Christian Campsite Bondage

Teacher break room, Thursday afternoon

So fucking hot.

You reach down to the hem of your white woolen sweater and rub the rough fabric between your fingers. You’re slightly nervous, as always, but you breathe deeply, reminding yourself there’s nothing to be worried about. Slowly, you pull the sweater over your head, your hair cascading down your back. You adjust your glasses as you place the sweater beside you.

You know you look great in your white camisole top, your gleaming shoulders playfully on display. You can’t help but catch Patrick’s eye as he notices your shoulder-length blond hair, smooth arms, and the top of your chest. Your heart skips a beat as it always does when his dark eyes meet yours, and his brief smile inspires one of your own.

“It’s always so hot in here,” you announce lamely to the teacher break room. Unsurprisingly, no one replies. Even Patrick returns to the conversation he’s having with Devon.

You pull a notebook out of your bag and place it on the table in front of you. You sit alone, as you usually do during lunch, and you nibble on your hummus-and-veggie sandwich as you review your notes for the preschool teacher training sessions you’re running this weekend.

“I’m really sorry, man,” Devon is saying to Patrick. “I just can’t make it.”

“Dude,” Patrick responds. “You can’t bail on me the day before the trip. What am I supposed to do about coverage?”

“I told you, I’m sorry. I’m sure you can find someone to go.”

“On such late notice?”

Patrick’s desperation tugs at your heart, and you speak up. “Hey, what’s going on?”

The guidance counselor looks at you again, his eyes brushing your cleavage before making their way to your gaze. “I’ve got the first-year alumni camping trip this weekend,” Patrick explains, “but _Devon _here is pulling out as a chaperone. I have to find another background checked adult to supervise the trip with me by tomorrow.”

As always, you wish you could help.

“Wish I could help,” you say. “Sounds like fun.”

You’ve heard of the first-year alumni camping trip, of course. Even the students in the preschool side of Calvary Christian practice their outdoors skills, and by the time a CC student graduates, they’re as ready to survive the wilderness as an Eagle scout. The retention rate between graduation and the first-year reunion each June is astonishing; in fact, it’s one of the factors that convinced you CC was the right school for you when you started this fall.

Margaret also chimes in. “Oh? What do you have going on this weekend, Vicky?”

You yourself to remain calm and resist the temptation to roll your eyes. “I have the teacher training, remember, Margaret?”

“What teacher training?” she asks as though she hadn’t dumped the weekend’s worth of professional development on your lap two weeks ago.

“You’re joking, right?” you reply, noticing Patrick’s grin. At least I’m not the only one who finds her exasperating, you think. “The training you told me to run for all my teachers.”

Margaret’s face screws up in that maddening hm, what was I supposed to remember again? look. You count down, knowing by now that in five seconds it’ll dawn on her.

“Oh right,” she says. “Um, sorry about that. I canceled the training.” You stare at her, your mouth literally hanging open. “Didn’t I tell you?”

You struggle to keep your voice level. “No, actually, you didn’t.”

“Aren’t you on the teacher email list?”

“I’m an administrator, Margaret, remember? I’m not on the teacher email list.”

“Oh,” she says shortly. Then she shrugs, “Sorry.”

Before you have a chance to respond, Patrick cuts in. “Wait, so does that mean you are free?”

You pause. Actually, it does. And a weekend camping trip with the attractive counselor doesn’t sound too bad at all. “Well,” you say. “I guess I am. Can I come?”

Patrick’s grin stretches from ear to ear. “Absolutely!”

Your exasperation melts as you start to realize that this weekend is going to be a lot better than you anticipated. The five-minute bell sounds, and Patrick stands up. “I’ll text you everything you need to know.”

“Okay, great!” you say with a smile. You hardly notice him glancing down your top as he heads to his office and you imagine what the next few days will have in store.