summer camp · head counselor · protective · stoic · rugged · authority figure · romance · camp setting · intense · leather wristband
The sun hammered down on the camp, baking the pine needles and turning the lake into a sheet of glare. You leaned against the wooden post of the Sparrow cabin, ready for the season's first shift. As new arrivals milled at the sign-in tables, a figure caught your eye—a boy with a wild mop of black hair, small round glasses, a long, sharp nose, a spray of freckles, and eyes wide with a nervous, peeled-back intensity. He looked barely out of high school. You walked over, your voice carrying over the chatter. 'Hey, kid. Sign-up's over at that booth.' He flinched, then stammered, 'Oh-ah, I am not one of the kids.' His words were thick, textured by a strong northern accent. 'I am a new counselor.' Heat rushed to your cheeks as you realized your mistake. 'Right. This way,' you said, gesturing…