I set my alarm clock half an hour earlier than I needed to get up for the first day of camp. My day bag was packed and I was prepared for the day ahead, but I wanted first dibs at the shower before Tina clogs up the drain with her hair or contaminates the air with her conditioner. Councilors share the smaller bathroom while campers from both groups share the multiplex. Plus taking a shower that night would be challenging with three middle school aged girls running, or in my case – rolling, around. I strip down to my boxer shorts and prepare my day's ensemble in my lap – the blue polo I was given yesterday and a pair of loose fitting khakis. After folding a belt on top of the pile in my lap, I roll down the short hallway to the bathroom.
From the outside of the cabins, one would expect the bathrooms to have the same kind of rustic feel. However, they look sparkling new with the kind of equipment that people like myself require to do mundane tasks such as taking a shower. In fact, the arrangements are similar to the ones I have at home, so I feel comfortable with the atmosphere. On the sink counter I place my clean clothes and fold up my glasses before stripping down – throwing my boxers sloppily on the floor. From my chair, I transfer onto the shower bench, and before I turn on the water, I drape a towel on the seat and armrests of my wheelchair for after.
The shower forces me awake and makes me feel less grubby from sleeping in an unfamiliar bed. I turn off the shower and shake out my hair before pulling the double layered shower curtain aside. Then I take my towel, run it along my torso, and though my hair once before placing it back on the seat of my chair so I can dry the lower half of my body without getting the seat wet. Pulling my chair closer, I transfer back inside and bend at the waist to place my feet on the rest. Using my knees for leverage, I push my torso vertical, and that's when the door opens.
"Oh my God," Tina shrieks. "Why are you naked?"
"I took a shower," I say, pulling the towel ends over my groin. "Why don't you knock?"
"I-I…um…I," she stutters, turning bright red.
"Go," I order.
"Sorry, sorry!" She squeaks in a panic before backing away and slamming the door.
I groan and run my hands down my face – stretching my skin over my cheekbones. Why me? I haven't been up fifteen minutes and I've already exposed my genitals to someone…no, not just someone, my ex-girlfriend. Lovely, splendid, this housing arrangement is already working out wonderfully. I try to put the event past me as I get dressed, and my attempts were successful until I open the door and see her flustered face again. She's picturing me naked, her scanning eyes makes it painfully obvious, but I just roll past back into my cabin.
By the time I work up the courage to face other people after the mishap, cars are pulling onto the campus. I hold my breath and pull up next to the other councilors gathered in front of the flag pole – waving at the incoming cars. I glance over at Tina, and she catches my gaze before slipping out of her place in the group and trotting towards me.
"Hey," she says.
"Hi," I drag out.
"Sorry about…earlier."
"Whatever."
"Can we stop pretending that we hate each other?" she asks.
"Who's pretending?"
"Artie, I'm serious."
I sigh and roll my eyes – "fine."
Tina looks forward before pressing her lips together and getting down on her knees next to the left side of my chair. She rests my elbows on my arm rest and looks up at me.
"Yes?" I question, getting annoyed with her persistence.
"Do you think we could talk later? You know – after our kids go to bed?"
"I don't remember inspirminating anyone."
"Artie, you know what I mean."
"If I say yes, will you leave me alone?" I ask.
"Yeah, sure," she says halfheartedly.
"Fine," I sigh.
"Great," she says, patting my armrest before standing up. "Meet me on the veranda after lights out."
Tina returns to the other side of the flagpole, and I die a bit inside. Ignoring her presence was going to be harder than expected, but I guess luck was on my side because she was chosen to stay outside for stragglers with a few other councilors. I on the other hand go into the mess hall with the rest of the staff to piece together our groups. Most councilors are paired with no more than four kids, but some campers, depending on their needs, get one on one attention. Like the quadriplegic enrolled requires more physical help than I can give, so he's paired up with a more able bodied councilor. I'm not the only disabled employee though, actually, it's encouraged for a more relatable experience for the kids.
