Politically Incorrect (9 page)

“Omigod!” Sloan screamed. Even though Jasmine had her life jacket on, Sloan was scared that her counselor might be hurt.

“I’ll get her,” Miles said, not even hesitating before diving into the water after Jasmine.

Chelsea turned around to look at Sloan, her eyes tearing up. “I hope she’s okay.”

Sloan heard a second splash. Tricia’s bodyguard had dived into the lake water as well and was swimming toward them. Seconds later, Miles resurfaced with his arm around Jasmine, who seemed stunned but fine. When Shepard reached them, he helped Miles get Jasmine back into the boat.

“I’m all right, girls, just very startled, that’s all,” Jasmine said, her teeth chattering.

Sloan breathed a big sigh of relief as Chelsea wiped at her eyes.

Ellie’s boat had rowed over right away. Everyone in that canoe looked very concerned.

“Are you okay?” Natalie asked Jasmine.

“I’m fine, really,” she replied.

As Miles and Shepard climbed back into their respective boats, Sloan could hear everyone from the east dock cheering and clapping.

“That was terrifying,” Tricia said, sighing.

“To everyone except Miles,” Sloan said.

She had to admit, she was really impressed with how brave he was, thinking on his feet and jumping in after Jasmine like that. Not everyone would be so calm and decisive under pressure.

“Boy Scout training comes in handy sometimes,” Miles said as he wrung his shirt out.

“Let’s turn around and get back to the dock,” Ellie suggested.

Sloan’s eyes locked with Miles’s as the canoes started to drift apart on the water. Any awkward feeling she had toward him had completely faded away.

“So, how are you going to top that this summer?” Sloan asked him with a warm smile.

“I guess we’ll have to wait and see,” he replied with a wink, then turned his back to Sloan and began to row.

The second Green Festival meeting was underway on Tuesday afternoon and Sloan was all business, no play, even after that scare at the lake. The big weekend was only a few days from now, and although her team was off to a good start, Sloan knew that time was not on their side.

“Okay, everyone. Let’s get started. We have a lot of work to do,” Sloan said to the crowd of campers and CITs gathered at the rock garden.

Sarah raised her hand and waved it so that she could get Sloan’s attention.

“What’s up, Sarah?” Sloan asked.

“Do you think if we break up into groups we might get more done?”

Sloan smiled. “That’s a great idea. If everyone could split up and focus on a particular part of the festival, we’d accomplish our goals a lot quicker.”

Within a few minutes, everyone had assembled in groups, just like Sloan asked. Brynn, Joanna, and Sarah were in charge of putting together a skit for entertainment. Priya and Jenna were trying to assemble a small band of campers to sing a few old nature-themed folk songs from the 1960s.

The pack of boys at the meeting, which included David, Jordan, and Connor, all volunteered to be on the set-up crew. All the boys except for one, that is. Miles had offered to help Chelsea and Sloan shoulder the huge responsibility of handling the most important part of the festival—Tricia’s keynote speech. Sloan was so happy he was interested in working closely with her. Maybe after all this planning was over they could—

“Are you ready yet?” Chelsea interrupted Sloan’s train of thought. She was standing next to Miles with her hands on her hips, looking as sour as she had this afternoon.

“I know I am,” Miles said, smiling.

Sloan grinned back at Miles, who was wearing a vintage T-shirt and yet another perfectly worn-in baseball cap. “I was born ready.”

“So, where is Tricia, anyway? If we’re going to be talking about her speech, shouldn’t she be here?” Miles inquired.

“Good question. I have no idea where she is,” Sloan replied.

“She’s probably busy with Natalie, getting ready for her party,” Chelsea said curtly.

“Well, I guess we can talk with Tricia while we’re there,” Sloan said.

“I told you already, I’m not going,” Chelsea snapped.

Sloan flinched a bit at Chelsea’s sharp tone. She knew that Chelsea was annoyed that Natalie was spending so much time with Tricia, but why wasn’t she over it yet? There had to be something else that was putting Chelsea on edge. Perhaps she and Nat had gotten into a fight.

