A/N: It's been a while, hasn't it. For those that enjoy this story, my sincerest apologies, I'll try to update more. All of the non-Artina on Glee inspires me to write this more because I want to make everything right between them and RM isn't doing that for me. Thanks for reading and putting up with my hiatus(').
"Artie…Artie?"
"Is he dead?"
"Dead people don't breathe, Megan."
"Should we poke him?"
"I don't know!"
Little do they know – I'm already awake…and I have been since they started frolicking around the cabin five minutes ago. I kept my eyes closed the intension of falling back asleep, but it was to no avail. As one of the girls prods my ribcage with one of their fingers, I consider springing up and shouting 'boo'. However, I deem such an action inappropriate – for the first day at least. Instead, I blink my eyes open and look over at the figures on my right. They're both blurry, but I'm able to distinguish Megan by her hair on the left and Sophie by her lack of wheelchair on the right.
"Yes?"
"Artie, do you know how to french braid?"
"No?" I answer, dragging out the vowel as I question, to myself, what makes a braid French.
"I did my best," Sophie half-heartedly says, putting most of her weight in her left crutch as her right hand cups Megan's shoulder.
I quietly groan to myself as I slowly sit up and fold my sleeping bag over my lap. Running my hands up my face, I rub out the collected sleep from the corners of my eyes before plopping them back down into my lap.
Upon hearing Tina's voice from across the building, I point down the corridor that separates the two rooms. "There," I order. "Go down there and ask the girl with black and blue hair. Her name's Tina."
The girls exchange glances before heading in the direction I've pointed them to. Once they're gone, I fall back against my pillow, cover my face, and sigh to myself. Maybe there will be coffee available at breakfast. Even if I can't stand the stuff, the bitter taste is sure better than feeling drowsy all day. I shouldn't be so tired for the first official day of camp. I shouldn't have stayed up with Tina half the night. This shouldn't be happening.
"A-Artie?"
That's right, I have one more. I uncover my face and turn my head to the right. The only other person in the room other than me is Mikayla. She's sitting on her bed, across from me, with a purple backpack held to her chest – looking ready to leave at any moment.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm alright", I say, slowly sitting up again. "Just tired."
She nods almost understandingly. That's when I notice the dark patches formed under her eyes.
"Mikayla, Mikayla come here!"
Her eyes light up and I give her a nod of approval to join her cabin mates on the other side of the building. She transfers into her wheelchair and rolls out of sight. Someone so young shouldn't look so tired, but I figure in that it was probably that 'first night in a new place' kind of insomnia and let it be.
With the girls out of the room, I quickly change from my nighttime attire to khakis and a T-shirt. There's not time for much else…we're already behind schedule. My shower would have to be moved forward twelve or so hours to a point between where all the girls are asleep and when Tina might want to talk. Would she want to talk again? Granted I'm exhausted, but it was kind of nice…even if half the time she looked as if she was going to cry. Then again, do I want to talk again? I don't think I'm ready to be friends. Heck, I don't even know if I like her here.
"I think these belong to you."
I look up to see Tina standing in the doorway, arms crossed with her eyebrows raised. Sophie, Megan, and Mikayla file in after her; all with neatly braided pigtails, except for Mikayla who chose to have a single braid down her back. They come in, return to their designated bunks, and begin to gather their belongings. I begin to feel bad for accidentally forcing my girls onto Tina, who most likely already had her hands full with her own campers, but before I can even begin to mouth an apology – her back is turned and she's already on her way back to her side of the cabin.
"Come on, Artie. Come on!" Sophie says. "Tina said it's breakfast time."
"Okay, okay," I chuckle, pulling my wheelchair closer to bed.
The girls wait for me to transfer into my chair before following me out of the cabin. It's the beginning of a beautiful day. The sun is shining with only a few transparent white and fluffy clouds coving the blue sky, which makes the current on the lake sparkle like diamonds. Even from outside, the sweet smell of blueberry pancakes and freshly ground coffee, are apparent. I take the warm air through my nose, sigh happily, and send my campers with their grumbling bellies inside.
