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Dear Sister, Here's Some Advice

Deep Dark Woods

“If anything happens, I’m the one you contact first, ok? Anybody else comes later,” John ordered through the open car window one last time as I was stood outside with my duffle bag at my feet.

“Yes, I know,” I replied for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. “Unless it’s an ambulance. But under no circumstance should I call Jack first because he can’t come to help me while you’re available at all hours.”

“Exactly.” John nodded. “It doesn’t matter if I’m working on the songs with the others or if it’s the middle of the night, I’ll always drive out here if something’s wrong.”

“Ok, ok. You can repeat it and repeat it, but I actually do have to go now,” I told him as I picked up the bag and hung it from my shoulder.

“Alright. I’ll be back here in a week.”

“Bye, John.” I laughed and started walking away.

If I wasn’t going to be the first one to go, he was going to drill me a few more times. I got that he had a child that needed to have instructions told to her over and over again, but one time was enough for me, especially if it was concerning this. No, nothing was wrong with me, but the guys were still super protective. Hence why John was telling me that I was his emergency contact, not Jack. With him out in Australia right now, there was no point calling him if I had a medical emergency. Even I knew that was common sense.

I was in a forest, the trees towering over me. Honestly, it was the perfect forest to get lost in if it weren’t for the fact that I knew it took just a five-minute drive to get out of the woods and that there were multiple wooden cabins in front of me. I had no idea which building I had to be, but I was guessing the larger one in the middle. It only made sense if the smaller cabins scattered around the place contained bunks for the kids.

Nobody was walking around yet. The camp was only officially starting the next day, so nothing was busy. All the counselors, however, had to come either today or the day before to get everything set up. So, here I was in an unknown place with people I did not know at all. It was so unusual for me to just go ahead with something unfamiliar. I always preferred to have something I knew around. This time it was just my phone that barely got signal.

I entered the communal hall by pushing open the wooden doors with glass panels, and found a group of other people inside. At least I know knew that this was a real thing and not just somebody trying to lure me outside. Yes, I know, horrible. The outside! I just meant with creepy intentions.

“Ah, you must be Ireland!” A super happy girl probably just a little older than me with long blonde hair chirped as she saw me walking towards the group.

I nodded and smiled a little, not exactly sure if they wanted me to introduce myself or say anything. Was I supposed to apologize for being late despite actually being a little early? It seemed like everybody else was already here. This was my social awkwardness coming out. By now, I was ok with meeting one or two people at a time since it had occurred more often ever since Jack and I started dating. Large groups, however, still got me every single time.

The girl thanked me before I even had to do anything, “thank you so much for coming. I have no idea where we would have been without you. We were freaking out for a little while, but then Ben suggested that you could possibly make it.”

I frowned a little. Who the hell was Ben? And how did he know about me? Was it some fan who happened to know I danced? But my questions were going to be answered without me having to say them outloud because the girl pointed to some guy next to her. My eyes nearly bulged out of my skull when I saw the guy with dark brown hair. Despite only having seen him once before, I could still recognize him. He was the guy from the swimming pool when I had gone to visit Jack while he was staying in LA; he was the guy that lead me to telling Zack that I was demisexual; he was the guy Alex had to fend off because of my memory problems.

“So, since you guys know each other, I thought it would be best for you to work together today,” the girl continued, holding her clipboard that had a few pieces of paper with information on it.

I shook my head a little. “I don’t know him…”

“Oh, he said you guys used to dance together.”

I felt a little bad that that was the first thing I said, but I didn’t know any better. I just shook my head again, only this time at Ben. “I don’t know you.”

“Come on, Ireland.” He laughed awkwardly as if I was offending him. “We broke up ages ago, there’s no need to act like you don’t know me and push me away anymore.”

Everybody gave me a judgemental look. In just a few sentences, Ben made me look like I was a person to hold grudges for way too long, like I couldn’t drop things from years ago. Anybody hung up on their ex for so long would be deemed annoying. Only, he wasn’t my ex, or at least he wasn’t to me. I didn’t know anything about him, and I definitely wasn’t holding a grudge against him.

I could already tell that this was going to be a very long week.

----

The next day, after all the kids had arrived, settled in their respective cabins and had their introduction, the first ‘meeting’ went down. Basically, they were put into groups for all the dancing classes. There were a few more activities they did with other people, but this was going to be their main group. All the kids I had helped out when they will still figuring out where to be were so nice. They all seemed so excited to be here. However, when I met my group, things were a whole lot different.

Something told me I was assigned to the problematic group. Maybe that initial introduction the day before had been worse than I expected.

I had some bitchy-ass girls that acted way too spoiled and some guys that kept checking me out. It was like the other counselors had picked out all the kids they knew would be a pain in the ass to work with and put them all in one group. Because I could swear that not everybody at this camp was like this. Most people weren’t. It actually seemed like these kids were forced to come rather than wanting to come themselves, like this was supposed to help them out with their problematic behavior. Well, I wasn’t an actual counselor, so things could only go horribly wrong.

