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[center][color=52BF7C]Piper McAllister[/color][color=023020]...[/color][/center]
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Piper stood on the shoreline. The chaos had erupted. Kids grabbing canoes, others jumping into the swimming zone. Counselors shouting safety instructions. It was all too much. Her hands gripped the straps of her backpack. She wished she was back with the sunrise. Quiet. Still. Just her and her sketch book. As her eyes darted across the lake her memories brought up one of the camping trips she'd taken with her dad years ago, before the remarriage. They were settled in their favorite spot, tucked between tall pines and far enough away from everything that the nights were completely dark. Her dad had spent the afternoon trying to convince her to swim with him.

She had been younger then. Brave enough—or stubborn enough—to follow him farther than she should have. The water had only reached her waist when the ground suddenly disappeared beneath her feet. One second, her toes were digging into the soft mud. The next, there was nothing.

Piper slipped beneath the surface before she could even scream. The lake swallowed every sound, replacing the world with murky green water and a terrible, muffled silence. She kicked wildly, reaching for something—anything—but her hands found nothing. Something brushed against her leg, and panic completely took over. She didn't know which way was up. Then a hand closed around her arm. Her dad pulled her above the surface and carried her back toward shore while she coughed and clung to him, refusing to let go even after her feet touched solid ground again.

After that, she never went farther than the shoreline. Her dad never forced her. Instead, he'd sat beside her on the shore, and together they'd skipped rocks across the surface until the sun disappeared behind the trees. It was still one of her favorite memories with him. But it hadn't made her any less afraid of the water. 

A small bump against the back of her heel pulled Piper back to the present. She glanced down to find a baseball resting against the back of her shoe. Bending down, she picked it up and turned it over once in her hand before looking toward the boy nearby.

[COLOR=52BF7C]"Lose something?"[/COLOR] She stated. 

She tossed the ball gently toward him, waiting until he caught it before offering a small smile.

[COLOR=52BF7C]"You're the new kid, right?"[/COLOR]

Piper had recognized him from the parking lot, saying goodbye to his family, this morning. Then later, when he complimented her artwork. 

[COLOR=52BF7C]"It's not always that crazy around here. The knife, fainting…”[/COLOR] She paused, glancing toward the arts and crafts cabin behind them. [COLOR=52BF7C]"Well... usually."[/COLOR] A hint of amusement crossed her face.

[COLOR=52BF7C]"Camp's actually pretty great. Once you figure out where everything is and which counselors to avoid before they've had breakfast."[/COLOR]

She adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder.

[COLOR=52BF7C]"I'm Piper.”[/COLOR] 
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