"Yeah, sure," Cole laughed. "I'm the one who is going to be picking up the slack with his peeps while he's off flirting with counselors. You and Alexis have peeps too, don't you, Sam?" he asked me. "I guess that means we'll be teaming up to do some activities together." That sounded fun, doing group things with Cole. He was growing on me.
"I'm glad my marshmallows can go to the bathroom on their own," Court said with a shudder. "Who wants to deal with that?" Dylan had marshmallows too, while Em and Grace had pez.
Everyone's excitement over assignments and camper details helped me forget about Ashley. My friends were right -- it wasn't my fault that I had been assigned to Alexis. Ashley had to know that. Right? I shuddered.
Suddenly my ears were ringing. Everyone was still talking so they didn't see me turn around. Just a few feet away were Ashley and Gabby, deep in conversation. Neither of them looked happy, but Ashley looked downright furious. Her skinny arms were waving wildly and her face was red. It didn't take a genius to know she was probably talking about me.
Gabby saw me looking and nudged her best friend, who spun around. Ashley didn't even try to hide her expression. Her eyes like slits, she stared at me coldly and then looked away.
"You okay, Sam?" Em asked me, putting a hand on my shoulder. I jumped.
"Yeah," I said with a small smile. "I'm fine."
I hoped.
5 They're Here
There was no need to panic. They were just kids, right? Sweet little adorable... yelling kids.
But I was still panicked!
There were busloads and busloads of them heading right toward me and I could hear them screaming even with the bus windows closed.
The first bus pulled up and opened its doors, and a sea of loud rugrats, dressed all in red, came running out. Two counselors anxiously rushed over to meet them.
Me, I was about to pass out.
That wouldn't have been good because I was lined up with the rest of the Whispering Pines staff to greet the campers. We were all standing there with big smiles, wearing our red Pines staff t-shirts, and everyone seemed really excited.
I would have been excited too.
If I wasn't completely petrified.
I wasn't ready for this! I'd only had a few days of training! I couldn't remember the rules to capture the flag. I still didn't understand what Color War was and I got lost on the way to the arts and crafts building. How could Hitch have thought I was a good match for Alexis or that I was in any way ready to be a CIT?
I stopped hyperventilating and looked around. Hmm. No one seemed to have noticed yet that I didn't belong. Hitch was belting out the camp fight song through his megaphone. Alexis, Sophia, and Gabby's crush, Gavin, were marking off clipboards with every camper's name on them while simultaneously talking to people on their walkie-talkies. Ashley and Gabby were greeting the first wave of girl campers, who all seemed pretty happy to see them. Hunter and some of the guy counselors were wearing red war paint, carrying camp banners, and cheering as obnoxiously as they could. I just stood there like a statue.
I was sure I was going to be sick.
"Are you okay?" Court asked, giving me an amused look. She was standing next to me. She'd cut the sleeves off her Pines t-shirt, added glitter to the Pines logo, and knotted her tee at the waist. Only Court could have made a boring baggy tee look trendy. I had a feeling she rocked at arts and crafts.
We were supposed to break off in a few minutes to meet with our counselors and then collect our campers and bring them back to their bunk. But I couldn't move. My feet were glued to the ground.
"I'm fine," I told her. "I'm totally ready for this."
"You look ready," Courtney deadpanned. She punched my slightly swollen mosquito-bitten arm lightly. (I had made a mental note that morning: Put bug spray on at all times after dusk whether it seems buggy or not.)
I scratched my arm, which was lathered with dried calamine lotion. "I don't think I can do this," I groaned. "The campers are going to eat me alive."
"Your group is six, seven, and eight," Courtney pointed out. "They can't smell weakness yet. Although they do cry at night and wet the bed."
"Not helping," I moaned.
Em walked over to us. "Hey," she said. "How are you feeling?" I just looked at her. "That's what I thought," Em said. "Maybe this will help." She held out a card.
