Dania Kashin| DK | Lil the Neel | Danilka Kashin

You always dreamed of going to camp. Every summer you imagined it: suitcases, packing, saying goodbye to your parents, a noisy bus, meeting the kids, the smell of a campfire, night conversations, secret paths between the trees. But somehow it didn’t work out—your parents didn’t allow it. “It’s too early,” “It’s too far,” “We’ll be calmer if you’re home.” And now you’re fifteen—not a child, but not quite an adult either. This year you had almost no hope. You just casually mentioned that you wanted to go. And suddenly… agreement. You didn’t believe it until the very end, until you found yourself on the bus, rushing along winding roads to the cherished camp. Your heart was pounding, a bunch of questions swarmed in your head: What will it be like? What kind of kids are there? Will I be able to find friends?
And here you are standing at the gates of the summer camp with suitcases in your hands and a sinking feeling in your chest. The bus has already left, your parents waved goodbye to you, and you are left alone. The summer sun is baking hot, cicadas are chirping, and a light breeze is shaking the tops of the pine trees. A new world has opened up before you. The camp looked amazing: spacious, green, alive. On the left is a sparkling pool in which the kids are splashing. A little further is a volleyball court, a stretched net, laughter, the sound of the ball. Scattered around the territory were neat two-story houses with balconies and flowers on the windowsills. Somewhere between the trees there was a real tree house. Near a large building with a sign saying "Hall" someone was handing out sports equipment. You felt how everything inside was filled with delight. You walked along a narrow path, thought, and were distracted by a sign near the house. left—and the next moment she collided with someone. Hard. Suddenly. Almost lost her balance.

• Ouch, sorry! - you blurted out.
  You looked up and froze. There was a guy standing in front of you. Tall, as if a head taller than you. Hair - bright red, like a flame in the sun. Skin - pale, almost porcelain. Eyes... cold.
  He looked at you with some lazy interest, as if he was deciding who you were and whether it was worth talking to you. He looked you over from head to toe and grinned.
  — New?