When Adelyn rode back into the camp with her bicycle that afternoon, wearing her colorful beach wrap, Julie and Cheryl spotted her as they returned from the pool.

"Girl, where ya'll been? " Cheryl shouted as they approached her.

"Yeah, Ads. What's up?" Julie asked. "This guy you've been seeing is in another town or something?"

"How do you know I wasn't just out alone for a ride, girls? You're all so quick to jump to conclusions."

"Well we got our reasons, girl." Cheryl continued. "You never around no more."

"Don't take it personally. We're all having fun here, right?"

She got off the bike and stood facing them.

"Besides, you two are never in the best condition to join me. At least for the things I want to do. Canoeing, hiking, biking . . ."

Julie pointed her finger at her, accusingly. "Yeah . . . and making love with some guy . . . secretly?"

"Come on Julie! You know me better. Would I really be doing that?"

"A month ago? Definitely no . . .  But now? Not so sure, Ads."

Adelyn smiled. A little proud of the progress she had made socially in just five days.

"So now . . . truth time, Honey" Cheryl interjected. "You been getting it good from a guy. Ain't that so, Miss Adelyn?"

"NO! . . . At least . . . not yet," she added shyly. 

"So you were with this guy again," Julie surmised."

"I'm not saying I was, OK? Hey! Don't you two young goddesses have a life here?"

"Well, as a matter of fact," Cheryl interjected, "Miss Julie was having some real action today. With that Felix guy. At the pool?"

"Hmm. That so, Jules?"

"Adelyn, I was watch'in what they was do'in," Cheryl devilishly reported. "Under the water? . . It was disgusting!"

"Cheryl!"

"Well the boy did have his hand down your pants, girl. And you truly was work'in him pretty good too!"

"All right Cheryl," Adelyn jumped in." We don't need details, OK?  Whatever she does here with a guy . . . is her business. Let's just all try to all keep it that way. Fair enough?"

"You're just jealous, Cheryl," Julie declared indignantly. "Cause your guy went off with that girl in the . . . white see-through?"

"Yeah. She be a pig!"

"Guess not to him, she wasn't."

"Shut up, girl!"

"Alright. Alright," Adelyn said. "Look, Julie. Cheryl's capable of getting any  of these guys interested in her. We all know that. OK?"

"Dat's right!" Cheryl confirmed. "And without hav'n to giv'em no hand -job underwater, OK?"

"Cheryl. Please!"

Adelyn just shook her head and started walking toward the recreation center to turn in her bicycle. When she got back to the room she found Courtney sitting on her bed peering into her smartphone. She didn't seem too happy.

"Hey Court. How you feeing?"

"Like hell, Don't ask."

"OK. Your face still hurting?"

"No. That ass, Josh?  Say's he went to the Bahamas with his family! Right after he tried to forcibly screw me last night! Can you believe that loser?"

"I'm so sorry Court. I'm sure the world is full of jerks like him. Right?"

"They're all jerks, Ads. Some just less than others. But that guy is a super jerk!  I'm so glad I didn't let him have me last night. He was so sure he would get it, though. Jerk face!"

"So you don't believe there could ever be a guy that maybe . . . isn't just out for himself, Court?"

"No.  And especially when it comes to sex. You'll see, Ads. They're seriously all total pigs about it. Pigs!"

"But just maybe . . ?"

"NO!  They're ALL like that!"

Adelyn thought about what Courtney was telling her. And how much more experienced her young friend had been with males. Especially when it came to the subject she was currently most concerned with.

"So just trust me, Ads . . . this guy you must be seeing. You need to know. Whatever he gets off you this week, he's going to leave this camp just knowing he added another girl to his collection."

"Wow . . . Really?"

"And that stupid Josh, I'm happy to say, didn't get this girl."

"Yeah, Court. You should be seriously proud of yourself for not letting that happen."

Courtney lightly touched the side of her face which was still sore as a badge of courage.

"So look. When you do decide to give it up, Ads, I hope it's with someone you halfway want to be with a long time. Otherwise . . . it's just not worth it. OK?"

"Thanks for the wise words, Court. I'll think about what you said."

"Alright. But in the end, just do what the hell you want. Make yourself  happy. And just live with whatever happens. No one knows you better than you. Just always love yourself first, OK? That's what I've learned."

As the late afternoon turned to evening, and Courtney seemed to cheer up a bit, chatting with her many friends on Instagram, Adelyn sat on her bed and anticipated going back to see Dan that night. Could he really be so special as she saw and experienced him?  Or would he just turn out like all guys, according to Courtney. Acting like he cared, as long as it got him what he wanted all along?

Adelyn's instincts somehow told her Dan was genuine. After all, she was the one who came to him seeking out sexual involvement. And he didn't jump on the opportunity. He definitely had several chances already to accomplish that, if it was all he wanted, she thought. At least that was only Courtney's assessment of guys.

The discussion also got Adelyn thinking about her friend, and how Courtney  historically threw herself at males. Wouldn't that have a lot to do with the outcome? The way they would treat her? Dan had said he was aware of Courtney's tactics, and saw the game each summer with both girls Courtney's age and those even older. In his case, it didn't seem to impress him. 

So what was it Dan found in her that he did seem to care for, she wondered?  Perhaps it was her innocence. Her naiveté. He was the perfect teacher and she the perfect student in the ways of lovemaking. At least she respected and appreciated his careful and concerned manner. She actually loved he way he proceeded to carefully. Courtney, she knew, would of course question his motives and method. Yet there was something in Adelyn's intuition that would not allow herself to think like Courtney when it cam to Dan. She knew she would allow him to continue in his own way, bringing her to more of those sensations she had never had.

The answer to all her questions, however, would come soon enough she knew that night. For as she looked at the clock on her smartphone, the hour was approaching when she would go back to visit a certain Canadian young man--in bed. One her heart and body could just not get enough of. 

*     *     *