What If... I Told You?

The following morning began with a soft, golden glow spilling over the horizon, but the camp was quiet. Most of the campers were still asleep, recovering from the stargazing event that had stretched into the late hours. Annie, however, had been awake since the first light crept into the cabin.

She hadn't been able to stop replaying last night in her mind-the way Timothy had looked at her, the warmth of his embrace, and the quiet but powerful emotions they had shared. It felt like a dream, and part of her worried that when she saw him again, things would somehow shift, like the magic of the night would be replaced with the awkwardness of the day.

Bella stirred in the bunk above her, her arm dangling lazily over the edge. "Morning already?" she groaned, her voice muffled by her pillow.

Annie glanced at her phone. "Yeah, but it's still early. You can sleep in if you want."

Bella peeked over the edge, her hair a wild mess. "You're up early. That's... not normal for you."

Annie shrugged, unable to keep the small smile from creeping onto her face.

Bella squinted at her.

"Wait a second. Why are you smiling like that?"

"What? I'm not smiling like anything," Annie protested, though her face betrayed her.

Bella's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh. Something happened last night, didn't it?"

"Keep your voice down!"

Annie hissed, glancing around the cabin. Luckily, the others were still fast asleep.

Bella slid down from her bunk with all the grace of a baby giraffe and plopped onto Annie's bed. "Spill. Right now."

Annie hesitated, unsure if she was ready to put it into words yet. "It's... complicated."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Everything is complicated with you. Just tell me-did Timothy finally grow a brain and say something?"

Annie bit her lip, trying to suppress her smile.

"HE DID!" Bella exclaimed, then quickly clamped her hands over her mouth, glancing around to make sure she hadn't woken anyone.

"Sorry, but oh my gosh, I knew it! What did he say? What did you say? Did you kiss?"

"No, we didn't kiss," Annie said quickly, her cheeks burning. "But we... talked. A lot. And I told him how I feel."

"And?"

"And... he feels the same way," Annie admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Bella let out a soft squeal, grabbing Annie's hands. "This is huge! I knew it! I knew you two were meant to be! So what happens now?"

"That's the part I'm not sure about," Annie said, her excitement dimming slightly. "What if things change when we leave camp? What if this was just... a summer thing for him?"

Bella frowned, her expression turning serious. "Annie, don't do that. Don't start doubting everything just because you're scared. If he said he feels the same way, then trust that. Give him a chance to prove it."

Annie nodded, her friend's words sinking in. "You're right. I just... don't want to lose him."

"You won't," Bella said firmly.

"Now, go find him and make the most of today. It's your last full day here-you don't want to waste it worrying about what-ifs."

Annie smiled, feeling a surge of gratitude for her friend. "Thanks, Bella."

"Anytime," Bella said with a wink. "Now, go!"

Annie quickly got dressed and slipped out of the cabin, heading toward the mess hall where breakfast was being served. She spotted Timothy almost immediately-he was sitting with Jake and Ethan, laughing over something Jake had said.

Her heart skipped a beat as his eyes met hers, and he gave her a small, warm smile that made her stomach flutter. She walked over, trying to appear casual despite the storm of nerves building inside her.

"Morning," she said, taking the empty seat beside him.

"Morning," he replied, his tone soft.

Jake smirked, leaning across the table. "What's with you two? You're acting all... weird."

"We're not acting weird," Timothy said quickly, shooting Jake a look.

Jake raised an eyebrow. "Sure, you're not. Anyway, are we all still on for the scavenger hunt later?"

"I'm in," Ethan said, stuffing a piece of toast into his mouth.

"Me too," Timothy said, glancing at Annie. "You coming?"

"Of course," she said, grateful for the excuse to spend more time with him.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur of activity as the campers prepared for the scavenger hunt. The counselors had hidden clues and items all over the campgrounds, and the teams were tasked with finding as many as possible within a set time limit.

Annie and Timothy ended up on the same team, along with Bella and Jake. As they raced through the woods, searching for clues, Annie felt a sense of ease settle over her.

"This way!" Timothy called, pointing toward a cluster of trees.

Annie followed him, their hands brushing as they reached the next clue. She glanced at him, and he smiled, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"You're really good at this," she said.

"Years of practice," he replied. "I take scavenger hunts very seriously."

She laughed, feeling her nerves melt away.

By the time the hunt ended, their team had found the most items, earning them first place. As they gathered in the main field to celebrate, Timothy leaned closer to Annie.

"Want to go for a walk?" he asked.

She nodded, her heart racing again.

They wandered toward the edge of the lake, where the water reflected the golden light of the setting sun. The air was warm, and the only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the distant laughter of the other campers.

"I'm really going to miss this place," Timothy said, breaking the silence.

"Me too," Annie said. "It's hard to believe we're leaving tomorrow."

He looked at her, his expression thoughtful. "I meant what I said last night, you know. You've made this summer unforgettable."

"So have you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He reached out, gently taking her hand. "I don't want this to just be a summer thing, Annie. I want to keep seeing you, even after camp. I don't care how far apart we are-I'll make it work."

Her eyes filled with tears, and she squeezed his hand.

"I want that too."

For a moment, they just stood there, holding hands as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange. It felt like the perfect ending to a perfect day, but Annie knew it was only the beginning of something much bigger.