The Camp of Elements

Before The Drive

My alarm clock blares like it's on its last days on earth. Which it is; if it keeps up with its routine of waking me up a minute before 7. I groan and roll onto my side. I whack the clock and it falls onto the ground with a clatter. I sigh, knowing that the sound just showed everyone in my household that I am awake. I run my fingers through my wavy, thick black hair.

"Lauren!" My mom, Clara, yells from downstairs. I take a breath and sit up then stretch while yawning. I rub my eyes, my legs dangle off my bed and my feet rest on my floor.

"Yeah?" I call back groggily, standing up and stretching once again.

"It's summer camp day!" Clara yells from downstairs. Once the words echo to upstairs, cheering comes from where my mom is. Most likely my siblings, Taylor and Chris; they've been dying to get rid of me for all summer. "Get dressed then come down, I have cereal ready and Mike is packing the car up."

I groan again loudly so my mom can hear me then chuckle to myself. I want my parents to think that I'm not excited for this trip, but I really am. I've never been out for summer, this was something new to me. I walk slowly to my closet, still sort of in sleep mode. I glance at my reflection in the mirror on my wardrobe, making eye contact with my own green eyes, I grin. I was ready for today.

After going through my shirts, which wasn't a lot because mostly all of them were packed, I pick out a simple red v-neck. I slip it on over my bra and snatched a pair of dark jeans from a drawer under my bed. I slip them on my legs and pull on a new set of blue socks. I turn back to my mirror and frown at my appearance. My mom always tells me that I look beautiful but I never believe her. She just says that because I'm her daughter and she has too. I quickly run my fingers through my unruly hair again and smile a crooked smile. I look okay.

Before I bolt out of my bedroom door, I grab my string bag that I had filled with things last night before I feel asleep. Inside, I know is a book, my toothbrush, toothpaste, and a hairbrush; the rest my dad packed for me. I look at the outline of a tree printed in black on my string bag before leaving my room. I jog down the stairs while slinging the strap around my shoulders. Clara greets me once I arrive in the kitchen.

"Finally, the slowest Jauregui arrives." Michael, or Mike as we call him, my dad, jokes from behind the kitchen counter. I smile at him and he winks at me.

I sit down at the table, Taylor and Chris both sit there with me. They scoop their cereal into their mouths swiftly. Taylor has a baggy sweater on and Chris is wearing a plaid shirt. Clara places a bowl in front of me with a spoon; I grin at her.

"Thanks, mom." I say through a mouthful of cereal.

She laughs and rubs my head. "You're welcome, honey."

"We are so excited you're leaving for camp." Chris says in between cereal scoops. Taylor nods.

"Whatever," I reply. "I still know you love me somewhere in your messed up heart."

"Yeah, we do. But it's still nice when you leave." Taylor reassures me and I scoff.

"Especially when it's for a very long time, like for instance, the whole summer." Chris adds. My siblings high five. I scoff again and finish my cereal. I put the empty bowl and spoon into the sink.

"It's 8," Clara says, she gives me a hug. "Time for you to leave."

I smile, I'm not going to pretend this time to act annoyed by leaving. "Bye, Mom." I return the hug. I walk towards the door, waving at my siblings who are now both drinking orange juice. "Bye, Taylor. Bye, Chris."

"Bye, now leave!" Chris shouts at me, I smile as I walk out the door.

My dad is waiting for me in the car. I slip into the passenger seat, he grins at me.

"You excited?" He asks, placing his hands on the wheel.

"Yeah, I actually am." I admit, running my fingers through my hair again; it's a habit I have. He grins again.

"So am I, I get to drive the seventeen year old!" He beams, I laugh.

"I don't even have my license, dad." I retort playfully, hugging my string bag close to my chest. "Is everything in the back?"

"Yep." He says simply. "Now let's hit the road!"

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A/N: This is the first chapter for Camp Haunted! If you liked it, maybe you could press that star! Thank you and have a wonderful day!

~StrangeBlob