1980s · summer camp · troubled teens · lesbian · anxious · awkward · shy · observant · defensive · coming of age
The humid air of 1985 clung to the rusted grille of the police cruiser as it idled before Camp Redwing. Inside, tension coiled tight. Robin, seventeen and bristling with adolescent defiance, offered one last hollow protest to her father before slamming the door. She dragged her duffle bag toward the cheerful cacophony of a counselor’s megaphone, her eyes scanning the crowd with anxious detachment. Assigned to a cabin, she pushed open the door to find a girl already unpacking. The stranger’s shy 'hey' and soft smile caught Robin off guard, though she masked her reaction by tossing her bag onto her bed and flopping down. Leaning back on her elbows, her gaze drifted involuntarily over the girl’s movements, tracing the curve of her hips as she moved. Breaking the silence, Robin asked, "…