Page 21 of Beyond the Rainbow (Pride Camp 2025 #11)
Day One: Back on Track
S unday
When Colin, Trent, and Nate walked into the dining hall after retrieving the last of the campers from the broken-down bus, the entire Camp Pride company erupted in cheers.
Joshua—perched on a table and grinning—whooped as the drenched rescuers entered while Jeff hurried to their sides, towels in hand.
“OK!” Joshua clapped his hands to gather attention.
“Here’s the drill: It’s still raining, so outdoor activities are a bust for now.
Everyone has their cabin assignments and knows their counselor.
First order of business: Head to your cabins, unpack, change into something dry, and come back here for lunch.
If you have any questions or concerns, talk to your counselor, and please don’t forget to tag your luggage!
” He glanced outside. “And raincoats might not be a bad idea either.”
David hopped onto a chair, waving his arms. “I have an announcement too! Originally, we planned to serve you delicious—but cold —sandwiches for lunch. But I decided that just won’t do. Vans are on the way with enough hot pizza to feed an army! They should be here within forty-five minutes.”
The room exploded into cheers.
Joshua laughed and joined in. “Let’s hear it for the Professor!” he called, then climbed down and made his way to Colin’s side. He patted the back of Colin’s soaked shirt and grinned. “And yet again, you are a hero.”
Colin scoffed, scrubbing a towel through his wet hair. “I’d rather be a dry, lazy villain sitting in front of a warm fire.”
Joshua giggled. “Go back to the cabin and change. I’ll check on your campers.”
“Have you seen Alex? He’s in my cabin, right?”
Joshua nodded. “I spotted him when he came in, but it’s been chaos, so I haven’t talked to him yet.” He squeezed Colin’s arm. “Go dry off. I’ll make sure he’s doing all right.”
Meanwhile, Nate—somehow the only one who had managed to stay reasonably dry—dashed from cabin to cabin, ensuring that all the campers were settling in without issue.
He had already won the hearts of the stranded group by staying with them on the bus, leading rowdy sing-alongs and cracking jokes—many at Colin’s expense.
Now, his bright energy carried him across camp, a welcome burst of sunshine despite the gloomy weather.
By the time the campers unpacked and returned to the dining room, the pizzas had arrived.
Each counselor sat at a table with his six assigned campers, enjoying pizza and engaging in lively conversation.
Joshua peered across the room and saw Colin sitting next to Alex.
He was gesturing as he talked to the campers at his table, and Joshua saw the entire group burst into laughter, including Alex.
After lunch, ongoing team activities were announced, and campers jumped at the chance to be part of their favorites.
Colin’s baseball team came together fast—Alex among the first to sign up.
Nate’s writing group filled instantly. Jeff’s hiking crew grabbed their terrariums. Joshua’s group counseling elicited a few groans—but he held out hope for later once they came to know him, and each other.
Each camp counselor sat at a different table, chatting with the campers about their activity, laughing and teasing the campers and each other about the chaos of the morning.
The mood had lifted considerably as the warmth of hot pizza and dry clothes worked their magic.
Colin leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head with a groan. “Well, that was a hell of a start,” he mused, glancing at Joshua, who had perched on the edge of the table, listening to the chatter around him.
Joshua smirked. “You mean rescuing a bus full of stranded campers in the pouring rain wasn’t how you envisioned Day One going down?”
Colin huffed a laugh, shaking his head. “Not exactly. But hey, if I ever need a backup career, I’ll add ‘soggy luggage handler’ to my résumé.”
Across the room, Nate was dramatically reenacting their heroic bus retrieval, arms flailing as he described Colin wading through ankle-deep mud, lugging a huge, overflowing duffle. His audience was enthralled, laughing at his theatrical storytelling.
Joshua nudged Colin’s knee with his own.
“Look at that,” he murmured, nodding toward Alex.
The boy was still quiet, but he wasn’t withdrawn.
He sat among his cabinmates, listening to Nate’s story, engaged, laughing, and even unwinding enough to speak to the camper seated closest to him.
Joshua’s chest tightened at the sight—not just because Alex was laughing, but because the laughter seemed easy and natural.
Colin followed Joshua’s gaze, feeling warmth settle in his chest. “Yeah,” he said softly. “That’s good to see.”
