KALIKABUZA

Chapter 15

Cabin Seven. It's barely 3 P.M and I feel like the day is already over. I'm exhausted—and I think everyone else in the team is too. The Princess Michelle is laying down on one couch, while the rest of us are sitting on the other couch or on the floor. None of us look the least bit happy.

"But I guess the best team won, right?" Adriana breaks the silence. "Hot Rods, right?"

"How do you know they're the best team?" Bianca asks.

"The radio! They kept talking about Team Hot Rods."

"Yeah," Todd says. "But Swag is first. They got the early morning bonus points and the top scoring team bonus."

"Well, at least Swag didn't win the final!" I call out. "I didn't like that Duke guy."

"What did he do to you?" the Princess Michelle asks. "He was sort of cute, wasn't he?"

"I think so," Bianca exclaims.

I frown. "But he embarrassed you."

"Well, yeah, but I'm famous now!"

This makes most of the team laugh. I'm not so sure. Then, Jonesy stands up and starts walking to the boys' room.

"Where are you going?" the Princess Michelle asks.

"Nap."

"No! Come here!" the Princess Michelle sits up suddenly.

"Why?"

"You're not going to sleep. None of us are!"

Jonesy tilts his head. All of us are just as confused.

The Princess Michelle stands up, stretches her arms, yawns, and then smiles at us with what I can only describe as a face of candy. "We're going to play!"

"Play?" the team asks in unison.

"That's right, we're going to the playground!"

"Oh, great, I've been dying to go!" Bianca cheers.

"Sounds good to me," says Will.

"Isn't that expensive?" Jonesy says. "I... I don't know if we should."

"Jonesy, my darling," the Princess Michelle says sweetly, "We're in an amusement park, it's July, and we're not getting any younger. Come with us!"

"I'll go!" I cry out—maybe too loudly.

"We're all going," the Princess Michelle declares. "We're a team, right? And anyone who stays by my side and buys me candy, or iced latte—or both—will get a little something from me!"

"Like what?" Jonesy asks.

"Like my Instagram, or a selfie with me. Now, let's go!" We head out of the Village and make our way to the park. Jonesy is right, though: we may be Kalikabuza campers, but we're not free guests at the park—we still have to pay to go on the rides. Still, that's why we came here, isn't it? We reach the ticket booth and wait in line.

"Okay guys, today I can pay for three six-hour tickets: one for myself, and two invites. Just don't get mad if I don't pick you this time."

"So who are you gonna pick?" Bianca asks.

"The best two players of the day! Jackson and—"

"Oh, thanks Michelle!"

"—and... Elise."

Oh my Gosh! Me? She picked... me? I stand speechless. I thought I had let her down when we lost. I thought she was mad. But she actually thinks I'm one of the—

"Unless Elise doesn't want me to pay for her?" the Princess Michelle says.

My eyes widen. "Oh, no! No, no, no! Sorry! Thank you so much, Princess—oh!"

"Princess?" Bianca cries. "Whoa, what?"

If a grey cloud came over me right now, I'd welcome a lightning bolt. My life is over. I can't believe I let that slip!

"Did you just call me princess?"

"Mm... I, uh... I—"

"You what?"

"I... thought I'd call you that so people will know you're the Princess Michelle, and we'll get special treatment, like that Duke guy said. Uh, yeah..." I've never said anything so fast before. Regardless of my quick response, Team Latte laughs at me. Now everyone probably thinks I have a crush on Michelle. Oh, why? Someone kill—

"I like that!"

Everyone suddenly turns to the Prin—to Michelle.

"Call me that—Princess. All of you."

"For real?" Will asks.

"Yup! Then everyone will know exactly who we are. I'm starting to understand what the Duke guy meant."

"The Duke?" Will insists.

"Yeah, he's the Duke, so I'm the Princess."

And... I'm saved. My life isn't over. I'm saved because the Princess Michelle... my Princess Michelle... didn't choose to hold that slip against me. Thank you... Gosh, she's amazing.

We pass the ticket booth. Downtown Kalikabuza is a teenager's paradise. Every inch of it is covered in colorful graffiti and splatter paint. We passed by here this morning when we were heading to the beach, but now we can actually take our time to admire our surroundings—and take a lot of pictures. I can't believe how many people are here—it's packed! I wonder... do any of these people know we're Team Latte from the Kalikabuza Summer Camp? I'm sure they all heard the radio that blasts from speakers all around the park. Maybe... if this whole 'Princess' thing sticks, people will know we're 'the team with the Princess.' That would be interesting.

"Alright Team Latte, we're in! Do whatever the hell you want to your heart's desire. But anyone who wants to stay with me, just call me Princess, buy me candy, and follow me!"

We enter the 'playground' as the Princess Michelle calls it. It's so cute when she calls it that. In fact... everything she says is so cute. She has such a sweet personality behind her sassy attitude. I can see why someone would call her spoiled and bratty, but how can you hater her?

"Let's go on the scariest ride first!" my Princess Michelle declares.

"Which one would that be?" Todd asks, almost ready to bite his nails.

"I dunno!"

"I'd say that would be... the Neurotic Viper," Will informs us.

"Whoa, what's that? That does sound scary!"

"The purple roller coaster," Will says. "It actually starts underground!"

"Oh, shit!" Jackson cries.

"Let's go then!" the Princess Michelle declares.

"Do you mind if..." Agnetha murmurs, "some of us don't tag along? I'm scared of some rides." She looks down.

"If we start off in the scariest ride first," the Princess Michelle says, "all the other rides won't be as scary."

"But I..."

"Come on!"

"No. Please... I'll... go on other rides, but..."

She just said 'no' to the Princess Michelle! She can't do that! All of us look at her. "Well," the Princess Michelle says. She looks at her nails and then shrugs. "Fine. Suit yourself. Let's go, darlings."

We leave Agnetha behind. How dare she! But... oh, come on Elise! Don't you feel bad? The poor girl is just scared. I look back at her. I'm scared too and I bet the others are too. Agnetha is left standing there by herself. She doesn't know what to do. Why did Michelle brush her aside like that? She just... dropped her.

"Come on, Elise!"

I look ahead. My Princess Michelle, with her perfect smile... her beautiful blue eyes... her gorgeous hair... is waving at me, urging me to join her. But behind me, there's a... less pretty girl... who's all by herself... because she didn't want to join us... because she's scared... Well... what a wuss! "Coming!"