Bree I looked up, the sign connected to two wooden stakes declared exactly where I was. Camp Sunny. After the whole f*******: fiasco, Mom had reached out to both sides of the family. She spoke to my grandparents, laid everything out, and together they gathered the money to send me away. Not in a bad way, not in a get rid of her way, but in a maybe space will help her breathe again kind of way. Mom had tried to frame it as giving me room to grow, to heal, to reset. But I knew what it really was. It was a lifeline. Now, summer camp was on the horizon. I wasn’t excited, not really. I felt like I was running away from something that would eventually catch up with me. Still, there was something comforting in the idea of new surroundings, new people, new air. Maybe if I left the pieces of my shattered self behind, I could come back and pick them up later. Or maybe I wouldn’t have to. I took in a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, trying to sike myself up into going in, to actually take the step. “You can do this, Bree,” I whispered, before I moved past the stakes, and chaos erupted all around me. The view was nothing short of chaos—beautiful, sun-drenched chaos. People my age were everywhere, running around like they hadn’t seen each other in years. There was laughter echoing through the clearing, people chasing one another, hugging, screaming greetings, and already forming little clusters like this was their tenth summer, not their first. It felt like stepping into another world. And then—I saw him. Standing just beyond the crowd, hands tucked in his pockets, was the most godlike man I’d ever laid eyes on. Forget Oliver Camden. Forget every heartbreak and bad decision before this moment. This guy made them all irrelevant. He was tall, golden-tanned, with an effortless confidence in his stance that made the air feel heavier. He wasn’t smiling, not quite, but there was a knowing look in his eyes that made my stomach twist and flutter all at once. It was clear to see that he spent a lot of time working out, a lot of time getting better, stronger, more powerful. And by the way people flocked around him, I knew that he was powerful. He was definitely a guy like Oliver, one people aspired to be like, one they wanted to hang out with. But still, I didn’t get the you can’t touch me vibe off of him, like I got when I was around Oliver. It wasn’t like people gathered around him, but was just in his orbit, just to be there, to make sure if something happened, then they would have been a part of it. And then it happened. It was as if he could feel my eyes on him, because suddenly he looked up, his eyes seeming to meet mine across the open field. I stopped right in my tracks, like his gaze had made me completely immobile. It was like I could feel his eyes moving down my body, like he was checking me out. And by the look of his face, I couldn’t quite gauge what he thought of me. But I couldn’t lie, I couldn’t cover up the truth. I had just run into a real life Adonis. “Everyone!” a short woman called out as she climbed onto a bench set, her voice carrying easily across the field. “Gather around!” My eyes flickered back to Adonis one last time, unable to resist soaking in his presence. Just looking at him felt surreal—like he had stepped straight out of my most private, hidden fantasies and decided to drop himself into the middle of my real life. There he was, practically glowing in the golden haze of the late afternoon sun, existing like some absurd figment conjured by a hopelessly romantic imagination. He was tall—at least a foot taller than me, maybe more—and his build was nothing short of spectacular. He looked like he had been sculpted by someone who knew exactly what the human form could achieve at its most perfect. His biceps strained against the sleeves of his fitted t-shirt, and the fabric across his back stretched taut over a body that was all lean muscle and quiet strength. But what made him truly devastating was the backward cap resting on his head, perched just over a tousled mop of blonde hair, and the pair of piercing green eyes that seemed to glow even from across the field. They were vivid, impossibly clear, like fresh spring leaves caught in sunlight. I couldn’t believe how sharply I could see them from this distance—it was almost unsettling. “Get your asses in gear!” Derek yelled as he climbed up beside the woman, towering over her and making her look almost comically small by comparison. His voice was light, teasing, and familiar already, and the casual confidence in his tone made it easy to follow his lead. I drifted with the rest of the group, shuffling toward the impromptu gathering at the edge of the field. We