by Joanne Rock
Chapter Two
Trinity
“You’re going to catch flies if you don’t close that thing,” my bunkmate Jackie drawled beside me.
My mouth clamped shut, but I kept my eyes on the tree line where Seth Reines had just disappeared, willing him to come back. Despite the light breeze, perspiration dotted my forehead, and I lifted my long dreadlocks to cool off my neck. He’d really been here. As in, not an astral dream but reality. Though with his gorgeous blond curls, topaz eyes, and golden skin, he resembled some fae king of the summer court. If only he wanted to make me his fairy queen.
I sighed, refitted the arrow on the string, and lifted the bow.
A girl could wish.
I tried to slow my racing thoughts, but they sped along anyway. Seth had been carrying one of my yellow-tipped arrows. Was it a sign? Cupid’s attempt to bring us together? If only. I’d crushed on Seth for years, even before my former cabin mate Lauren saw Seth as more than a guy to swap comic book trivia with. But I’d sensed they were into each other and didn’t speak up. It was bad karma to betray your friends. So I’d stayed on the sidelines, telling only my diary about my secret crush, until Lauren’s mistake exposed it to the entire camp…including Seth.
It would have been mortifying, but, a part of me had hoped it would make Seth see me in a new light. But our stars had been determined not to align, even after he and Lauren broke up.
“I heard he’s doing some volunteer work to rebuild the old gazebo out by Crystal Falls, where we used to picnic,” I heard Jackie say to Yasmine, the new girl in our cabin this summer. “Some of the Wander Inn guys are signing up to help him during their free period.”
My pulse pounded. How had Jackie known Seth was here, and I hadn’t? I hoped she was right, that he was sticking around for a full, summer-long stay. A thrill shot through me, sending my thoughts in a million directions.
“Cool,” Piper, another member of our group, said as she stretched her arms over her head. “It’s great to re-use those building materials. It’s just been sitting in a heap for years.”
Kind of like my broken heart, I thought.
But she was right about the gazebo. It had still been in use the first couple of years I’d attended camp, but then they declared it unsafe and had roped it off. Over the last two years, the roof had fallen in.
“Ladies!” Mr. Barry shouted, calling me back to the archery exercise. “Ready! Aim!”
As I sighted the shot, I wondered if anyone could sign up to help Seth with the gazebo. I had worried I would never see him again, and now he appeared out of the forest like I’d dreamed him back to Camp Juniper Point. What if our stars were finally in sync? My fingers itched for the feel of my tarot cards to do a reading and see for myself. What a crappy time to have taken a break from divination. Why had I let my art teacher get under my skin with his crack about me being too interested in the supernatural? That my art wasn’t grounded in the real world and wouldn’t get me accepted into art school.
“Fire!” came the command.
The air reverberated with the collective release of our arrows, and I sighed, wishing I’d been able to express myself better to Mr. Slater. But what if he’d been right when he said I wasn’t a “serious artist”— whatever that meant. I’d never shied away from fanciful subjects, embracing Chagall so tightly I wished I could fall right into his bright paintings filled with myth and mysticism. But maybe I wasn’t showing enough range. A sigh escaped me as I imagined painting boring fruit bowls or flower arrangements.
I was trying like hell to be a Real World Girl this summer, and it sucked.
“I can’t believe he’s working here.” I shook my stinging hand and tried to sound offhand, like I didn’t care either way anymore. As if Seth hadn’t gotten even hotter now that he was an older guy, a college guy, and way out of my league. “Isn’t it weird that he’s staying so close to camp, but he’s not hanging out with us?”
Siobhan and Piper nodded, and hope surged. Maybe they’d find a way to invite him over. He might not be a camper anymore, but his grandparents owned the place. They could bend the rules. I wanted to break a few with him…
Jackie jogged closer and thumped our friend Alex, who never hit the board, on the shoulder. “Good job!”
I studied the arrow sticking on the left edge of her board.
“Isn’t that Trinity’s?” Yasmine retied the ends of her head scarf.
