by Sandy Green
She narrowed her eyes, shifting the basket to her other hip, and searched beyond me to the bridge. “You haven’t been in the building next door, have you?”
Did that count as going outside? Or was it illegal to simply leave this building?
Her gaze dropped to my feet and swept upward, capturing my bloodied toe, dirty shorts and sweat streaked face. “Were you outside?”
I twisted the envelope in my pocket.
“You do realize being outside without an adult is grounds for immediate dismissal.”
“But I can’t be sent home.” I raised my hands and the envelope fell to the floor. Tears puddled in my eyes.
“We made it perfectly clear at the beginning of camp what would happen if you violated this rule. You signed an honor code statement when you sent in your camp deposit.” Mrs. Ricardo set her basket down and picked up the envelope. “What’s this?”
My vocal chords strangled my voice. “I was trying to send a letter to my mom, but I missed the mail going out. I had to find the post office.”
She flipped the envelope over. “It’s empty.”
“I was in too much of a hurry to notice the letter was missing.” I swallowed the giant, dry lump in my throat. It strangled me.
“What was so important about the letter it couldn’t wait?”
I sniffed. “I wanted to tell her about my—my part in the performance at the end of camp.”
She rounded up wisps of her fluffy hair, tucking them behind her ears, and shook her head. “If we make an exception for you, then everyone will go running around the streets. It’s dangerous out there. We’re trying to keep everyone safe.”
My jaw quivered. Mom and Grandma will be horrified if Mrs. Ricardo sent me home in humiliation. I couldn’t face them. And what about Shelly? She’d love for me to screw up and have to leave.
I trembled. Had Mrs. Ricardo never done anything wrong in her life? “I promise I won’t do it again. Please give me another chance.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Mrs. Ricardo shook her head.
“I’m sorry. You can see I’m fine.” I wiped my wet cheeks with the backs of my hands. “Please.”
She handed the empty envelope back to me and surveyed the empty hallway. “Quickly, go to your room, and…”
I waited for her to tell me to pack my clothes.
She stooped to pick up her laundry basket. “…don’t let this happen again.”
Relief washed over me and drained the last bit of strength from my body. “Thank you. Thank you.”
“You’re a good dancer. You work hard. Remember why you’re at this camp.” She shook her head and continued down the hall.
My lips jerked around my face as if they were attached to strings on a crazy marionette. Why was I at this camp? I thought I knew.
The elevators were down the hall closest to the faculty rooms. The stairs were on the other end. I chose to climb the stairs. All six flights of them.
When I burst into my dorm room, I was panting and dripping with sweat. I closed the door and locked it, in case Dr. Kennedy and Carey followed me. Or Mrs. Ricardo changed her mind. Candace was craning her neck as best she could out the closed and inoperable window.
She spun around. “Where have you been? I’ve been sick to death with worry.” She circled me. “Your foot is bleeding. Your hair’s a mess. Tell me you didn’t do something crazy.”
“Crazy? Me?” I took a huge breath to relax, but my body wouldn’t stop quaking. On top of that, the cool air made me giddy. “Let’s say I found a new way to get into our building.”
She frowned. “To get in? Were you outside?” She pointed to the grimy window. “What were you doing out there? In the daylight?”
I slipped my sandals off. The blood had dried and glued the tights to my toe. “I had to get to the post office and mail a letter to my mom. I had to do it before Shelly could write her mom, or worse, call her with her cell phone, in case Jupiter fixes it. Shelly’s ticked off at me, especially when Blake told her he wanted to stay in the Irish dance piece. She thinks it’s my fault he won’t partner her.”
Candace sat on the edge of her bed. “What did you tell your mom in your letter?”
“I wrote I had gotten a ballet solo.” I bit my lip. “But when I went to mail it, the envelope was empty. Shelly had found my letter and kept it before I sneaked out.”
Candace held her fluffy pink pillow against her stomach. “What happens when your mom gets here and finds out you don’t have a solo?”
