*Author's Note - Sorry for originally uploading chapter 11 as chapter 12. I apologize greatly for the confusion. Also please note that this story continues at first to be silly like the previous chapter but then takes a dramatic turn. Before anyone says this turn was just done for dramatic effect, just know this chapter and the next was based on a real event that happened to me at summer camp. Just saying.
The next day at camp, Riley was walking out of the woods as she said, "Okay girls. I found a great spot where we can make a camp fire and..." Riley then saw all of the preteen girls were swimming in the water with their clothes on as they splashed around and played games. Riley then walked over to Maya who was watching them and then said, "Maya. We were supposed to be finding wood for a camp fire." Maya then said, "I know. But Stacy tripped in the water, and then some of the other girls jumped in after her and... well, they just decided to start playing around." Riley sighed and then said, "Maya, we have a schedule to keep. We just can't do whatever we feel like doing." Maya then said, "Riley, relax. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Kids' lives are already structured enough. If you don't let kids try new things of their own choosing, they're never going to find their own identity. Just let them play for awhile, and then we'll maybe do your camp fire thing if nothing else comes up." One of the girls from the water then yelled, "Maya! Watch me do a hand stand!" Maya smiled as she said, "Wow. That looks great Rory!" Riley then raised an eyebrow and said, "How come you're the favorite counselor Maya? You didn't even think you were gonna like working here." Maya then said, "Eh. Things change. I guess I have a good natural ability to take care of kids. I did take care of you all those years didn't I?" Riley then made a small smile as she said, "Well... yeah, you did."
A few minutes later Riley was sitting on the beach by herself watching the young girls play in the water. One of the young girls then sat next to Riley and said, "Hey Miss Riley. Watcha doing?" Riley then said, "Just keeping an eye on you girls. And you can call me just Riley. So... you enjoying your summer so far Lauryn?" The preteen girl Lauryn then said, "Yeah. It's okay." Riley then said, "So... is this your first summer at this camp?" Lauryn then said, "Yeah. Last year I went to a history camp but I couldn't go this year because it shut down because not enough kids signed up." Riley then said, "You're into history?" Lauryn then said, "Yeah. Like early American history. I started getting into it when I was little reading those American Girl books, but then I wanted to go further so I started reading lots of textbooks. My friends at school think I'm weird that I collect textbooks." Riley then said, "Well they're missing out. History is a really cool topic. My dad teaches history. He always makes me bring a few history books when I go on a vacation or to camp. I actually have some of them if you want to read them later." An excited Lauryn then said, "Really? Yeah! That be cool!"
Hours later as darkness began to take over the sky, Riley and Maya were both carrying two jugs of water back to their cabin together as they talked. As they moved Riley said, "So I gave Lauryn those textbooks later and she was so happy. And it was all thanks to you Maya." A confused looking Maya said, "Me? Why am I responsible?" Riley then said, "Honestly... stopping to actually talk to these girls and find out what their interests are was never really on my detailed schedule of camp activities. By breaking free of the plan, I was able to get to know my campers better and provide one of them something that could actually help her in her interests and passions." Maya then said, "You see Riley. Sometimes you just gotta let loose and let the unstructured world do it's thing." Riley then said, "You're right Maya. For the rest of the evening, no more structure. Just let things go with the flow."
About an hour later: the preteen girls were all in sleepwear attire sitting around the cabin floor as one of the girls excitedly said, "So lets talk about boys." Some of the girls began to giggle as one of them said, "Okay. If you were going to have babies with one of the boys back at school, who would it be?" Riley and Maya who were sitting nearby heard what was going on and with wide eyes Riley began to sit up and said, "Okay girls. Maybe we should instead..." Maya then put a hand on Riley's shoulder and said, "Come on Riley. You said no more structure tonight. Just let things go with the flow. They'll be fine." Riley sighed and then said, "Carry on." One of the girls then said, "Okay. If I had to pick one boy here, it be... Bobby!" All of the girls began to giggle as one of them said, "No way. Well I would pick Edward. He's so tall and so hot." Then another girl said, "Well Edward may look nice, but Mark gives way better compliments. When I sent him pics of me in my new bra, he wrote the longest message telling me hot I looked. What about you Miriam?" The other girl Miriam then said, "I would so do it with Tommy. He liked this topless picture I sent him two weeks ago so much, that he actually asked me to send selfies of myself in the shower." Another girl then said, "No way? You mean you did a naked selfie?" Miriam then said, "No. I had lots of thick shampoo covering my body. But he may be getting a full frontal soon if he keeps being nice." Then another girl said, "Well I finally did a mirror shot of my back and butt and sent it to Johnny last week and he said he fapped so much to it, it made him..."
Suddenly Maya stood up and yelled, "HOLD ON! What is going here!?" The girls started to look a little startled as Miriam said, "We're just talking about boys Maya." Maya then said, "Yeah but... are you girls being serious!? Is this really how preteen girls and boys act nowadays? I mean I'm only 20 years old and things couldn't have changed that much since I was kid." Ryan then said, "Well, I mean, we're just talking about how we flirt Maya." Maya then said, "What you're talking about is NOT flirting! Flirting is making smiles and falling down near the person you like and asking them to help you up and giggling at them and asking coyly to sit with you at lunch and... basically NOT what you girls are doing!" Miriam then said, "Well maybe that's how girls flirted back in the day Maya but we're talking about how girls let people know they're in love with them today." Maya then said, "No Miriam. Getting a picture from someone that showcases their underwear or their butt does make them NOT make them think you're in love with them. You wanna know how I know what real love looks like?" Maya then grabbed Riley's hand and said, "Girls, this is my best friend Riley. She loves me. I know because growing up she invited me to her house all the time. She let me climb into her bedroom through a window whenever I wanted to just to talk. She tried to help me build a better relationship with my mom. She helped fight to keep the art program alive at our old middle school so I could continue pursuing my passion. And she actually set up an incredibly complicated plan to get her father's best friend and my mom to hook up so I could finally for the first time in my life: have a father who cared about me. That girls is the greatest example of a person who loves you. And because of how much she loves me, I in turn would do anything for her. I wouldn't do anything for just some random person who sends me some digital hoots and hollers at me because of how I look in a photo. My body is too good for that. And girls, your bodies are too good for that. And tomorrow, we're gonna do some sport activities so you all can experience that your bodies can do far more than just pose for the camera. Now go to bed and think about what I said!" All of the preteen girls then instantly jumped into their beds and turned out the lights. Riley then got up and stood next to Maya and put a hand on her shoulder. Riley then said, "Maya, I... I've never seen you get so..." Maya then said, "I'm okay. I'm okay." Riley then said, "So... I guess you're gonna start preparing tomorrow's agenda then?" Maya smirked and said, "Yeah. You know what Riley... as much as free time and going with the flow is nice... I'm starting to think a little structure for these girls actually wouldn't be so bad."
TO BE CONTINUED...