“Oops.” I forced a laugh. “That is mine. Guess I was distracted. Sorry, Alex.”
Distracted? Hah, that was an understatement.
I’d been in a fog even before I saw Seth, since I still hadn’t come up with a good project to balance out my art portfolio. How could I create art that was “grounded” and “authentic” when I could care less about real life— which— in my opinion, was overrated. Developing fantasy worlds on canvas helped me escape. I’d never stopped to think about what else I could do. Wasn’t that being false to my Muse or something?
Unless the gazebo could be a kind of art…
“All right, ladies, retrieve your missiles; we’re finished.” Mr. Barry gave the order that set us free.
Fueled by the idea taking shape in my head, I raced downfield to gather mine, hoping to catch a glimpse of Seth and ask him about the gazebo project. It was so reality based, it was perfect. Almost like destiny. Was my karma finally smoothing my way to at least make amends with Seth? I missed the friendship we’d had a long time ago.
“If some of the boys are helping Seth, you ought to be able to do that too, Trinity,” said Siobhan when we reached our targets, her bright mind picking up on my earlier question. “You should ask, Emily. You know she always fights for girls to be able to do anything the guys can.”
She plucked arrows from her archery board, and I dropped my nearly full quiver and had to start over. Alex helped me scoop up some, her expression surprised as she watched my shaking hands fumble.
“You should go for it, Trinity,” she said with a wink that made me blush.
How much more obvious could I get? They all knew about my crush, but I’d hoped they’d think I was over it. I’d seen firsthand how much drama a camp romance could bring, and I really needed to focus on my art this summer so I could knock Mr. Slater off his feet when I went back to school this fall.
Piper handed Alex one of her red-tipped arrows. “Let’s all sign up.”
“I’m in.” Yasmine pulled another arrow from her yellow bull’s eye.
Despite my turmoil, I was impressed. Was there anything our level-headed roommate didn’t do well? Maybe I should ask her for Seth advice since I wasn’t going to ask the tarot cards or even do a quick astrology reading.
“I can’t.” Alex grabbed the last of my missed shots and stuffed them in her quiver. “I’ve got to get my skit organized; and, as much as I want Trinity to have her chance with Seth, I really need the rest of you guys.”
Horrified, I pretended to look for another arrow behind an archery board. How could they discuss my feelings so casually? I might commune with spirits, but I wasn’t one.
“And why should your friends do what you want them to all the time?” I cheered silently and watched Yasmine’s hoops swing as we headed back to Mr. Barry. “Maybe they have their own dreams to explore and stars to follow.”
Yes! I wanted to shout, but Alex was having a tough summer and my issues could wait for later. I’d tell my new diary, the one I only wrote in under the covers with my flashlight. I wouldn’t take the chance of letting anyone see it again after last summer.
“Thanks for the life lesson, Yoda,” Alex shot back, earning a scathing look from Yasmine and a giggle from Jackie and Siobhan. Although I hated to admit it, Alex could use a few of those lessons. She’d returned to camp this year with an angry dark aura that sparked all around her. “But I can’t make all those costumes or sets by myself.”
Piper brushed past me, the faint smell of patchouli tickling my nose. She slung an arm around Alex.
�
�We can do both. Okay? No worries.”
My heart leapt. Both. As in, we’d all work with Seth, and I’d see him again. After a year of trying to turn off my feelings, putting my fingers in each hole in the dam that had held them back all these years, my resistance crumbled. I wanted to see him.
“Girls!” Emily, our cabin’s counselor, dashed our way, her hair wild, cheeks a bright pink. “You will never guess who is going to be leading a very special new initiative at camp.”
“We know!” I exclaimed then mouthed “Seth” at Alex. I wanted her to know that we were in this together and that I needed her support as much as she needed mine with her skit. The thought made me spin in a circle, my gauzy skirt billowing around my calves. “And we absolutely can’t wait. It’s going to be awesome.”
“Yes!” Emily fist-pumped like a New Jersey DJ. “Knew I could count on my home girls to help with my ‘Personal Development and Growth’ workshop.”
