Camp Forget-Me-Not

by J. K. Rock

  “Nick, we can’t do this.”

  He rubbed my arms, and I shivered, inching back farther. “What do you mean? As in, you’re not ready to, uh, kiss? Because we can wait. I mean I’ll wait. As long as it takes because—”

  I held up a hand, stopping a rush of words I knew he’d regret later.

  “I can’t kiss you. Ever.” I swallowed and forced myself to go on. To speak the lie that would set him free. “I’m a Diva now. We don’t date guys like you.”

  He flinched as if I’d punched him. “What kind of guy is that?”

  I flicked my hair back the way I’d seen Hannah do it and made myself look as though I didn’t care. He’d never know that the burning in my chest was turning my insides to ash.

  “You know. Not in the cool guys’ cabin. A Warrior. I can’t date anyone else.”

  Nick flushed, and his nose flared. “This is a joke right?”

  I shook my head, letting my hair fall in my face so that I could hide the tear I wiped away. “No. In fact, it’s actually not cool if we hang out anymore. Even as friends. I was going to tell you before, when we first got here, but you had all that news about your sports team.”

  “Like that matters?” Nick’s voice broke, starting low and ending high.

  “Of course it does. It’ll be more fun spending the summer in New Zealand than here.”

  Nick rubbed a hand across his reddened eyes. “But I love spending summers here. With you.”

  I struggled to speak over the lump in my throat, to keep my voice steady and convincing. Cruel enough to make him walk toward the future he deserved. And away from me. “That’s just it, Nick. We can’t be together anymore. From now on, you’re on your own.”

  And with that, I got to my feet and left him at the falls. He’d need time to think, process, and ultimately come to the only conclusion I’d left him with. He had to leave camp and become a competitive athlete. As for me, I’d have to stay, missing him every minute. Even if it meant breaking my own heart.

  Even if it meant being a Diva.

  TODAY

  “The plan’s off,” I called the next morning when I saw Alex and Emily waiting for me on the beach boulder. Since I’d tossed and turned for hours last night, reliving the embarrassing refrigerator moment with Nick—as well as his heart-stopping kiss—I’d fallen asleep only a couple hours ago and had nearly overslept our morning meet-up.

  Alex finished wrestling Emily’s unruly hair into a ponytail and looked up with a frown. “What do you mean? We’ve got it all set.”

  Huh? No-no-no-no. Last night had changed everything. Nick was taking his revenge seriously.

  “Nick kissed me last night and—”

  “Hold up.” Alex put her hand out like a traffic cop. “Nick kissed you?” She leaned in, eyes dancing. “How was it? He’s not Javier, but he is hot. I want details.”

  I closed my eyes and savored the memory of his mouth on mine, the perfect fit of our bodies, his electric touch. Even knowing he’d been doing it to make me regret what I’d thrown away three years ago—it still made my knees weak.

  “That good, huh?” Alex giggled, and my hands flew to my hot cheeks.

  “Ohhhhhh, she has it bad.” Emily wagged a finger at me. “Though you should never kiss and tattle.”

  “It’s kiss and tell, Em. And of course she should tell us. We’re Switzerland.”

  “Sweden.”

  “Enough!” My head pounded. “Look. We were playing Seven Minutes in Heaven in the mess hall walk-in fridge and—”

  Emily sighed. “I used to love that game. There’s something about kissing a boy in the dark that’s so, um, ah—”

  “Mysterious?” Alex put in drily.

  “I was going for sloppy. But that works, too. Since you don’t know who you’re kissing, you can pretend to be someone else. One time, I decided to be Cat Woman and the kid left the closet looking like he made out with Wolverine.” She held up her nails and giggled. “But that’s what he got for slipping me the tongue. See? Sloppy.”

  “Ewwwwww,” Alex and I chorused, and despite the sting of last night’s letdown, I laughed. The Divas really should hang out more with the Munchies.

  “So are you guys back together?”

  Reality clouded my lightening mood. “Hardly. When they opened the door, he acted like I’d been trying to kiss him when he was the one who kissed me.”

  “What an asshole,” breathed Alex, and the smell of her grape bubble gum washed over me.

  “Language,” warned Emily.

  Alex’s fist thudded against her thigh. “Bastard.”