“Um, then why don’t we throw around a few ideas now, narrow them down and then run a couple by Tricia tomorrow?” Miles suggested.

“That makes sense.” Sloan was happy to have Miles around as a buffer. Aside from their strange first meeting, Sloan thought he was so easy to be around.

Chelsea was silent for a moment, thinking. Then her eyes lit up. “I know! She should talk about famous people.”

Sloan sighed.

“Like famous people and their charities?” Miles questioned.

“Well, I guess you could go that route,” Chelsea said, annoyed. “I just think the audience might find it boring.”

“I don’t mean to be difficult here,” Miles began, his cheeks turning a little pink. “But shouldn’t Tricia speak on a topic that’s more connected to the theme of the festival?”

“Okay, let’s see what Sloan thinks,” Chelsea said.

Miles shrugged. “Fine with me. What’s your opinion, Sloan?”

Sloan’s stomach began to churn with anxiety. She didn’t want to play referee here, but that was part of being cochairperson. And while Chelsea was her friend, Sloan agreed with Miles. She had to stay true to her instincts, for the sake of the festival.

Sloan took a deep breath and spoke her mind. “I think Miles is right. Celebrity stories don’t seem very relevant to the festival. Sorry, Chelsea.”

“Suit yourselves,” Chelsea said with a frown.

There was a long, tension-filled silence before Miles piped up with another idea.

“What if Tricia talked about what kids across the country are doing to protect the environment?”

Sloan practically pumped her fist in the air. “That’s perfect!”

Miles grinned widely. “You really think so?”

“Yes, I do,” Sloan said, her lips curling up into a soft smile.

“Are you guys forgetting that I’m cochair? I should get a say in this, too,” Chelsea insisted.

Sloan and Miles’s happy moment was instantly deflated by Chelsea’s prickly attitude. Still, Chelsea was in the right. Sloan had asked her to cochair this committee, so she was entitled to have a strong voice in the matter.

“Of course,” Sloan said, her voice strained. “What are your thoughts?”

As Chelsea cleared her throat, Sloan hoped that she wouldn’t say anything harsh.

“Frankly, I think Tricia would rather talk about her
dog
than what Miles is suggesting,” Chelsea said.

Forget harsh! That’s harsh to the tenth power,
Sloan thought.

Whatever was eating at Chelsea now had her lashing out at people she barely even knew. Sloan couldn’t ignore it any longer.

“Hey, Miles, could you give me and Chelsea a second to talk privately?” Sloan hoped he’d be understanding.

“No problem,” he said good-naturedly, and began to wander in the direction of a different group.

As soon as Miles was out of earshot, Sloan began to question her friend.

“Chelse, it’s obvious that you are upset about something. What is it?”

“Nothing. I’m fine,” Chelsea said tersely.

“C’mon, you can tell me,” Sloan reassured her. “And it’ll stay just between us.”

Chelsea buried her face in her hands for a moment and then looked up at Sloan sympathetically. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been kind of moody today. And I feel awful about how I’m acting. I really do. It’s just—”

Sloan waited for Chelsea to finish her sentence, but she got so choked up, she couldn’t.

Once she took a big gulp of air, Chelsea said, “I’m going to take a short walk, okay? I’ll see you back at the tent later.”

Sloan’s shoulders slumped forward. She was so disappointed that Chelsea wouldn’t open up to her and allow her to help. “All right.”

“And could you tell Miles that I’m sorry?” Chelsea added.

“Sure,” Sloan replied.

“Thanks.” Chelsea began to walk away, but she stopped for a moment and turned around to add, “Have fun at Tricia’s party.”

Sloan just smiled, then watched Chelsea slink through the rock garden as the sun began to set in the early evening sky.

