Holly's Heart Collection Two

by Beverly Lewis

  The luggage war had begun, and I didn’t have the energy to fight it. I wished now that I’d slept on the bus. When I looked at my watch, I discovered it was only nine-forty. Seemed like forever since I’d crawled out of bed to shower and throw last-minute things into my suitcase.

  Kids began spilling out of the bus. I spotted Andie and Kayla, and they motioned to me, whispering to each other. Suddenly Stan was right there talking to them. Danny too.

  I rushed to Andie’s side just as I heard her ask him—no, tell him—to please disappear.

  Bravo!

  And Kayla, well, I could see by the frown on her pretty face that Danny was definitely history. Only it hadn’t quite registered with him. Maybe because she was being so cordial to him due to the fact that Pastor Rob was nearby.

  But soon Pastor Rob got involved in helping kids find their bags, and it was just us. That’s when Kayla got up her nerve and told Danny to hit the road. “It’s over,” she said, quietly yet firmly.

  Danny wasn’t giving up. “If something’s wrong, Kayla, I’m sure we can work it out,” he implored.

  Billy called, “Yo, Danny!” and pointed to a pile of luggage. “I need your help over here.”

  “Coming,” Danny called back. But before he left he looked at Kayla and made an attempt to apologize. “Look, I’m real sorry about whatever it was that—”

  “Danny, are you coming?” Billy interrupted.

  Danny shook his head, then looked at me. “Holly, can we talk later?”

  “Me?” I squeaked, feeling extremely awkward about being stuck in the middle.

  Andie grabbed my arm. Kayla’s too. “C’mon, girls, let’s not overexert ourselves.” Danny’s eyebrows shot up as she pulled us away.

  Pastor Rob whistled for silence and began to distribute maps of the campground, as well as the schedule for the week. We stood around in clusters, trying to pay attention to his instructions. It wasn’t easy, though. Danny and Billy kept gazing over at Kayla and Paula. Stan, on the other hand, completely ignored Andie. And me.

  As was previously planned, Pastor Rob assigned Amy-Liz to Cabin B, already packed to capacity. “Hey, which of you girls is going to sleep on the floor?” Pastor Rob joked, eyeballing Andie and me.

  “I will,” I said, not certain how hard the floor of a log cabin might be.

  “Let’s locate an extra sleeping bag for Holly,” Rob said. “She’ll need it for the padding.” He signaled for Jared to check for an extra one.

  Jared ran down the hill to the bus. He poked his head into the luggage chamber and was still rummaging around searching for the elusive sleeping bag when I caught up with him.

  “I’ll get it,” I said. No way was I going to let a guy help me with something so simple.

  “No trouble, Holly-Heart.” He flashed his biggest grin.

  “No, I mean it, Jared. Let me do it!”

  He threw up his hands and stepped back. “Fine, have it your way.” And he left without another word.

  Andie showed up, looking for her stuff. Paula and Kayla had very little trouble spotting their things. Their luggage looked like something fresh out of a department store catalog.

  “Hey, this is camp, not Paris,” Andie said, laughing at the elegant black suitcases and the accessories to match. Just then another church bus pulled into the parking area.

  “That’s probably the group from Buena Vista,” I said. “Isn’t our counselor supposed to be on that bus?”

  “What’s her name again?” Andie asked.

  “Rhonna Chen.”

  “Just pray that she’s not some mopey, stringy-haired biddy,” Andie teased.

  “Andrea Martinez!” I scolded.

  Paula and Kayla blinked their eyes in synchronized rhythm. I guess that’s what happens with identical twins—even if you don’t have the same interests, your eyelashes can still blink to the same beat.

  I couldn’t help noticing some exceptionally cute guys getting off the Buena Vista bus. A boy wearing faded blue jeans and cowboy boots, his hair the exact same color as mine, stepped out of the bus. His T-shirt had the words Rugged West printed across it, and he was carrying a guitar case.

  “C’mon, Andie,” I said, leaning over and pulling her out of the luggage compartment. “We can do this later.”

  Pastor Rob whistled for us to gather around for bunk assignments. We hurried back up the hill to join the group.

