Audry and Cameron are finally free of the stressful school days so when they get to embark on an awesome summer spent at Camp Brenwood, in L.A of all places, things can't look any brighter than the summer sun. But when Audry finds herself involved w...
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"Are you sure you packed it?" mom asks trailing behind me.
"Yes, I swear," I reply over my shoulder.
"But are you positive? You might want to just double check."
"Mom, I packed it. The sunblock is in the front pocket and I should know because you hounded me last night to put it in the front pocket so it won't get squished by anything."
Mom pauses for a moment. "Oh, right."
"And before you ask, my suitcase is downstairs."
"Honey, will you let the girl be?" Dad comes into my room with a new tube of toothpaste and hands it to me so I can slip it into my already ready-to-burst backpack that I was somehow able to pack three weeks worth of clothes into. It might've been because Cameron taught me how to pack like a soldier but I like to think it was solely just my natural wit.
"Will, they're going to be gone for an entire month," mom points out. "I just want to make sure they don't need or forget anything."
"They'll be fine, Deb," dad comforts. "They're smart, brave and I'm sure they can handle a few mosquitos here and there."
"Yeah, mom." I zip up my backpack, almost ripping the zipper right off and plop it onto the floor. "We'll be fine. Besides, Cameron and I are very tough cookies."
"I'm just going to miss you two." Mom looks like she's about to start crying so I give her a smile. "We'll call. Scouts honor."
"That's the boy scouts, dear," dad says.
"Camp, boy scouts. Who's really keeping track here, dad?" I shrug.
Dad pats my head before picking up my backpack and swinging it over his shoulder, complaining that there has to be a few bricks inside for it to be as heavy as it is. Me and mom follow him downstairs to wait for Cameron who still hasn't even brought down her suitcase. Aunt Libbie and Uncle Scott help dad to pack up the car so he can drive us to Camp Brenwood which is only about five miles away. The proximity of the camp to the house makes mom feel a little better about us going away for a month but not enough to keep her from worrying. I reassuring her that we'll be fine and I promise that we'll come back in one piece and in perfect health.
"Just call if you need anything, sweetie," mom says for the umpteenth time. "If you need anything at all."
"Mom, we'll be okay," I laugh. "What makes you think we won't be?" We're standing on the porch with the front door wide open when Cameron chooses that exact moment to push her suitcase down the stairs, calling out "Fire in the hole!" before we hear it bumping loudly down the steps. Mom and I watch it descend rather quickly and it slides all the way over the threshold, only being stopped by the lining on the floor that separates it from the porch. It tips over onto its side with a loud thump! and mom glares at me a second later.
"Point taken," I tell her.
"Aye, dios mio," mom says shaking her head before walking away towards the car. I'm guessing dad has been practicing his Spanish again. I help Cameron right her suitcase and a few minutes later with a few bumps and bruises we get from lugging the thing to and inside the car, we're finally ready to hit the road. We say goodbye to Aunt Libbie and Uncle Scott and the house before we hop inside the car. We wave goodbye for good measure before dad starts the car and we pull out, mom reading to us the pamphlet she got about Camp Brenwood and all the cool activities we'll be doing as well as all the sights. We talk excitedly about camp and all the things we hope to do while informing mom and dad about the extra supplies we picked out when Cameron and I went out a couple of nights ago for a mini shopping spree. We picked up a couple of pairs of hiking boots as well some baseball caps and baseball tees for the lazy camp days when we didn't feel like getting more dolled up than that. We also decide to have one last family singing session on the ride there just to send me and Cameron off on a good yet slightly embarrassing note and we turn the radio up, even getting dad to sing along as loud as the rest of us.
"But even if the stars and moon collide, I never want you back into my life. You can take your words and all your lies. Oh! Oh! Oh! I really don't care!"
Once we actually pull up in front of the gate that leads into Camp Brenwood, the name proudly displayed on the archway, we all look around amazed at just how big the lake is right next to us on our left. It's so wide and blue and there are already teens canoeing in the lake, some even diving and others just chilling on the ground or milling about. We pull into a small parking spot and hop out of the car, taking everything in. We're immediately greeted by a nice woman with a bright smile and a perky ponytail that can't be any older than twenty years old. She wears a yellow polo shirt with the Camp Brenwood name on the breast pocket and shorts. A yellow baseball cap proudly displays the crest for the camp and she holds a yellow clipboard in her hands.
"Hello and welcome to Camp Brenwood!" she says happily. Just from those few words I know that if I were to look up the definition of 'perky' her name would be second from the top.
"Hello," mom says coming to my side.
"I'm Peyton," the girl says with a bright smile. "And I'll be helping you out to get settled in today."
"Well, thank you very much," dad says. "Pretty snazzy place this camp is."
"We do our best to wow the campers!" Peyton says. "Anyway, I'll just need you to sign in your daughters here and then we'll get on with showing y'all around." She hands the clipboard and a pen to mom who writes down my name and Cameron's as well as phone number for mom and dad's cell and the house phone and any other information the paper requires. Once finished, mom hands everything back to Peyton who makes sure that everything is where it needs to be.
"Audry and Cameron Blue," she reads aloud. "What a neat last name."
"The neatest," Cameron shrugs with a big sarcastic smile on her face. I elbow her slightly in the arm and she just rolls her eyes at me. Peyton doesn't notice the jab at her and continues to inform us about the camp.
"Alrighty!" she says. "If you want to go ahead and grab your bags then I'll show y'all to the cabin you girls will be staying in and then I'll give y'all the grand tour!"
We each take a bag from the trunk and follow Peyton as she leads us a little ways over to the cabins that sit behind the administrative building where the cafeteria is inside of, she tells us. She points out our cabin, number 5, as well as the path that leads towards the boys' cabins. There are only 12 cabins total so it shouldn't be too confusing to find ours should we get lost, which I don't see how that's possible since there are paths leading everywhere with signs posted here and there but I nod along anyway. Cameron keeps rolling her eyes and making faces at Peyton's back as she chippers on about how great the cabins are and I repeatedly poke Cameron to get her to stop.
"She's just being nice," I whisper to her.
"Well, Little Miss Sunshine should tone it down a little," she hisses. I shake my head at her and we follow Peyton up the steps onto the small porch of our cabin. She leads inside where there are three bunk beds, one in each corner of the room. Two girls are sitting on one bed when we walk in and Peyton greets them.
"Where are the others?" she asks them.
"Canoeing," a red haired girl answers.
"Well, in any case," Peyton says with a smile. "Audry, Cameron, this is Amber and Trish. Pat and Kris, as you heard are enjoying the lake but these girls can introduce y'all later." Cameron and I greet them and they give us warm smiles and wave a little. Peyton shows us to our bed and I call the bottom bunk before Cam can get a word out.
"No fair, you always get the bottom," she complains as I throw my backpack onto the bed.
"Nobody likes sore losers," I reply. She rolls her eyes and dad helps her get her bag on the top bunk and we place our suitcases next to the bed.
"Come on girls," mom calls. "Peyton wants to show us the sights and activities." We hurry to follow them, well, me and dad do anyway. I have to drag Cameron along behind me since she looks less than enthusiastic about going to see where everything is. Or rather, have Peyton chatter on about how beautiful the trees are and how lovely the day is and how we're going to have so much fun here at Camp Brenwood.
"Shoot me, shoot me now," she says into my ear.
"I love this place already." I smile. She groans as we walk behind mom, dad and Peyton and they look more excited about camp than we are. I have a feeling that this summer is going to be quite the adventure.
