she shut her phone off for the time being. The bunk was painted in bright pastels with a set of bunk beds in each corner and two single beds off between the bunks. As more of her cabin mates filed in, Abby made sure to introduce her to the girls that were returning from Abby's previous years at camp. Olivia instantly felt as if she was at home as the girls new and old where welcoming her to Saxy's and telling her about their favorite activities that Olivia should try.
Once Abby and Quinn got situated, they took Olivia to the Grove. The Grove was the section of the camp where the older girls in Grove 6 and 7 and the older boys from Hill 6 and 7 congregated in the down time. Olivia was almost appreciative of the fact that they could have a spot in the camp just for them without the younger campers. It was a sweltering sun outside and Olivia was immediately glad she changed into some shorts and their yellow Camp Saxy shirts. Taking solace under a tree seated with Abby, Quinn and three other girls from their cabin; Alicia, Jessie and Danielle. The girls laughed and giggled watching the other campers get situated and scoping the other campers in the other cabins.
As the day started to turn into dusk, the sun setting beautifully along the tree line Olivia was distracted by the sight and took a deep breath of the clean crisp air that the day was starting to turn into. "HEY LOOK OUT!" The girls were pulled out from their circle abruptly as a football came flying over their head and bouncing off the tree, narrowly missing Olivia's head on the bounce back.
Abby looked around pissed, trying to find where the offending ball came from before her eyes landed on the group of boys sauntering over. She immediately recognized the one that ran over after the ball and the other boys who stayed back while one ran over. "Watch where you're throwing your shit, Harrison! It almost hit my friend. Next time I'm gonna pop it before I give it back."
"Nice to see you again this summer as well Abby." Olivia looked up to see an average height, black guy walk up to her friend dressed in their matching camp shirts and khaki joggers before reaching over and giving everyone he recognized a hug. "Hey, Quinn… Jessie… Dani... Alicia." His gaze landed on Olivia and his smile brightened before making his way over. "And who is this beautiful being?" Harrison, leaned over to grab Olivia's hand and placing a kiss on the back of it.
"Back off Harrison. She's my friend from school and she's a new camper in our bunk. Most importantly, she's not about to fall for your shit." Quinn rolled her eyes at the guy's gestures.
"Well, let her decide what she wants to do. She's capable of making her own decisions I'm sure." Harrison smiled at Olivia and she internally rolled her eyes. She made a mental note to not get caught up in his mess already. "What's your name beautiful? And if you don't tell me your name I'll just call you beautiful till you do."
Olivia placed on her fakest smile while shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you as well Harrison. My name is…"
"HEY HARRISON STOP HARRASING THE GIRLS AND GET BACK OVER HERE. WE WERE PLAYING A GAME." Olivia's sentence was interrupted when the tallest boy from the group of boys ran over to the group of sitting girls, yelling. Glancing up at the person whose voice interrupted her, her heart constricted in her throat and she forgot her words. Staring back at her were the most crystal clear blue-gray eyes she's ever witness. She instantly felt her mouth go dry as he dazzled her with a million-watt smile, and for a moment all she saw was him.
"My bad Fitz. I was just introducing myself to the new camper with Abby and the girls in Grove 7." Harrison immediately bristled at the look the new girl was giving Fitz and immediately tensed when he realized that Fitz was staring back at her with the same look in his eyes.
Fitz walked over to Olivia, grabbing her hand and politely shook it, taken aback by how tiny her hands felt in his and the tingle he felt the second he grabbed her hand. He held it for almost a second too long before introducing himself. "Hey, I'm Fitzgerald Grant. But everyone here calls me Fitz or Third."
Taking a second to gather her thoughts and not sound like a complete idiot, Olivia cleared her throat disguising it as a cough before shaking his hand back. He wasn't at all sleazy feeling like Harrison and Olivia instantly knew she would take a liking to Fitzgerald before she ever considered Harrison. "Fitz, nice to meet you. I'm Olivia, Olivia Pope." Olivia smiled shyly, pushing her bangs back behind her ear certain if her skin color would allow it, she'd be burning red. "Why do they call you Third?"
"I'm the third Fitz Grant in my family. My granddad and father also went to this camp as well. It's just easier to decipher between us three here." Fitz chuckled nervously and kicked a rock by his feet under Olivia's gaze. He couldn't explain why her round brown eyes drew him in almost instantly. Fitz decided he was more than ok with drowning in them if she'd let him.
Abby looked on between the two in amusement as Quinn poked her in the back, nodding her head in Fitz's and Olivia's direction silently asking if she was seeing what she was seeing firing off between the two. Abby smiled to herself, this was going to be an interesting summer indeed.