  After orientation, Pastor Rob introduced a lineup of all the camp counselors and staff. Mr. Boyce, the camp director, was first, followed by the cooks, custodian, and lifeguard. There were two older men, one of them bald, assigned to two of the boys’ cabins. I held my breath when I spotted the women counselors. Some of them looked as old as our mothers! But none of them looked Asian.

  So where was Rhonna Chen?

  Pastor Rob called out, “Cabin B.” For a split second I had visions of the week turning out to be a total bomb. Maybe we’d get a super-strict mother type and never get to have a bit of fun. Shoot, for this I could’ve stayed home. At least I’d still be keeping my journal going.

  Then…a Korean girl stepped out of the crowd. She had delicate features and a sparkling smile. Her Mickey Mouse T-shirt and red camp shorts were perfect. She even wore a red newsboystyle hat atop her shoulder-length black hair.

  I wanted to dance. Andie did…sorta.

  Rhonna Chen was not only cool, she was young. Not a day over twenty.

  “Man, did we luck out, or what?” Andie said later as we lugged our things up the pine-covered slope to our cabin. Counselors and kids seemed to be running everywhere with their camp gear and luggage.

  “Think she’s gonna be strict?” Amy-Liz asked, stopping for a breath.

  “Nah.” Andie shook her head. “You can tell by looking at her.”

  Pine needles crunched under our feet as we took the dirt path, an uphill slope all the way. We followed the path across a log bridge that arched over a rippling stream, and then a few more yards to Cabin B—our home for the week.

  All of us were a little out of breath when we arrived. I held the door open to the log cabin.

  Amy-Liz trailed behind with Joy and Shauna. “Are you sure you wanna sleep on the floor, Holly?” Amy-Liz asked as she dragged her bags up the wooden steps. “After all, I was the last to sign up.”

  “I don’t mind,” I said. “It’s important for all of us to be together in one cabin.”

  “Maybe we can trade off,” Shauna volunteered.

  “Good idea,” Amy-Liz said.

  “Count me out,” Kayla said, glancing around the room. “I have trouble sleeping on a firm mattress, let alone on a hard floor.” Paula nodded to verify her twin’s remark as Kayla darted to claim the only bottom bunk left.

  From the doorway, I could see our counselor crossing the narrow log bridge. She bounced as she walked, swinging her arms, yet there was a pained expression in her eyes. I stepped away from the door as she approached.

  “Good morning, girls.” She took off her red cap and spun it on her finger. We said good morning back.

  Rhonna’s face broke into a beaming smile as she leaned against the log doorjamb. Quickly, she scanned a list of names on her clipboard. Then, looking up, her dark eyes studied the three sets of bunk beds. “Looks like there aren’t enough beds to go around.” There was a question mark in her voice.

  “It’ll be okay,” I spoke up. “Several of us are going to trade off sleeping on the floor.” Shauna and Andie nodded.

  I had to make sure I thought through what I said next. No way did I want to let on what Andie and I had done to get our friend here. I explained, “Amy-Liz just found out she could come, and we wanted her to be with us in Cabin B.”

  The girls cheered.

  Rhonna held up her hand, grinning. “Okay, okay,” she said, trying to quiet us down. “I get the picture.”

  She motioned for us to sit down. Joy climbed up with Shauna on one of the top bunks. Andie and I sat on the floor near Paula and Kayla, who sat sid
e by side on Kayla’s lower bunk.

  Rhonna glanced around the room at each of us. “We have seven days to get acquainted with each other, but if you’ve been to camp before, you know how fast the days zip by.”

  We nodded in unison as she filled out the cabin roster.

  “Well,” she said, looking up, “let’s not waste a single minute. Let’s find out who’s who.”

  It took us more than a half hour to go around the room telling our names, ages, favorite hobbies, and why we’d come to camp this summer. I knew almost everything about my friends, but I listened with interest when Rhonna told us about herself.

  “This is my first summer as a full-fledged camp counselor.” I couldn’t believe she’d admit something like that. She was inviting all sorts of trouble—at least with any other bunch of girls. Us? Well, we were seven little angels!