I opened it up and burst out laughing. On the front was a cartoon picture of two girls stuck up in a tree with a hungry-looking bear salivating at the bottom of the tree. Inside it said, "Sometimes at camp we do a lot of hanging around. Good thing friends like you keep life interesting." At the bottom of the card Em had written, "Good luck today, Sam! I know you're going to do great. Em." I was so touched I almost couldn't speak. Even Mal hadn't sent me off to camp with a card, though I had given her one before I left.
Court ripped the card from my hands, read it, and laughed. "You and your cards," she said to Em. "Is this from the Pines Country Store?"
"Where else?" Em asked. "They're the only ones that sell camp-themed cards."
I hugged Em. "Thanks," I said, and tucked the card into the pocket on the back of my shorts.
"Counselors, it's time," Hitch interrupted, yelling into his megaphone. I couldn't even see him in the huge crowd, but I knew it was him. "Find your troops and report to your bunks."
Court gave my hand a squeeze. "Good luck," we said at the same time, and then headed into the sea of people to find our counselors.
I only made it a few feet before I ran into a tiny, red-faced camper who was in tears. She couldn't find her counselor, so I wound up taking her over to Gavin, who had the master list, and then over to Morgan, her counselor. That's where I saw a boy trip and fall and bust open his knee in front of me. He was in Bridget's and Em's group, but since they looked so preoccupied, I offered to quickly take the kid to the nurse. After that I ran into Sophia, who was carrying an armload of unclaimed duffel bags and looked like she was going to be crushed under the weight. I offered to help her carry them to the administrative building.
When I came back, I couldn't find Alexis anywhere. The parking lot had become a total madhouse. Bus driver-s were unloading duffel bags and putting them in a huge pile, counselors were holding signs with their bunk numbers on them, and everywhere I turned one camper was grabbing another camper and squealing some variation of "OH MY GOD! I SO MISSED YOU!" A few feet away from me I spotted Ashley and Gabby holding court with a few campers. Ashley saw me and waved, which was odd, but I guessed we were all trying to be on our best behavior.
I walked past their group, sidestepped a camper throwing up into a garbage bag that one of the counselors was holding, and bumped right into Cole.
"Hey," he yelled over the commotion. He was holding a tiny, sweaty six-year-old boy like a football with one hand and a nervous-looking little boy was hanging on desperately to his other. "Having fun yet?"
"Loads," I yelled back and added: "Have you seen Alexis?"
Cole shook his head. "Try by the duffels," he suggested and then disappeared into the crowd.
Where could Alexis have disappeared to? She said she'd find me as soon as Hitch gave the signal and we'd greet our campers together. But maybe I shouldn't have gotten so distracted. Just ahead of me, I saw Grace. I reached my hand through a group of crying girls having a reunion and grabbed Grace's arm. "Have you seen Alexis?" I asked, feeling myself start to panic.
"You mean you haven't picked up your campers yet?" she asked, sounding surprised. "I've found five of mine already."
What? How? They'd only been here five minutes. Okay, maybe it was more like fifteen at this point since I had gotten tied up doing other things. Now I was getting nervous. Where were my campers? I pictured Alexis on the other side of this crowd with all eight little girls lined up, saying, "What do you mean none of you have seen Sam? She was supposed to greet you." I felt a tug on the back of my shirt and turned around. A cute, brunette girl with an explosion of freckles on her cheeks was staring up at me.
She looked the right age.
"Are you Samantha?" she asked nervously.
I nodded and kneeled down to her level. "Are you in my bunk? 5A? Are you a peep?" I asked, trying to think of every possible term she might recognize.
She shook her head. "I'm supposed to tell you that Alexis wants you to go to the west gate. She said your girls were dropped off there by accident and are waiting for you. She had to run back to the office to get something. She'll meet you there."
I hugged the girl. "Thanks!" I said, feeling relieved, and then turned back to Grace. "I found them! I'll see you later." I pushed my way through the crowd and sprinted to the main entrance. Then I stopped short.
Wait. This wasn't right. Where the heck was the west gate?
Okay, I could figure that out on my own. If we were at the main entrance and the camp was facing, um, it was facing... okay, where was the sun? Oh! Over there. Okay, so if the camp was facing north then that meant the west gate would be to my left. I think. It was probably on the other side of the tennis courts and that's why I'd never seen it. I took off running, as fast as my legs would take me, up the path.
