Okay. The woman wasn’t as completely clueless as she’d thought.
A yellow legal pad and a pen sat in the corner of the table, just past the magazines.
“I’m using this,” Jade said, and settled in to write.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Time was moving too quickly.
Early morning activities rolled into lunch, which became Indoor Rec, and before Lauren could blink, it was the sixth week of camp. The thought that she could be back again next year, if only the administration said yes, made her feel so happy. Unfortunately, it was hard to be happy when Isla was so sad.
During dinner Monday night, Lauren decided it was time to do something about it.
“I have something to say,” she announced.
Archer’s forkful of spaghetti stopped halfway to her mouth. “Is it a secret?”
“It’s not a secret.”
Archer went back to eating. “Well, let me know if you decide to start sharing secrets.”
Okay, weird. But sometimes Archer was weird.
Lauren turned to Isla, who was picking at a plate of lemon chicken. “You like Jordan. Sally is sitting right over there. I’m going to find out what happened.”
“That’s a good idea.” Jade gave a serious nod. “It’s time.”
Isla tried to protest, but Lauren darted away. She returned to the table with the best news ever.
“Isla,” Lauren squealed. “They really are just friends. Jordan was trying to set her up with Raahithya, that guy in his cabin. He’s cool: plays guitar and is supposedly hilarious, but at the scavenger hunt, Raah totally ignored her. She was upset, so Jordan hugged her.” Lauren gave Isla a big smile. “But Sally says the only thing he ever talks about is you.”
Isla put her hand over her heart. “Are you serious? He didn’t ask her to the dance?”
“The dance?” Lauren gave her a look of disbelief. “Isla, of course not. He likes you.”
Isla’s face fell. “I ruined it.” She threw her arms across the table, wailing. “He’ll never talk to me again!”
Lauren had to give it to Isla: for a girl who didn’t like attention, she sure knew how to milk her moments.
“He’ll talk to you.” Lauren rubbed her back. “You just have to apologize.”
Isla moaned. “I can’t.”
“Let’s call him.” Jade tightened her ponytail. “We have twenty minutes until Cabin Cluster. Let’s go right now.”
“I can’t.” Isla shook her head. “I’m too embarrassed.”
Lauren grabbed her hand. “Don’t you miss him?” she sang.
Isla gave a little smile, and the other Fireflies burst out laughing.
“Okay. I’ll call him.”
Lauren grinned. This was exactly the type of excitement the night needed.
The girls finished up their dinner in two bites and then raced toward the Lodge. Lauren stopped short at the sight of Carol Kennedy walking down the path. “Lauren.” She smiled. “Do you have a minute?”
Lauren felt a flash of nerves. “Yes, ma’am. Of course.” She waved her friends on. “Go. I’ll catch up.”
The Fireflies pushed Isla toward the Lodge, giggling, but when Archer looked back over her shoulder, her face was dark.
Does Archer suspect something?
Like most adults, Carol Kennedy started talking about the weather. She called the breeze “lovely,” the lake “picturesque,” and confessed she “simply adored this type of summer evening.” Lauren nodded, squeezing her hands tight.
The weather report complete, Mrs. Kennedy adjusted her glasses. “I have news.”
Lauren sucked in a breath. This was it!
The evening sun glinted off the trees, shadows of the leaves practically danced on the ground, and Lauren shivered in anticipation.
“What’s the verdict?” she asked.
Mrs. Kennedy let out a tight sigh. “The administration feels that your proposition won’t work, for several logistical reasons that would bore you to tears. On another level, however, they also feel it defeats the purpose of camp. Why waste time in the kitchen when you could be having fun and building relationships?”
Lauren stared at her in disbelief. “Why waste time in the kitchen?” Clearly the administration had no concept of her reality.
“Lauren, I do hope that you find a way to return,” she continued. “Perhaps you could find a way to pay for the cost of camp while you’re back home. You have been a valuable asset to this community, and we look forward to having you return. Now, would you like me to walk with you to meet up with your friends?”
