Page 13

Wyatt

W e rummaged through the bag and saw it was ingredients for smores. Gavin had mentioned them the first night, but we’d all been happy with toasted marshmallows. “I haven’t had smores since I was a kid.”

“Me either, “ Dani said. “It’s so much fun here.” She hurried to our cabins with a few other campers while I walked with John and Bobbie.

“Looks like we’re having a campfire tonight,” Bobbie said.

“Yes, and Drevon can show me the constellations this time. He showed me the easy ones, but I want to see what else he can show me.”

“He knows them all. I wasn’t exaggerating, all you have to do is ask and he’d love to point them out,” John said, always so proud of his boyfriend.

“Don’t forget we’re still going out in the canoes in an hour,” Gavin said as he speedwalked past us.

“Your guy was keeping an eye on you the whole time,” John said.

“My guy?”

“Yeah. Haven’t you noticed how he looks at you?”

He looks at me? Every time I looked at him his eyes were on me, but I thought it was me looking at him too much and him catching me. “No, I guess I haven’t.” John just smiled and kept walking.

When we got back to the cabin I washed up and got the sweat and ash off me.

I was amazed that being dirty didn’t bother me quite as much as it had when I first arrived.

I’d just walked out of the washroom when Gavin stuck his head in the door.

“To the lake everyone.” He shut the door behind him leaving us staring at each other before making our way outside.

While morning was still cold, the afternoons were getting warmer, and the closer we got to the lake the more inviting it seemed.

Gavin stood next to two long canoes and a pile of life vests.

He clapped his hands together and held them close to his chest. “Since you all did so well with the fire task, I thought we could try something totally different. Everyone will want to get a life vest. Then we’ll split up into two teams of six.

Dad will be helping with one of the canoes.

” Barry stood to the side and grinned at Gavin before waving to us.

Once we’d settled into two teams, Gavin showed us the basics of paddling before we slipped on our life vests, and a few members of staff helped us into the canoes.

“Steady, everyone,” Barry said as he slid into the back of the canoe I was seated in.

“Gavin showed you the basics, now I’ll admit it’s more challenging than it looks.

Give it a try and let’s see what we’ve got. ”

The six of us turned around and faced the front of the canoe and paddled frantically.

We splashed a lot but didn’t move at all except to make the boat rock.

Gavin was still showing his crew what to do as they slowly drifted away from shore.

He glanced at us, and I would have sworn his eyes went right to me, but now I wasn’t sure if he really was looking for me or if he was just glancing in my direction.

It was all very confusing and damn John for planting that thought in my head.

“Wyatt, did you hear me?” Barry said from the back of the canoe.

“Oh, sorry, I missed it,” I said and made the boat rock when I tried to turn around to face him. Everyone gripped the edge as it steadied.

“I said you’ll want to alternate which side you paddle from. Since none of you are strong enough to paddle on one side for long, you’ll need to switch it up. We’ll count off and after five paddles you’ll switch sides.”

“Okay, I’m ready.” I raised my hand without turning around and upsetting the boat again.

“Everyone, choose the opposite side of the person in front of you following Wyatt’s example,” Barry said with a chuckle. After a few minutes of figuring out who was left and who was right, Barry blew a whistle—and none of us moved. “That’s the signal to go!”

At first, we didn’t move, we all paddled at different times and made the canoe wiggle back and forth, but it still didn’t go anywhere.

I looked over at the other canoe to find them doing the same thing, and Gavin grinning at me.

But a spark lit in me then. A tiny spark that wanted to do this right and show him I could.

“On the count of three everyone paddles at the same time. One, two, three!” I yelled and we slid forward.

“One, two, three,” I yelled again, and once again we slid forward.

“Now you’re cooking with gas,” Barry said which I had no idea what that even meant. “One, two, three.” He took over much louder than me and we started to move even faster.

After five strokes we switched sides which I was more than ready for, but we still needed a minute to get the hang of it. As we were figuring it out the other canoe slid past us.

“Hurry up you slackers,” Bobbie yelled, making everyone laugh and getting us going. For a few moments we were gliding side by side before one of us paddled on the wrong side then everyone switched, and we couldn’t get our rhythm back again.

“Good job, everyone,” Barry said. “Now I’m going to direct you in how to turn the canoe around and head back to shore.” This took even longer than going forward. But we did it, and both groups pushed up to the edge at the same time.

It was hard work. My arms ached and I had a few blisters on the palms of my hands, but once we were on shore again, I noticed something.

We were all smiling. Even as we compared blisters and laughed at how hard it was, we were all happy to do it.

This time when I looked at Gavin I didn’t look away.

He made me happy too, and one thing I’d learned since I’d been here was how nice it was to feel joy.