After finishing my second lap around the lake, I tied off the half-filled garbage bag and tossed it by a tree. Exhausted, I plopped down in the sand close to the water. The smell of sewage still lingered on my clothes. The thought of having to do this all summer was depressing. 

I took my phone out of my pocket and found that I had no service, and another two hours to sit there. It didn’t take five hours to clean some toilets and pick up garbage. I couldn’t even text anyone to make the time go by faster. Not that I had anyone to text. 

My stomach started to growl, reminding me I had left my lunch in the truck. I took out my pocket knife and grabbed a stick lying nearby. After peeling off the bark, I started carving little designs like my grandpa had taught me. I worked on it for over an hour. It slowly morphed into a snake curled around a twig. I thought it looked all right. My grandpa would have been proud. 

The bushes rustled behind me. I turned around as a German shepherd barreled out of the trees straight at me. Cursing under my breath, I ran for the tree line. 

The dog didn’t chase me. Instead, it went to the lake, where a ball floated in the water. Sucking in my lips, I prayed that no one had been watching. 

“Hey, look at this.”

My eyes landed on two boys walking out of the trees. One picked up my pocket knife, while the other grabbed the stick I had been working on. I marched toward them, but felt my courage start to fade as I realized they were quite a bit taller than me. They gave me weird looks. I stopped a reasonable distance away. The dog, now dripping wet, had returned to its owner’s side.

“Umm… those are mine.”

The two boys exchanged amused glances. “Really?” said the bigger one.

I nodded. “Yeah, my name is on the knife.” I pointed to the handle. “Right there, you can see it. Aden Perri.”

The boy examined it. “Nope. I don’t see anything. Maybe you dropped yours somewhere else.”

“Just give it back.” I held out my hand. “It’s mine, and so is that.” I motioned to the carved stick. 

The shorter boy laughed. “No chance of that happening. Beat it, kid.”

“The knife is mine,” I stated. “It was a present. Give it back.”

“Like we’re going to listen to the garbage boy.” The taller one shoved me. 

I staggered back and rubbed my shoulder. “My dad is a forest ranger.”

The boys laughed and pretended to be scared. “What is he going to do? Give us a ticket?”

Bowing my head, I felt stupid. My dad really couldn’t do anything. 

“Get out of here, or you’re going to end up in the lake.”

Staring at my feet, I slowly turned and walked away. It wasn’t worth fighting over it. I’d ask my mom to buy me a new one. 

“Hey, garbage boy.”

I looked over my shoulder.

“Catch.” The taller one threw the ball at me.

I caught it and stared at the red object in my hands.

“Go get it, girl.”

My eyes grew wide as the German shepherd raced toward me. “Oh, no.” 

It leaped into the air and landed on top of me. I screamed and toppled into the sand, curling into a ball. The dog pawed at my chest and arms. It was only a matter of time before it took a chunk out of my arm or went for my neck. 

The dog yelped and was yanked off. I peeked through my hands and saw a shirtless boy standing above me with the dog’s collar in his hand. The German shepherd struggled to get away. The boy growled, showing teeth and making the dog freeze. I sat up, wide-eyed. He reached toward me and grabbed the ball trapped under my leg. Facing the other two, he released the dog. It lay down in the sand.

“Give them to me.” The shirtless boy held out his hand. 

“Here.” They handed over the knife and stick. 

“Umm…” The taller boy looked at the ball. “That’s ours.”

“Oh.” My rescuer tossed it in his hand. “I thought so.” He cocked back his arm and hurled it into the center of the lake. “Go get it.”

“What?” The shorter one asked.

He narrowed his eyes. “Now.”

The two stumbled over each other as they raced for the water. 

The shirtless boy dropped to one knee and patted the dog’s head. “Here.” He gave it something from his pocket, and it trotted off into the trees, its tail wagging. 

I looked away to hide my bright red face. 

The boy sat down beside me. “I think these are yours.” He held out the knife and stick.