I had no idea I could run this fast. I was going to make it to the west gate in no time. I'd get there, greet the girls and have them unpacking their stuff in the cabin before Alexis even got back from the main office. She'd be so impressed.
Wow, this was a really good workout. Maybe I was a natural athlete and never knew it. I should have signed up for more physical activity this session (right now I was signed up for as many crafts and non-sweating activities as they would allow). Next session I would take soccer and really wow Grace. Or sign up for the hiking group. Maybe I'd take up jogging with Cole. Wait. Why would I want to jog with Cole? I'd jog alone and...
Wheeze...
Trip...
Wheeze...
Were my lungs supposed to be burning?
I stopped and put my head between my legs, my hands firmly grasping my knees so I didn't fall over. I tried to catch my breath. I needed water. Was there a stream nearby? I thought Hitch had said something about the streams on campus all being clean enough to drink. Or was that, not clean enough to drink?
"Taking a little morning jog, champ?" I heard someone ask.
I looked through my legs. Hunter was leading a group of rowdy six-to-eight-year-old boys. I quickly stood up and then felt a little dizzy. Hunter reached out to steady me.
"Hold up, guys," he said to the kids, and then to me: "You look pretty flushed. It's me, isn't it?"
I could feel my face color. "Where's Cole?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
"We had a wetter," Hunter said, leaning into me. "Cole ran ahead with him so he could change and wouldn't be embarrassed." Hunter shook his head. "I would have made the kid suck it up."
Ouch. How could Hunter be so mean? I would have done the same thing Cole did.
"Don't look so wounded," Hunter said. "I'm half kidding. I don't want you to regret being happy to see me."
"I was on my way to the west gate to meet my campers so I should go," I said a tad defensively. He stared at me with those big blue peepers and a huge grin and it was making it hard for me to remember why I was here.
Hunter nodded. "The west gate, huh?"
"Yes," I said. I wished he'd stop looking at me. They needed an ordinance around here that said Hunter had to wear sunglasses at all times when he was talking to girls. "I should get going." The only problem was I still wasn't one hundred percent sure in which direction. I looked at him sheepishly. "Do you know which way it is?"
"Well, that all depends, champ," he said coyly. "What are you going to do for me if I tell you?"
I blushed. "I don't have time for games," I said, trying to sound composed. I wasn't used to guys flirting with me -- if that's what he was doing. "Do you know where the west gate is or not?"
"I guess I could tell you for free, just this once," he said.
I waited expectantly. The minutes were ticking by. I was losing my lead time on Alexis. "Well?"
He looked at me. "Boys, tell the champ here where the west gate is."
"There is no west gate!" a slightly taller-looking boy in the back said first. "This is my second year here and I know the only gate is the main one." Two other boys muttered in agreement.
My heart felt like it just stopped. "But there has to be!" I freaked out.
Hunter shook his head. "I think you've just entered phase one of your initiation."
"My initiation?" I was confused. What was Hunter talking about? How could there be no west gate? That girl definitely said west gate. She said Alexis told her. Why would that cute little girl make that up?
ASHLEY.
Now it all made sense. This was payback. I felt like I was going to pass out. "You're not being funny."
"I'm not trying to be." He shrugged. "I knew there was no way Ashley and Gabby were going to let you waltz in here without one. You better watch your back, champ," he added with a smirk. "I think you should head back to the main entrance. I bet there's a group of crying girls waiting for you."
Oh God. He was probably right. I didn't even say good-bye. Or thanks. I just sprinted back to the parking lot, ignoring the fire in my legs and the dry feeling in my throat.
But there was no one there. Just a few bus driver-s, still unpacking bags, and a few left-behind banners.
Oh no. This couldn't be happening. Where were my girls?
6 Meet the Peeps
It finally occurred to me that if the girls weren't in the parking lot and there wasn't a west gate, then they had to be with -- gulp -- Alexis. Which meant they were at our bunk already. Holding my aching side, I ran as fast as I could to the lower campus that housed the peeps and pez and raced up the steps to bunk 5A. I could hear kids chattering as I flung open the door.