The meal program is basically like a small, tasty smelling factory. The cafeteria ladies build healthy square meals on white dinner plates, and campers and councilors alike pick up their own try with the exception of those with special meal plans, allergies, or extreme mobile deficiencies. Then there's a buffet type of table with fruits, vegetables, drinks, and cold meal options like peanut butter and jelly or cereal. Groups are assigned to tables depending on what program and cabin they're in. Campers with less mobility are closer to the kitchen. I guide our group of four to our table for seven and give a brief explanation of how meals work before sending them off. I'd get my own food after Sophie, Megan, and Mikayla are settled.
"Good morning."
I look over my shoulder to see Tina one handedly bringing a breakfast tray from over my head down to the spot at the table next to me. A child half of her height confidently follows after her with a walker and Tina helps him get settled at the table before pulling out her own chair to sit next to me.
"Hi," I reply, playing with the Velcro on the gloves under the table.
"How was your night?"
"Fine," I shrug.
Tina starts to open her mouth, but then suddenly her torso jerks forward and breakfast food flies over her head and onto the table. I look back and Tina's second camper stands a couple feet back with his tray dangling from his hand and a terrified look on his face. Without thinking I push away from the table and turn myself to face a shaken boy.
"Hi, my name's Artie," I say playing my hand on his shoulder, "I'm the councilor that lives next door. What's your name?"
"My name's C-Caleb. W-what happened?"
I look back at Tina who has maple syrup dripping down her face and egged lodged in her hair.
"Uh…you just had a little mishap with the table. Everything's okay, though."
I take a hold of the boys hand and bring it to the handles of my chair. "Come on, the table's not too far away. Just follow me. We'll get you another plate of food."
Tina gets up, covers her face, and sprints in the direction of the bathroom just in time for Sophie, Megan, and Mikayla to return to the table with their breakfasts'. Mikayla carries her own tray in her lap, and Megan balances two on account of Sophie and her crutches.
"What happened here?" Sophie asks, surveying the scene with raised eyebrows.
"Mikayla, you're in charge, Sophie, find someone to help clean this up, and Megan you help Caleb here get breakfast. Go!"
"But…" Sophie starts.
"Go."
"Okay, okay!"
The girls scramble in different directions, while I follow the trail of scrambled eggs to the girls bathroom. First, I knock at the appropriate door, but then realize there's no knob and that it simply swings back and forth. I slowly bring my hand away, thankful no one saw that. Turning around in the hall way, I back up into the wooden door until it gives in, and my wheels are upon black and white tiles. To my immediate right is a low counter with two sinks and in-between those two sinks, sits Tina with tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Artie, you were right," she sniffs, wiping tears from under her eyes. "I don't belong here."
"W-what?"
"I don't have a disability…I can't understand these kids. For heaven's sake, Artie, I have 20/20 vision and I'm the councilor of two legally blind children. I don't know how to interact with them. I'm not familiar with the line between overbearing and helpful. That's why I have egg in my hair. Zach seemed fine on his own, so I assumed the same for Caleb. I'm so…stupid. He probably hates this place now because of me. I should just go home," Tina cries.
"You had no problem with Megan, Mikayla, and Sophie this morning," I say after a brief silence.
"That's different," she says, reaching over to the wall for a paper towel to blow her nose in.
"No it's not," I say, shaking my head. "Caleb, Zach…Mikayla, Sophie, Megan…they're all just kids."
Tina sighs and looks down at her swinging feet.
"How did you feel when you first met me?"
Tina shrugs.
"I bet you were kind of nervous. People are always afraid of saying the wrong things around me."
Tina nods.
"But you got though that. In fact, you were the first one to befriend me. Then we became best friends…and fell in love."
Tina smiles.
"You just need to get to know them better. It's just the first day – you have thirteen more to go."
"M-maybe you're right," she says, picking up her head.
"Now no more tears. I'll take care of Caleb and Zach, you go ahead and freshen up. I'll meet you back at the table."
Tina nods and I give her a small smile before turning around.
"Hey, Art?"
I look back at her, "y-yeah?"
"Thank you."