Camp Forget-Me-Not (5 page)

“Forget it.” I clicked on my flashlight, lighting the path home. “I’ve got to go.”

He let go, one finger sliding down the length of my arm before his hands fell to his sides. “You always do.”

“What do you want me to say, Nick?” I put my hands on my hips and pressed my lips together.

We stared at each other for a long time. In the distance, an owl hooted. Crickets thrummed in the grass tickling my feet. Finally Nick hung his head. “Nothing. I don’t expect anything,” he said without looking up, his voice pitched so low I strained to hear it.

I opened my mouth to answer, but a loud whisper interrupted me.

“Nick!” Brooke raced up from the lake, her skin dark against a pink, crystal-studded string bikini. “We’ve been waiting for you. What have you been doing… oh…” Her voice trailed off when she saw me. “Kayla. We thought you were coming down to swim, too. Brittany was supposed to tell you.”

“Oh. Ah…I guess I feel like an early night, so no thanks.” It was pointless to call her out on not inviting me. She’d only deny it and make me look like the jerk. Besides, if I had to look at her sliding her hands up and down Nick’s abs anymore, I’d lose it.

Were they a couple now? Or was Brooke just getting bolder by the day?

“Have fun,” I called and stepped onto the path back to the Divas’ Den.

“Come on, Nick,” I heard Brooke say. “You heard her. Let’s have fun.”

Nick cleared his throat, and his voice sounded deep again. “Definitely. Starting now.”

Brooke’s shout made me turn around. She’d launched herself on Nick’s back, and he staggered before catching her legs to steady her. Brooke squealed and threw her arms around his neck as he jogged to the beach, his back muscles rippling. I closed my eyes against the sight of him holding another girl and strode up the path.

What had I expected after rejecting him? That when he saw me again, all would be forgiven? That he’d listen, believe me when I told him that I’d pushed him away for his sake, not mine? It wasn’t even worth trying. Plus, that was only half the truth.

I’d been selfish, scared, and trying to fit in. And he knew it.

“Kayla!” Rachel caught up to me when I reached the cabin. She leaned over at the waist, breathing hard, and held up one finger.

Finally she straightened. “Come swim with us. Nick mentioned you didn’t think you were invited, and we all got confused about who told you about it. But either way…” She slung an arm around my shoulder. “Divas don’t need invitations. We
arrive
, honey.”

The way she said it made me laugh. And just like that, something warm and fuzzy bubbled up inside. Nick might not want me, but my cabin mates did. At least some of them. And for this summer, it would have to be enough.

Ten minutes later, whistles sounded when dropped my towel and tiptoed into the water. After promising Rachel I’d join them, I’d dressed quickly in the dark. Since I didn’t want to wake a snoring Victoria, I’d grabbed the first bathing suit I could find in my drawer. Except now that I could see better, it was the skimpiest two-piece I had: a red-and-white striped top and blue-starred bottom a swim teammate sent as a Fourth of July gag gift. Why hadn’t I thrown it out? So stupid. Now all the boys stared at me, including Nick.

I stepped back on the beach and bent to grab my towel. Before I could cover back up, Cameron wrapped me in his arms. Nick scowled before he turned and grabbed Brooke, throwing her into the water before diving after her.

“Babe, you are freaking hot,” Cameron breathed in my ear. “Are you still mad at me for charging you for the skunk deodorizer last year? ‘Cause if you are, I’m so sorry that I’ll buy you a whole damn case.”

His grin brightened his boyish face, and I had to laugh. Besides, weirdly, the skunk episode had turned out kind of fun in the end, cementing my friendship with one of the Munchies girls.

“It’s fine. I totally forgot about that.” I pushed him away. “Friends?”

He pulled me close again. “How about more?” His hands wandered down my back and cupped my hips.

Yikes. I dodged his mouth and struggled to put some space between us.

“Cam, stop. Come on. Let’s just have fun. Okay?”