The moment between the two campers where cut short when another counselor with a clip board stood in the middle of the Grove with a megaphone announcing that all the campers head over to the fire circle for the camp's kick off campfire for the session. Once everyone started milling around, the girls all stood up from under tree and started to head over to the camp fire circle.
Fitz smiled brightly at Olivia again and she felt that same familiar feeling in her stomach as she did when she first laid eyes on his. "Well I guess I'll catch you around camp, huh?"
Olivia smiled brightly again. "Yeah, I'm sure of it. Abby said Hill 7 is our 'brother' cabin?" Olivia asked confusedly. Fitz chuckled softly and Olivia felt as if her heart would beat out of her chest.
"Yeah, basically it means that we would do our activities and stuff together. Like if we have bonding activities, wilderness trips and eating together… stuff like that."
"Well then I'll definitely be seeing you then. I'll see you at the campfire?" Olivia was flirting and she knew it. She had no intention of trying to date or find anyone when she initially got here. But Fitz was bound to make her change her mind on the situation.
"Come on Liv, we gotta go sit with our cabin!" Quinn called out over her shoulder when she realized Liv wasn't walking with them.
"I gotta go. I'll see you later ok?" Olivia smiled and Fitz thought the sight alone would knock him clear off his feet.
"I'll see you Livvie." He gently reached out for her arm and gently ran his hand down it. Before he ran off to his group of friends heading over to campfire site.
Olivia sat there stunned for a moment, watching him run away. Goosebumps left in the trail his strong calloused hand took, her mind continuously repeating the way he said her name and the nickname she usually hated coming out his mouth… Livvie.
All throughout the Kick Off Campfire, in-between learning the camp song and screaming for her cabin spirit challenge, she could feel Fitz's gaze on her the entire time and she flushed underneath the collar of her shirt. She shifted in her seat on the log in between Abby and Quinn, she had a direct line of sight of Fitz sitting diagonal to her cabin across the site. On the way back to the dining hall of dinner, Abby grabs Olivia and pulls her over to the side before they walk into the hall. She's instantly circled by Abby, Quinn, Alicia, Jessie and Dani, each of them spurting questions about the fireworks display between her and Fitz in the Grove.
"You guys relax. I literally just met Fitz. I don't even know him like that. Yeah, he's cute. And those eyes that I could literally swim in all day and never get tired."
"Oh Liv's got a camp crush!" Dani exclaims excited. Her long blonde hair fluttering in the wind and from her bouncing up and down at the prospect of playing matchmaker. "And Fitz totally is into you too Liv. He's such a catch. Everyone lusts after Fitz every summer. No one has even come close to how he looked at you Liv. I'd hop on that before someone else tries to weasel their way on in." Dani concluded her statement with a look of disgust as Alicia coughed a name into her hand.
"Oh don't start that shit Leesh. Miss Priss is always snooting her nose around Fitz's tale, every freaking summer. After he dumped her all those years ago in the grove you thought she'd get the hint and stop trying." Abby rolled her eyes at the thought.
"Who's Miss Priss?" Olivia looked confused at the girls who started laughing at Abby's nickname.
"Miss Priss, otherwise known as Mellie Vaughn. She's in Grove 6 and she's the literal actual worst. She tries to hind behind this whole southern belle game and like no one falls for it besides her stupid little following of rich brats." Quinn explains.
"She used to date Fitz like two summers ago after like chasing him for three summers prior to that. Fitz thought he was giving her a chance but she always did the most so Fitz cut that off asap. She keeps playing herself and it's embarrassing. I almost feel bad for laughing at the apparent egg on her face whenever Fitz always rejects her advances." Jessie added, fixing the bun of large faux locs that sat up on her head.
"Please bitch. When Fitz pushed her off him at the Formal last Summer you laughed till you cried and you almost had an asthma attack." Abby looked over at Jessie, laughing at the memory.
"So , it was hilarious then and it's still hilarious now." Jessie implied and placed her hand on her hip. "So you have nothing to worry about Liv. She's a none factor so if you wanna ride the Fitz train and make every girl and maybe even some guys in camp mad. You should go for it."
"Shhh, speaking of the Adonis. Here he comes." Alicia quirped when she spotted Fitz on his way over to their group. Olivia tried to discreetly fix herself before he walked over.