  Rhonna continued, “Last year I was a junior counselor in Grand Junction. I’ve always wanted to work with kids.” Here she glanced at us. “I guess I should say teens. ”

  We laughed.

  “We’re in this thing together,” she said, emphasizing together. “And I’ll be as easy to get along with as I can, but I won’t stand for pushing the rules. If there’s one thing I have a problem with, it’s rule breakers. And bad attitudes.” Her face took on a serious look. Not stern. Just serious…like she wasn’t kidding.

  “My college degree will be in political science when I graduate next year, but I’m leaning toward working with young people. So—impress me, okay?”

  Rhonna was charming. Not a pushover, but a fun-loving person who would probably bend over backward to get along with us this week. But there was something special about her. I felt drawn to her. Why?

  When Rhonna led us in prayer, I felt very close to God. Almost as close as if I were at home, sitting on my window seat, having a private conversation with Him. “Dear Lord,” she began. “Guide us by your tender hand. Keep us safe…and in the warmth of your love. Thanks for bringing all of us together in this fantastic place—in the middle of the tallest mountains around. Let us feel the majesty of your creation and the gentleness of your love. In Christ’s name, amen.”

  After prayer, we had some free time to unpack and clean up for lunch. I couldn’t help sneaking looks at Amy-Liz as she unfolded her clothes and made her bed—the bunk above Andie’s. She giggled with Shauna and Joy as they unpacked. Seeing her here, and happy, made up for the sunburn and the near-heatstroke I’d suffered.

  Even though I was dragging from lack of sleep, inside I felt absolutely fabulous.

  “Check this out,” Andie said, showing off the iron-on name tags on her stuff. Her mom had made her put them on everything—underwear, towels, even socks!

  “Did you carve your name in your soap, too?” I teased.

  “Yeah, right.” She threw her pillow at me, which launched the first of many pillow fights. One of the true glories of summer camp.

  Rhonna pitched in and helped make beds and get our linens and things in order. It was like she was really one of us. Why had I worried about who we’d get for our counselor? At this moment, things couldn’t have been more perfect.

  NO GUYS PACT

  Chapter 9

  Lunch was sloppy joes, potato salad, fruit cup, and chocolate chip cookies. We met in the long, rectangular-shaped log cabin that served as both a dining hall and a chapel area, as well as classrooms for several of our daily sessions throughout the week.

  At one end of the hall, a white banner with the words CAMP OURAY…HIP, HIP, HOORAY! hung over a massive fireplace.

  Even without air-conditioning, the all-purpose area was comfortable, probably due to plenty of open windows that allowed the mountain air to circulate. Outside temperatures were typically in the low eighties this time of year, but the low humidity was a big factor in maintaining the comfort index.

  And no mosquitoes! Not even a common housefly survived at such high altitudes. No wonder tourists flocked to Ouray in the summer.

  At the opposite end of the dining area, the kitchen and serving line were well laid out and quite suitable for a room this size. Andie and I, along with our friends, quickly found a table together.

  Amy-Liz started telling about last Tuesday, when Pastor Rob had called with the news about the camp scholarship. “I could hardly believe it,” she exclaimed, her face shining with happiness.

  We shared her excitement, but no one uttered a word about the zillions of cookies we’d made and sold to make her camp dream come true.

  Halfway through the meal, Jared came over and started talking and flirting with Amy-Liz. Since he and I were ancient history, it was no big deal—at least until he grabbed my braid. Just like that, he slid the hair tie off the end of it.

  I spun around. “Hey! Give it back!”

  But Jared was already out of reach, dodging two guys carrying lunch trays.

  “Jared!” I shouted as my braid came undone. As thick as my hair was, no way would it stay braided through lunch without the pink hair tie. Luckily, I’d packed extras.

  “Oh, Holly, your braid,” Paula said sympathetically. Then, turning around, she glared in Jared’s direction.

  I squinted my eyes like Mom does. “Why’d he do a dumb thing like that?”

  “Only one reason.” Andie straightened up to her full height. “He wants your attention. He hates it when females ignore him—no matter who they are.”

  “Yeah, we know how he operates,” Amy-Liz piped up.

