Read Camp Confidential 06 - RSVP Online
Authors: Melissa J Morgan
Camp Confidential 06 - RSVP (6 page)
“Our school is beautiful,” Hannah said, and again, she sounded almost rude.
“I’m sure it is,” Alyssa replied.
They sure aren’t hitting it off,
Natalie thought unhappily.
Natalie thought unhappily.
“Nat, you have tons of cool DVDs,” Alyssa said. “I’m sure we’ll find at least
three
movies we want to watch when we get back!”
three
movies we want to watch when we get back!”
Alyssa was right about that. Natalie’s DVD collection was amazing. She was grateful to her friend for pointing out that they could go to the art show and see movies. It looked like another winning combination.
“Okay,” Natalie said. “The art show it is.”
“Cool!” Grace and Jenna chorused, beaming at her.
“If you’re sure,” Alyssa said, showing her support for Natalie.
“I’m sure,” Natalie said decisively.
Yes, sure—sure that the sleepover wasn’t going the way she had planned it. Well, her mom had suggested she leave room for surprises. But she just didn’t want there to be any
mistakes
.
mistakes
.
chapter
FIVE
FIVE
“We’re free!” Brynn cried as they finished waving at Brynn’s mom and shut the front door. “Get ready to rumble!”
“I’m ready!” Alex said as she and Brynn burst into giggles and raced into Alex’s room. Alex felt as if the sleepover had officially begun, and she was beyond excited.
As they both dropped onto Alex’s bed, Brynn gazed around again with her green eyes at the dozens of trophies, certificates, and ribbons lining Alex‘s shelves.
“I can
not
get over how many awards you have,” Brynn announced. “All you need to complete your collection is Olympic gold.”
not
get over how many awards you have,” Brynn announced. “All you need to complete your collection is Olympic gold.”
Alex fondly shook her head as she pushed off her house slippers with her toes and planted her stockinged feet on her turquoise-and-lime green bedspread. “Not even. And I’m not sure the Olympics are in my future.”
Brynn sat up and unlaced her tennis shoes. She slid a gaze at her friend and said, “Because of your diabetes?”
Alex wiggled her toes. “I don’t know. Maybe. I was this big star in elementary school, but there are a lot of talented players at my middle school. I was kind of on probation on my new team. And at my game last weekend, I totally messed up.”
Brynn rested her hand on one elbow as she lay back down beside Alex. Her dark red hair contrasted with the bedspread. “Well, I’ll be there to cheer you on tomorrow morning. It’s hard to imagine anyone being better than you at any sport!”
Brynn’s compliment made Alex feel warm all over. “That’s nice of you to say, but it’s totally not true. There’s so much competition.”
Brynn exhaled. “There’s so much competition being an actress!
Everyone’s
going after the same parts. Being surrounded by dozens of girls you think are prettier than you, and more talented . . . and then being told, ‘Sorry, you’re just not what we’re looking for.’” She grimaced. “It’s like being on the team but never getting picked to play.”
Everyone’s
going after the same parts. Being surrounded by dozens of girls you think are prettier than you, and more talented . . . and then being told, ‘Sorry, you’re just not what we’re looking for.’” She grimaced. “It’s like being on the team but never getting picked to play.”
“Believe me, that stinks the worst,” Alex told her. She was so surprised by her own words that she clapped her hand over her mouth.
Brynn laughed. “It does, doesn’t it? But I’m willing to go through it for my art.”
Alex waved a hand at the rows of glittery trophies. “And then you’ll have Oscars and Emmy awards lining the shelves of your fancy Hollywood mansion.”
Brynn’s eyes took on a faraway look. “That would be nice,” she said softly, “but those are the extras. I just want to become the best actress I can be.”
Alex thought about that for a minute. “It’s hard to separate winning from playing,” she said. “I guess I figure that if I play well, we’ll win.”
“Only if the others play well, too, if you’re on a team,” Brynn pointed out. “I know there are MVPs and all, but if you’re part of a team, well, you’re part of a team.”
“Like our bunk,” Alex ventured.
“Like our bunk,” Brynn agreed. She said, “Speaking of which, did you get the rest of the stuff for Chelsea’s present?”
Alex nodded. “It’s going to be so cool.”
“Great. We can work on it tonight.” Brynn scooted off the bed. “So, what’s on the evening’s agenda?
Alex got up, too. She said uneasily, “You do remember I have to go to bed pretty early?” She made a face, “Really early, to be honest.”
“That’s okay,” Brynn assured her. “I don’t care. It’s so fun to be here with you!”
I hope that’s true
, Alex thought anxiously.
, Alex thought anxiously.
She kept hoping it was true. First, Brynn unpacked. Next she and Alex began to discuss what Alex should wear to the reunion, because Alex still wasn’t sure about her choice.
Moving to her closet, she showed Brynn her first-choice reunion outfit—her navy polo top, khaki pants, and red accessories. She said, “I’m not sure these really go together. They’re from when we were going with my Color War theme.”
“Oh, I’m going with the purple, myself,” Brynn said. “Aren’t you?”
“I don’t have anything purple,” Alex said in a tight voice. “I look horrible in purple.”
“You sound like you’re not into our decorating scheme,” Brynn ventured.
“I’m not,” Alex confessed. “I think it would have been cool if both 3A and 3C did Color War. It would remind everyone that we’re rivals.”
Brynn nodded eagerly. “I hadn’t thought of that. That’s true. That would have been totally cool. Wow, I’m really sorry we changed it now.”
