Camp Lotus

Chapter 2: Check-In

Laurens

The car pulls into the parking lot and I climb out, my book bag pulled over my shoulder. I grab my suitcase from the trunk and wave at my brother to leave.

I somehow find the office and walk in. There's only one other person in there sitting behind a desk. I pull my long curly brown hair back into a ponytail.

I walk to the desk and clear my throat.

He jumps.

"Sorry!" I say. "My brother had to be somewhere later and he was the only one who could bring me. Sorry."

"It's fine. Just kinda startled me. I was just drawing on myself."

"Sorry."

He pulls some papers out of the desk and uncaps a highlighter. "What's your last name?"

"Laurens."

He scans the paper. "Julia?" He looks up at me.

I hesitate for a second, Should I tell him?, but then I nod.

He highlights my name. "Okay. Well it looks like you're gonna be in the same cabin as the Schuyler sister and Maria Lewis. Theatre program right?"

"Yeah."

"Me too. I'm Alexander. Mostly my friends call me that or Tomcat, it's because I have a cat Martha named Hamilcat. So, is this your first time here Julia?"

"Laurens."

"What?"

"My friends call me Laurens."

"Okay. Is this your first time here Laurens?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I hope have fun. Your cabin is number 5 and Anglica is your counselor. You can put your bags in there and basically do whatever, as long as it's legal and won't get you killed, until the camp starts. You'll probably see me later, the sisters and Maria usually hang out with us."

"Okay." I grab the handle of my suitcase and drag it behind me.

I walk across the field towards the line of cabins. I walk along them until I find the one with a purple 5 tacked to the red door. I open it and walk inside. I set my suitcase down on one of the beds and grab my book bag. I walk out to the field and sit down under a tree.

Hamilton

Soon after Laurens leaves Lafayette arrives with Hercules following behind them.

Laf's wearing a medium length black skirt with a loose blouse. I spot the pink and purple bracelet around their wrist. Girl day.

I smile at the two of them and highlight their names.

"Names?"

"I am Hercules Mulligan, um, I'm attending for the dance program and am convinced that I will some how convince my lovely enbyfriend to dance with me for the last project of the summer," Lafayette says.

Herc rolls his eyes. "And I am Marquis de Lafayette. I am attending for the art program and I will be constantly asking my boyfriend if I can draw him even if he's just woken up, and sometimes I won't even ask."

"But Hercules you look so amazing all the time, especially when you've just woken up and your hair is a mess." Laf runs her hands through his hair.

"Ugh!" I say. "Can you two stop flirting for two seconds."

"Aw, Alexander's jealous because we've finally started dating," Laf says.

"I am not."

"Oh then is it because you and Eliza broke up?" Herc asks.

"I broke up with her, Mulligan. I don't like her that way."

"I could've told you that. She's like your sister," Laf says.

"Yeah, well," I respond.

Laf sits down dramatically into a rolling chair, ending up partially across the room. She pushes herself back over to us. Hercules shakes his head and kisses the top of her head.

"Speaking of attractive females, who was that girl outside? The one reading," she says.

"Julia Laurens, goes by Laurens, theatre program, bunked with the sisters and Maria," I say.

"Okay," Laf says, leaning forward in the chair, "can we talk about the obvious ship there?"

"You mean Eliza and Maria?"

"Who else?"

I shrug.

"Well you could ship Maria with any one of the sisters," Hercules says.

"Oh no," Laf says.

"Only Eliza, Peggy and Maria look like they could be twins," I say.

"And Angelica needs to be with Burr," Laf finishes.

I stare at her. "Laf, Angelica hates Burr."

She shrugs. "It's a love hate relationship."

The door opens and Eliza runs in.

"Don't ship Angelica with anyone!" she says, as if she heard our conversation.

"Why not?" I ask.

Peggy runs in and closes the door, dragging a desk in front of the door.

"It's because she's ace and in love," Eliza says.

"With who?" Laf asks.

"Church," Peggy says.

"Art Church?" Herc asks.

She and Eliza nod.

Laf contemplates this for a second

"They would look cute together," she admits, "but only a little bit."

Peggy grabs Lafs arm andholds it up. She nods and lets go.

"You could just ask to see my bracelet like a normal person."

Peggy shrugs.

There's a thump on the door.

"Oh, there's Angie," Eliza says. "She's here by the way. We kind of maybe locked her in the car using Maria's handcuffs."

"Why does Maria have handcuffs," Herc asks.

Eliza shrugs. "She likes magic tricks. Also for times like this when we need to trap Angie in the car."

I hear the door behind me open.

"You two are so dead!" Angelica yells.