Lauren shook her head. “I’ll be fine,” she mumbled.
Mrs. Kennedy spotted a counselor. Waving, she cut across the lawn.
The cicadas chirped, and in the distance, a group of campers sang a rhyme while walking down the path. The joyful sounds were so different from the ache Lauren felt inside. Slowly, she sank down onto a nearby bench and put her head in her hands.
The administration thought she could find the resources to return to camp? Please. Even with a job, it would be a challenge to cover the airfare, let alone the cost of camp.
The administrators—everyone—at Blueberry Pine lived in a different world.
You can’t be mad at them, though. You knew the score.
Lauren’s throat thickened. She wasn’t mad at the administration; she was mad at herself for getting her hopes up. Now, she had to face the hurt and heartache of losing people she cared about. Rushing over to the empty doorway of the canteen, she hid her face against the wood and choked back a sob.
When it’s over, it’s over. I’ll never see the other Fireflies again.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The Fireflies sat on their front porch, enjoying the last minutes of daylight. While Archer struggled to perfect an arm drawing of the cabin cluster, Jade attempted to French braid Isla’s hair. It wasn’t going well, and the attempt was punctuated by Isla’s squeaks.
“Quit pulling,” Isla complained.
Jade scolded her in fake French, and the girls giggled.
“There’s Lauren.” Archer felt relieved to see her walking up the path with Cassandra. She’d been gone for more than an hour and had even missed their group activity.
“Is she okay?” Jade asked.
The girls fell silent, watching them approach.
“Everything’s fine,” Cassandra called. “Lauren got a little sick after dinner.”
Lauren climbed up the steps, looking pale. “Sorry to scare you all.” She settled into the chair next to Archer, and Cassandra brought her a bottle of water. “I’m fine, really. What did I miss?”
Archer cringed. “You’ll be so mad.”
“We worked on a time capsule to open next year,” Isla said. “Each cabin included something. We made a jar of origami fireflies out of candy wrappers.”
“At least, we tried to do that,” Jade laughed. “I’m not sure the fireflies are actually identifiable.”
Lauren gave a short laugh. “A time capsule. Really?”
The other Fireflies exchanged glances. The activity was so Lauren. She had to be bummed that she missed it.
“I’m sure you could still make a firefly to include,” Cassandra suggested. “I could add it to the jar.”
Lauren shook her head. “Not a big deal.”
Cassandra headed off to chat with one of the other counselors. Once she was out of earshot, Lauren leaned forward. “Isla, what happened with Jordan?”
Isla burst into giggles. “He apologized nearly ten times. I feel so guilty.”
“Tell me everything,” Lauren squealed.
Archer tuned out. The only romance that interested her was between Paolo and her sister. Earlier, she’d sent Makayla details about the meeting. It was doubtful her sister would question how Paolo knew the camp layout, but Archer had picked a landmark that appeared on the camp website just in case.
I’ll be in the woods by the totem pole, the message said. Don’t come alone; it�
��s not safe. Bring all your friends. But I will want them to leave at some point. LOL.
The Bluebirds would all be there to see Makayla get stood up and see her heart crushed into smithereens. To top it off, Archer planned to leave a note on the door of the Bluebirds’ cabin, listing all the reasons he ditched.
Pure poetry.
Archer took in her surroundings with a grin. Squirrels darted from tree to tree, birds called to one another, and the setting sun lit the pines with a gentle hue. The forest was made for romance—and total, utter heartbreak.
“What are you smiling about?” Lauren looked at her.
“Trust me, you don’t want to know,” Archer said.
Jade muttered something in fake French. She had tried to talk Archer out of the plan, but it wasn’t working.
Makayla deserved this.
Didn’t she?
“Done.” Jade pulled Isla to her feet. “What do you guys think?”
The braid wove across Isla’s head like a crown, making her look like an actual princess. Archer nearly made a joke, but bit her tongue. Isla had had a long day.
