Chemistry in Summer

Chapter 6

"I absolutely hate it when that happens. I kicked my brother in the shin once when he tried to trick me with it," Amy says causing me to laugh. We're currently on our way to the dining hall.

"I'm so glad I don't have any siblings. It might be boring sometimes, but at least it has its perks," I tell her. Before I'm suddenly pulled away and I feel sharp nails clawing into my shoulder.

"What is it I hear about you singing with Logan? His mine! Didn't I make that clear to you before or do you want me to show you what happens to girls who mess with my man?" Mia screeched through grinded teeth.

"What exactly is your problem with me? You don't even know me yet you've had a problem with me since the beginning! I didn't ask to sing with him, he begged me and I agreed. Maybe that was the right choice to make after all seeing that it might just be revenge for you being awful to me since I got here," I told her and pulled her nails out of my shoulder.

"Call off this partnership with him or you'll regret it," she says sounding threatening.

"Try it, bitch. Just like I don't know you, you don't know me either," I tell her trying to sound tough. What she doesn't know is that I'm trembling now and that she could literally knock me over right now by blowing wind in my direction.

"Let's see if you are still so tough in a few days, little girl. Stay away from my man. This is your last warning," she tells me and then storms off to her usual table.

"That was scary. Why didn't you tell me you're singing with Logan? When did you guys even discuss this and why don't I know anything about this?" Amy asks.

"It all happened so fast. He heard me sing and asked me to sing with him, so I agreed," I told her a short version of the story, leaving out how he said he likes and how I harassed his arm.

"In all the years at camp he always did a solo. He never even asked Mia to perform with him, even though they're both really good," Amy says.

"Maybe he'll come to his senses and drop me," I say not really meaning it. Right now I'm actually hoping that he doesn't drop me, because I'm actually looking forward to singing with him and it would be humiliating if he dropped me after I sounded so self assuring in front of Mia.

"Where's Jamie?" I suddenly ask Amy seeing that I haven't seen him since this morning.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him since dance lesson. He's probably just somewhere loafing off," she shrugs it off.

After a while of sitting around talking, Jamie finally arrives.

"Sorry I'm late. I had some business to attend to," he says smugly. "Oh hey, Caley," he says as if he didn't see me when he reached the table.

"Hey Jamie," I say. I just now realized how weird it is that all our names end with "ie, y and ey" and how it rhymes causing me to chuckle softly.

"What's so funny?" Amy asks staring at me weirdly.

"It's nothing," I tell her clearing my throat when the food arrives.

"Your laughter is what got us kicked out of class earlier," Jamie says teasingly.

"Don't act as if you didn't enjoy being kicked out," I say laughing.

"I wish I was also told to leave, because it was extremely boring. Especially after you left. Where did you go anyway Caley? I was looking for you everywhere after that," Amy says.

"Everywhere except the cabin, I assume," I tell her.

"It's so boring there. There are so many other fun things to do. I really didn't think you'd be there," she says shrugging.

"Are we still on for tomorrow?" Jamie asks quietly when Amy and Lily start talking about shoes.

"Of course, why would you think otherwise?" I ask him. I haven't even forgotten about it.

"Maybe we can have our picnic at 11am tomorrow. I thought that maybe you'd have other plans seeing that you'll be singing with Logan next Friday and you have to rehearse," he says looking me dead in the eyes and I quickly stare back at my plate.

"Yes, we'll be rehearsing, but we haven't established a time yet, so tomorrow at 11am sounds good. I just have to make sure our times don't clash. News sure travels fast around here. I've only made singing with him a definite decision this morning," I tell him.

"He couldn't stop boasting about it earlier. I overheard him talking to some friends about it. Why are you doing a duet with him anyway? You've barely heard anyone else sing. I bet you didn't even hear him sing yet but he bullied you into it anyway," he says being a bit too dramatic.

"I wasn't planning on entering the talent show. He heard me sing and then decided to join me. According to him we sounded good together. I wasn't keen on it at first, but then I agreed to it," I say.

"How about we go scoping for talent tomorrow? Don't you think you should at least keep your options open? Maybe you'll even hear someone better and consider a different singing partner," Jamie suggests. I can't help but to think back to what Logan said about Jamie wanting to sabotage him.

"I've already had a sample of how Logan and I sound together and I don't think it will be okay to just drop him after I agreed to sing with him. He's really good by the way and I'm not entering to win, I'm just entering to have fun. If we win it will be a bonus," I tell him.

"Logan definitely wants to win. He's a sore lower, trust me," Jamie says.

"Then I'll just have to try my best not to mess this up for him," I say.

"Just don't get hurt in the process," he tells me.

"We're just singing together, so the only way I could get hurt would be by damaging my vocal cords and I don't really see myself singing as a career," I say.

"Whatever. Let's just hope you're still this sassy after he's done using you," Jamie says bitterly.

"Using me for what?" I ask him curiously.

"Nothing. Forget I said anything," Jamie says.

I hate it when people do that. They imply something or deliberately lead you on and just leave you hanging. I'm not even going fish for more. After what happened today I'm even more excited to sing with Logan and nothing, not even Jamie can stop me.

___

Jamie's POV (before dinner)

"Hey Jamie, I need you to pass a message to Caley. You still sit with her right?" Logan smugly asks when he sees me at the fountain.

"Yes, I'm actually about to meet her now," I say crossing my arms.

"Good. Please tell her rehearsal is at 11am tomorrow morning. I still have some stuff to do later and I can't tell her myself because my mom is having something dropping for me and I have to collect it at the gate during dinner. Plus I'll be busy tomorrow morning so I don't think I'll see her before then," he says as if I'm compelled to do him this favour.

"Why would you think I would do anything for you?" I ask him.

"We both know you like her, so you wouldn't want to ruin this for her. Just make sure she meets me at our spot where we first jammed. She knows where it is," he tells me before he winks and walks away all cocky. I really can't stand him. He was right I like her, which is exactly why I won't tell her about rehearsal.