‘Oh yeah, she’s got it bad,’ Michi says. ‘I heard them discussing him in the shower block last night. It was all how great she thinks his hair is and how buffed his arms look in his T-shirt and how she’s going to ask him to some party she’s having when we get back from camp.’ She sees Lexi’s face and stops. ‘It’s just all talk, though,’ she reassures her. ‘I don’t think she’s actually even spoken to him yet. Just sent him gooey looks and stuff.’
‘She’s right,’ I say. ‘I saw the way he looked at you at lunch. You’ve got nothing to worry about.’
Lexi blushes and crinkles her nose. ‘Hope so. So what do you want me to do?’
‘Get him in on the plan,’ Michi says. And then she leans forward and whispers what we’re going to do.
Jess falls for our plan straight away.
We’re all getting ready to go to bed. It takes about three minutes for her to spot the carefully folded letter (neatly scrawled in ‘guy-style’ handwriting) that Michi left on her bunk while everyone was in the rec hut having supper. We had a lovely time constructing it during the craft activity this afternoon. Michi didn’t even mention Ben once, so I guess she just needed something to take her mind off him. It took us about six drafts to get the wording right. Daniel thought it was really funny when we showed him, especially as he says he’s noticed her gooey looks. He even ran his hands through his hair (he uses about the same amount of hair product as Alysha does) then over the paper a few times so it smelled like him. Real sneaky beaver stuff.
‘OMG!’ Jess screeches, flapping the letter around in the air.
Amira [looking up from her bunk]: What?
Jess: You have to read this!
Jane: What! What is it?
Jess [starry-eyed]: It’s a … letter. To me. From Daniel! I knew he liked me.
Amira [jumping up]: No way! A love letter?
Jane: What does it say?
Tara [trying to grab the letter from her]: Show me! Jess [pushing her back]: Rack off, Tara. I’m going to read it out, okay? Are you all listening?
Michi [stifling a yawn]: No.
Jess: Who asked you? Okay. This is what it says: ‘Hey Jess, you rock. I –’ Then he’s put, a little heart, you know?
Jane [wide-eyed]: Really? Cool.
Jess: Yeah. It is, isn’t it? Way cool. ‘I the way you move. Have you got a boyfriend? I so hope not. I need to ask you something. It’s kinda private so I don’t want to do it in front of my friends (or yours). Can you meet me at midnight round the back of the rec hut?’ And then he’s got his name. Daniel.
She stops to run her finger back and forth over the word, a dreamy look on her face. Sucked in so bad. I almost feel sorry for her. Then I remember the way she taunted me today about my nightmare and change my mind.
Tara: Any kisses?
Jane [reading the letter over Jess’s shoulder]: Of course, dummy. Hugs too. You know? XOXO?
Amira: Very cool. So, are you going to go?
Michi and I hold our breath.
Jess: Duh. You think I’m going to bail on a guy as hot as Daniel? Course I’m going.
Michi: [Extremely muffled snort].
Tara: Great! What are we going to wear? We can’t go in our PJs. Although I guess if we got caught sneaking round the camp after lights-out that might be better cos we could just pretend we were sleepwalking or something … Jess: Who said anything about you coming, Tara? Didn’t you listen when I was reading out his letter? He wants to tell me something IN PRIVATE.
Jane [pouting]: What, so I can’t come either?
Jess: Nup. Just me. I’ll tell him you said hi.
And then Jess climbs onto Amira’s bunk. They whisper and giggle about what the ‘something’ Daniel wants to ask her might be until midnight comes around, and it’s time for her to go.
The door of the cabin opens and Jess creeps back in. Nobody’s even pretending to be asleep. We’re all lying there hanging out to see what happened. I feel a bit mean about sending her into the dark like that. I know how bad it feels to really want something, then not have it turn out how you’d hoped it would.
Amira: Jess?
Jess: What?
Amira: How did it go? What did he want to ask you?
Silence. Followed by creaking sounds as Jess climbs into her bunk.
Amira: Jess? You’ve been gone for ages. So come on. Spill it. What happened?
Jess: Don’t want to talk about it.
Amira: Jess? Come on. Didn’t he turn up?
More silence. Then more creaking as Jess turns over to face the wall.