"Sam!" Alexis said with a small smile. "Where were you?"
"Alexis, I --"
"We'll discuss it later," she cut me off quickly, but cheerfully. "Why don't you meet the girls? Girls, this is your second counselor, Sam Montgomery. Sam is a CIT."
"CV?" a cute little girl with braids asked. "What's that?"
Alexis laughed. "C-I-T. That's a counselor in training, which means Sam is my helper and she's going to help you guys too."
I looked at the group of eight little girls in front of me. They were so small I couldn't believe they were at sleepaway camp. Alexis had told me that three girls had been there last summer, but the rest were first-timers. Some were clutching dolls or old stuffed animals. One had her thumb in her mouth. And all of them had the look of kids who were dazed, slightly nervous, and ready to throw up or cry. I knew the look well from years of babysitting.
"Hi, girls," I said, sounding upbeat. "It's so nice to meet you. You know," I whispered as if I was telling a secret, "this is my first year at camp too."
"But you're big," a little girl holding a bear pointed out skeptically.
I laughed. "You're right. I am. But I've never been to camp before either so we'll have to figure everything out together, okay?" They nodded their heads slowly.
"Girls, let's play a game," Alexis told them. "Let's see who can take everything out of their duffel bag and put it on their bed first. I have to have a quick chat with Sam."
Uh-oh. I should have known I wasn't getting off that easily. I followed Alexis outside and waited till she shut the screen door. There wasn't much privacy at camp, but the girls were so loud, they probably couldn't hear us anyway.
"I saw you at the parking lot this morning," Alexis said quietly. "Then you disappeared. Where'd you go?"
"I looked for you, but it got so hectic that I couldn't find you when it was time for pickup," I explained helplessly. "I asked everyone and by the time I figured out where you were, it was too late."
Alexis seemed to be taking the story in word for word. "Why didn't you use your walkie-talkie to contact me?"
Gulp. The walkie-talkie. I forgot about that. All the CITs and counselors had one so they co
uld communicate no matter how far away they were. "I left it back in my bunk," I admitted sheepishly.
Alexis looked at me. She didn't seem mad. Just disappointed, mystified maybe. And that was worse. I didn't want to let Alexis down. She had been so nice to me and I had screwed up already. "There has to be more to your disappearance than that, Sam."
Sigh. I had to tell her something. But what could I say? That I listened to a six-year-old and went looking for a phantom west gate? I could have ratted out Ashley, I know. But what good would that have done me? Ashley would have said I was lying and I had no proof anyway. I didn't even know where to find the camper that gave me the info in the first place. And at the end of the day, this was still Ashley's sister. Who was she going to believe? Maybe half truths would work.
"I got sidetracked," I admitted. "I helped a few counselors with their own campers and by the time I was finished, mine were gone."
"Sam, your first responsibility is your own bunk," Alexis said sternly. "You knew how important it was to get the campers this morning. These kids are practically babies and they're relying on us to show them the way," she said, her tone softening. "I had to oversee the camper checklist so when no one picked up our bunk, Mrs. Morberry sent for my dad," Alexis explained. Mrs. Morberry was the camp secretary. "He brought them to the bunk and then came and found me. The kids were really nervous that no one showed up. Thank goodness none of their parents were there to see what happened."
Double gulp. Now not only was Alexis upset with me, Hitch knew I screwed up as well. "It won't happen again, Alexis," I promised. "I messed up, but I really want to be here, and work with you, and I'll do a better job in the future. I swear. What can I do to make things up to you? Do you need help making the girls' beds? Helping them put away their clothes?"
Alexis smiled. "Let's start by getting back inside before the girls destroy the place." I turned to leave and she put a hand on my shoulder. "I know this can be hard, Sam. This is all new to you. But I see something in you that I see in me. That's why I picked you to be my CIT. I know everyone thought my sister was a shoo-in, but to be honest, as much as I adore her, I think she'd be better off with someone who can, um, tame her free spirit." Alexis smirked. "She'll learn a lot from Morgan. But you, you and I just clicked on that hike. You've got IT."