“Turn the music up, Nat! We need to get our groove on!” Tricia shouted as she mingled among a big cluster of adoring Walla Walla campers. Natalie grimaced, turning up the volume of the i-deck a notch. This was the twentieth order that Tricia had flung at her today, and she was getting kind of tired of obliging. True, Dr. Steve had asked her to stick by Tricia and make her feel at home, but being her gopher was above and beyond the call of duty, wasn’t it?

“This is one sweet jam,” Priya said, dancing alongside Brynn.

“Nat, you are so lucky! I’d give anything to stay here with Tricia,” Sarah said. “She’s ridiculously fun!”

“Yeah, I’m kind of jealous,” Joanna added.

Natalie bit her lip to stop herself from telling her friends what hanging out with Tricia was really like. She wanted to be honest, but didn’t have it in her to give Tricia a bad rep.

“I guess,” was all Natalie could say.

“This sure beats planning the Green Festival,” Jenna said. “I had no idea how much work it was going to be.”

Natalie sighed with regret. She would die to switch places with Jenna. Natalie wasn’t getting much out of her time spent with Tricia except the blisters on her feet from running around at Tricia’s beck and call. If she hadn’t given up the committee chairperson job, she’d probably be much happier.

“Well, I’m having a great time,” said a chipper voice from behind Natalie.

Natalie and her friends turned around to see Sloan standing beside the cute new boy, Miles. They were both all smiles, like they’d discovered buried treasure or something.

“When did you guys get here?” Jordan asked.

“Just a minute ago. Sorry we’re late. Sloan and I lost track of time at the rock garden,” Miles replied with a small smile.

All the girls raised their eyebrows, including Natalie. It seemed as though their friend had a not-so-secret admirer.

“Anyway, Jasmine just walked us over here, and we’re ready to party,” Sloan said cheerfully.

“Awesome,” said Jenna. “Tricia is such a blast. She’s been cranking some great tunes.”

“Is there anything to drink?” Miles asked.

“Yeah, Ellie brought over some organic fruit punch. It’s delish,” Priya said. “Want some?”

“Sure,” Miles said, then turned to Sloan. “Should I get you a cup?”

Sloan blushed. “Yes, thanks.”

Natalie felt a twinge in her chest. What she wouldn’t give for a crush right now! At least then she’d have something to be psyched about. Sloan was so lucky—she had the perfect summer-camp job to add to her college app
and
a hot guy who obviously liked her.

Natalie felt a tug on her arm. It was Sloan, and she looked kind of worried.

“Hey, Nat, can I speak to you outside for a minute?” Sloan asked.

Natalie heard the concern in her friend’s voice and knew whatever she had to say was important. “Okay.”

She and Sloan walked outside to the front of the tent, where Tricia’s bodyguard Wharton was standing at attention. Natalie felt a little weird about pretending like he wasn’t there, but that’s what Tricia had said to do, so she didn’t acknowledge him at all.

“What’s up?” Natalie was kind of hoping that Sloan needed some extra help with the Green Festival. That would definitely make her day.

“It’s Chelsea,” Sloan said.

“What about her?”

Sloan glanced at Wharton, as if to make sure he wasn’t eavesdropping, then continued. “She’s seemed really bent out of shape these past couple of days. I was wondering if you knew anything about it.”

Natalie was confused. “Of course I don’t. Why?”

“Well, Chelsea seemed kind of annoyed at you for spending so much time with Tricia and—”

“Wait a second,” Natalie interrupted. She had a feeling that Sloan was about to say that Chelsea’s funk was somehow her fault. That couldn’t be further from the truth! “I tried to switch places with Chelsea so that she could room with Tricia and she totally backed out.” Sloan started at Natalie, clearly puzzled. “Oh, really?”

Natalie nodded.

“But why would she make a point of telling me she wasn’t going to come to the party?” Sloan asked quizzically. “It was like she wanted to avoid you guys.”

Natalie was starting to get annoyed. Sloan had all these things going for her this summer—including the job Natalie wanted. Did she have to play the role of chief busybody, too?