  “And to think I’d believed he’d changed.” I thought back to the way things turned out between us at the end of eighth grade. Jared had actually seemed more settled. More mature.

  Guess I was wrong.

  “Once again, Wilkins snookered us.” Andie rolled her eyes in disgust. “This is so-o grade school!” she observed.

  “Well…immature or not, he’s got no right.” I slid out from behind the bench as my hair continued to unwind.

  Andie stood up, too. “I’m coming with you, Holly.”

  “Me too,” Amy-Liz said.

  Kayla wiped her lips delicately with the napkin before getting up. “Count me in.”

  “Make that two of us,” Paula said, raising her hand like she was in school or something.

  We abandoned our lunches in order to catch the culprit. “Where’d he go?” I stood in the midst of kids chowing down all around me.

  “Wait a minute. There he is!” Andie pointed toward the kitchen, and we hurried to nab him.

  But Jared had spotted us. He pushed open the swinging doors leading into the camp kitchen, bumping into a lady with a large basket heaped with sloppy joe buns. Up…and out of the basket they flew. Buns everywhere.

  “Hurry, let’s help her,” Amy-Liz said, and all seven of us raced to assist the bewildered cook.

  I glared at Jared, who was acting disgustingly innocent. “Don’t ever touch me again!” I shouted at him while scrambling around on the floor, gathering up sloppy joe buns.

  “Sorry,” Jared managed to mumble amidst the chaos.

  I leaped up. “No, you’re not!”

  Unexpectedly, he showed me both of his hands, palms open. Empty!

  “Where’s my hair tie?” I demanded.

  Jared began pulling the lining out of his pockets.

  “Give it back!”

  Jared turned tail and ran. “Later,” he called.

  “Why, you…!” I shouted, but by then the camp director had come to see what the commotion was about.

  “Holly? Is everything all right?” Mr. Boyce asked.

  I didn’t know what to say. If I tattled on Jared, he’d have it in for me for the rest of the week. Yet if I didn’t tell on him, I’d probably never see my pink hair tie again.

  “I can handle it,” I said, playing down the incident. Lucky for Jared.

  Mr. Boyce looked at his watch. “You girls don’t have much longer for lunch.”

  “C’mon,” I said to Andie and the rest of the girls. “We better finish eating.”
/>   “I’m starved,” Joy said.

  “Me too,” Andie said.

  We hurried down the narrow aisle between the rows of fold-away tables. I wound my hair around in a makeshift bun as we headed back to our table. Then I snatched a clean fork out of the utensil tray and stuck the long end into my hair, securing the thick wad.

  Wouldn’t you know it, that’s precisely when the Buena Vista cowboy caught my eye. Feeling suddenly shy, I smiled and rolled my eyes to show that this fork thing wasn’t usual with me. His face lit up in return, surprising me.

  I quickened my pace and caught up with the others. While I ate the rest of my lunch, my cabinmates shared again the woes of their past associations with males.

  “I’ve had it up to here with Stan,” Andie spouted off, touching her eyebrows. “He’s a living, walking, breathing nightmare!”

  Kayla spoke right up about how horrible she thought Danny Myers had been treating her. And Paula could hardly wait to launch off on Billy Hill.

  I thought we’d taken this guy thing as far into the ground as possible when Amy-Liz pushed her plate aside. “I can’t believe this is happening to the rest of you. I mean, I thought I was the only one suffering from male burnout.” She muttered something about being sick of that flirt Jared.

  Not surprised, I asked, “Is Jared bugging you now?”

  “He’s been calling nearly every day, talking sweet and all…then Shauna and I wised up and started comparing notes.” Here she glanced down the table at Shauna, who nodded coyly. “We found out he’s calling her after he says good-bye to me!”

  “It’s true,” Shauna said. “Jared’s doing what he does best—playing one girl against another.” She looked sympathetically at Amy-Liz. “The thing is, he doesn’t think he’ll get caught.”

  “Well, he’s got another think coming,” Andie said.

  Andie’s comeback got the giggles started at our table. But across the dining hall, Stan was heading toward us, wearing a determined look.

  Andie spotted him, too. “Oh, this is great,” she muttered. “What’s he want?”