“Yo, miss, somebody ever tell you you look great in that top?” One of the teenage guys licked his lips as he stared at my chest. I was wearing a tankt op that wasn’t all too revealing at all, but he still managed to sexualize it all.

I was about to make clear to him that nothing would ever happen. Not only was he underage, but I had Jack and was not into that kind of thing. “Actually--”

“You have a boyfriend?” He winked with a nod, causing the other boys to cheer him on and a few of the girls to giggle.

“She does, actually.” Ben came walking into the studio with a yellow clipboard, holding a list.

Immediately all the girls started checking him out, their mouth hanging open, as he walked up to me. He stood way too close for my liking. I was able to feel the heat radiating from his body, his breath just barely missing me. So, I took a discrete step away.

“Everybody here?” He asked me, a page with the names of all the kids in my group on the clipboard.

I nodded, wanting him to leave already. He was being way too up close and personal. All I knew about him was that his name was Ben. He was definitely in my personal bubble. But that didn’t stop him from taking a step closer to me.

Before I would move away again, he whispered, “I’m sorry that you got stuck with this group. I know hip-hop isn’t exactly your thing.”

I squinted at him, bending away so that we were no longer that close. “Since when has it not my thing? It’s always been the one thing I feel most comfortable with.”

“Nah, nah, nah,” he shook his head, making me cringe at his tone, “you always hated it.”

“You’re probably thinking about somebody else.” I sarcastically smiled and pointed in the direction of the door. “Now, we’ve got things to do, so if you would kindly leave.”

As soon as Ben left, the same boy smirked at me again. “Ooh, sassy, I like it.”

“Ok, number one, gross. Number two, hell no. Number three, in your dreams,” I shot back. I was not going to spend my time here being harassed by some teenage boy that couldn’t keep it in his pants. “No, why don’t we just begin with doing what you’re actually here for--”

“Why did you cut your hair so short?” a girl asked while twirling her blonde hair. “It doesn’t really suit you.”

I knew that my hair was in a kind of awkward phase right now, but really? Sure, it was just a little too long to be considered a good pixie cut, but it was nowhere near a bob either. How could she even say it didn’t suit me if she had never even seen me with a different haircut? Where these kids really out here to get me?

Only the truth could shock her the most. “I had to shave it all off during some harsh chemotherapy sessions. It’s taking it’s time to grow back.”

She didn’t have anything to say after that. Nobody really did. It was quite satisfying to see that nobody could think of a remark to make. You couldn’t sexualize this and there was no way you could actually insult somebody about this. So, I turned back around toward the mirror, able to keep an eye on everybody without actually directly looking at them.

“So, how about we do some warm -ps and you show me what you’ve got?” I suggested once again and saw them all stand up, however they were not enthusiastic at all. “Wait, let’s first set some ground rules.” I once again faced them. “First rule, if you ever feel like you really need a break, go ahead and take a seat in front of the mirror, but it’s your own responsibility to catch up again. Number two, this isn’t a competition with each other, it’s a competition with the other groups. Third, we’re going to have to work together on music selection. And lastly, I don’t get this whole no-phone rule. For some reason, they don’t want you using your phones ever until like an hour before lights out so you can contact your family. I, myself, know for a fact I won’t be able to keep to that and I don’t want to take advantage of my authority. So, I’ll give you some time occasionally. However, that does not mean you can just stop and text whenever you want and in no way does this mean the no-phone rule doesn’t apply outside this group. That’s all for now, we’ll see how this goes.”

“I can deal with that,” another one of the girls said as she nodded, causing the other to agree.

“Good, now let’s really get this started.”

Notes


This was written back when I had no motivation anymore. So, sorry for how badly it's written. I promise it gets better soon.

Comments

@settle for me.
I usually just post a chapter a day or every other day. Sometimes less, sometimes more frequently. No need to force it in a short amount of time.
Well, two stories are close to finishing, so a new one will arise. It's based on an idea I got years ago, but I made it a bit more sophisticated. If a story about an age gap intrigues you, keep your eye out for it.

@aweirdkindofyellow
I remember you saying and I did say I was going to do the same but I just honestly never got around to it.
I have been told nothing about any of your new ones, just that you have lots on the go.

@settle for me.
I've been transferring everything to Wattpad and AO3 for quite a while now. Given up on Mibba though. Never liked that interface and layout, so couldn't be bothered.
I'm going to start another story soon (after I finish some that I am currently writing). And I'll still post it here, but you'll just have to actively search for it yourself if you want to read it. I don't know if you've been told anything about it yet, but you might like it or hate it.

@aweirdkindofyellow
Same! No one else updates anymore and I need to start on another site but I just... don't have the energy?
I'm going to be absolutely lost when you finish the ones I'm subscribed to. I honestly won't have anything to do.

@settle for me.
I've also really been missing reading other people's new stories. Seriously, the only story I still read right now is yours. I just can't find anything else.
I've actually been trying to figure out a way how to change the sequel to this story so it's not as long and officially ends there as well.