“I don’t know. I can’t think about that right now. It’s a mess. Everything’s a mess.” I grabbed my bathrobe from the hook in my closet and flung it over my shoulder, whipping my back with its tie. “I’m going to take a shower and then we can go to supper.” All I wanted to do was take a hot shower to forget what had happened, eat a whole lot and learn something fun in Irish dance rehearsal. Because it was fun. Plus, I got to see Blake. I rummaged in my drawer for clean clothes.
“Supper’s over. You need to get down to the studio. You can’t keep being late. You’re going to get into real trouble with Blake and the others. We’ll go out when you get back.”
I sank to my bed. My stomach rumbled and gurgled. “Okay. I’ll tell you about my adventures later. You won’t believe what I went through.” I glimpsed myself in the mirror. My hair had escaped from the barrettes and poked out of my head like a dandelion puffball. Then again, from the looks of me, maybe she would.
Candace patted my shoulder. “I’m glad you’re all right. I’ll be waiting on you in the TV room. See you later.”
“Okay.” I rummaged through my drawers for my last clean pair of stretch shorts and a fresh T-shirt. If my smeared mascara made me resemble a raccoon, they’d be insulted at the comparison. I could’ve auditioned for a part in a horror movie. After scrubbing my face, I bandaged my toe and completely redid my hair. I picked up my blush brush and set it down. My red face from running around outside didn’t need any more color.
As I slung my dance bag on my shoulder, I knocked over an amber bottle on Candace’s bureau. Before I stood the cologne upright, I sniffed it. Amazing. Candace had such good taste. She must be saving this for the weekend. I spritzed the air and walked through the mist. I sniffed. For you, Blake. I spritzed the air again and backed through it. For you, Shelly.
After I sneezed, I left the room.
Irish dance practice was a blast. No Shelly, but plenty of Blake. Megan and Lindy demonstrated a light jig, reel, and hornpipe, wearing their hard shoes with heels. It was so, so cool. Blake and I tried to follow them and kept bumping into each other. Much cooler.
We quit rehearsal early. Before she and Megan took off, Lindy loaned me an Irish dance magazine to read.
On the way to the elevators, I raided the snack machine and bought pretzels and cheese curls for dinner.
Blake hung around waiting for me. “Didn’t you eat supper?”
“I was busy and didn’t have time.” I dredged an outside pocket on my dance bag for more change.
“Come to my room. Jupiter has a stash of fruit and junk. Healthy stuff. His parents made him pack it.”
My face froze in a flash smile. Blake had invited me to his room. Was he suggesting a date or a picnic?
Blake tapped the up button. “Are you coming?”
“Won’t Jupiter miss his food?”
“He won’t care. He’d be happy if you ate it.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“No problem.” Blake pressed the button for the fourteenth floor.
Shelly’s floor. Hopefully, she’d be annoying somebody elsewhere. The elevator drew us up seamlessly. I was going to Blake’s room. I swallowed a giggle and took a swig from my water bottle. Blech. Warm.
When we got to his floor, I rinsed the bottle and refilled it at the water fountain by the elevators. He waited for me. So nice.
Mostly guys stayed on this floor, at least at Blake’s end of the hall. His door was partly open, and Jupiter sat at his
desk, frowning into a paper lunch bag.
Blake tapped on the door. “Jupe.”
“Dude.” Jupiter hunkered farther into his chair.
“Any luck?” Blake kicked clothes out of the way and offered me the other desk chair. He rummaged in their tiny refrigerator.
“About to see.” Jupiter took his face out of the bag. “Hey, Kit.”
“Hi.”
Blake handed me an apple, a packet of pre-sliced cheese, and a sleeve of brown crackers with crushed acorns and birdseed on top.
“Thanks.” I gathered the food from Blake. “You don’t mind if I eat your food, do you, Jupiter?”
“Naw. I’m a cupcakes fiend, myself.” He reached into the bag, making it crackle.
I crunched the apple, happy to be sitting at Blake’s desk. The apple was as cool and juicy as the weather outside was hot and sticky. I pointed to a bag. “Is that a packet of cupcakes?” I tried the crackers. They weren’t too bad with a tiny slab of cheese on them.
