Higgins Haven
1995
Winter is melting away. Spring beckons forth all sorts of chaotic changes in the world, as the flowers begin to push through the earth and once again stand resilient in what was once seemingly barren. The sprouts of life shining through, tiny birds flickering through the trees as they return from their long trip south for the winter. Gathering eagerly as they know they must do. Creatures great and small awakening from a long undisturbed slumber.
The winter had been harsh on the land, and the Crystal Lake still slumbered on. Frozen in time, the thick ice still remaining undisturbed.
The sunlight shimmers across the ice and it truly feels like the lake is alive, a precious gem left abandoned once again to nature, or at least it was before they had arrived. The cabins left from previous campers and a sizable family home had all but been forgotten over the years. An ideal place for a group of teens looking to enjoy their last few months of freedom before digging their heels into a new life of hard work, and determination. Training would be difficult without a doubt, but each had their individual hopes for what the next few summers would bring to them.
The Head Counselor was certainly getting the cabins organized regardless of their disinterest, there is certainly no rest for the wicked when Kenny is involved. They have all arrived early in the year to enjoy the brief respite the trip can afford them, a choice few wish they could have headed straight to Packanack to begin training now so that they'd have more time to set up their second choice for the campgrounds. The place had been long abandoned much like this, but it had the benefit of being a former Camp.
Although the cabins they have are secure for now, there are not enough to go around for permanent lodging. It's clear that this area would not be suitable for their campgrounds. Progress repairing housing is going along smoothly, although some have taken to hiding in the largest house, Apparently called Higgins Haven according to the mailbox. A young girl sits inside on an armchair near the fireplace, her brown hair has been left frizzy from the humidity. She fidgets in her seat, uncomfortably.
Tiffany had to admit this wasn't her first choice for a summer job, but if her novels had any truth to them, she would surely find love this summer, although seeing what her heart has set itself on this time around she was uncertain. Peering cautiously over the top of her sketchbook at the self-proclaimed rocker chick snoring away on the sofa. Her hand moved decisively along the page as she roughly mapped out A.J's face, the slightest speck of the beauty mark above her lip didn't go unnoticed from her attention.
For a moment she paused and pulled the book close to her chest as the other girl took in a sudden breath, caught in the momentary fear of being caught she slips the book underneath the radio on the table beside her.
A.J does not startle awake as Tiffany fears she will, instead she remains peacefully asleep simply turning over onto her side. Smiling fondly at her Tiffany feels a sense of forlorn hope that the summer may just bring them closer in more ways than one. Making a move to stand up and grab a blanket, she barely takes a few steps towards the dresser when the front door slams open. The handle cracking against the wall, near enough leaving a dent in the wood as both herself and A.J jolt forward.
The sleeping girl practically throws herself from her spot on the sofa as she looks around, alarmed as she shouts. "I'm Up! W-What's going on?" before aiming a dry look at Kenny's excited face in the doorway. "Oh… It's just you… What's up dude?"
Kenny walks purposefully to them and gives A.J a hand up before launching into his latest spiel about their current situation, Tiffany nearly zones completely out of the conversation as the two make what could only be considered snide comments on one another's performance thus far.
"I'm just thrilled that we have enough cabins to start working on the cars now! Then we can get some freedom for our… more flighty Counselors. I've noticed how restless certain individuals are." Kenny sighed, as A.J let out a dry chuckle before responding. "And by individuals. You mean Chad."
They both share a laugh at the expense of their fellow counselor and even Tiffany finds herself joining in, if there is one thing everyone can agree on it's that Chad's a dick.
After a brief pause, Kenny reaches into the pocket of his plaid shirt and pulls out a scrap of paper.
"I nearly forgot why I came here in the first place. We've got enough cabins for people to stay in, without having us all crammed together here."
He declares to the pair of them before unfolding the note, clearing his throat dramatically as he makes his announcement. A.J and Tiffany share a bemused look before turning their focus back to Kenny as if they'd been listening intently. "We'll be sharing two to a cabin in most cases. I'm afraid you'll be solo A.J, we've got 'Pfeifer Flat' set up for you. Tiffany you'll be sharing with Vanessa in 'The Byrd cage'. She's already set up there, looks like she nailed a bird house to the front of your cabin. I'm not sure if that's in protest or just in jest."
He takes a quick breath as Tiffany interjects, "Wait. Did she make the bird house?" to which Kenny seems to flinch for a moment.
"Well… I was a bit too intimidated to ask, she was holding a hammer at the time and joked that she'd hit me with it. I wasn't sure if she was serious or not after all the running about she's been doing for me today." He waves off her next question to finish rattling off the names and cabins.
"Adam and Rob will be staying in 'Carmines Moose Loose'. I've set up Chad and Brandon in the 'Stately Prince Manor' as well."
This time it is not Tiffany who interrupts him but A.J. "Wait. Wait a minute. Chad and Buggzy? The poor guy… having to deal with Mr 'I hate physical labour?' Mr 'Do you know who I am' himself."
She snorts and shakes her head, making an exaggerated scoff as she imitated the blond man to a giggling Tiffany. Ignoring the glare that Kenny is leveling at her for the interruption, she raises her hands up in a mock surrender and lets him continue again.
"Eric and Deborah have volunteered to share 'Puopolo Cabin' since its closest to where we've pushed the cars too."
"I'll be sharing with Jenny since she's made some ground breaking advancements to my plans, I think we will work very well together!" Kenny claps his hands together and takes both of them by the arm, "Let's go ladies! No time like the present!" and proceeds to haul the both of them outside.
Tiffany shakes her head, her sketchbook laying forgotten on the table as they disappear down the trail towards the other cabins.
As the day stretches on they do not return to Higgins Haven and decide to simply bunker down in their new cabins until Kenny eventually collects them for dinner.
The last rays of sun filter through the trees, the cold chill of the evening settling into the air as leaves crunch underfoot. Vanessa jogs lightly towards the large ranch house, shaking her head at the still wide open door as she makes her way inside. Closing the door behind her to stop the cold coming inside, there wasn't much to be done now. The fire had blown out and the door had been left open all day it seemed.
But she wasn't here to simply just lock up the place. Lifting up the radio she plucked the sketchbook from beneath it with a small smile, one of these days Tiffany would need to be more careful with her things.
Vanessa pauses before she heads for the door, curiosity getting the better of her as she lifts the front cover of the book up- she gets a glance of 'Tiffany Cox' in glittery pink gel pen. The large cursive signature taking up the entirety of the first page.
She chuckles and turns the page, although she has to take pause at the familiar face in the book…There is a very discreet heart sitting in the bottom corner of the sketch and Vanessa gasps before closing the book and heading out the door, locking it behind her.
Yes. Tiffany definitely needed to be more careful with her things.
Especially the ones involving her secrets.