Page 90 of Give Me a Sign
“Oh.” I hadn’t expected this, but I knew he played. I try to think of some way he can come back. “Maybe you can come back and visit camp for a week.”
“Maybe.” He doesn’t look sure.
“You leave for college soon, right?”
“On the last Sunday.”
“Like, the last day of camp Sunday, Sunday?” That’s barely any time together left. Is he leaving straight for the airport? I thought we might be able to find a way to see each other a few more times after camp was over.
He scrunches up his mouth and nods slowly. “But!” His eyes widen with excitement. “Ethan’s planning an end-of-summer surprise in the city for that Saturday night.”
“Yeah, I remember he said that.”
“Yeah. It’ll be awesome.”
I lift my head and gaze at the dark night sky. I wish summer wasn’t so short. “Where are you going to school? RIT, right?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “Gallaudet.”
“Oh,” I say, having assumed because that’s where a lot of counselors had gone before. “I thought you were going to be in New Y-o-r-k, but Gallaudet is in DC, right?” Either way, it’s far away from me.
He nods, reaching back into his backpack to grab something. He nudges my shoulder, so I sit back up and notice that he’s holding two Fruit Roll-Ups.
“Where from?” I ask.
He smiles. “My mom.” He holds up the backpack. It’s crammed with snacks. His mom made sure he didn’t have to go on any more food runs.
“That’s a lot. You’ll never finish it all.”
He takes a bite and shrugs. “More for the plane.”
“Right after camp.”
“Right after camp,” he repeats.
The fire starts to dwindle, so Isaac reaches forward and tosses in another log. I watch the flames engulf it. Isaac’s off to collegeafter this. I always knew this was coming. I can be realistic. Our days are numbered.
“That’s so soon,” I sign.
He wraps his arm around me. I stretch out my legs until my feet are near the fire. I lean against Isaac, finishing the Fruit Roll-Up that’d been dangling from my mouth.
I’ll miss him. I’ll miss the person I am around him.
He can sense my apprehension and leans forward, planting a soft kiss on my forehead. We spend the rest of the night wrapped together in front of the fire as I count the hours we have left together.
Knowing I’ll be back next year, I try not to be too sad as this year winds to a close, but it’s hard not to get nostalgic as everything turns into a last. Last time at the beach. Last time hiking along the path. Last time playing large-group games on the grassy field. Last time at the pool. Last time the chef serves some sort of sludge for dinner. Last night Isaac and I dance together in the barn, forgetting the world around us.
No matter how repetitive some things seem after an entire summer’s worth—the same songs performed at each talent show, the same cannonball jumps at the lake, and soon, the same tearful farewells that inevitably plague every camp at the end of the season—it’s hard not to be upset that this season is almost over. Saying goodbye to Gray Wolf will never be easy.
And just like that, another week passes, and the final Friday is here. Isaac and I are supposed to be on duty, but Gary and the nurse offer to keep watch near the cabins, letting us roamthe campgrounds with the rest of the counselors. Isaac and I wait at the firepit for Ethan, Jaden, Natasha, Simone, Bobby, and Mackenzie to join us.
“Let’s do the lake again!” Ethan says and signs.
“Not the bridge.” I don’t think I could manage a second leap this summer.
“We could jump from the d-o-c-k,” Isaac offers.
“That’s what I was thinking,” Ethan says and signs. “Just a casual night at the lake. I already told the lifeguards. Let’s go!”
