Listen to Your Heart

Chapter 5

*That night*

Julia and I walk out of our bunk and start walking towards the girls dining hall. "I forgot to tell you," I say. "Jaime and I talked earlier and she wants to be friends, and despite my best instincts, I'm going to try to be her friend."

Julia smiles and says, "I don't know the history with you guys but I think that it's better to be nice, especially to set a good example when the campers are here."

"Yeah, I hope Meredith takes this as well as you did."

"What will I hopefully take well?" Meredith asks as she approaches us with Denise.

"Hey guys. I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" Denise asks.

Nervously, I blurt out, "I talked to Jaime earlier and we're going to try to be friends. I know you don't like her Mer which is why I don't think you'll take this well."

"She was never that mean to me," Meredith says. "I just hated her because she was mean to you, so if you're giving her a chance then I'll give her one too."

We walk into the dining hall and see Jaime sitting at a table with Joey, Brian, and two other guys. "Where should we sit?" Denise asks.

Jaime sees us and says, "Lauren! Come sit here."

Meredith laughs and says, "okay I guess that answers that question."

We walk over to the table, sit down, and I say, "hey guys."

"Hi, I'm Brian and this is Nick and Matt. I think we were a year above you guys in camp."

"Not me," Julia says, "I didn't go here. I'm Julia by the way."

"It's nice to meet you," Matt says.

Meredith, Denise, and I introduce ourselves when I see Walker walk into the dining hall. "Walker!" I shout. "Come sit over here!"

He walks over and sits down in the empty seat next to me at the head of the table. "Hey guys, I'm Joe Walker, but you can call me Walker."

Everyone introduces themselves and Joey asks, "So how did you know Lauren?"

"We met this afternoon," Walker says. "I couldn't find my bunk and she showed me where it is."

"Cool," Joey mumbles. "What division is everyone?"

"Julia, Meredith, Denise, Walker, and I have juniors."

"Us four have juniors too," Brian says.

"What about you Jaime?" Denise asks.

"I have inters."

"That sucks," Meredith says.

"Yeah," I add.

"What's wrong with inters?" Walker asks. "Sorry I don't really understand the age groups."

"Inters are the youngest campers, the oldest of them are nine but sometimes you get seven year olds," I say.

"Yeah and the order from youngest to oldest is inters, freshman, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and super seniors but everyone just calls them supers," Jaime adds.

"Don't forget about the waiters!" Joey says. "Best two summers of my life." Denise gives him a look and says, "oh yeah and the waitresses too."

"I think I just forgot all of that, but thanks," Walker says and we all laugh.

"Lauren you act right?"

"I mean a little bit, why?" I reply.

"Well Matt and I are the theater guys. The camp wants to do original shows this year so we're the writers and directors, and then our friend Darren is coming up in a few days and he's our music guy."

"Oh okay cool. I mean I did some shows in high school, but I never really acted here. That was Jaime's thing."

"Yeah I kind of took that over, sorry about that everyone," Jaime says while laughing.

"Okay well anyways," Matt says, "we're in the middle of writing the staff show, which we're doing the second week of camp, and we wanted to know if you would be in it Lauren. Well all of you actually."

"Of course! What's it about?" I ask.

"It's basically the Little Mermaid in space with aliens."

"Wait guys remember when we did the Little Mermaid and Joey was prince Eric? That was so funny," Denise says.

"Yeah and Lauren weren't you Ariel?"

"Oh my god I forgot about that," I say, but I'm lying. I remember it. I continue talking, "It was inter summer right? That had to have been the first show I ever did."

"Weren't you only Ariel because I got sick? Like I think I was supposed to play her," Jaime says.

I shoot her a look and Meredith says, "Well it doesn't matter why she got the part, all that matters is that nine year old Lauren kicked ass at it!"

*9 years earlier*

It was the opening night of the Little Mermaid and I was so nervous, but it wasn't because I had to sing in front of the whole camp. We were almost halfway done with the show and were about to perform the song 'Kiss the Girl'. I took a deep breath in and walked onto the stage.

"Sha la la la boy don't be shy you got to kiss the girl," sang the freshman playing Sebastian. I didn't get why they made nine year olds do this but I did it.

I leaned in for the kiss. My first kiss.

My first kiss with any boy, and it was with Joey Richter.

"Yeah, Lauren you were really great," Joey says while smiling at me.

I smile back and see Walker glaring at him.