I quickly took them. “Thanks.”

He started to laugh. “Don’t worry about it. I’m Titus.”

“Hi.” 

When was he going to leave? It was embarrassing enough that two seconds ago, he had heard me screaming like a scared three-year-old. 

“And yours is?”

I glanced at him. “Hmm…”

He took the knife from me.

I opened my mouth to argue.

“Aden Perri.” He handed it back to me. “Nice to meet you.”

“Oh… Yeah, I’m Aden.” I bit my lip and stared at the water. 

“Are you afraid of dogs?”

I bowed my head. “So you saw that?”

Titus laughed. “I think everyone in the campground heard it.”

“Oh my god.” I hid my face behind my hands. I wished my dad would hurry up and get here so we could go home. 

“So, what’s your deal with dogs?” He leaned back and stretched his legs out in front of him. Along with his lack of shirt, Titus’s shoes were missing, too.

“When I was little, my family lived in a subdivision, and the neighbors had a couple of watchdogs. They got out once.” My hand went to my leg. “One bit me, and I guess I’m still not over it.”

“I like dogs,” he said, letting the sand run through his fingers. “I bet if you gave them a chance, you would, too. They’re not all mean.”

I shrugged. “I guess, but I kind of panic when they get too close.”

We sat in silence for a moment. It was a little awkward, but it was worth it to watch those two losers swim to a distant bank with the ball in hand. 

“You smell good.”

I froze and peeked at Titus from the corner of my eye. “What?”

“I like your smell.” 

“What part: crap or wet dog?” I didn’t understand this guy. 

He brought his knees in and rested his arms on them. Turning to me, he smiled. “And your eyes, they’re not what I expected. They’re really beautiful.”

My creeper radar shot to extreme. “Okay,” I breathed, brushing the sand off my hands and standing. “I think I’d better be going.”

Titus stood as well. “Will you be coming back?”

“Umm… yeah. I clean the campground every Monday and Thursday.”

“Good, I’d like to see you again.” He gave me a cheesy grin. “Maybe I can come and visit you, too?”

“We’ll see.” I laughed hesitantly, backing away from him.

This guy was weird. One minute, he was growling at a dog and threatening people, and the next, he was giving me compliments and wanting to hang out. 

“Maybe some other time.” I shoved my knife into my pocket. 

“Did you make this?” He picked the stick up. “That’s really cool.”

I shrugged. “My grandpa taught me. It’s not that hard. Just something to do when I’m bored.”

“I like it.” He gave me another large smile. 

This guy was freaking me out. “Well, my dad should be here to pick me up, so I better go.” I slipped past him to get the trash bag I left by the tree line.

“Hey, wait, your stick thing.”

“Keep it.” I snatched the bag and hurried up the path.

“Wow, thanks.” He waved at me. “See you Thursday!”

“Yeah,” I replied, waving back. I jogged to the shed and was happy to see my dad’s truck coming down the road. 

He pulled up and rolled down the window. “So, how’d it go?”

“It was easy enough.” I tossed the garbage bags in the back. 

“Is there a reason you’re wet and smell like a dog?”

I bowed my head and marched around to the passenger side.

“Aden?” said my father, looking at me from over his sunglasses. “What happened?”

I climbed inside and sank into my seat. “Some guys were giving me a hard time at the lake, and their dog jumped on me. I’m fine. It’s no big deal.

“Twice in one day,” he sighed. “Dogs really like you for some reason. You’re okay, though?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m good.”

“Alright. Tell me if it happens again, and I’ll do something about it.”

“Dad, don’t worry about it. I’m fine.” I put on my seatbelt. 

“Your meds are in the glove box.” He turned the truck around and headed for the deathtrap of a road. 

I quickly retrieved the white canister and popped off the lid. Taking out two pills, I tossed them in my mouth and washed them down with water. With a deep breath, I prepared myself for the ride ahead.