  “That’s better.” Emily leapt from the rock and paced, Lake Juniper rippling behind her. “If only that bastard wasn’t now your CIT partner.”

  “What?” My pulse sped. No way. The Counselorin-Training program was an intensive course we did in our last year at camp. If we did a good job, we could get hired back next summer as full counselors. I’d wanted to try it, but not if it meant spending all my time with Nick. On the flipside, camp was the only stable place in my world right now. I needed to come back next year as a counselor.

  Alex looked at me, her eyes pleading. “We thought if we threw you two together, you’d talk and make up.”

  “Or make out.” Emily snorted. “Guess you already beat us to that, though.”

  “You have to pair me up with someone else!” My words escaped in a panicked rush.

  “Can’t.” Alex wrapped a thin arm around me, her warmth doing little to settle my jumping nerves. “Gollum already approved the pairs and is posting the list in the cafeteria before breakfast.”

  “Then I’m dropping out!”

  “Don’t you want to come back next year and work with me?” Emily stepped closer, her curls escaping her ponytail and springing around her head like a court jester’s hat.

  My mouth opened and closed. Yes. I did want to work here next summer. But I wouldn’t deal with Nick to do it.

  “Look. I’ll offer to switch with Nick,” Alex put in, “and let you know what he says later today. That might work, right, Emily?”

  “Gollum would have to approve, but it’s the only shot we’ve got.”

  The camp’s wake-up bell sounded, and we all jumped. Conspirators in a doomed plot.

  I inhaled long and deep and followed them back to the cabins. It was a good solution since Nick would definitely agree to the switch.

  So why then did I still feel let down?

  Later that evening, a piercing whistle momentarily quieted the excited chatter echoing in the rec room.

  “Thank you.” Gollum stepped forward and held out a video camera bigger than his head and probably twice his age. “As the assistant director in Miss White’s YouTube video shoot, I run a tight ship. At least until the real shoot begins next week. This is a practice, but that doesn’t mean any shenanigans will be tolerated.”

  Brittany leaned close, the vampire contacts she’d worn since her Twilight obsession began making her eyes glow a bright topaz. “What’s a shenanigan?”

  “This.” Hannah made a sweeping gesture that included the assembled Warriors and Divas. “A totally pointless activity designed to irritate others. Why I’m even here, I can’t imagine.”

  “Me neither. It’s not like anyone asked you.” Brooke poked her head out from behind a makeup mirror, one eye shadowed in shades of purple, lavender, and turquoise.

  “Duh. I did.” Emily marched inside, followed by a group of uncomfortable-looking Munchies. I met Alex’s eyes, hoping she’d give me a thumbs-up about Nick and the CIT pair switch, but she shook her head instead, mouthing “later.” My gaze flew to Nick, who tossed a Ping-Pong ball in the air, then smashed it over the net, his paddle a green blur.

  “Game!” He pointed at Cameron, his wide grin and lean jaw doing something funny to my traitorous heart. “Anyone else?”

  Brittany shoved me forward. “Kayla’s the champ.”

  Nick’s eyes sparkled in challenge, and suddenly I wanted to strangle
him. He wouldn’t humiliate me again. He might be a pro on the slopes, but Ping-Pong was my turf. I’d played it a lot since he’d left camp.

  Wallpaper girl, my ass.

  “Five minutes until we shoot!” Gollum ran around the large room and used the camera to frame different angles of the piano, the TV/sofa area, and the games section.

  I sauntered to the table and picked up the paddle and ball. “Ready?” I asked. Then, before Nick could answer, I sent my serve skimming over the net. It nicked the left corner and bounced to the ground. “Guess not.” I smiled right into Nick’s surprised eyes.

  Nick crouched and tossed his paddle between his hands, a distracting maneuver we’d used as kids. I ignored it and focused on the right corner, leaned in that direction, and marked the spot visually. I bounced the ball once, twice, raised my paddle for a smash, then changed it up last minute and gently tapped the Ping-Pong ball. It dribbled over the net, a lunging Nick a second too late.

  I grinned along with the laughing group now crowded around us. Nick’s dark skin flushed, and his smile disappeared. He shifted back and forth on the balls of his feet, looking ready for the apocalypse. God this felt good. Finally. Nick on the defensive side for a change.