“Not quite.” He tapped something pink and flat on the desk and moved the bag away.
“That’s not the—” The crackers ground to grit in my mouth.
“Sure is.” Jupiter brushed Shelly’s cell phone off with his shirt. “The magic bag of rice Shelly’s cell phone has been sitting in.”
Blake folded his arms across his chest. “Have you tried the phone yet?”
Jupiter shook his head. “Nope.”
“What are you waiting for?” Blake widened his eyes at me. “Let’s see if it works.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jupiter opened his desk drawer and took out the SIM card and battery. He slid them into the back of the cell phone and closed them up. “Moment of truth.”
“Cross your fingers, Kit.” Blake crossed his. “Jupiter’s either a hero—”
“Or a dud. I’m a dude or a dud.” Jupiter dropped his head back and laughed.
My eyes didn’t leave Jupiter’s hand on the cell phone.
“You want to do the honors?”
Crumbs fell from my lips and littered the desktop. I shook my head.
“Here goes.” When he pressed the on button, Jupiter’s thumbnail turned white.
Had the cell phone flashed? It was hard to read his face. Blake leaned toward the desk and slapped Jupiter’s shoulder. “Sorry, man.”
Jupiter flipped the useless cell phone on the desk and pushed away. “I guess I’ll go tell her.”
I raised my hand until I’d swallowed and could speak. “Don’t tell her until she asks.”
Jupiter rubbed his chin. “Good point. If she thinks I failed, she’ll hate me as much as she hates you.”
“Why don’t you think it worked?” Blake turned the phone over in his hands.
Who cared?
“I probably didn’t get it into the rice soon enough. My dad had his in the rice in like less than a minute.” He shrugged and tossed the bag in the trash can.
I blew air through my lips. “Thanks for trying anyway.” And failing. Woo hoo.
“No problem.” He stood and dug in his pocket sorting out change. “I’m going to the vending machine to get a can of liquid energy. Either of you want one?”
“No, thanks.” Blake put the phone down and fumbled with a handheld game he picked up from his bureau.
I shook my head.
“Later. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Jupiter leered at us and left.
Ugh. Any possible romance blew out the grubby window.
Despite shuddering at Jupiter’s assumptions, my body had settled into the pre-nap stage. Relaxed and limp. Would Blake mind if I dropped my head on his desk and took a snooze? With my luck, I’d drool a puddle on his desk. Instead, I yawned.
“Don’t do that.” Blake laughed and yawned too.
“Thanks. The snack was yummy.” I swept the crumbs from the desk into my palm and brushed them into the trash can by the door.
Blake bumped into me as he maneuvered around the room.
“Oops.” I pointed to the chair. “I was going to sit back down.”
“Sure. Sorry.” He collided with me again.
He grabbed me with both arms so I wouldn’t fall, and we laughed.
I cleared my throat and studied the brown carpet while still attached to Blake’s hands and spoke to a single sandal lying on its side. “I should get back to my floor.” Because I don’t know what else to say. Dira and Nicki expected me so I could make my second illegal excursion outside for the day. Because I’ve lost all my senses. And tell Candace I’d been in Blake’s room. Were we allowed to visit the boys’ rooms?
He let go of me and stood aside. “I’ll walk you to the elevator.”
As we strode down the hall, I wished it extended forever.
Blake’s hand bumped mine. “What are you going to do this weekend? Besides go to Chester Park tomorrow and practice on Sunday?”
I was dying to tell him I went outside today. He might think that was cool. Or stupid. It was kind of both.
“Kit?”
“Huh?”
“You going to chill on Sunday? Maybe practice a little Irish dance?”
I nodded. “Definitely. And you?”
His eyes crinkled at the edges. “Sure. Maybe without our rehearsal assistants?”
My cheeks grew hot again. “Speaking of chill, have you noticed how it’s always the same temperature in here? And if you didn’t know what time it is, it could be nine in the morning or nine at night?”
He slowed. “Kind of.”
“Does it bother you?” I tilted my head as we stopped at the elevator.
