Sweater Weather

Day One

"Amberly!" yells my mom. I sigh. She's been yelling my name all morning, and it's starting to get really annoying. I mean, yeah, I'm going to sleep away camp today and things are kind of hectic, but seriously?

"Yes mom?" I yell back. I pull out some more clothes from my closet. Ughh, where is it?

I hear her footsteps as she walks down the hallway to my room. She swings my door open, and I jump surprised.

"Gah!" I yell.

"Are you ready? I told you that your stuff should've been packed last night, and now you're just wasting time." My mom says looking around my room and seeing the mess of clothes thrown everywhere.

"I can't find my 'Jesus is my Homeboy' sweater." I whine. That sweater is by far my most favorite sweater, and I bring it with me to camp EVERY year. It's only my first year going to Camp Whistle, but I still can't go without my sweater.

"Well, you need to forget about it, because we're running late and you still haven't had lunch." She turned and left my room. "Why are you wasting time looking for that big old sweater anyway?" she called from the hallway. "It's not even sweater weather."

I sigh. We'd been through this before. "Mom. It gets extremely cold at night, and if we go night hiking at all, I'm going to need something to keep me warm. And I am not wearing a coat to summer camp."

"Well then, find another sweater, because we don't have time for you to be looking for it. We're leaving in ten!"

"Ugggghhhh!" I wanted to cry. I know, really stupid. Who cries over a sweater? But I was really frustrated. I washed the sweater two days ago, so that I wouldn't have to worry about it later, and now it just disappeared!

After looking for another suitable sweater, and failing, I start putting my clothes away, and finish zipping up my suitcase. Once I'm done, I drag it out to the front door, and plop down on the nearest couch, exhausted. I feel fur tickling my ankles, and I look down. "Copper!" I slap my legs so that he would jump up. He sits on my lap, and tries licking my face. "Oh, Copper! I'm gonna miss ya buddy." I say, squishing his face with my palms. "It's only for a month, so you won't have to miss me too much."

"Amberly, stop playing with the dog, and let's go!" my mom yelled, still running around getting ready. She had one earring on, her bra strap is hanging off and she didn't do her hair yet. "Put your stuff in the trunk, while I finish getting ready." she said, looking for her other earring.

"Okay. Up Copper." I say, and he jumps off and runs into another room.

"Make sure you have everything!" my mom yells.

"Okay, I do!" I yell back. "Except for my freaking sweater." I mumble. I grab my suitcase and the keys to the car, and drag it out to the front of the house.

I gasp. "Oh no! Where's my snack bag??" I say and start to walk back to the house, but my mom steps out the front door, and locks it. "Don't worry, I got it." she says holding up my giant snack bag. "Get in the car."

I put my suitcase in the trunk and hop in front. As we start pulling away, I silently say goodbye to my beautiful house, my beautiful future car that's hidden behind the garage door, my beautiful green grass, and even my beautiful neighbor Ben, that just so happens to be getting the newspaper for his dad. Goodness, he's gorgeous.

"What time did dad leave for work?" I ask. He was the one thing I didn't get to say good bye to.

"He left at around nine a.m." She says, starting the car.

"What's the name of the movie he's working on again?" I ask.

"Story of My Life."

"I take her home!" I sing. "I drive all night! To keep her warm and time is froze-"