  “Kill him, babe.” Cameron urged in my ear just as I released the ball. It barely touched the other side of the table before Nick returned it with enough force to send it bouncing into Cameron’s face.

  “Whoa.” Cameron backed away. “Take it easy, man. It’s just a game.”

  “My serve,” was all Nick answered, his knuckles white against the black-wrapped handle.

  I tossed him the ball, which he snatched, one-handed, in mid-air. He slapped it down on the table, then flipped it back at me. My reflexes sent me swerving to the far corner a millisecond too late, and his serve grazed the line and flew at Cameron once more.

  “Hey,” Cameron rubbed his arm, his good-natured grin slipping, “Quit acting like it’s personal.”

  Nick leveled serious, considering eyes on me. “Maybe it is.”

  Our gazes locked, his face expressing exactly how personal this was to him. Yet I was the target, not Cam. Or maybe he planned to torment me and my ex. One thing was clear. He definitely hadn’t forgiven me, and he was using this new, competitive side of him to show it.

  Eli shoulder-bumped a tense Cameron and laughed. “He got you, Cam. That was a joke.”

  Cameron’s laugh sounded forced as his head swiveled between Nick and me. “Right. We’ve got nothing to fight about.”

  “Exactly.” I forced my eyes from Nick’s. “One serving two.”

  I tossed the ball over the net, and Nick stopped it with his paddle before scooping it up. “One serving two,” he repeated, then dropped the ball to the table, swiping a sideways shot that bulleted over the net and bounced too low for me to touch with more than a paddle tip. It pinged into the crowd and hit the back of Brooke’s carefully mussed waves.

  “Hey!” she shrieked and strode to the table. Her fiery glare engulfed us. “This is my video shoot, not a tournament. You two take your places. Kayla, you’re in the back by the wall, and Nick, you’re next to the piano with me. Got it?”

  Surprise. Pushed to the background with the Munchies, the Wanderers, Hannah and me. Not that I minded. It was my preferred place to be.

  Everyone else jostled near the front, some at the Ping-Pong table, some on a couch by the TV, others, like Brittany, near the piano. She taught a small group the dance moves she’d tried out on the beach last week. They all wore shredded, tie-dyed T-shirts, faded jean shorts, and matching friendship bracelets and hairbands, many of them ones I’d made.

  “NIA!” Brooke screeched and her fan club scurried over, makeup bag in hand. “I need more blush. And where is my bowl of pink M&Ms?”

  “Still working on that, Miss White.” Nia dabbed at Brooke’s cheeks while Nick looked on. He leaned against the piano, his lanky form drawing every female eye, including mine. He shook back his dark bangs, the move giving everyone a view of the angular, handsome face that papered billboards in Times Square.

  Gollum shoved his video camera at Julian, whispered something, then hustled to the door. “I’ll get them, Miss White,” he called. “Emily, you’re in charge.”

  Brooke ignored our camp director and knocked Nia’s hand away. “How am I supposed to work in these conditions?” she stormed. “You’re all useless!”

  “Could you say that again for the benefit of our ‘making-of’ video,” drawled Julian, aiming Gollum’s camera in her direction. “I’m sure your fans will want to know the real Brooke White.”

  Hannah’s laugh rang out, happy and sharp. “Exactly. Why should we be the only ones with that privilege?” I covered my mouth and held in a giggle. She really was funny. If only I dared friend this new Hannah.

  Brooke blocked the camera with her hand and hissed, “Turn it off now, Julian.”

  “Mr. Woodrow said to keep it rolling while he was gone.”

  “Fine,” huffed Brooke. “Then record this. Nia, hit it.” Nia hooked an iPod to a small speaker and Brooke’s latest song, “Seven Minutes in Heaven” filled the room, the thumping beat drowning out the barely there lyrics. Brooke sat down at the piano and pantomimed hitting the keys, her mouth perfectly lip syncing the words. At one point she stood, took Nick’s hand, and pulled him close, kissing him long and deep.

  I tried not to squirm as they did take after take of that shot, jealousy surging through me. I hated seeing Nick kiss another girl. And it didn’t help that every time they stopped, Brooke sent me a victorious smirk, followed by an almost apologetic stare from Nick. At one point, our eyes clung so long that Brooke grabbed Nick by the jaw and forced his face her way. “Hey. We could be here all night if you don’t put some real effort into this.”

