Finding Our Way Back

Chapter 1

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I was so excited I could burst. I was living the "high school girls dream".

Its the summer before my senior year and I'm going to be a camp counselor at Camp Waterfall , in Oklahoma. My dads best friend runs the camp so he hooked me and my friends up with summer jobs.

I was getting ready to go to the orientation , they were gonna let us know how long were gonna be there for and about the plane ride. I shuddered. I hate planes. But I guess you can't really drive from California to Oklahoma.

I threw on a pair of white shorts with a dark purple tank top. I threw my chocolate brown hair into a messy ponytail since it was about 95 degrees in sunny LA. I didn't put on any makeup but added some clear lip gloss.

I considered myself pretty lucky. I was 5'5 and was pretty slim , I was also a little big in the front and big in the back - if you know what I mean. I pretty much eat whatever i want , I love running. Most of the girls my age didn't do anything that interfered with their hair. I just didn't care.

I grabbed my iPhone and my car keys as I walked down stairs and saw my mom and dad sitting at the table talking with my older brother , Damen.

He's 23 , he's a senior at UC Santa Barbra and he's back for the summer.

I was pretty disappointed when I found out that he was back because I really wanted to hang out with him , but I really wanted to go away for a while.

"Leaving already Jamie?" my dad asked me while taking a sip of coffee.

"Yeah , I'm on my way to orientation , but I'm picking Layla first" I said swinging my keys , almost hitting my brother in the face.

He looked at me and smirked , " Watch yourself .... Shot gun" he said while trying to hide his laughter.

I narrowed my eyes at him. When he last came to visit , I was in my room singing the song "Million Dollar Houses" By Pierce The Veil , really loudly and he walked in. And now every time I see him , he makes fun of me.

I just ignored him and walked out the door to my navy blue Mini Cooper.

I went to Starbucks and got a passion tea raspberry lemonade.

Those were my one and only addiction ( Aside from the peppermint mochas that only come out during Christmas time!). I got one for Layla as well.

Ive known her for about 6 years now. We meet in 6th grade and we instantly became great friends. Shes really smart but keeps to herself. But once you get to know her she can get crazy!

Once I got outside her house I sent her a text telling her I was here.

She came outside within minutes and hopped in smiling.

"Hey Jamie!" she said happily.

"Hey Layla , I got you a lemonade"

"awesome ! Thanks! Are we picking up Kylie too?"

"No , she's meeting us there"

Kylie was my other really great friend. She's the total opposite of Layla.

She's loud and very ... Hyper ? I guess that's the word. But she's not afraid to do anything and I love that about her. I met her in 7th grade and we immediately clicked as well.

We got to the little park where the orientation was going to be.

I parked and we got off. I instantly saw Kylie and we walked towers her.

She looked at us with mad faces, "you could have at least brought me Starbucks!".

Me and Layla laughed "yeah we could have , but we didn't".

We were all standing around with the teachers for the camp classes and the people who own it. It was only the three of us and these two other people who volunteered to be counselors.

We were all in line getting out badges and IDs with our pictures on it.

This is going to be the best summer ever I thought to myself. I'm gonna have so much fun and the best time.

When I got my badge and ID I turned around to the last person I would want to go on this amazing experience with.

"What are you doing here ?" I asked him , praying that he was just related to someone here or something.

"Well , my uncle is head manager of the camp , so he got me and Andy a summer job as counselors" he said with a smirk.

Dammit! I should have prayed for something more specific! Maybe this summer wouldn't be so great after all.