Chapter 12
wednesday morning … breakfast time
Michi and Lex and I make sure we’re all sitting at a dining table that’s close to Daniel and his mates. Not too close. We don’t want Jess sussing out we had anything to do with last night’s fake letter. But close enough so we can hear what happens if she decides to ask why he didn’t turn up.
Alysha glances over from where she’s sitting with Paige and Jayde. She looks so unhappy. I’m about to wave her over, then decide not to. She might accuse me of trying to organise other people’s lives again.
Michi nudges me. ‘Check that out. Someone’s definitely not happy.’
I glance over to where Jess and Amira are sitting. They look like they’re arguing about something. Then Amira tries to push Jess out of her chair, like she wants her to go and confront Daniel, but Jess keeps shaking her head. Finally, Jess gives in and creeps over to Daniel’s table.
‘I need to … um, talk to you,’ she whispers to Daniel. She tilts her head towards the door. ‘In private.’
Seb and Jase elbow each other then look down at their plates, hiding their smirks.
Daniel puts the piece of toast he’s munching back on his plate. ‘Sorry? Were you talking to me?’
A puzzled frown spreads across Jess’s face.
Daniel points to the empty chair next to Seb. ‘Were you looking for somewhere to sit?’ he asks politely. ‘Cos there’s a spare place here …’
Jess shakes her head. ‘No,’ she says, leaning forward and dropping her voice so we have to strain to hear her. ‘I got your letter. I wanted to ask you about last night. Why you didn’t … you know …’ She moves in closer. ‘I waited out there for ages.’
Now Daniel’s the one looking puzzled. ‘Sorry?’ he says loudly. ‘What was your name again? Alison, isn’t it?’ He slaps his forehead. ‘No, hang on. Jennifer. That’s right, yeah?’
I don’t know how Daniel’s managing to keep a straight face.
Jess’s eyes narrow. Is she starting to smell a rat?
‘It’s Jess,’ she tells him, her voice cold.
Daniel sticks his hand out. ‘Hi, Jess,’ he tells her. ‘I’m Daniel.’
Everyone’s staring at them. Especially at the way Jess’s mouth is opening and closing like a goldfish. Then Michi has a choking fit and we have to smuggle her out of the dining room before Jess clues in that the fake love letter thing was our idea.
Mr Mak’s megaphone rings out across the clearing. ‘Okay, campers. Time to move on to the next round of activities. Group 1? Move to the Tarzan ropes.’
Lexi taps my arm. ‘Come on, that’s us.’
She’s still pumped about what happened in the dining room this morning. And I feel great, too. The tyre course was fun. Not as big a rush as the flying fox maybe, but definitely cool. I’ve even managed to make up with Alysha. She actually apologised for snapping at me yesterday, which is a big deal for Alysha these days. I’m really starting to enjoy this camp.
We follow Mr Mak to the Tarzan ropes.
‘Okay, everyone, I need you all to listen carefully while I demonstrate what you have to do. Seb? Come over here, mate, and give me a leg up.’
Suddenly Hazy’s voice comes across the camp speakers, making us jump. ‘Attention, everyone. Could Mia Zugaro report to the office. Mia Zugaro to the office, please.’
There’s silence for a moment, then Lexi giggles. ‘Uh-oh. Somebody’
s in trou-ble,’ she sing-songs.
‘Yeah,’ says Alysha, who’s decided she’s talking to Lexi again, too. ‘Don’t tell me you were caught sneaking out of your cabin for a bit of a pash last night. Who were you meeting up with? Loverboy Liam? Or Horrible Harry?’
‘Eeuw,’ Michi snorts. ‘Neither of those morons. Mia’s got more taste than that, haven’t you, Moo.’
But I can barely take in what they’re saying. My heart’s thumping too much. I’ve been called to the office. In the middle of an activity, when I’m out in the bush. Not at lunch or dinner, when it would be easy to find me. That can only mean one thing. With all the drama over Jess and the letter scam, I’ve completely forgotten about Nonno. He was having his operation today. I’ve forgotten to look out for him – guard him from the bad thing – cos I was too busy having fun. And now it’s got him. And it’s all my fault … just like it was with Marco.