  I turned away when he raised an eyebrow at me. If he wanted my opinion or approval, I had no clue why. From the look of it, he wasn’t kissing her the way he’d kissed me. His hands stayed at his sides and his lips left hers the moment Julian yelled, “Cut.”

  I wondered if the camera made him nervous, which seemed unlikely since he posed for it all the time, or self-conscious in front of everyone else. He used to be shy like me. Maybe some things about Nick had stayed the same.

  “Last take.” Nick dipped Brooke low while the dancers whirled and grooved around them. I looked away, unable to bear seeing him with her anymore. Gollum caught me before I slipped outside.

  “Now where are you going young lady? Miss White needs everyone’s help. Here at Juniper Point, we all pitch in. Although I still couldn’t find those pink M&Ms.”

  I sighed. Yeah. I’m sure my contribution to the video was as important as the candy.

  Nick straightened. “That’s a wrap.” He stalked away, leaving Brooke clutching the piano, her eyes unfocused.

  “Wait, Nick,” she called when he reached the door, and me. “I still need you for the rest of the ‘Seven Minutes in Heaven’ part of the shoot. And we didn’t get a real kiss.”

  Nick just stared at her.

  Brooke cleared her throat. “But we can take a break and let another couple kiss.” Her eyes darted from me to Nick. “How about Cameron and Kayla?”

  “I’m in!” Cameron fist-pumped the air, then raced around Nick to my side. “When do we start?”

  I opened my mouth to protest, but Cameron’s lips mashed against mine, sucking the air out of me. I clutched his shoulders, lightheaded. “Can’t breathe,” I wanted to say, but his mouth blocked the way. Hoots, hollers, and stamping feet shook the building, and finally Cameron pulled back with a triumphant grin he aimed Nick’s way. As for me, one look at Nick’s thunderous expression had me heading out the door. Whatever he wanted to say, I didn’t want to hear.

  “We need more takes,” protested Gollum. He cleared his throat and hoisted the camera to his shoulder. “Not that I approve of all this kissing, but because it’s for the video, then I suppose this one time.”

  “Can’t Brittany and Eli
do it?” I asked Brooke, who now snuggled against Nick and stroked the side of his tense face.

  “They’re after you and Cam, duh. And get some makeup on.” Brooke gestured to Nia, who scurried over, lipstick in hand.

  “What’s the matter, babe?” Cameron laced his fingers in mine and led me to the hair and makeup station. Nia trailed behind us. “You’re my girlfriend, so it’s cool.”

  A slammed door made me glance up. Nick was gone.

  “What’s his deal?” Rachel brushed my hair smooth, her tugs nearly snapping my neck and causing Nia to smear lipstick on my teeth. “He looked really jealous of you and Cameron.”

  Before I could process what she’d said, Brooke joined us, gloating. “He’s so totally into me that he went back to my cabin to find my pink M&Ms.” Her nose wrinkled as she looked me up and down. “Don’t you have anything cuter than a blue tank and khaki shorts?”

  I checked out my outfit. I was not a flashy girl, but my clothes were fine.

  “Kayla looks super cute in anything.” Brittany bounced up, pulling her ponytail tighter. “We all know she’s the prettiest in the cabin. Sorry, Brooke.”

  What? Brittany was ten times prettier than me, but that wasn’t what surprised me so much as her taking Brooke down a notch. Had she done that on purpose? Sometimes Britt hid behind that ditzy girl reputation.

  Brooke’s face flushed beneath her makeup. “That’s your opinion. Plus I have talent. What’s Kayla got?”

  My stomach clenched even as Brittany bragged about my talents at Ping-Pong.

  But then, Hannah and Julian leaned into the conversation.

  “Check this out.” Julian showed us the small video screen on the back of the camera and hit the play button. Cameron and I appeared, making out like it was the last kiss before the apocalypse. I peered at the image, my gaze drawn to a scowling Nick pacing in the background.

  “Kayla is very photogenic,” proclaimed Hannah, her voice firm and full of authority. “She should be a model.”

  I laughed at the crazy idea, but no one joined me. Instead the group crowded closer to the camera as Julian hit replay. Their heads swiveled from the screen to me and then back again. I clasped my damp palms and wished I could conjure a hole in the floor.