Parker stepped out of his taxi, the sun reflecting off the windshield as he squinted at the rustic wooden sign reading "Long Horne Range" in faded white letters. The lake air filled his nostrils, and he could hear the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore. He adjusted his glasses and ran a hand through his messy curls, preparing himself for a week of lifeguard duty at the camp.

"Hey there," called a friendly voice from behind him. Parker turned to see an older man with a salt-and-pepper beard and a sun-weathered face. "You must be Parker. I'm Gus, the head counselor. Welcome to Long Horne. You'll be joining the other lifeguards at the beach. Just follow the yellow trail; you can't miss it."

"Thanks, Gus," Parker replied, feeling a flutter of nervous excitement in his stomach. He picked up his bag and began making his way down the sandy path, his shoes crunching on the small shells scattered across the ground.

As he approached the beach, Parker's heart skipped a beat when he recognized a familiar figure among the small group of lifeguards. Madison stood there, her brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, a whistle hanging around her neck. Their eyes met, and Parker could feel the tension between them immediately.

"Madison?" Parker said, trying to keep his voice steady. "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, I guess," she replied, crossing her arms defensively. "Lifeguarding for the week."

"Great," Parker muttered under his breath. "So we will be working together the whole week?" the thought made his stomach churn.

"Looks that way," Madison was clearly as unhappy as he was with this development.

Parker looked around at the other lifeguards, "Maybe we won't get the same shifts, you know since there are so many of us,"

"Let's just agree to keep things professional so we can both get through this." Madison returned to the group, but Parker kept a careful distance.

The lifeguard refresher course began, and despite their best efforts, Parker and Madison couldn't help but bicker throughout. They argued over the proper technique for rescuing a drowning swimmer, "Seriously, A fireman's carry, are you nuts!" Madison critiqued as Parker exited the water.

They fought when paired for the CPR training. "Madison you have to switch off with me at some point! They need to see my technique too," Parker pushed as Madison reached three minutes of consecutive compressions. Somehow, they managed to pass the course, though their already tense relationship was strained further.

-----

Meanwhile, Rodney and his family had just arrived at their hotel room in Disney World, excitement bubbling up as they unpacked their bags. Rodney couldn't wait to check out the park with his sister Marcy.

"Come on, Rod!" Marcy called, her curly hair bouncing as she grabbed her brother's hand. "Let's go explore!"

As they weaved through the throngs of people, riding roller coasters and sharing laughs, Rodney couldn't shake the lingering thought of what it would be like if Parker were there. He knew Parker would appreciate the intricate details of each ride, and they'd quote their favorite movies while waiting in line.

Rodney spotted a guy with messy curls and glasses, so similar to Parker's, he almost walked into a lamp post while staring. He tried to shake the image of Parker out of his head, but it crept back in at every turn. As much fun as he was having with Marcy, he couldn't help but wonder how much more fun it would be with Parker.

"Rodney, you okay?" Marcy asked, noticing his distant expression. "You seem distracted."

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine," he replied, forcing a smile. But deep down, he knew that he wanted to be more than friends with Parker, and if he was honest with himself, he had wanted it for a long time now.

-----

The sun cast a golden hue over Long Horne Range, as Madison and Parker prepared for their first shared lifeguard shift. They stood side by side, scanning the water, doing their best to pretend the other wasn't there.

"Hey, Madison," Parker began after a full hour of silence, pushing his glasses higher on his nose. "I'm... so sorry about the way it ended between us, you know I didn't want to hurt you? And I can promise you it has nothing to do with Erica." His eyes pleaded with her for forgiveness.

Madison's eyes rolled as she considered his words. "Then who are you really in love with, why did you just lead me on like that?" She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I just feel used and so confused by everything you did."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Parker exhaled slowly, his gaze lingering on the horizon. "You did nothing wrong and I am so sorry, I was just trying so hard to be something I am not," he admitted. "You are amazing and anyone who gets the chance to date you will be so lucky. I just can't love you the way you deserve to be loved, if you get what I am saying."

A wave of sadness washed over Madison's face as she realized what Parker was trying to confess. "When we go back to school, you need to find out how this mystery person really feels," she advised gently. "Everyone deserves to be happy, and that includes you."

-----

Back at Disney World, Rodney and Marcy strolled through the park, looking for something to eat. As they approached an ice cream stand, Marcy turned to Rodney, concern etched on her freckle-dotted face.

"Hey, how's Ally doing?" she asked. "I haven't really seen her around as often as I used to."

"She's fine," Rodney replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "She's got a boyfriend and she runs a club at school, so she is just a little busy is all."

