THIRD SUMMER PART 1

Mariah

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I’m walking towards the new pool at camp, adjusting my swimsuit every step of the way. It’s the one thing I’ve been looking forward to all year, that, and the fact that I’ll no longer be the youngest girl at camp. (Oh, and that Madison is a peer counselor now, so she has to be assigned to a completely different bunk than me.)

Don’t get me wrong, I do get along with the older girls for the most part now, but they’re all really different from me and I’ve always felt more like a third wheel whenever I hang out with them.

This summer, there’s a handful of girls my own age assigned to the same cabin as me. I was expecting to find them unpacking when I arrived earlier, but the only thing I found was a bunch of suitcases.

I heard a few girls talking about heading to the pool, so that’s where I figured everyone ran off to. When I walk into the aquatics center, the locker room is already empty, so I check my reflection in the mirror one time before heading out to the pool.

This year, I’ve grown a few inches, and I now have curves where there once were none. Kelsey convinced me to trash all my old one-piece swimsuits and replace them with cute two–piece suits. I’m still not really comfortable rocking them yet, but I slip out of my shorts and tank top and go with it anyway.

Walking out to the pool, I glance around confused, there’s no one actually in the water. All of the girls, including a couple of the new ones I figure are my new bunk mates, are grouped up at the edge of the pool staring at something.

I look in the direction that they’re staring, but I only see a guy getting out of the pool.

“Hey, why’s no one in the pool? Did someone pee in the pool?” I ask the girls, walking over to where they’re standing. No one answers me, they just continue to stare at the guy and whisper to each other.

I don’t get it; he’s not even doing anything. I cross my arms and watch, hoping it’s the pool guy about to give us the all clear, but when he finally turns around, my jaw drops.

Oh. My. God.

That cannot be Liam. There’s no way that’s him.

He’s sexier than I remember. He has a full set of abs that are well defined and I can’t help but notice every muscle as water drips from his body. His dimple is on full display as he smiles. That’s when I realize he’s staring back at me.

My heart drops when he starts heading towards me.

“What’s up, Mariah? I wasn’t expecting you to arrive the first day,” he says stopping in front of me.

“Hey, Liam.”

“How was Jeopardy Camp? Didn’t you go there?”

“It was great. I’m going to join the Knowledge Bowl team when I start high school.”

“Okay.” He smiles. “Sorry I didn’t email you a lot, I had a lot going on with basketball stuff. Did Zach tell you I said “Hi,” every time he emailed you?”

“Yeah, he did.” I smile back at him.

“So you getting in?” He asks.

“Yeah.”

I follow him over to an empty lounge chair where I slip out of my flip flops and place my towel. I hear a bunch of giggling and look over at the other girls who are standing around, openly gawking at Liam. He, however, seems to be oblivious to the celebrity attention he’s receiving.

“Ready?” I start walking towards the shallow end.

“Yeah.” Liam says smirking, looking me up and down.

“What?”

“You look different this summer.” He smiles and I stop walking.

“Wait, before you say anything sarcastic, I meant that in a good way.” He smiles and I can feel my cheeks reddening.

“Um, I think I forgot something.” I rush back into the girl’s locker room, leaving Liam standing there looking confused.

Oh my god!

I quickly change back into my clothes and sneak out of the locker room, heading back to the girls’ cabin. I don’t remember Liam looking like that last summer and I have no idea how I’m going to make it all summer hanging around him ...

***

Later that night, I’m back in my cabin getting a head start on unpacking.

The new girls who I was looking forward to hanging out with earlier, I don’t think we’re going to have that much in common after all. They haven’t stopped talking about Liam all day.

Like right now, they’re still talking about him.

“Excuse me,” I squeeze between two of them carrying some of my writing supplies to my locker.

“Oh my god, did you see Liam in the mess hall tonight?”

“I know, he’s so hot.” They all say, smiling.

I shake my head and try not to roll my eyes.

“I wonder if he’s dating anyone? Does he have a girlfriend?” The one with the loudest voice turns to me.

“Why are you asking me?”

“We all saw you talking to him at the pool.”

“Yeah,” the other one says. “You clearly know him.”

“He’s my brother’s best friend.”

“Oh. Well, do you think he’s talking to anyone at camp?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Can you find out?”

“Yeah,” the loud one says again. “Ask him if he likes younger girls.

I give them both a blank stare and walk off, grabbing a new notebook on my way out. I walk down the path that leads away from the sleeping quarters and head towards the woods. I stop in front of my usual spot, the big oak tree that provides the best shade on the hottest days.

I sit down and turn to the first page and start jotting down a list of ways to avoid Liam Carter.

1.     Only go to the pool on days that he has basketball.

2.     Eat all my lunches under the big oak tree. (The one he doesn’t know about).

3.     Only go to the hot tub late at night when it’s girls only.

4.     –

I stop my list right there and remember that it’s currently night time and I want to get in the hot tub before it gets too late, since I didn’t get to swim earlier. I get up and head back to my cabin and change. Before I leave, I invite the other girls.

“I’m headed to the hot tub. Do you want to come?”

“Why?” Amber, the loud one, says confused. “There won’t be any boys there.”

“That’s the point.” I say, but she’s still looking completely confused.

“Never mind.” I sigh. “I’ll be back later.”

I walk back over to the aquatics center, but as I approach the hot tubs, I stop.

What the —

Liam’s sitting in one of the hot tubs with a girl on each side of him. I think about turning and walking away, but it’s too late, Liam spots me.

“Hey, Mariah,” he says, stepping out.

“Hey.”

“What are you doing out here?” He asks, grabbing a towel.

“What are you doing out here, it’s girls only at night?”

“Yeah, girls and counselors. I’m a junior counselor this summer.”

“Oh.”

“Are you getting in? Do you want to talk?”

“No, I wasn’t coming to get in.”

“You walked all the way across camp and you didn’t plan on getting in?”

“Yeah, I was just checking it out.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Liam.”

“Yes, there is. You’re mad at me about something. You ran off on me earlier and now you’re pretending you didn’t plan to get in the hot tub. What’s going on? Tell me.”

“Liam, there’s nothing wrong.”

“Do you promise?”

“Yes, I promise.”

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“Because you shouldn’t” — I mumble more to myself, but I’m sure he hears it. “It’s really nothing, I promise.”

“Okay.” He shakes his head, still looking unconvinced. “Good night, Mariah.”

“Good night, Liam,.” I say and walk off.

Okay, number four, no hot tub visits for the rest of the summer.