“It looks great,” she said, and Lauren nodded.
“Come inside,” Jade instructed Isla. “I want you to see it in the mirror.”
The screen door creaked shut.
Archer capped her Sharpie. “So, what did the administration lady want?”
Lauren’s face clouded over.
“Wait, your eyes are puffy.” Archer leaned in. “Have you been crying?”
“Nope. I’m great. So—”
“Hold on. What’s going on? Were you actually sick?”
“Shh!” Lauren whispered. “I…” She glanced out across the lawn, where Cassandra was talking with another counselor. “Okay, one of the administrators saw me out walking this morning, and I got a lecture about being alone on the path so early. Don’t tell the other girls, okay?”
“They should know if you’re upset,” Archer scolded. “We’re friends.”
Lauren waved her hands. “I know, I know. Everyone’s been so down, though. Isla was about to make up with Jordan…I didn’t want to come back and rain on her parade, you know?”
That made sense. Still, it bugged her how Lauren had tried to act like everything was great. Archer knew not to trust Lauren’s words, but now she had to question Lauren’s actions too?
I mean…kind of. She lies all the time.
Archer could confront her. But Archer didn’t want to do that. For the first time since elementary school, she had a group of friends who didn’t judge her. Maybe she shouldn’t rush to judge Lauren either.
“Let’s go see what Isla thinks of that braid,” Lauren said. “Bet she’s already taken it out.” She grabbed Archer’s hands and pulled her up, giggling as they tripped over each other.
Relax. Does it really matter if she’s keeping secrets?
It did to Archer.
I want to believe in this whole friends-forever-sisterhood thing.
But if Lauren lied about everything…why would that part be true?
Chapter Thirty
A few days after she’d made up with Jordan, Isla was busy embroidering while the girls got ready for dinner. Archer had been in a foul mood ever since her elective, and was stomping around the cabin. Apparently, someone had found out she was related to Makayla and said, “Your life must be perfect,” which had sent her into a tailspin.
“You know what gets me?” Archer straddled a chair. “The fact that anyone would say my life is perfect.” She grabbed one of the new Sharpies her mother had included in her care package and went to town on her arm.
Isla could relate. Her life might look perfect from the outside, but now that Jordan was back, she felt so guilty for betraying her parents with a boy. The night before, she’d had a nightmare that they showed up at camp and found her kissing Jordan. It wasn’t a terrible dream because of the kissing, but still.
Breaking the rules hadn’t mattered so much when Jordan was just a figment of her imagination. Now, though, the relationship was real. It was serious.
It was also completely against their rules.
“My life isn’t perfect.” Isla pulled the needle through her final stitch and knotted the string. “Nobody’s is.”
Archer turned to Lauren. “Your life seems perfect, Lauren.”
Lauren chewed her upper lip and shrugged.
Isla smiled at her. “You might be the exception.” Finished with her work, she stashed the headbands in her kit to ship out later that week.
“Knock, knock.” Cassandra walked in with a letter and a package. “You forgot to get the mail.”
Cassandra passed a small box to Archer. “If this is candy, don’t spoil your dinner. And, Isla, this one’s for you.”
Isla glanced down. It had a local postmark.
Camp correspondence. Most likely a bill or something I’ll have to send to my parents’ accountant.
“I’ve got to run. We’re doing a skit at dinner, so don’t be late.” Cassandra rolled her eyes. “I’ll be the one dressed as a dancing cow.”
The girls laughed, and Isla opened the envelope. To her surprise, it wasn’t a bill. It was a letter written in cramped handwriting on a folded piece of notebook paper.
“You guys!” Isla squealed. “Maybe my life is perfect after all.” It was from Jordan! In spite of the guilt, it was a thrill to get a letter from him. Especially one like this.
Lauren dashed over, grabbed the paper, and read it out loud.