Then I push that thought away. I’m just being silly, thinking the worst, like always. There could be a zillion reasons why I’ve been called to the office. I probably just left some of my stuff in the shower block. Or maybe Mr C wants me to help him with the concert on Thursday night. Or – duh. It’s obvious. After our little run-in yesterday, Jess has decided I was behind the letter-writing scam and complained about me to the teachers. Yep, that’ll be it for sure.
I pop the top off my water bottle, take a long drink, then pack it neatly away inside my backpack. ‘Better go and see what Hazy wants,’ I say brightly. ‘Tell Mr Mak not to go to the next activity till I’m back, ’kay? I don’t want to miss my go.’
‘’kay,’ says Lex. ‘See ya soon.’
‘Yeah, see ya,’ echoes Alysha, trying to smooth her hair with her fingers. ‘Give that fat cow Hazy my love. Not.’
I grin at her. ‘Your hair looks fine, Leesh.’
I take a deep breath. Then another. Right. This is it. I’m going. Nothing to worry about, I keep telling myself, nothing at all.
But I ask Michi to come, just in case I’m wrong.
Chapter 13
wednesday morning … before lunch
Ms Hayes is waiting for me outside the office.
‘Hello, Mia,’ she says quickly, her face a mask. ‘Would you like to come inside and sit down for a minute?’
Sit down. The words echo dully in my head. That’s what the police always say on TV shows when they’ve come to tell parents that their child has just been killed in a car accident.
‘No, thanks,’ I say. No way am I going to sit down. If I sit down, the bad thing will happen for sure. Michi shoots me a worried look.
Hazy clears her throat. ‘I’ve just had a call from your dad, Mia. He’s on his way to pick you up.’
My legs start to buckle. Michi grabs my arm. Her voice sounds strange, like it’s coming through a pipe from a long way away. ‘Mia? Are you okay?’
I shake my head, trying to clear it. It’s true. The bad thing is true. Dad wouldn’t be coming all the way out here otherwise.
I turn to Ms Hayes. Her face swims in front of my eyes. ‘Did … did he say why?’ I whisper.
‘We-ell …’ I can tell Hazy’s uncertain about what to say next.
‘It’s my grandad, isn’t it?’ I press her.
Hazy nods.
‘Is he …?’ But I can’t bring myself to say it.
Hazy comes over and puts her arm around my shoulder. ‘He’s in intensive care,’ she says gently. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to give you a shock. That’s all I know.’ She pats my back. ‘Your dad will be able to tell you more.’
She pulls back and turns to Michi. ‘Why don’t you take Mia into the dining room and make her a warm drink,’ she’s saying, her words washing over me in waves. Everything feels so strange. ‘A hot chocolate, or something like that. And then maybe you can help collect her things from your cabin?’
Michi nods, her eyes huge. ‘Sure, miss,’ she says. She grabs my arm, like I’m a three-year-old who needs to be guided across the street.
‘Thanks, Michi,’ Hazy tells her. ‘I’ll let you know as soon as Mia’s dad arrives.’ She points to the office door. ‘And I’ll be just in here if you need anything, okay?’
Michi leads me to the dining room, then sits me down. ‘Do you want to talk about it?’ she asks, rummaging in a cupboard for spoons and mugs.
I stare at my hands. It takes a while before I can speak. ‘I just wish I knew why Nonno’s in intensive care. Something really bad must have happened. His blood pressure, or his heart maybe …’
‘Try not to worry,’ Michi chirps. ‘Your dad will be here soon, yeah?’ She spoons drinking chocolate into the mugs and adds some milk. ‘It’s a pity Ben’s not on the camp,’ she adds breezily. ‘He’d probably know more about it. You know, his dad being a doctor and everything?’
‘Yeah,’ I say. Ben? I’m sitting here in shock, and she’s still thinking about Ben?
‘But I know what he’d say anyway,’ Michi prattles on. ‘He’d tell you to try not to worry too. We always think alike about stuff like this.’
I sit there, watching numbly while she plugs in the kettle. So much for thinking Michi was over Ben. Try not to worry? If only I could.
We’re still waiting for Dad on the bench outside our cabin when the groups start returning from the morning’s activity program. Alysha and Lexi see us and come rushing over.
‘Hey, you guys, how come you’re sitting out here?’ Alysha asks.
