Thunder at Crystal Lake

The dining hall at Camp Wakonda smelled like boiled **spinach** and despair. Great. Just what Leo needed on day three of being the new kid.

"You gonna eat that?" Marcus asked, pointing at Leo's tray. Marcus was the kind of guy who'd already accumulated a friend group of six by orientation night, while Leo was still mastering the art of looking busy while alone.

"Not hungry," Leo muttered, pushing the green mush around his plate.

After dinner, everyone headed to the lake for free swim. **Swimming** in a t-shirt because Leo'd forgotten to pack a swimsuit—classic him. He stayed in the shallow end, pretending to adjust his goggles every thirty seconds like they were scientific equipment.

Then he saw her. Maya. Her hair floated like dark seaweed as she dove beneath the surface, surfacing with water droplets catching the last golden hour light. She'd spoken maybe three words to him since camp started, but Leo had already mentally planned their wedding.

"Yo, new kid," someone yelled. "Truth or dare?"

Leo turned. It was Tyler, surrounded by his squad. They had that energy—like they were constantly on camera. "Truth."

"Boring," Tyler said. "Dare. You have to—"

**Lightning** cracked across the sky. A thunderclap shook the wooden rafters of the boathouse.

"Everyone out!" a counselor screamed. "Storm's coming in fast!"

Chaos. Kids scrambling up the dock, grabbing towels, screaming. Leo reached the ladder when something caught his eye—Maya, at the far end of the dock, clutching her ankle. She'd fallen.

The storm broke. Rain like needles. The dock swayed. A **bear** of a wave crashed over the railing, and suddenly Maya was slipping—

Leo didn't think. He just grabbed her arm, braced himself against the wet wood, and hauled her up. They stumbled toward the main building, soaked and shivering.

Inside, someone had started a guitar. Kids sat in circles on the floor, damp towels everywhere, laughing like this was exactly what they'd signed up for. Maya found him through the crowd.

"You saved me," she said, then immediately cringed. "That sounded so dramatic. I just—I'm graceful, clearly."

Leo laughed. Actual laughter, not his fake polite one. "I think a **bull** would've been more graceful out there."

She smiled. Really smiled. "I'm Maya."

"Leo."

"Wanna sit?" She gestured to an empty spot on the rug. "Fair warning: I sing along terribly to Wonderwall."

"I'll take my chances."

Out there, the storm raged. But inside, for the first time all summer, Leo wasn't watching from the sidelines anymore.