the same.”
“I think I could handle it.” She gave him a look that contained both lust and sadness. Poor wee girl. It was never going to happen, and deep down she must have known that. He didn’t answer her right away. What could he say?
When the right words evaded him, he said, “Yeah…well…can you give me a hand to get some more wood for the fire? There’s a pile over there.” He gestured behind them in a desperate bid to change the subject. Placing his guitar down, he went off toward the trees, pulling extra logs toward the fire in readiness for the evening’s festivities.
Dorcas followed close behind. “You seem to be getting on well with that teacher. What’s her name? Stevie? Strange name for a girl.”
“Oh, yeah. She seems…erm…nice. And… you’ve got the cheek to say her name’s strange.”
“Okay, fair comment. Any special requests for me to sing tonight?”
“Nope. Just sing what you like. I tend to know stuff that the kids won’t. I show my age.” He laughed.
“I’m only five years younger than you, you know.”
“Yes, exactly. You’re five years closer to the kids’ age than I am.”
Dorcas didn’t seem impressed with his answer. She mumbled something about going to grab her fleece and stomped away. Jason scrunched his brow in confusion, shook his head, and picked up his guitar once again.
****
To Stevie, the chilli was a welcomed delight after such a physically exhausting and gruelling day. After dinner, the students were all invited to join the staff for a good old fashioned sing along by the campfire. She took the opportunity to return to her cabin, shower, and apply some after sun lotion. She changed into black linen trousers and a white long sleeved T-shirt. The evening air was thick and humid, and the fire would mean she was plenty warm enough. Combing through her hair in front of the mirror, she decided to leave it to dry naturally, meaning that it fell in dark auburn waves around her shoulders. She applied a little lipgloss and went to join the students as they sat around waiting for the marshmallows to be handed out. It wouldn’t be a proper campfire sing along without marshmallows after all.
The atmosphere around the fire was buzzing with anticipation. From what she had gathered, she knew that none of the kids had ever been camping, nor had they been involved in a sing along like this one. Her heart filled with happiness at seeing their young faces glowing in the amber light of the fire as it crackled away before them. Jason wasn’t around, but Dorcas was chatting to Harry at the opposite side of the group.
A hand appeared on her shoulder and she turned smiling, only to be disappointed when it was David. “Oh hi,” was all she could manage with little to no enthusiasm.
He crouched beside her and whispered, “Hi, Stevie…listen…I was wondering…I brought a nice bottle of single malt with me and wondered if you might fancy a nightcap after the sing along? You know…once the kids are all tucked up in bed.”
She cringed at his encouraging smile. “Oh thanks, David, but I’ll pass. I’m not a whiskey drinker if the truth be told, and I really am shattered. I think I’ll just go back to my cabin and read.”
His smile faded, and he looked very disappointed, rather like a chastised puppy dog. “Oh yes…of course. No worries. I just thought I’d ask.”
“Well that was very thoughtful, thank you.” She suffered a little stab of guilt for lying. He stood and made his way to the other side of the fire to sit down.
Dorcas and Harry disappeared through the trees but soon returned, and this time Harry was carrying a set of bongos. They all sat down once again and continued chatting with the students. Dorcas handed out some percussion instruments much to the delight of the eager kids.
Jason arrived soon after and picked up the guitar that was propped up against the large log at the opposite side of the huddle. Oh my word, he’s going to
“I think I could handle it.” She gave him a look that contained both lust and sadness. Poor wee girl. It was never going to happen, and deep down she must have known that. He didn’t answer her right away. What could he say?
When the right words evaded him, he said, “Yeah…well…can you give me a hand to get some more wood for the fire? There’s a pile over there.” He gestured behind them in a desperate bid to change the subject. Placing his guitar down, he went off toward the trees, pulling extra logs toward the fire in readiness for the evening’s festivities.
Dorcas followed close behind. “You seem to be getting on well with that teacher. What’s her name? Stevie? Strange name for a girl.”
“Oh, yeah. She seems…erm…nice. And… you’ve got the cheek to say her name’s strange.”
“Okay, fair comment. Any special requests for me to sing tonight?”
“Nope. Just sing what you like. I tend to know stuff that the kids won’t. I show my age.” He laughed.
“I’m only five years younger than you, you know.”
“Yes, exactly. You’re five years closer to the kids’ age than I am.”
Dorcas didn’t seem impressed with his answer. She mumbled something about going to grab her fleece and stomped away. Jason scrunched his brow in confusion, shook his head, and picked up his guitar once again.
****
To Stevie, the chilli was a welcomed delight after such a physically exhausting and gruelling day. After dinner, the students were all invited to join the staff for a good old fashioned sing along by the campfire. She took the opportunity to return to her cabin, shower, and apply some after sun lotion. She changed into black linen trousers and a white long sleeved T-shirt. The evening air was thick and humid, and the fire would mean she was plenty warm enough. Combing through her hair in front of the mirror, she decided to leave it to dry naturally, meaning that it fell in dark auburn waves around her shoulders. She applied a little lipgloss and went to join the students as they sat around waiting for the marshmallows to be handed out. It wouldn’t be a proper campfire sing along without marshmallows after all.
The atmosphere around the fire was buzzing with anticipation. From what she had gathered, she knew that none of the kids had ever been camping, nor had they been involved in a sing along like this one. Her heart filled with happiness at seeing their young faces glowing in the amber light of the fire as it crackled away before them. Jason wasn’t around, but Dorcas was chatting to Harry at the opposite side of the group.
A hand appeared on her shoulder and she turned smiling, only to be disappointed when it was David. “Oh hi,” was all she could manage with little to no enthusiasm.
He crouched beside her and whispered, “Hi, Stevie…listen…I was wondering…I brought a nice bottle of single malt with me and wondered if you might fancy a nightcap after the sing along? You know…once the kids are all tucked up in bed.”
She cringed at his encouraging smile. “Oh thanks, David, but I’ll pass. I’m not a whiskey drinker if the truth be told, and I really am shattered. I think I’ll just go back to my cabin and read.”
His smile faded, and he looked very disappointed, rather like a chastised puppy dog. “Oh yes…of course. No worries. I just thought I’d ask.”
“Well that was very thoughtful, thank you.” She suffered a little stab of guilt for lying. He stood and made his way to the other side of the fire to sit down.
Dorcas and Harry disappeared through the trees but soon returned, and this time Harry was carrying a set of bongos. They all sat down once again and continued chatting with the students. Dorcas handed out some percussion instruments much to the delight of the eager kids.
Jason arrived soon after and picked up the guitar that was propped up against the large log at the opposite side of the huddle. Oh my word, he’s going to
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