A few days had passed since Dylan had manipulated Hunter into pulling off the prank, which left several campers sick from the tainted food. The counselors suspected it was a camper's doing, but they couldn't identify the culprit, so they decided to shut down the camper helper program in the mess hall.
Dylan smirked at Celeste when he overheard the announcement from the head counselor, a snobby preteen nicknamed "Bitchy Anna" by the other counselors.
"Alright, campers, we believe that one of you may have been behind this little prank with the food," Anna announced with an exasperated sigh. "And since the camper responsible hasn't come forward, we are shutting down the camper helper program in the mess hall." A chorus of groans erupted from the campers. "But you'll still be able to help out in the fishing competition today," Ryder added, shooting Anna a slight glare.
After Anna and Ryder dismissed them to the lake for the competition, Dylan and Celeste strolled towards the boat dock. "I can't believe they shut down the helper program just because Hunter won't own up," Dylan whispered with a smirk.
"I know, right? He's such a coward for not confessing," Celeste replied, rolling her eyes as they walked along the dock.
Dylan's smirk faded when he spotted the fishing competition teams list. It showed that he and Celeste were paired with Hunter. Both of them groaned in frustration at being stuck with him.
"I can't believe we're stuck with him," Celeste muttered, clearly annoyed. Dylan's expression shifted into a sly grin. "Maybe we could use a little... team manipulation this time," he suggested, his smirk growing.
"How exactly?" Celeste asked, giving him a curious look. Dylan raised an eyebrow at her, his tone playful. "Isn't it obvious, my dear Celeste?" he said, and she caught on quickly.
"Oh, just to keep him quiet?" she asked, smirking back.
"Precisely, Cece," Dylan replied, but neither of them noticed that Hunter had overheard their conversation and was already hatching a plan of his own.
An hour later, the three of them were among the first to reach the lake, and Hunter played along with Dylan and Celeste's scheme, making them believe that their manipulation was working. He acted cooperative, lulling them into a false sense of control.
But about two hours into their fishing, Hunter suddenly stood up, yanked off his swimming trunks, and tossed them overboard, leaving Dylan and Celeste shocked. He turned to Dylan, smirking. "Look at you, too scared to do anything real with Celeste. What kind of wimp are you?"
Celeste's expression turned to disgust as she processed Hunter's crude remarks about her and Dylan's relationship. But for Dylan, the taunts struck a deeper chord—his PTSD from past trauma rushed back, overwhelming him as he struggled to keep his composure.
Celeste immediately noticed the change in Dylan's demeanor—his face paled, his breathing grew shallow, and his eyes darted around, lost in painful memories. He was in the middle of a full-blown spiral, triggered by Hunter's taunts.
Without hesitation, she stepped between Dylan and Hunter, her expression shifting from shock to fierce protectiveness. "Hunter, back off," she snapped, her voice low and dangerous. "You have no idea what you're messing with."
Hunter hesitated, the confidence from his stunt wavering as he caught the intensity in Celeste's eyes. He could see that Dylan wasn't just angry—he was struggling with something much deeper.
"Dylan, hey, focus on me," Celeste said softly, turning back to him. She cupped his face gently, forcing him to meet her eyes. "It's just us, okay? Forget about him. Breathe with me." She took a slow, deep breath, hoping Dylan would follow her lead.
Dylan's hands trembled, his mind still caught in the whirlpool of past trauma. But he clung to Celeste's voice, grounding himself as she guided him through the moment. Her presence, strong and unwavering, became his anchor. Gradually, his breathing slowed, and the fog in his mind began to clear.
As Dylan regained some control, Celeste shot a final glare at Hunter. "You pull a stunt like that again, and you'll regret it. Got it?" she warned, her voice dripping with cold fury.
Hunter swallowed hard, realizing he might have pushed too far. He muttered a reluctant apology, backing away as Dylan and Celeste stayed close, his smirk long gone.
The ride back to shore was eerily quiet. Nobody spoke a word, the tension hanging heavy between them. Dylan stared out at the water, still trying to steady his thoughts, while Celeste kept a protective eye on him, her expression unreadable. Hunter, seated apart from them, finally grasped the gravity of what he had done, his earlier bravado slipping away.
As soon as the boat touched the shore, Celeste and Dylan climbed out quickly, wasting no time. They marched straight over to the counselors, determination in Celeste's stride and a guarded look on Dylan's face.
Celeste addressed the head counselor, Ryder, and Anna, her voice steady but edged with anger. "We need to talk. Hunter pulled a stunt out on the lake that crossed a line," she said, making sure to keep her tone firm. Ryder's expression turned serious, and even Anna's typical air of indifference faded as she listened.
Hunter, still lingering by the boat, felt a chill run down his spine. He knew this wasn't going to end well for him. As he watched Celeste recount the events, his earlier confidence evaporated, replaced with the realization that he'd dug himself into deep trouble.
End of Chapter Two