Strong hands suddenly tugged me backward. I stumbled, caught off-balance.

“Back off, dude,” Nick growled.

“What the hell?” Cam stepped forward, the top of his head just brushing Nick’s nose. “You think just because you’re some hotshot athlete now you can come back to camp and act like you’re better than us?”

“He is better than you,” called Rachel. She sat on top of one of the Warriors’ shoulders. “But if you want to prove he’s not, then let’s play chicken and see who wins.”

I released a pent-up breath. Leave it to Rachel to diffuse the situation with competition. Brittany ducked her boyfriend Eli underwater and climbed on his back. When he straightened, he blew out a stream of water while Brittany cheered and pointed at Rachel. “You are
so
going down. Mooooooooo.”

“That’s a cow, Brit, not a chicken.” Rachel kicked a spray of water at her and Eli.

Brittany splashed her back. “It’s still a zoo animal.”

Rachel opened her mouth, then closed it when she caught my stunned expression. Finally, we both shrugged. There was no calling out Brittany. “You chickens coming?”

“Yes. Come on, Nick!” Brooke jumped up and down so hard she had to catch her loosened bikini string before it fell from her neck. “Weeeeeeeee are the champions my frieeeeends,” she sang, her pitchy voice making my ears hurt.

Cameron wiggled his eyebrows at me. “Guess that makes us a team.”

I sighed. “Guess so.”

He bent over, and I climbed on his back for a piggyback ride into the water.

The lake felt cool as it rose around my legs and then my chest as we waded deeper and deeper. At last, Cameron helped me up on his shoulders, and we lined up against each other. Cameron and I, plus Rachel and Devon, versus Nick and Brooke, plus Eli and Brittany.

“Go!” called Brooke before anyone was ready. She and Nick plunged through the water toward Cameron and me, and in seconds, her hands were in my hair, her fingernails digging into my skull. I pushed at her shoulders just as Nick and Cameron began shoving each other—hard. Nick’s intense expression was fierce and unfamiliar. He looked as though this competition was life or death, not just fooling around. Beside us, Rachel and Brittany locked arms while their guys pretty much let the girls go at it.

With a splash, Brittany toppled into the water and came up sputtering. “That is so not fair. Rachel’s, like, practically a professional athlete.”

“Sorry, loser! You guys are out.” Rachel pointed to the shore while I dodged an eye poke from Brooke.

“Hold on, Kayla. We’re coming!” Rachel and her partner splashed our way as the Nick-versus-Cameron fight intensified. I felt Cameron’s knees buckle as we dipped in the water. Meanwhile, I did everything possible to stop Brooke from tearing my hair out.

When Rachel wrenched Brooke’s death grip loose, Brooke’s fingernail scraped along my cheek, leaving a long, stinging gash. Nick fought hard against the two boys and somehow managed to stay upright. As for Brooke, she leaned backward at Rachel’s hard shove, making Nick stagger.

Suddenly Nick stopped fighting and dodged the other guys. He stared at me, his body so still it looked like he’d forgotten how to breathe.

“Are you bleeding?” he asked.

My hand rose to my cheek and came away sticky-wet. I nodded as Rachel’s team went in for the kill, toppling a distracted Nick and Brooke with a last, final push.

“Rachel, that was so not cool,” Brooke hollered when she resurfaced.

“Not a loss. We were on a timeout,” called Nick, a competitive glint in his eye.

“At least I didn’t nearly claw someone’s eyes out.” Rachel pointed at my cheek, then glared at Brooke. “What the hell was that?”

Brooke held up her long fingernails. “Acrylics.” She slid her eyes Nick’s way and gave him a sideways smile. Had his need to win driven her to do anything to beat us—even hurt me?

“Hello? You’re at camp.” Rachel helped me off of Cameron’s back and walked with me to the towels. “Cut the damn things off. Especially if you’re going to be playing in our volleyball tournaments with us.”

