Week One
EPOV
Camp Cullen was open for business. Forever would I curse my mother, Esme, for loving children the way she did. I had grown up with Esme and Carlisle but when Esme could only have one child, which was me, she took in children through foster care. When I was thirteen, she opened Camp Cullen, a summer camp for kids. I never attended and I was glad he didn't. But Esme and Carlisle were getting too old to run it for three weeks and the counselors they had hired were moving to college and couldn't afford to run it anymore.
So Esme reeled me in. I was seventeen and it was the summer before senior year. I would run the summer camp along with five other counselors I would meet.
I drove his silver Volvo down the dirt road that was lined with trees. The camp wasn't in the middle of nowhere. It was nestled on a lake with surrounding trees just outside of the main portion of Forks. It got sun more often and the lake was a brilliant blue when it shone down. There were six log cabins and then just a large building with two stories that contained the dining hall, offices, lounge and even a small gym.
I parked on the woodchucks that made a small parking lot. A black Mercedes, Carlisle's car, was already there along with a red Chevy, BMW, Jeep, Porsche and smaller Jeep. I pulled the keys out and slipped them in my back pocket. He walked around the small campus and hopped up the stairs into the main office.
The fan swung overhead and the heat was already clinging to me. Carlisle and Esme were sitting at a desk, Esme on the phone and Carlisle looking at a book.
"No problem," Esme said, hanging up.
"Hey," I said, sitting in a wicker chair.
"Glad you could make it," Carlisle sighed.
"Nice to see you too, Dad," I said.
Carlisle set the book aside.
"Esme and I have to get back soon," Carlisle smiled.
"The other counselors are here," Esme said. "Would you like us to introduce you?"
I shrugged. "I can probably manage fine by myself."
"You know the place well enough," Esme said, coming around the desk to set a hand on my shoulder.
"That I do," he nodded.
"We will come back every Saturday," Carlisle said, getting up.
"When do they arrive?" I asked.
"The children will be coming between three and four tomorrow," Esme said, matter-of-factly.
"Great," I groaned.
Esme squeezed my shoulders. She kissed my cheek, wished me luck and exited the room with Carlisle. I watched from the screen door as they drove away. I got up and looked around before stepping out onto the wooden porch.
I heard someone yell and I looked to see Emmett McCarthy. Emmett was holding some equipment, coming towards me. Emmett's curly hair was shining and he was already wearing the tan shorts and evergreen shirt as uniform.
"Eddie boy," Emmett said.
"Hey," I said, greeting my childhood friend.
"How the hecks are you?" he said, dropping his stuff and hugging me and then stepping back to examine me.
"Fine," I said lamely. "Where are the other counselors?"
"In the dining hall, having a snack," he said. "Come on and meet them."
"Emmett, your stuff," I pointed to the ground.
"I'll get it later," he waved it off and pulled me to the dining hall.
Near the kitchen door at the table sat two blondes. One girl and one boy who were both in uniform and I noticed them both.
"This is Jasper Whitlock and Rosalie Hale," Emmett said.
"I know," I smiled, shaking their hands. "I know Jasper from history and Rosalie from workshop."
She blushed.
A girl came through the kitchen then, sandwiches on a platter. Her short black hair was spiked and her uniform was tailored to fit her pixie like body perfectly.
"Hi Edward," she said in a bell like voice.
"Alice Brandon," I said, recognizing her from my music class.
"Bella will be out in a second," Alice said.
Bella Swan?
A brunette came out of the kitchen then, a pitcher of water in her hand and cups in the other. She was walking carefully, as if she may fall at any moment. Her long hair was up in a ponytail and her chocolate eyes held me.
"Hey," she smiled at me.
"Bella," I said.
"Biology Edward," she laughed and stuck out her hand. "It's nice to see you out of the science room, Cullen."
"You too," I said and she smiled.
"Thanks Bells," Alice sang and took the pitcher to fill a drink for everyone.
"Edward, I'll grab you a cup," Bella said and went into the kitchen.
Bella emerged a second later with another cup. She quietly poured me a glass and sat down next to Alice. I sat in front of them and clapped my hands together.
"I guess I should ask you why you are all here," I sighed.
Alice shrugged. "I wanted to do something this summer."
Bella nodded. "I wanted to get away," she murmured.
"My old man told me to get up off my ass and do something," Emmett boomed. "And I thought 'why not help out my buddy Eddie'."
"Why indeed," I muttered to myself.
I noticed Bella smiled.
"Okay, well, I should assign you jobs," I said.
"Carlisle and Esme already did," Alice beamed. "I am in charge of arts and crafts including sowing."
"I get to handle the physical stuff," Emmett said, pounding a fist into his palm.
"I will be doing a nature hike with the kids," Jasper said.
"Bella and I supervise when needed, fill in," Rosalie answered.
Bella was staring at the table.
"Now, you," Alice pushed my shoulder lightly. "What exactly will you do?"
"I am the head," I said, putting a hand to my chest. "I run this entire place."
Bella laughed. "Is that what you call it?"
I narrowed my eyes at her. She gave me a cocky smile and bit into her sandwich.
"I'll just be helping out and running programs that I need to," I said. "And did Carlisle and Esme give you cabin assignments?"
"Sure did," Alice said and then put her clasped hands under her chin. "I have cabin Fox, Bella has Lamb, Rose has Deer, Emmett has Grizzly, Jasper has Moose and you have Lion."
"Great," I said. "Who wouldn't want ten boys that poop and scream?"
"They are, like, nine," Rosalie said.
"You obviously haven't been here before," I said.
It was true; the boys were always bad as I had known when I stayed one night here. That was the last night I spent here.
We finished our snack and Emmett went out to clean up his mess. Alice, Bella and Rose went to get the cabins ready. Jasper studied a map next to me on the sofa in the lounge as I was reading a book. The sun light slowly disappeared and when I looked out the sun was covered with blue and purple clouds. I sighed.
"Storm," Jasper assumed, looking up.
"My guess," I said.
I went to the door. A large flash lit up the sky. Emmett came in through the door to my right that went from the dining hall.
"Storm," he said like Jasper.
Thunder roared and I instantly opened the door and called out.
"Alice, Rose, Bella," I said. "Get in here before the storm."
They ran out then and darted up the stairs before hale struck and more lightening flashed. Bella tripped on one of the stairs and almost hit the porch. I quickly picked her up.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
She nodded, breathless. She stumbled so I helped her in the lounge, closing the door. I pulled Bella to a couch and sat her down. Quickly I looked around.
"Okay, we are probably here for the night," I sighed.
Bella twisted her ankle, winced and then kept going until it was sturdy for her to stand.
I grabbed the remote and clicked on the TV. I flipped through the channels and then stopped on the weather.
"We are experiencing some nasty weather," the man said, pointing the fake map. "We will get some hale and wind including rain. There is a possibility of loss of power so try to get flashlights and candles. Possible flooding if you are near water and the temperature is expected to drop down to the fifties with this weather."
I shut it off and slipped my head into my hands. Rose stood, slightly wet with her arms around her. Jasper sat on the couch, Alice standing next to him. Emmett was leaning over the back of the sofa. Bella was staring at me, closest to me.
"We should fine some blankets," she said finally.
I looked at her and at first she looked unsure but she composed herself.
"Yeah," she continued. "We need blankets, food, candles or flashlights and then any phone charges we can get to charge our phones in case we lose power. That includes laptops, anything."
They all stared at her but I just nodded.
"She's right," I said. "Come one, let's do what she said."