Summer Camp Sweethearts

Chapter 28

Two weeks have gone by in an eyewink. I remember that day Blake messaged me in class as if it had happened yesterday. It is Prom next week and then graduation. Even though Blake and I have been texting on and off, we are not where we were when we met at camp. I feel like everything happened so fast at camp that we didn't really consider building an emotional relationship. We are just starting to mend our relationship, so I understand why he has not asked me. I don't expect him to ask me, though he could've already asked someone else before I even set foot in his school.

I've been back to the hospital several times for a check-up, bumping into Jayden a few times. The doctor is impressed with my ability to walk normally again, telling me that I now walk less like a penguin. He is so impressed that he said he only needs to see me after I graduate so that I can concentrate on that.

In the last two weeks, Tina and I have become good friends. She has been dropping by every afternoon and telling me about her day. I feel so grateful that she is here for me, even though we don't know each other very well. She even agreed to help me choose a dress for the Prom.

The front doorbell rings downstairs, and I hear Conrad's footsteps rushing down the hallway and tapping against the stairs as he makes his way downstairs.

"Is everything ready?" I can hear Tina's muffled voice coming from the door. As I stand at the top of the landing on the second floor, I can see Conrad's head nod. The two smile at each other before Conrad walks past Tina, out the front door, and closes it behind him.

"What was that all about?" I ask. She shrugs her shoulders and heads up to my room. The two of them have been acting very strangely lately. Especially Conrad. He has been dodging my questions when I ask him anything about Prom.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tina says as she sets down her purse on my bed and heads to my closet, going through the contents. I stand here for a few minutes, not sure what to do.

"You two are up to something, and I'm going to find out what it is," I declare. Tina takes a top from my closet and holds it up in front of her chest.

"You really need to up your clothing game. No wonder my brother thinks you're hot." She smirks as she sets the top back in my closet. "Are you ready?"

"For what?" I ask, still gaping at her previous comment about my clothing choice.

"For our shopping date. We need to go and find you a Prom dress. Did you not receive my text?" She asks, looking at me with a questionable expression. I haven't looked at my phone since this morning. I shake my head, and Tina sighs.

"Well, we have a lot of shopping to do today." She turns and heads for the door. I give a weak smile, grab my purse and follow her out my bedroom door.

***

As soon as we stopped in front of the mall, Tina hopped out of the car, acting more excited than she really needed to be. It's as if we are here looking for a formal dress for her.

"Let's go this way," she says, pointing to the left. I follow her lead as we walk through the mall, looking at all of the dresses in various stores. I can tell Tina is trying to find something specific, but I'm not sure what it is. We end up at a store called PromGirl, and Tina starts pulling out dresses. They are all pretty and expensive, but I don't have any money to spend on something like this.

"Try these on," she says, holding up a dress that costs almost $1,000. I can't believe she is trying to buy this for me.

"Tina, I can't afford that," I say, shaking my head. "I don't have any money."

"It's okay. Your brother said he'll cover all your expenses," she says, putting the dress back on the rack before moving to the next rack of dresses.

"My brother is going to pay for my dress?" I ask, trying not to sound too excited.