As the afternoon wore on, the rain faded to a light drizzle, and counselors began guiding campers toward their scheduled activities. Despite the weather, a current of excitement buzzed through the air. The first true spark of Camp Pride had caught.
Colin’s mandatory drug education class went off without a hitch.
He stood before the campers—shoulders squared, voice steady, no badge in sight—while Joshua sat near the back, quietly watching, his heart filled with pride.
Colin didn’t preach. He gave them only facts—unflinching, unsweetened.
The campers listened. Some leaned forward.
Some sat still and silent. One or two wiped away tears.
Afterward, he rejoined the group in the dining hall and raised his voice above the noise.
“Baseball squad!” he called. “Meet me at the diamond. We’ll wait in the dugout until the rain stops.
First order of business—picking a kick-ass name for our team!
Then, weather permitting, Trent and I will lead some baserunning drills. ”
His team let out a cheer.
“Playwriting group!” Nate called out, standing on a table in a corner of the dining room. “Our outdoor pavilion is soaked, so we’re meeting here to discuss first ideas for our play!”
“Cooking class, the kitchen awaits!” David called, standing in the kitchen doorway. “We’re making tonight’s dessert, so let’s GO!”
“Botanical scavenger hunt and terrarium building group meets over here,” Jeff yelled from a table near the door. “I’ll be handing out flashcards to use on our first hike, and you can pick your terrarium jar.”
“Group One,” Joshua called out. “Mandatory group counseling takes place now, in the counselor’s hall.
Any of you who also signed up for other activities can return to them once we’re done.
Afternoon snack here in the dining room at three thirty, then an hour and a half of free time before dinner.
Weather permitting, Colin will be available at the lake for some rowing classes, and Trent will also be at the lake serving as lifeguard if anyone wants to swim. ”
In the counselor’s hall, Joshua gathered six campers in a circle around him.
“First things first: this is a safe place. Here, you can share what you’re feeling or what is happening in your life without being judged.
Along the way, you may discover that you’re not as alone in your thoughts and feelings as you thought you were.
Also, if you’re worried that I’ll ask you to ‘open up about your deepest trauma’ in the next five minutes, relax—not going to happen. ”
Joshua flicked his gaze across the table to gauge their engagement.
A couple of campers met his eyes, wary but still listening, and one crossed his arms, clearly skeptical.
“I only have one rule,” Joshua continued.
“And that rule is one word long: respect . That means we listen when others talk, we support any of our members who are struggling without judging them, and we’re honest with each other.
Respect also means that what gets said in this group stays in this group. ”
“Mr. Campbell-Abrams?” one of the boys said, raising his hand.
“It’s Josh,” Joshua told him. “Did you have a question, Luke?” He glanced around the room. “And please, put your name tags on so I can learn your names.”
“The blond guy … the baseball coach? He said Nate got attacked by a raccoon! Did he?”
Another boy shifted in his seat. “Josh, what if someone does talk about it later? The stuff we say here.” He hesitated. “Uh … my name is Robert. Bobby.” His tone wasn’t defiant, just wary.
Joshua nodded, appreciating the honesty.
“Fair question.” He turned to the first boy.
“Luke, I’ll answer your question in a second.
” Then he turned back to Bobby. “I can’t control what people do outside this room.
But here’s what I can tell you: sharing what is said here outside of these sessions is a betrayal of our trust. Anyone who does that will be asked to leave the group. ”
There were startled reactions from the campers, and the youth with crossed arms narrowed his eyes. “So … if someone screws up, they get kicked out ?”
Joshua held his gaze. “No. They remove themselves by not respecting what this safe space is for.” He leaned closer to the group. “And that goes for me too. I don’t talk about what’s said in this room. To anyone.”
A pause. The skeptical boy gave a slow nod.
Joshua exhaled, letting the tension ease, then softened his tone.
“However, anyone who is asked to leave will be allowed back in by a unanimous vote of the entire group. Look, I know that trust takes time. No one’s expecting you to pour your heart out today.
But I do expect you to look out for each other.
This camp is about being safe. Belonging .
Not tearing each other down. That’s also what PRIDE is about.
And that starts right here in this room. ”