“If you think I’m risking this nose job for some stupid volleyball match…”

The stunned silence made Brooke swallow the rest of her sentence. Rachel crossed her arms and glared while Brittany booed. As for me, I kept dabbing at the liquid seeping out of my cut and tried avoiding Nick’s narrow-eyed stare. Why did he look so angry? Was he mad at me for bringing heat on his girl?

Brooke threw her arms in the air. “Fine. Whatever. I’ll cut off the nails and play volleyball. I can always get more acrylics before the video shoot.”

Brittany clapped her hands together. “Oh, I can’t wait for that! I already have some moves. Want to see?”

No one said a word, especially the boys, as she wiggled on the sand, her body moving as smoothly as the water behind us.

“Close your mouth, Cam,” I said, knowing without looking. In fact, I could have said the same thing to the rest of the boys except Nick. He seemed more interested in skipping stones across the water whenever I caught his eye.

Brooke caught Brittany in a tight hug. “Those are perfect. I’m almost done with the song. Once we have that, we’ll be able to do a whole camp-themed video. So awesome.”

Rachel ruffled her hair. “Can’t wait, Brooke. You’re still using some shots of me playing volleyball, right?”

“Um, sure,” said Brooke, not sounding sure at all. But it was enough to make Rachel smile.

“I can’t believe no one heard us down here.” Brittany looked at the forest that separated the cabins from the lake.

“I did.” Gollum stepped from the shadows, earning his nickname as a major sneak.

“Ahhhhhhh,” we shrieked and ran for our towels.

“Stay where you are. I need to see whom I’m assigning bathroom and shower clean-up duty to this week.”

“Nooooooo,” we groaned.

“Can I call my agent?” Brooke whined. “Bathrooms are not in my contract.”

Gollum’s flashlight blazed in her face. “Miss White?”

Brooke preened. “The one and only. Are you absolutely sure we need to be punished? We were just practicing for my video. You know, the one that’s going to feature Camp Juniper Point…”

Gollum’s outraged expression transformed into a star-struck one. I almost laughed. “I wasn’t informed that you’d be down here for the shoot, Miss White. We’ll just need to make sure we have a lifeguard on duty at all times. The other campers should have informed you. But I know how the entertainment world works, of course. I used to be a juggling waiter back in my college days.”

A muffled snort sounded to my right, and I nudged

Rachel in the ribs.

“I’d love to have you juggle in the video, Mr. Woodrow,” cooed Brooke, sauntering closer to our director. There was something off about her tone, but I couldn’t pinpoint it. I figured she was just super-dramatic. “So don’t you think we can forget about all of this if we promise to get a lifeguard next time?”

Gollum smiled. “I suppose, as long as no harm seems to have been done.” His eyes passed right over me and my bleeding cheek. Apparently my invisibility cloak was back in place. He tucked his whistle back in his shirt pocket. “Though I’ll need your promise that the next time you decide to practice for your video, you’ll notify me first. A counselor will accompany you or…” He made a nervous sound that reminded me of a twelve-year-old girl at her first dance. “I will. Deal?”

“Deal.” Brooke smiled and patted his arm. “We really appreciate your understanding.”

“Of course. Now, if you’re finished, it’s off to bed.”

“Sounds good. Let’s go, guys.” Brooke waved us on, giving each of us a wink as we passed her. Could she be more obvious? But then again, it seemed to work. I’d always been afraid to be noticed, whereas Brooke lived for it. And look where it got her.

I slunk in the shadows while up ahead the moon shown on Brooke, her arm slung around Nick’s lean waist.

Chapter Three

FOUR YEARS AGO

I waited for Nick on the path to Crystal Falls, a place we hiked to sometimes when we could get away on a free period. It wasn’t far from the tennis courts and the lacrosse field, so if one of the counselors took a big group up there during free time, you could slip off for twenty minutes or so.