“Wait. What?” I stopped so fast that Piper ran into my back and we both stumbled. First Alex’s skit, and now Emily’s project? How would I ever see Seth? My gut twisted.
Emily steadied us. “I know. I’ve got to work on that title—something catchier. How does ‘Don’t be a Teen Statistic’ sound? More to the point, right?”
Jackie chuckled. “It says it all.”
“I liked the first name,” Yasmine said. “And I want to help.”
“Wait.” Alex sprinted ahead and turned to face us, halting our progress. “So now you’re all going to rebuild the gazebo with Seth and do Emily’s workshop…Hello? What about my skit? I need you. Where are your priorities?”
“Where are yours?” A cool voice shot back.
I watched as Alex gave Yasmine a dirty look, but all our zen bunk mate returned was a calm smile. Her soft blue aura was as soothing as a warm bath.
As I tuned out their squabbling, I stumbled over a piece of flat wood and scooped it up. It was perfect for the gazebo and a great reason to go back and see Seth in the woods…if I could catch him before he left.
I pulled Emily aside. “This would be great for a sign over the gazebo Seth’s rebuilding. Emily, do you mind if I run back and give it to him during our break before dinner?”
Emily gave me a level stare. “Why do I feel like this is about more than just a piece of wood?”
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment then nodded. There was no lying to Emily. She’d figure things out one way or another. “It is, but I’m not getting my hopes up.”
As the girls walked ahead, still arguing, Emily leaned down and whispered in my ear. “You, of all people, should have faith in things that don’t seem possible.”
Her eyes twinkled, and her blonde ponytail bobbed as she inclined her head. “Now, get!”
My headlong rush was halted by her next words. “Be back in time for dinner. I don’t want to explain to Mr. Woodrow why you missed out on cheese-filled arepas and fudge pops.”
“With peanut butter!” she added in a shout as I took off, my stomach too filled with butterflies to feel hungry.
I flew past a confused-looking Mr. Barry, down the archery course and through the gap in the trees, where a faint thud and a cutoff swear word told me Seth hadn’t left.
Thank. You. Goddess.
Only— now that I was here, fear caught up with me. Seth had been kind last summer after he found out about my crush, but I’d never read anything from him other than friendship. I’d crushed on him so hard one summer, I’d even gone home and asked my mother to do a reading for me— hoping against hope her superior skills with cartomancy and astrology would show her something in my future that I couldn’t see. But there’d been no hint of Seth in her reading either, leading her to warn me about the dangers of using our family’s “gift” for personal insights.
I shrank back a little, debating what to do next. My gift had gotten me more ridicule than anything, but I still believed one day I’d be able to use it wisely and for good reasons, the way my mother did. Her readings weren’t a money grab to tell people they’d find true love. Her sessions with clients helped counsel lost souls. Her talent for pairing natural human insight with the understanding of the cards brought new self-awareness to people who would never visit a psychologist. It was a beautiful thing. Making me wonder why I’d let Mr. Slater convince me I needed some time away from all things mystical.
Reminding me why I was here. Why I had to get over my old feelings for Seth and talk to him about the gazebo.
“Trinity?” His familiar, husky voice called to me, and the small hairs on my arms rose, my pulse thrumming. “Is that you?”
A twig cracked as he stepped toward the place where I stood, half hidden behind a tree.
I swallowed over the cotton suddenly lining my mouth, and held up the flat, wood piece I’d found earlier. My perfect conversation starter about the gazebo. Only seeing him this close, his amber-colored eyes making me forget my name, flustered me to no end. How much time had I spent daydreaming about him?
“This is perfect,” I managed then flushed when his slanted brows came together in confusion. “I—uh—mean—it’d be perfect for us.”
His mouth opened slightly as he seemed to struggle with what to say.
Oh, this was a disaster.
I leaned closer to hand him the piece of wood and then backed up fast, heat crawling up my neck. Here was my chance to finally put my artistic skills to use in a practical format, and I babbled like an idiot, making no sense.
