𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 - 𝐡𝐬𝐦𝐭𝐦𝐭𝐬 (𝐢𝐢𝐢) | ✔

three

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three: frozen
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     "So you've met Ben, huh?" E.J. looked at her as soon as she reached the group. "He's a great kid, we shared cabins last year."

     "Soon, he'll be sharing cabins with Juliette," Kourtney chuckled, making the redhead shoot her a warning look. 

     "I hope not because it's just hitting me that E.J. and Gina are going to be a thing all Summer," Carlos fake-gagged, making all the others laugh. "One couple is enough."

     "Well, as a thing-in-law," Ashlyn pointed to herself with a huge smile on her face, "I have never been prouder."

     Soon, however, the topic changed as E.J. took them around the camp, showing them all the "landmarks" so they could move around confidently. That was the key to faking that you belong there and that you are not as lost as a needle in a haystack. Among the many spots they were shown, Juliette took a closer look to the barn, where the musical auditions would soon be held. She was still in doubt as to whether she should audition for it or not. E.J. and Gina kept telling her that she lighted up the stage with her presence but, taking into account how much acting had put her life upside down, Juliette was not so sure about it anymore. 

     Lost in her thoughts, she realised that they had got to their respective cabins and soon let out a sigh of relief at the realisation that she would be sharing the "Honeycomb" with all of her girl-friends. As much as she had come to camp to make new friends, throwing her into a completely new group of people would have been too much too soon. 

     She expected for the cabin to be plain and boring but Camp Shallow Lake apparently had a lot of surprises in store for them because it looked like something straight out of a Disney Channel movie: blue wallks, some chairs in the middle for a nice round of cards and four sets of bunks.

     "Six sides is some next-level feng shui," Ashlyn commented as soon as she stepped inside. 

     "And some zero-level privacy."

     "That way we can steal all your make-up secrets, Kourt," Juliette laughed as Gina approached them.

     "Okay, should we do the bed spread or the new-girl cluster?" she asked, as each of them stated the bed they wanted. All but Kourtney rushed to the different top bunks in a fit of laughted and put their things there. "I can't believe so many of us showed up for this."

     "Yeah, well, your boy E.J. talked a pretty big game. I was expecting, you know, more of a Four Seasons-y vibe but..."

     "He gets so excited when he describes camp,"Ashlyn continued with a smile, "and the only reason I never joined him is 'cause I spent the last six summers LARPing in Minnesota."

     "We... don't know what that means," Juliette confessed in the middle of a very uncomfortable silence, which seemed to completely baffle Ashlyn.

     "Live-action roleplay? Anyone? My best character is a sweing wench from Gondor."

     "This is gonna be a great Summer. A guy I know promised."

     "I'm glad you have someone here but... you know, Howie's off to college, Nini's on the road..."Kourtney began, worried.

     "And we'll be together all Summer," Juliette reassured her with a smile but was soon interrupted by Gadget, who entered the cabin with a bright countenance and two other girls. 

     "Yes, my ladies in the Honeycomb. Once again, I'm Maddox." Since all of them were surpised at the reveal of her real name, se saw herself compelled to explain: "Gadget's my camp name. Everyone gets one. It's super fun."