‘Yeah,’ Lexi chimes in. ‘We waited and waited for you to come back for the Tarzan thingy. It was awesome, wasn’t it, Leesh?’
Alysha smirks. ‘If you like swinging through the trees like a big baboon, sure. Which is exactly what you looked like, Lex, if you really want to know. A big, gawky, fat-bummed baboon.’
Michi tilts her head towards me and makes frantic ‘shut up’ gestures to the others. Maybe she thinks I can’t see them?
‘What?’ says Alysha, clearly puzzled. Then she notices my bags, all packed and ready to go.
‘Whoa,’ she says, nudging my sleeping bag with her foot. ‘You going somewhere, Mia?’
I nod. I’m too stressed to have to start explaining things.
‘Are you serious? They’re sending you home? But you never get in trouble. You must have done something really bad.’ She gives me a sly grin. ‘You did play kissy kissy with someone, didn’t you!’ Alysha twitters, dancing around in front of me. ‘When did it happen? Last night? I heard a rumour there was someone sneaking around after lights out. So it was you! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. I want all the gory details. Wait till I tell Paige and Jayde –’
‘Alysha. Will you just shut up!’ Michi snaps. ‘Can’t you see how upset she is?’
‘Whuh?’ Alysha stares at Michi like she’s just slapped her. Then she looks back at me. ‘What’s going on?’
Lexi finally notices my red-rimmed eyes and slides in beside me on the bench. ‘Hey, Moo,’ she says. ‘Is this about what we did to Jess? Cos they can’t just send you home. That wouldn’t be fair.’
I shake my head. ‘No,’ I say. ‘It’s nothing to do with that. It’s … family stuff.’
‘Is it your nonno? Is that why you’re going home?’
‘Yep,’ I croak. ‘Dad rang the camp office. He’s on his way to pick me up.’
Alysha plants herself in front of us, ignoring everyone who’s having a good gawk at our happy little group as they stream past on their way to lunch. ‘Can one of you just explain to me what’s going on here? No? Thought not. Anyway, Mia, you can’t go home yet. Who’s going to direct our act for the concert? It will all fall apart without you there.’ She tosses her hair. ‘I knew I should have gone in Paige and Jayde’s group. It’s probably too late to change now.’
Lexi stares at her. ‘I can’t believe you just said that, Alysha.’
‘Said what? Why are you all looking at me like that for? What did I do?’
Lexi pulls Alysha down beside her and whispers something quickly in her ear.
Alysha flushes. ‘Sorry, Mia. I … didn’t realise.’
No, I think. None of you did. You’ve all been too wrapped up in your own little dramas to notice that I might have been having one of my own.
But I don’t say it. I don’t say anything at all.
Wearily, I haul myself up from the bench, pick up my bags and go and stand near the camp entrance. That way I’ll have a better chance of seeing Dad’s car when it finally arrives.
Chapter 14
wednesday afternoon
‘But I don’t understand, Dad,’ I say, watching the trees flash past the window. Warm air from the heater blows around me, but I still feel cold and shivery. ‘How could something like this happen?’
Dad sighs. ‘Who knows? Operations are always risky things. I guess your nonno’s just been unlucky.’ He gestures towards the console. ‘Would you like me to put the radio on? Or a CD?’
I shake my head. ‘No, thanks.’ I’ve talked and talked about it and now I just need to be alone with my own thoughts for a bit. Dad filled me in on what had happened as soon as we were out on the main road. The operation on Nonno’s hip went really well. No problems there. And then it seems he developed a blood clot in his leg. It happens sometimes, the doctor had explained, with this kind of surgery. And now the clot has travelled through his body and reached his lungs. Which means he might die. Which is why Dad has come all the way up to the mountains to get me.
Two hours later we’re stumbling down a different hospital corridor to the one I got lost in last week. The lights are brighter here and there’s no comforting rattle of teacups or little sinks where you can put flowers in vases. Just rooms filled with scary-looking machines that beep and stutter. It’s like one of the scenes from my nightmare. And now I’m standing in it. Living it for real.
There’s a row of blue chairs outside the door. Mum’s sitting on one of the chairs, next to my cousins Rocky and Lina. As soon as Mum sees me, she comes over and pulls me into a hug. Her face is white and strained, just like Dad’s.
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