"Hey Livvie. I was wondering if you and the girls wanted to eat dinner with us. We have a table already over by the windows. You guys are all welcome to join." Fitz smiled, his eyes looking over Olivia's trying to imply to her that he really wanted her to join him. He really could care less about everyone else at the table. He just wanted to spend more time getting to know the most beautiful being he's ever laid eyes on.
Olivia looked back at her group of friends, trying to figure out what to say back before Danielle helped. "Yeah, we'll meet you guys over there once we get our plates."
"Cool. I'll make sure to save you a spot Livvie. See you in a bit." He placed his hand gently across the small of her back before walking away. Olivia felt her knees almost give out on contact.
"You're welcome." Danielle smiled before grabbing Liv's arm and leading her into the cafeteria.
After grabbing a plate, Olivia scanned the dining hall looking for the familiar smile of Fitz's while she waited for her friends to get their food and find a seat. She locked eyes with Fitz after a moment of searching and Fitz stood up waving her over. After making sure the rest of her group were behind her she made her way nervously over to the table where the boys she recognized from earlier as well as Harrison were already sitting down eating. Fitz pushed Harrison out of his seat next to Fitz to make room for Olivia and the rest of the boys made room for the rest of the girls.
Olivia sat down next to Fitz and smiled when he grabbed a fry off her plate and popped it in his mouth. "You know me enough to take food off my plate Fitzgerald?" Olivia playfully asked, her eyes bright and almost knocking the breath from Fitz's lungs.
"Hopefully, if you let me." Fitz smiled back before snatching another fry from her plate and making Olivia try to grab it out his mouth.
"Don't be rude Fitz. Who is the new girl?" Olivia was brought out her little box with Fitz to reality as she looked to see where the statement came from. The boy oddly looked out of place with the rambunctious group of boys. Olivia wouldn't even have realized that the statement came from him if she didn't see him say it. He was a quiet looking guy, kinda stocky and had dark hair with Latin features.
"My bad, that is rude. Livvie, this is Diego Munoz but we all call him Huck." Fitz introduced motioning to the kid who just spoke and continuing down the table. "You already know Harrison. That guy down there with the glasses is David Rosen. Across from David is Stephen Finch. And then at the very end of the table is Cyrus Beene. Everyone meet Olivia. She's new this year." Olivia received a warm wave of hellos and welcomes from everyone. Although she sensed some tension between Fitz and Harrison.
"Nice to meet you all." Olivia smiled before digging into her plate and the table fell into a friendly banter of gentle teasing and wise cracking. They went on enjoying their meals with Olivia and Fitz having their own hushed conversation between the raucous of the rest of the table before they were interrupted by a grating female's voice that drove everyone to a screeching halt at the table at the intrusion.
"Hey Fitzy! You look amazing this summer as always. I've missed you… OH who's this? I don't recognize the new face amongst the others you always sit with." Her upper lip turned up towards the ceiling when she saw how close Fitz and Liv were sitting together.
"Don't call me Fitzy Mellie. It's Fitz or Fitzgerald." Fitz rolled his eyes, he was hoping she decided she wouldn't come this summer.
"I can't call you Third either?" The southern brunette batted her long mascara covered eyelashes at Fitz, flanked by two other girls holding their plates.
"Fitz or Fitzgerald, Melody." Fitz emphasized her full name hoping she would take the hint. He could already feel Liv distancing herself and going back to her friend's conversations with the rest of the table.
"Can we sit with you guys?" One of Mellie's sidekicks asked ignoring the presence of everyone else at the table.
"Beat it Mellie and sidekicks. The table is already full." Cyrus stated waving Mellie away from the table. Olivia figured on the spot she liked Cyrus too.
"New girl can't move?" Mellie asked annoyed that she's being dismissed.
"New girl has a name and its Olivia and I'm sure Cyrus here doesn't speak Greek so I guess the decisions made." Olivia spit, already annoyed with the girl and her lackeys. Fitz looked over at Olivia and couldn't keep the shit eating grin off his face.
"You heard the girl Mellie. Take it somewhere else." Stephen had enough and stated his sentiment firmly, making sure there was no room for more argument in his voice. Mellie huffed and turned on her heel stomping away from the table with her two lackeys in tow. She didn't like that Olivia girl, Mellie decided. She had to figure out how to get her away from Fitz so she could slide back in.
Fitz turned around to look at Olivia once Mellie was out of eye shot from the table, more turned on by her spark of attitude than he cared to admit. Olivia wasn't scared of Mellie or her sidekicks nor their antics. And as he watched her smile and laugh with the rest of his friends and her as well, he immediately realized that he was going to try to make Olivia his by the end of this, everyone else be damned.