Hi Isla,
I really want to see you again. Do you want to meet me? It’s risky, but I think we should do it. Send me back a note and let me know if you and the other Fireflies can meet us at 10:15 p.m. next Monday on the public beach next to the girls’ camp. The counselors all have a big bonfire together, so we should have no trouble sneaking out. Let me know.
Love, Jordan
“He signed it ‘love,’” Lauren cried. “He signed it ‘LOVE’!”
Isla collapsed onto her bed, covering her mouth to hold back hysterical giggles. It was all too exciting for words.
“He wants us to sneak out,” she whispered, half worried Cassandra would hear her from somewhere across camp. “I mean…my parents would kill me.”
Sneaking out meant walking through the woods to a beach connected to a public campground, which might not be safe. Besides, she could get grounded for life. Perhaps even sent to military school. Meeting him was impossible.
But she wanted to, more than anything in the world.
You can’t do this. Stop considering it!
“I could cover for you.” Jade picked through Archer’s care package until she found a package of Twizzlers. “We could do the pillows-under-blankets routine. I could actually sit up and shush you or something when Cassandra comes back for bed check.”
“I can’t go alone, though,” Isla said.
Lauren raised her hand. “I’ll go.”
Isla swiped back the letter and brought it to her nose to see if she could smell Jordan.
Jade giggled. “Did you just kiss that?”
“You guys,” she cried. “What if he kisses me?”
Lauren started singing, “First comes love, then comes marriage…” Archer and Jade made kissing sounds. Once everyone calmed down, Isla got serious.
“Do you really think this is possible?” she asked the girls.
For the first time all night, Archer smiled. “Everything is possible. We’re Fireflies.”
Chapter Thirty-One
“You’re going to have so much fun,” Jade told Isla, the night of the big sneak out. “You ready?”
The Fireflies had just returned to Firefly Cabin after a night of Guitar and Ghost Stories. Their hair and clothes smelled like a bonfire, and they’d feasted on s’mores and campfire popcorn. It had been a great night.
Isla gave an eager nod. “I can’t wait.” She’d never worn makeup before, and earlier, Jade had done her mascara. Her big brown eyes looked gorgeous in the low
light.
“Speaking of…” Isla climbed into bed and pulled the pillow over her face. She poked her head back out and said, “You guys, come on. Get into bed.”
The other Fireflies exchanged amused glances. Lauren flipped off the lights, and the rest of them climbed into their bunks. They lay in silence for a minute. Then Lauren let out a huff, and the lights were flipped back on.
“Isla.” Her whisper rang out across the room. “I’m not super-sure about this.”
Jade propped herself up on her elbow in surprise. Lauren paced the room, squeezing her hands like she did when she was nervous.
“This might be a really bad idea,” she muttered. “Let’s tell him we’ll do it tomorrow.”
“What?” Isla shot upright. “No, everything is set for tonight. The counselors will be gone. We have to do it tonight.”
“It’s just…” Lauren’s voice trailed off.
“What?” Jade pressed.
Archer started laughing. “The relay race is tomorrow. Lauren doesn’t want to mess it up.”
Isla’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t be serious.”
“That’s not the reason,” Lauren said. “Now that you bring it up, though, am I the only one in this cabin who thinks the competition is important? Because it’s starting to seem that way.”
“Excuse me, I sang in front of people.” Isla was clearly offended. “My commitment should be pretty clear.”
“And I would give away an entire year’s worth of candy to beat my sister,” Archer insisted. “So please don’t say that again.”
“Lauren, you’re faster than anyone at camp,” Jade reminded her. “Sleep or no sleep, we have a really good shot. Besides, you promised.”
Even though Jade didn’t want to upset Lauren, she did think Isla deserved this experience. Isla liked Jordan so much. This was her chance to really spend some time with him, and maybe he’d even ask her to be his date to the coed dance.
“Please, Lauren,” Isla said. “You promised.”
Moths pinged against the screen. Outside, the fire hissed as the counselors doused it with water. Smoke wafted in through the window, and Isla gave a pathetic cough.
The Girls of Firefly Cabin Page 14