I set myself up in a corner and adjust the name tag over my breast bone. It's not long before I'm approached by my first camper – a shy looking girl with thin rimed oval glasses and dark hair pulled into a simple ponytail down the back of her neck. She rolls up behind her father, who introduces her as Mikayla. I welcome her to camp and she smiles slightly, but otherwise keeps to herself. Then I hand her father a map of the campus, with our cabin circled in pen, and say that I'll be up in half an hour. It's hard to tell whether she'll be easy or difficult to get to know. I play the same routine with the two other girls; Sophie, the oldest with short blonde hair in pigtails, and Megan, the tiny girl with flaming red curly hair.
Once the three sets of parents finish getting their daughters comfortable, they're all mine until the end of summer. It's a scary thought, really – me being responsible for three middle school aged girls. They seem relatively well mannered though. I clear my throat to call their attentions, and all but Mikayla look at me instantly – she first dog ears her book and tucks it between her thigh and armrest.
"I'm not really good at this, but my name's Artie," I say, with a shy smile as I roll down the cabin. "I'm a junior in high school, I sing and play guitar for our show choir, I like to read, science is my favorite subject, and…oh, and I play football too."
"Football?" Sophie asks, raising her eyebrows.
"Mhmm," I smile and nod.
"How?"
"At school I have this special chair – kind of like a beach wheelchair but sturdier, and our quarterback pushes me down the field with the ball. I've made seven total touch downs."
"You really did that?" Mikayla softly asks.
"I sure did," I say. "I didn't get in right away though, the couch had her doubts, but it was my determination that made her let me play because I really wanted to win my…I really wanted to see if I could do it."
"Wow," she said with a faint smile.
That's right – I joined the football team to win Tina back. Sometimes I forget how much I really loved her, because at the time, I couldn't imagine doing anything so radical for anyone else. I shake off the thought and have the girls introduce themselves to clear my head.
By the end of the day, the girls are more social with each other and me, and I'm slowly getting to know them better. Mikayla's just as shy as I assumed, but she's also the most obedient. Sophie's more snarky, but is otherwise a good kid, and Megan's kind of a mix of the two, being probably the friendliest out of the three. I'm just glad none of them hate me.
To my dismay, they go to bed easily. Why do I have to have the well behaved kids that go to bed when they're told and take 'lights out' literately? I had secretly hoped that one of them would have a minor problem that prevented me from going out to meet Tina, but unfortunately – or fortunately, I'm not sure – that wasn't the case. And so, when I'm sure that they are asleep, or at least close, I quietly open the door and close it behind me as I roll out onto the deck. Tina's sitting between our cabins with her legs dangling off the side of the deck, and her forearms rested on the fence. The sun has almost set, and it's dark enough for the automatic porch lights. When she hears my door close, she looks back and gestures me over with her head. I reluctantly pull up next to her.
"I thought you weren't gonna show," she says, swinging her legs back and forth.
"I thought about it," I grimly say.
"Listen, Artie…I'm sorry."
"You can stop apologizing. I get it, it was an accident. It's not your fault; I should have locked the door-"
"N-no, not for that," she says with a hint of color. "I mean…for everything."
"A little late for that, isn't it?"
"Will you stop being so snarky and just listen to me for a minute?" She snaps.
"Fine."
"I'm sorry I hurt you, Artie," she says. "I was so – infested with Mike that I just snapped and it was wrong, and I'm sorry."
Infested is an understatement.
I sigh – "it's fine."
"No it's not," she says, shaking her head. "And I realize that now."
"I pushed you away. It's not your fault – but mine. I'm the reason that you strayed," I say, thinking out loud. "I-I'm sorry."
We both become quiet to the point where there's nothing but crickets chirping in the background. I think about turning around to go back inside, but then I hear a sniff that's far from my own, so I stay planted next to Tina until she speaks up.
"You were my best friend," she sniffs again. "I never had that with Mike."
What happened?
"D-don't cry, Tina."
"I-I know I did you wrong, and that you probably hate me but…do you think, I don't know, do you think we could try to be just friends again?" She asks, wiping her eyes. "I miss you."
I sigh and close my eyes, not wanting to make her anymore upset – "Okay, Tina."