He shrugged. “Maybe.”
“All the food tastes the same. I mean the cafeteria’s.” I mashed the up button.
“You’re not bored here?” Blake narrowed his eyes on me.
“No way.” How could I be bored with Shelly on my case all the time, losing all the ballet solos and potentially the hopes of Mom and Grandma, learning a new dance style and having the cutest boy in this sensory deprived box paying attention to me? Just overwhelmed and numb.
“What do you mean then?”
“Do you ever wonder what else going on out there?” Other than dance, dance, dance. Was it enough for me? What else did they teach at this college other than dance or psychology?
Blake propped his arm on the wall between the elevators. “Yeah. It’s a big world. Lots of stuff happening out there.”
The light above the doors dinged as they parted. I smiled, and he returned the favor. “See you tomorrow at the park.” I stepped inside the car.
“Maybe save me a seat on the bus?” He pushed back the door so it stayed open.
“I could do that.” Ya think so?
“I’m glad you came back to camp this summer. I was hoping to see you again.”
I didn’t need the elevator. I could’ve floated up to the fifteenth floor on my own.
Jupiter called to Blake from down the hall. “See what this little dudette has found for herself.” He laughed as Shelly shushed him. “A cell phone. That is seriously off the hook.”
Blake dropped his arm, and the doors snapped shut, squeezing the breath out of my lungs.
Chapter Thirty-Five
When the doors opened on the fifteenth floor, my feet refused to move. I stared into the laundry room across the hall while the scene one floor below replayed in my mind. Would Mrs. Ricardo walk out of this one and confirm Shelly had found a cell phone? Maybe Jupiter and Shelly were kidding. Too bad I couldn’t call her to find out.
The doors closed, and the elevator continued to climb.
The elevator shushed to a stop on the top floor, picking up computer science campers. I pushed the button for fifteen again.
As I stepped out on my floor, my computer friend kept the door from closing. “Is this your floor? Are you staying here? What’s your room number?”
My stare could’ve seared a hole in his forehead. I left him with his buddies and dragged myself down the hall to my empty room.
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As I stooped in the shower, Candace’s muffled voice let me know she’d left the TV room and was with Nicki and Dira in their room. After I slipped on my bathrobe, I pulled out a pair of jeans.
I was still stunned from Jupiter’s announcement about Shelly’s cell phone, the ordeal outside and Mrs. Ricardo’s mercy in letting me stay even though I’d broken the rules. I sank to my bed, clutching my jeans to my chest. Snap out of it. I squeezed my eyes so hard, sparks danced in front of me.
Candace came in the room to check on me. She wore a white and teal dress with an elasticized waist. “We heard the shower and figured you were back. Almost ready?”
I blinked.
“Don’t tell me you forgot about the ice cream parlor?”
I laid my jeans next to me on the bed. “You mean outside?”
“Yes, outside. Don’t worry. It’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure we won’t be caught?”
Candace dabbed on lip gloss. “Nicki saw a reminder on the announcement board by the studios for a faculty meeting tonight. All the teachers and staff are going to discuss the trip to College Park. It should take hours.”
“Hours?”
She nodded and capped the lip gloss. “You know how grown-ups love to talk.”
I studied my raw toe.
“It’ll be fun. And exciting. You deserve a little fun.”
Yes, I do. After what I’d been through his week. “You sure all the grown-ups will be in the meeting?”
Candace drew an X on her self. “Cross my heart.”
Creamy, cold, delicious ice cream. Dairy products were good for you. “Okay.”
Seeing as it was hot outside, I threw the jeans on my bed and picked out my cutest scoop neck dress. The black cotton one with the floral print and a racer back. Cool. Fun. Plus it would hide any ice cream splotches.
I blew dry my hair, clipped it back at the sides with two shiny barrettes and brushed on makeup. Candace and I went through the bathroom and knocked on our suite mates’ door.
“Oooh. Cute outfit.” Nicki stepped back and sat on her desk. “Are you going somewhere with Blake?”
“I thought we were going out.” I pointed to the window. “As in out there.”