Camp Phantasma: A Musical Summer Camp

Chapter 1: Part 1

Author's Note:  E18= This fan fiction was a collaboration between Elphabulous 18 (E18) and ECCassidy (EC). We were inspired by Elder_Depressed's Broadway Camp. Although we didn't particularly care for the execution of the material, we were really interested in the idea behind it. So, we planned this story months ahead of time and we're going to try our best to update it as much as possible this summer. Enjoy! 
EC= Also, we may or may not have small "arguments" with each other at the end of chapters.

For some people, summer camp is a coming of age experience where boys turn into men and girls into women. For others it's an opportunity to have a good time with friends new and old before summer ends. Unfortunately, for a few unlucky people, summer camp can be a living nightmare. These are all just the tip of the iceberg for the campers and counselors at Camp Phantasma. It only lasted two months but a lot can happen in that amount of time. For now, let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.

It was around mid May and the day before camp officially began. Laurens had just dropped his stuff off at his cabin and was now on his way to the auditorium. As he wandered down the path, he looked to his right and saw the dining hall. Or was it the infirmary? He looked down at the map in his hand. Then he looked back up again and then back down at the map. This pattern continued for several minutes.

"Hey, what's your name?" he heard an unfamiliar voice ask.

He turned around and saw a tall young guy with long, dark hair. For a moment he stood there silently, entranced by his mysterious dark eyes.

"Laurens," he answered, pulling himself back into reality "Well, actually it's John but everyone else calls me Laurens."

"Well, it's good to meet you, Laurens. I'm Alexander, but most people call me Alex," he said, extending his hand.

As Laurens shook Alex's hand, he realized that this wasn't the first time he saw him. He recalled one particular time in his Speech and Debate class. Alex was standing at the front of the room and to the left and another guy named Thomas stood to the right. They were arguing about something, he couldn't remember what. Every time he looked at Alex or heard his matter-of-fact voice, his head became fogged with daze. Although he had tried to forget him, fate seemed to ensure that they would meet again.

"So, what are you doing way out here?" Alex asked.

"I'm, um...I'm trying to find the auditorium and I guess I got...I got lost," Laurens stuttered, his knees knocking.

"Hey, I know exactly where that is. I can take you there, no problem," Alex responded, placing a friendly arm around Laurens.

Once he felt Alex's sturdy arm rest on his shoulder, his heart seemed to pound at one hundred beats per minute.

Finally, they made it to the auditorium where all of the other counselors and C.I.Ts were gathered. Teddy Roosevelt stepped onto the stage and up to the podium, facing the crowd in front of him.

"Welcome, all of you, to Camp Phantasma," he greeted warmly "As you all know, our mission here at camp is to show campers of all ages the value and excitement of the performing arts. We have a few campers arriving early and I expect that you all will make sure they have a swell time."

After orientation, all of the counselors and C.I.Ts headed down to the dining hall. Among the crowd was Elphaba Thropp. For most of the day she tried not to talk to or even look at anyone, especially that hoity-toity blonde girl. Everywhere she went she was met with stares and whispers from strangers.

"Well, she looks a little green around the gills." she once heard someone whisper as if she wasn't even there.

Suddenly, she spotted a group of teenage girls wearing color-coded jackets (red, green, and yellow) and caked-on layers of make-up. She sighed and put on a brave face as she reluctantly approached the girls.

"Um, hi," she said hesitantly.

Suddenly, the girls all turned toward Elphaba and then toward each-other. Pretty soon, Elphaba realized that she was once again dealing with the same pattern of stares and whispers.

"What? What are you looking at? Do I have something in my teeth?" she asked.

She then sighed, obviously annoyed, before continuing. "Fine. Might as well get this over with. No, I'm not seasick. Yes, I've always been green. No, I didn't eat grass as a child."

"That's okay," said the girl in the red jacket.

"Really?" Elphaba asked, completely stunned. Would this be the first time someone accepted her for who she was without hesitation?

"Of course, I know not everyone can be as pretty as us."

And there went that small hope.

"I guess you're green with envy!" the one in the green jacket spoke up

"Shut up, Heather!" The girl in red snapped

"Sorry, Heather," the one in green apologized, hunching her shoulders and hanging her head shamefully.

"Wait, wait, wait." Elphaba rubbed her face, trying her best to be patient. "What are your names again?"

"Haven't you heard of any of us?" The girl in the yellow jacket finally asked.

"Well, I can't say for sure." She shook her head. "That's why I asked for your names."

Pursing her lips in disgust, the girl with a red scrunchie scowled; then, slowly smiled. "Well, dear girl, I am Heather Chandler. This is Heather Duke," She snapped to the one in a green coat. "And, this is Heather Mcnamara." She then proceeded to tap the head of the one wearing a yellow jacket.

"So if I am correct," Elphaba said. "All of you are named Heather?"

Heather Mcnamara smirked. "You are correct."

"Alright then," she sighed, taking out a small slip of paper and pen. "State your purpose for being at Camp Phantasma a day early. Have you come from away? Or do you have relatives on staff?"

Heather Chandler grinned, and set her hand on the slip of paper, causing Elphaba to look up. "Actually, we arrived early because we were promised a private cabin. Heather's father booked it himself."

"Which one?" Elphaba prayed they didn't notice her tone.

Heather Duke rolled her eyes. "Mcnamara."

"That's me!" The girl dressed in yellow rose her hand up high with a smile on her face.

Elphaba looked down at the slip of paper again and then back up at the Heathers.

"Why don't you talk about this with your counselor. Her name is Galinda, that's Galinda with a Gaw. She's very particular about that."

So, the girls picked up their bags and strolled out of the dining hall. Elphaba sighed and slumped against the wall. If Nessa weren't helping out at the camp across the lake she wouldn't even be here in the first place. "Well, maybe it won't be so bad" she told herself "They're just a bunch of snotty teenagers. What do they know?"