“It’s for the gazebo,” I said, my shoulders hunched.
I could feel my aura shriveling to a weak shade of gray.
Seth’s eyes widened, understanding dawning. “I didn’t know they’d announced I was working on that.”
“Your former cabin mates already signed up to help you.” I shifted on my flip-flops, dried pine needles sliding over my toes.
Seth stepped back. “It’s an activity? I’m working on it alone.”
I shrugged, curious about his defensiveness. Aquarian to the core, Seth had always been full of natural charisma and personal integrity. Everyone liked him. It seemed strange to see him so protective of his project.
“You know Gollum, always finding opportunities for us to have,” I made air quotes, “real-world experiences.”
A rush of air escaped him. “Our camp director wouldn’t know reality if it bit him in the ass. Sorry to say it, Trinity, but camp is an escape from real life, a fantasy world that someday we all wake up from.”
I had the feeling we were talking about more than camp. More than the gazebo. Was he still hung up on Lauren, or had she hurt him enough to make him sound like this bitter version of himself?
“There’s nothing wrong with a little fantasy,” I said, my art teacher’s criticism still ringing in my ears even months afterward. I liked my fairy paintings. Why shouldn’t I draw and paint what I liked? Create worlds I wished I could live in?
Seth shook his head and looked at me sympathetically, as if I were a child. “The real world finds you soon enough. One day, you’ll understand.”
Like he was so much older and wiser than me? For some reason, that really ticked me off. I was tired of people treating me like some New Age Luna Lovegood just because I happened to like astrology and mythology. I’d grown up in a small New England tourist town, filled with artisans. Back home, no one had ever suggested it was wrong to use a Ouija board, to see futures in the patterns of cards, to paint worlds and creatures that didn’t exist. Maybe I’d been sheltered. Then again, maybe I’d just been lucky to be born in a place that was so non-judgmental and accepting of others.
Besides, I didn’t think I was ready to consider the alternative—that I wasn’t grown up and might never be ready for a world that wasn’t the fairytale I wanted. Or worse, that Seth wasn’t the prince I’d once dreamed about.
“I want to help you restore the gazebo,” I blurted.
“I’m not really restoring it. I’m rebuilding it from the ground up.” He handed me back the woo
den piece and shook his head.
We could debate that later. Right now, I just wanted him to let me help. He didn’t believe in karma, but I did. And I was convinced that fate had brought us together to work on this project, if nothing else.
“Okay. But still. I’d like to be a part of it.” I took back the piece of driftwood, but I was just going to save it. I could almost envision a new sign over the restored structure.
“If the guys are coming, I guess that’s okay. I could use the labor. But this isn’t an art project. We’ll be pouring foundations and putting up walls. It’s going to have some weight and heft to it.”
“Of course.” I tucked the driftwood under my arm. That’s what I wanted after all— art that was both useful and beautiful. “But it can still be pretty like the old one. It’s a part of camp history.”
He lifted an eyebrow.
“I’m starting over. The old gazebo is gone. If you’re not okay with that, maybe this isn’t the right a project for you.”
His stubbornness surprised me. He’d always been so easygoing. Had I just been seeing what I wanted?
“‘You’re never too old to set a new goal or to dream another dream,’” I quoted from C.S. Lewis, hoping he’d give an inch.
He grabbed a large piece of shorn trunk and lugged it over to a small motorized truck. It landed with a thunk and rattled around the metal bed. When he turned, his eyes had dimmed, a set sun.
“‘Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.’” The sinewy grace of his movements as he strode back made my breath catch, despite his bleak words. He leaned closer to me, meeting my gaze head on. “Buddha said that. Sorry, Trinity.”
That was it? He was done dreaming, so forget about any artistic flare in the new gazebo?
I started to turn, feeling gray from the inside out. My aura must have been in blackout mode because, it felt like Seth wasn’t Seth anymore. Like the boy I’d crushed on forever had been stolen away, leaving a hollow shell of a person behind. If you didn’t dream or have hope, what did you have inside? White noise, maybe. Not much else.