“I didn’t even have a chance to bring it up,” Alex said. She frowned. “Once Natalie said it was dumb and purple was better, Julie gave her approval and that was that.”
“That stinks,” Brynn said hotly.
Alex was grateful for her support. She had felt completely ignored by the entire bunk, plus Julie. Alex was the long-term alumna who had been going to Camp Lakeview forever, not Natalie. Alex was the camper who was always helping the counselors, and doing extra things for the camp . . . and now it was like Natalie was the star of it all. It hurt. A lot.
“Well, there’s not much we can do about it now,” Alex said, sighing.
“But they should have at least
listened
to you,” Brynn argued, putting her hands on her hips. “Natalie just snapped her fingers and everything was the way she wanted it.”
listened
to you,” Brynn argued, putting her hands on her hips. “Natalie just snapped her fingers and everything was the way she wanted it.”
“Is that how you really see it?” Alex asked her.
Brynn was totally indignant. “Now that I’ve had a chance to think about it, yeah. I’m even sorry I’m wearing purple.”
Alex pursed her lips tightly together. Now she felt even angrier about the situation.
“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it now,” she said. “Let’s not wreck our overnight.”
“Okay. Hey, what do you want to do after dinner?” Brynn asked her, helpfully changing the subject. “We can finish Chelsea’s surprise and then maybe watch a movie! Do you like to tell ghost stories? I went to a sleepover where we told each other the scariest stories until, like, three in the morning!”
“Um, don’t forget, I have to go to bed early,” Alex reminded her again. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. “I won’t have time to do very much after dinner, to be honest.”
“Oh.” Brynn looked a little shocked. But she quickly covered her dismay with a quick smile. “No problem. I’m a little tired after the drive over here.” She grinned at her friend. “We should both rest up so we can enjoy the party and the all-bunk sleepover!”
Alex smiled and nodded, but she wondered again if Brynn was sorry she’d come to Alex’s house. She didn’t seem sorry, but Brynn was a great actress.
I wish I was half as good a soccer player,
Alex thought wistfully.
And I hope I can sleep tonight. I need to rest. But I’m totally amped.
Alex thought wistfully.
And I hope I can sleep tonight. I need to rest. But I’m totally amped.
Natalie, Grace, Jenna, Alyssa, Hannah, and Natalie’s mom all piled into Hannah’s limo to go to the art show. Jenna and Grace were thrilled to be in a real limousine, especially when Hannah invited them to help themselves to the sodas and vast array of snacks. Alyssa didn’t drink anything. She sat quietly next to the tinted window, and she seemed mad or something. She didn’t even look over when Grace and Jenna started playing video games and turned on the TV.
Natalie was sad that Alyssa and Hannah, her two best friends, didn’t seem to like each other. Hannah kept talking about people Alyssa didn’t know—like the other kids they hung out with at school. Alyssa just sat there in silence, as if she was counting the minutes until she could get out of the limo.
After a short drive through the busy New York streets, the limo pulled to the curb. The driver opened the door. Then everyone dashed out of the cold air into Natalie’s school.
After they checked their coats in the cloakroom, Natalie and Hannah led the way to the room where the art show was being held. There were rows of pegboards hung with pictures. Wooden pedestals held statues and ceramics some of the other students had created.
“Natalie, your picture of Hannah is awesome!” Grace said as the four bunkmates paused in front of Natalie’s sketch.
“It’s almost scary,” Jenna said, pretending to shiver and shake, “It looks so real!”
“It really is beautiful, honey,” Natalie’s mom agreed.
Alyssa whispered in her ear, “Seriously good work, Nat. And see? Everyone’s having a good time.”
It was three-quarters true; Jenna, Grace, and Hannah were getting along great. Hannah was cracking up at Jenna’s imitation of a statue of a ballet dancer standing on one foot with her arms stretched over her head.
Then Hannah turned her head in Natalie and Alyssa’s direction, and she stopped laughing. Alyssa didn’t see her, but Natalie did.
Is Hannah jealous of these guys?
Natalie wondered.
They’re only here for two nights, and then I might not ever see some of them ever again, unless I go to camp. But she and I have all school year to hang out.
Natalie wondered.
They’re only here for two nights, and then I might not ever see some of them ever again, unless I go to camp. But she and I have all school year to hang out.
But there was no time to wonder about it; they left soon after that to return home so they would have time to watch movies. Natalie’s mom took a cab from the school to her function, after phoning Mrs. Goldberg to let her know the girls were on their way back to the apartment.
Hannah dropped them at the curb, saying good night to everybody . . . except Alyssa. Alyssa didn’t seem to notice.
“Thanks again for the lift!” Grace said. “It was awesome.”
Mr. Bartok was still on duty, and he had kept their pizzas warm in one of those padded red bags the pizza companies used. Natalie cradled the thick red bag in her arms, announcing, “Three large pizzas weigh a ton!”
Laughing, they clambered into the elevator and went up to Natalie’s apartment.
“Let’s see if we can IM Alex and Brynn and see what they’re up to,” Grace suggested. “They said they’d go online tonight to say hi.”
“I brought my laptop,” Jenna announced.
“I’ll help you get everything ready,” Alyssa told Natalie.
“I’ll help Jenna,” Grace announced.
Natalie and Alyssa went together into the kitchen. Natalie set the plates on the counter and got out some napkins. Alyssa opened the three pizza boxes and said, “There’s enough pizza here for the whole bunk!”
“I guess I got carried away,” Natalie confessed. “I didn’t want anyone to go hungry.”
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