"Too busy for her best friend?" Marcy said softly. "That doesn't seem like her, we are talking about a girl who blew off her own mother's birthday dinner to come to eat hotdogs with you."

"Hey I would take a hotdog over a steak any day," Rodney laughed, while trying to steer the conversation away from where it was obviously going.

Marcy continued. "Look all I am saying is people change, and if something has changed between you and Ally, you can tell me about it." She didn't say anything else until they reached the front of the line and she asked "Chocolate or Strawberry?"

As they headed for Space Mountain, Rodney mulled over Marcy's words. He couldn't deny that things had changed between him and Ally, but he wasn't sure what it all meant. Gazing up at the mountain before him, he wondered if he would ever feel the love he had felt for Ally at the beginning of the year again.

-----

Parker lay on his bed in the cabin, moonlight filtering through the window and casting a soft glow across the room. He stared at his phone, scrolling through Rodney's Instagram feed. Pictures of Rodney's adventures over the past year filled the screen - bowling with friends, posing with an enormous ice cream sundae, and even a candid shot of him laughing with Parker while they worked on their French countries project.

As he continued to scroll, Parker thought about how close he and Rodney had grown over the years. He remembered the times he'd caught Rodney giving him a look that made him feel like the center of the universe. The warmth that spread through him at those moments was something he hadn't experienced before, and it both thrilled and terrified him.

His thumb hovered over the message icon, but he hesitated. He wanted to take Madison's advice and ask if Rodney felt the same way he did, but not like this, not through a text. No, it had to be in person, on Monday. Parker a nervous excitement filled his body at the thought of Rodney slipping him into his and saying he feels the same way. That thought carried Parker off into his dreams.

-----

Meanwhile, Rodney approached his mom in Disney World as she sipped her coffee in the warm Florida sun.

"Hey Mom, can I talk to you about something?" he asked, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

"Of course," she replied, setting down her cup. "What's on your mind?"

"I was just wondering... how did you know Dad was the one?" His voice was hesitant, barely audible above the noise of the bustling theme park.

His mom looked surprised by the question but smiled softly. "Well, at first, I didn't know. Your father was my high school friend, and when he asked me out, I was so afraid it would ruin our friendship that I said no twice."

Rodney pictured his dad, confident and unyielding despite the rejections, and wished he could have even a fraction of that self-assurance.

"Eventually," she continued, "I said yes, and dating my best friend felt easy. I realized how silly I'd been to say no even once. Love comes naturally when you share a bond of friendship and the same ideals." She studied him for a moment before asking, "Is this about Ally?"

Rodney hesitated, then admitted, "I'm not sure."

-----

The sun began to dip below the horizon, as Parker stood in the cozy cabin, methodically folding his clothes into his duffel bag. He couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness as he packed up his belongings.

"Hey, Parker," Madison said softly, appearing in the doorway with a sheepish smile. "Just came by to say I had fun this week, despite everything. And... I'd like for us to be friends again."

Parker looked at her, his eyes searching hers before breaking into a genuine smile. "Yeah, me too. I really missed hanging out with you. And thank you for.... understanding."

"Of course," she replied, leaning against the doorframe with a sigh. "So, how are you getting home?"

"Uh, I was planning on taking the bus," Parker admitted, zipping up his bag.

"Want to drive back together? my mom is picking me up. We can maybe make up for some lost time." Madison offered, a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Sounds like a plan," Parker agreed, slinging his bag over his shoulder and following her out of the cabin.

-----

High above the clouds, Rodney gazed out the airplane window, the world below a blur of greens and blues. Marcy sat beside him, fiddling with the cord of her headphones.

"Things have changed between Ally and me," Rodney confessed quietly, staring at the passing clouds. "After Dad died, she was always there. Always trying to include me. It made me feel loved and important to her."

Marcy nodded, listening intently.

"But this year," he continued, "she's often ignored me or left me out in favor of other people. When Dad died, it felt like everyone disappeared from my life but not her. So when she moved all the way here just to ignore me, it hurt so much."

Marcy reached for his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I know, Rod. But you've changed this year too. You've opened up and made friends on your own - Derek, Parker, Jordan, and Madison. Dad would be proud of you."

He let out a shaky breath, feeling the weight of her words.

"Remember, people come and go in life," Marcy said softly, her eyes filled with understanding. "But I'll always be here for you."

Tears brimmed in Rodney's eyes as he leaned into his sister's embrace, grateful for her unwavering support. The plane continued to soar through the sky, carrying them closer to home and whatever awaited them there.