Wispers of a Summer Dream

Chapter 6

Wispers of a Summer Dream

Daniel POV

The journey to the summer camp was strangely calm, almost unsettling. Billy and his crew sat a few seats away, their death stares burning holes into the back of my head. Even the girls joined in, glaring at me like I’d committed some unspoken crime.

“Hmph, I don’t care,” I muttered under my breath, trying to convince myself. But deep down, I knew why everyone seemed to be upset. It wasn’t something I did, it was Benjamin.

Benjamin.

I glanced sideways, stealing another look at him. His presence beside me was like a dream I couldn’t wake up from. His blue eyes, piercing and magnetic, seemed to hold a thousand secrets. His dark, silky hair fell perfectly over his forehead, framing his sharp features.

Everything about him,from his well-trimmed eyebrows to those full, pouty lips, screamed perfection.

He was a demigod, and I was… well, me.

“I can’t have him. It’s just my imagination,” I whispered to myself, the bitter truth slicing through my heart.

I leaned back in my seat, pulling my headphones over my ears, letting music drown out my thoughts. The rhythm washed over me, a temporary escape. I didn’t even realize when exhaustion took over, dragging me into a blissful dream where Benjamin and I weren’t just acquaintances, we were lovers. In that dream, we were married, inseparable, and nothing in the world could tear us apart.

“Wake up, cutie,” Benjamin’s voice broke through the haze of my fantasy.

I groaned sleepily. “Give me a little time, bby,” I mumbled, still half-asleep.

“Wake up. We’re here,” he said again, this time gently patting my cheek.

My eyes fluttered open, and there he was, his face close to mine, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

“You look cute when you’re asleep,” he said casually.

I froze. Did he just call me cute? Me, Daniel?

“Uh… thanks,” I stammered, rubbing my eyes and willing my heart to calm down before it exploded.

“Let’s go. We’ve got a whole summer ahead of us,” he said with infectious enthusiasm, grabbing his bag and standing up.

I scrambled to collect my things, trailing behind him as we stepped off the bus.

The campgrounds were buzzing with activity. Students milled around, chatting in groups, laughing, and unpacking their things. Everywhere I looked, people seemed to belong. Everyone except me.

“Alone again,” I muttered to myself, the familiar pang of loneliness settling in my chest.

“Who says you’re alone?” Benjamin’s voice startled me.

I turned around, and there he was, his blue eyes sparkling under the sunlight.

“We’re in this together, cute green-eyed boy,” he said with a grin filling his face.

I felt my cheeks burn. I wanted to respond, but I was too lost in his gaze. His words wrapped around my heart like a warm hug, and for the first time in a long while, I didn’t feel so alone.

“Okay,” I said softly, smiling despite myself.

We walked together to the orientation ground, where students were being assigned to their tribes. The crowd was overwhelming, but Benjamin stayed by my side the whole time. Even when a group of girls came over, their eyes full of admiration for him, he turned them down with a polite smile, refusing to leave me alone.

Butterflies danced in my stomach. Was this real? Could he really care about me this much?

“Oh wow, lover boy,” Billy’s mocking voice interrupted my thoughts.

I stiffened as Billy and his group sauntered over, their smirks dripping with malice.

“Leave us alone,” Benjamin said firmly, stepping between me and Billy like a shield.

The tension was palpable as the two stared each other down. For a moment, I was terrified it would escalate into something worse, but Billy eventually backed off, muttering something under his breath as he walked away.

Relief washed over me.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“It’s nothing,” Benjamin replied with a shrug. “Shall we?” he added, gesturing for me to walk ahead.

I couldn’t help but smile at his humor. He had this way of making me feel calm, even in the most chaotic situations.

The orientation was a blur of introductions and instructions. We were placed in the Red Tribe, which meant we’d be sharing a room—and a bunk.

“The universe must really want us together,” Benjamin joked, flashing a grin that made my heart skip a beat.

“Y-yeah, kind of,” I stammered, feeling my face heat up again.

Once we got to our room, I was relieved to see it was just the two of us. No prying eyes, no judgmental stares—just Benjamin and me.

As we unpacked, he turned to me. “Wanna go explore the camp?” he asked.

“Nah, I think I’ll just relax,” I said, trying to avoid more attention from the other students.

“Suit yourself,” he said with a playful smirk.

Before leaving, he leaned down and kissed my cheek.

My world stopped.

I stood there, frozen, as he walked out of the room, his casual demeanor betraying nothing of what he’d just done.

The second the door closed, I screamed into my pillow, overwhelmed by the surge of emotions coursing through me.

“He kissed me,” I whispered to myself, my heart pounding like a drum. “Maybe… maybe I have a chance after all.”

Hope blossomed in my chest, a fragile thing that I clung to with everything I had. This summer camp was already shaping up to be the best experience of my life.