Kate was already dressed, sitting on her bed and looking into the mirror while using the hair dryer to dry her hair.
The warm air moved through her red strands as she slowly brushed them with her fingers, focusing on the mirror in front of her.
Across the room, Ray was just chilling on his bed.
Like the last time this happened, he was quietly listening to the steady sound of the hair dryer filling the cabin.
As Kate glanced toward Ray for a moment, she turned off the hair dryer.
The cabin suddenly became much quieter.
"Ray, I've been meaning to ask you something."
Ray looked at her curiously. He noticed immediately that she seemed a little shy about whatever she was about to say.
"Go on. I won't bite," he said.
Kate smiled gently.
He wasn't teasing her?
That's new.
"I… did you have a girlfriend before?"
Ray dropped back onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling.
"Yeah, I did," he answered.
But from the tone he used, Kate was pretty sure he didn't want to talk about it.
So she quietly turned the hair dryer back on.
The soft noise filled the room again as the silence between them returned.
It took her another hour before she was finally ready for breakfast.
Ray didn't mind the waiting.
By now, it had already become some kind of ritual for them to go everywhere together.
Maybe that was exactly the reason why people at camp had started noticing.
As they both approached the tables, Jake immediately spotted them.
"My man!" he shouted across the area. "You tap that ass finally?"
Emma immediately slapped Jake on the arm, making him drop back into his chair.
Ray watched the whole thing with quiet amusement.
Honestly, if it weren't for Jake constantly shouting nonsense, this place might have been completely lifeless.
It seemed the counselor standing near one of the cooks had heard him.
As she stepped toward the middle of the small outdoor cafeteria area, she cleared her throat loudly to get everyone's attention.
A few campers looked up from their plates.
"Yes, I see you slept well last night, Jake," she said sarcastically, crossing her arms as she looked straight at him.
Jake slowly leaned back in his chair, raising both hands like he had done absolutely nothing wrong.
Around him, a few people at the tables tried—and failed—not to laugh.
"So, for today I have planned something else," the counselor continued, looking around at the group.
"I know you guys need to replenish your resources."
Her eyes drifted straight toward Jake.
"YES!" Jake shouted instantly, raising a fist in the air.
A few people around the tables laughed.
The counselor sighed but continued.
"So, we'll be going to a town nearby. I know Ray has a driver's license, and also Jake… and Finn here?"
She glanced toward them while speaking.
"So we'll go to town together. We'll need to make two drives. The second one I'll take care of myself with the other counselors."
She paused for a moment.
"But the first one—could you guys take care of it?"
Around the tables, the answers came almost immediately.
"Sure," everyone replied simply.
As Ray, Finn, and Jake stood up from the table, the counselor walked over and handed each of them a set of car keys.
"Don't break them," she said simply. "Or I will break you."
For a thirty-year-old, she was hot as fuck.
"Oh, and my name is Julia," she added, turning back for a moment. "Sorry for not introducing myself yesterday."
With that, she started walking back toward the cabins.
Jake watched her go and leaned slightly toward Ray.
"She's hot as fuck. Free beer to anyone fucking her this summer."
Ray looked at him.
"Deal."
They both laughed for a few seconds before heading toward the cars, the first group of campers following behind them.
Kate didn't hesitate for a second.
She walked straight to Ray's car and got inside, taking the seat next to him in the front.
In the back, Nia, Dylan, and Emma climbed in and sat down behind them.
Well, not exactly Ray's car.
she exhaled slowly, as she tried to get comfortable in the front seat.
Still, she was curious to see if he was a good driver.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Ray's Polar Express. Make sure to fasten your seat belts!"
As the girls in the back rolled their eyes at his announcement, Ray turned the key in the ignition.
The engine rumbled to life, breaking the quiet morning atmosphere around the camp parking area.
He pulled the seat belt across his chest and clicked it into place.
Kate shifted slightly in the passenger seat, adjusting herself and pulling her own seat belt on while glancing out the windshield.
Behind them, Nia leaned back calmly while Emma rested her elbow against the window.
Ray rested one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the gear stick.
A small grin appeared on his face.
A moment later, the car slowly rolled forward, leaving the gravel parking area of Camp Willow Creek as they began their drive toward town.
The road was quiet and peaceful as they left the camp behind.
Tall trees lined both sides of the narrow road, their shadows moving across the windshield as the car rolled forward.
In the back seat, the others were talking about random things, their conversation jumping from one topic to another.
Kate sat quietly in the passenger seat.
She leaned her head back against the headrest, her eyes fixed on the road ahead while the scenery slowly passed by through the windshield.
Ray kept his eyes on the road, both hands resting steadily on the steering wheel.
He had had his driver's license for three years, but he hadn't driven for a few months. Because of that, he was focusing a little more than usual, trying to get back into the rhythm.
The tires hummed softly against the asphalt while the forest slowly thinned out around them as they continued toward town.
The drive didn't take long.
The quiet forest road gradually turned into a wider paved road, and small houses began appearing between the trees.
Before they even realized it, the town was already in sight.
A wooden sign stood by the side of the road as they passed it.
"Willow Creek Town."
Ray slowed the car slightly as they rolled into the small town, the peaceful forest giving way to streets, shops, and a few people already walking around.
Ray pulled into the supermarket parking lot and slowly guided the car into an empty space.
The tires crunched lightly over the gravel as he straightened the wheel and turned off the engine.
For a moment, the car went quiet.
Ray turned slightly in his seat and looked at everyone.
"So, let's get everything we need and meet here in thirty minutes?" he suggested.
"Ray, meet me in the supermarket in ten minutes? I gotta take care of something."
Kate said it quickly, already opening the car door before he could even answer.
The door shut behind her with a light thud as she stepped out onto the parking lot.
Without waiting, she started walking toward the nearby shops across the street.
Ray watched her for a moment from the driver's seat.
Within seconds she disappeared behind a few parked cars and a small row of stores.
Soon he lost sight of her completely.
After a brief pause, Ray pushed his door open as well and headed inside the supermarket.
Kate glanced behind her, as if making sure no one had followed her.
Satisfied that she was alone, she stepped inside a small pharmacy near the supermarket.
The quiet chime above the door rang softly as she entered.
She didn't spend much time looking around.
After a quick glance at the shelves, she grabbed a box of tampons and headed straight toward the cash register.
She approached the counter, where a woman was standing behind the register.
She looked to be around the same age as the camp's counselor, Julia.
Kate glanced at her shyly, then hesitated for a moment before reaching over and picking up a pack of condoms from a small shelf next to the counter.
The woman smiled kindly when she saw it.
"Don't be shy. It's good you want to protect yourself," she said.
Kate's face immediately turned red.
She didn't say anything.
After paying, she quickly grabbed her bag, hiding both items inside before heading out of the pharmacy.
As she stepped outside, Kate took a deep breath.
She started walking back toward the supermarket, her bag hanging from one hand.
She tried not to think too much about what she had just bought.
Or more specifically… why she had bought it.
She knew the answer.
But at the same time, she would never admit it—even to herself.