looked to be a pretty big crowd—fifty, maybe sixty young adults all clustered together on this vast piece of land. The sheer variety of us was almost comforting. There were people of all shapes and sizes, with different skin tones, styles, and energies. Some looked incredibly fit, like they’d come straight from a college athletics program. Others, like me, were a bit more… eclectic. A few looked like they’d rather be anywhere else. Some were already chatting in excited, eager voices, while others hung back quietly, observing. The range of nervous energy was palpable. Oddly, the diversity of the group made me feel a little more relaxed. Like maybe I didn’t have to fit any mold to be here. Maybe I belonged here in my own strange way. “Welcome to Camp Sunny, everyone,” the woman said, flashing a warm, inviting smile that lit up her face. Her brown hair was pulled into a loose braid over one shoulder, and her calm, clear eyes had this weird ability to draw you in. “It’s so nice to see so many new faces—and just as nice to see a few familiar ones, too. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Rachel. I’ll be in charge of keeping the girls relatively calm over the next six weeks,” she joked, a few people chuckling lightly, “and I’ll do my best to keep the boys in line.” “And I’m Derek,” he chimed in, raising a hand. A small group of guys let out a cheer, clearly fans of his, and he grinned widely. “I’m also a counselor, and I’ll be mostly in charge of keeping the monkeys away from the pure, innocent girls I know you all are,” he added, tossing out a wink that made a group of girls squeal and giggle in response. “It’s important that we make this an experience you won’t forget,” Rachel continued, raising a clipboard brimming with what looked like schedules and sign-up sheets. Her voice had a calm authority to it, grounded and sincere. “Of course, we’re here to have fun, to get to know new people, and to maybe realize we’re not all so different after all. But we’re also here to grow. To challenge ourselves. To learn what we’re capable of—mentally, physically, emotionally.” I felt the corners of my mouth twitch into a small smile. While I wouldn’t call myself outgoing, I did love learning new things. I found comfort in knowledge, and the idea of pushing myself—at least mentally—didn’t sound so bad. If nothing else, I could throw myself into the academic side of things and keep my head down. “But before we start worrying you about all of that,” Derek grinned, nudging Rachel playfully with his shoulder—she rolled her eyes with a smirk—“today is all about socializing. About getting to know the people you’ll be living with, working with, laughing with. So, without further ado…” He trailed off, glancing at Rachel with exaggerated suspense. “You all have one hour to find your hut, get somewhat settled in, and then we’ll meet back here,” she announced brightly. “That’s when we’ll start really getting to know each other.” “With that said,” Derek added, crouching slightly like he was about to start a race, “on your marks…” Several campers followed suit, crouching down dramatically, catching on to the game. “Get set…” Derek grinned, eyes dancing with mischief. “Chaos!” he shouted suddenly, and with that, he burst out laughing as the entire group exploded into motion. People took off running like someone had lit a fire under them, sprinting across the grass toward a nearby bulletin board. It was obviously where our hut assignments had been posted. The stampede was loud, chaotic, and totally unnecessary—but also kind of hilarious. A swirling mess of limbs, duffel bags, laughter, and competitive energy. I stayed back, watching from the edge of the field. There was no need to run—I’d get there eventually, and I figured the hut number wouldn’t vanish just because I got there a few seconds later. Besides, the bulletin board was swarmed. No way anyone was reading anything clearly in that mess. That’s when I saw him—Adonis. He walked away from the chaos with a grin that could stop time, casually whistling. His voice rang out with effortless authority, sharp and clear. “Hut Seven! Follow me!” A few guys immediately whooped, fist bumping and grabbing their bags as they trailed after him, practically bouncing with excitement. They were clearly over the moon about sharing a hut with him—and honestly, I couldn’t blame them. After the crowd thinned out a bit and I could finally see the board, I made my way over. I scanned the names until I found mine: Bree Morgan. There it was, typed neatly on the list, my name standing out like a blinking sign. And right above it was a number that made my heart kick into a faster rhythm. Hut 6. Right next to Adonis.