Rumors

The rumors are flying
behind closed doors
. …

“Who? Kayla? What makes you think that?”

Hearing my own name made my heart pound. I held my breath and listened.

“Shhh! Lots of things. Number one: her clothes. Everything she wears is …”

There were voices, several voices. I couldn't tell how many. Two, three, maybe even more than that. But they were whispering, so it was hard for me to recognize them.

“… isn't it weird about all that mail and …”

“… some special reason to make phone calls …”

“Yeah, and where is she really from? I mean, she obviously isn't …”

I was pressing my ear against the crack of the door, straining to hear.

Who was it? Boo? Shelby? Betsy? I just couldn't tell.

I pictured all seven of the Cabin 4 girls standing around washing their hands. Talking, talking, talking. About me.

 

 

Summer Camp Secrets

by
Katy Grant

 

To my “gold” friends I thought I had lost
but have found once more

 

If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

ALADDIN
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division
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First Aladdin paperback edition May 2010
Text copyright © 2010 by Katy Grant
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
ALADDIN is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc., and related logo is a registered trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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Designed by Karin Paprocki
The text of this book was set in Perpetua.
Manufactured in the United States of America 0310 OFF
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Control Number 2010922217
ISBN 978-1-4169-9163-2
ISBN 978-1-4424-0668-1 eBook

I want to first thank my wonderful friend Amy Lerman, who helped me with the piano-playing scenes. I can play the right-hand part of “Heart and Soul” on the piano, and a little bit of “Chopsticks,” but that is about the extent of my repertoire. So Amy met me for lunch (we both love having an excuse to meet), answered all of my questions, and gave me numerous suggestions. Then she was happy to read over the chapters that featured Kayla playing the piano and patiently endured yet another round of my questions. I love having talented friends I can call on to help me with subjects I know little to nothing about!

And now a note about the dedication. I didn't move a lot growing up, but I did move twice during my school years and attended college out of state. I then moved to Arizona, where I have lived for the past twenty-plus years, far away from my Tennessee roots. When I lost touch with old friends, I didn't give it much thought. I had made new friends, and I was too busy living in the present to think much about my past.

But this year, 2009, has been a year of reunions and reconnections for me. Through the wonders of the Internet, I have found many old friends I thought
I had lost forever. Reconnecting with one friend led to another and another and another. I now am in touch with dozens of junior high school friends, high school friends, and camp friends whom I had not seen or spoken to in almost thirty years. I have come to realize that true friendships are never really lost, no matter how many years pass. So this book is for all those long-lost, rediscovered friends I cherish more now than ever. You truly are golden.

At least this was only temporary. I was stuck here at this summer camp for four weeks, and then we would move to the new house. I could put up with just about anything for four weeks.

It could be worse. I could have a horrible earache right now. It could be raining. I could be stuck at math camp instead of just plain old summer camp. A math camp where they only served lima beans for dinner every day. So this was better than being stuck at math camp with an earache while eating lima beans in the middle of a rainstorm. That cheered me up just a little bit.

As I looked around, I realized I was the only person standing still while all around me, everyone was
moving. Climbing up and down the big hill in front of us. Waving to someone in the crowd. Asking questions or giving directions. Carrying suitcases, pillows, sleeping bags.

A car pulled up, and even before it came to a stop, a girl with long brown hair threw open the back door and jumped out. Two other girls ran up and hugged her. “What cabin are you in? Which counselor did we get?” At least some people were happy to be here.

A long line of cars was slowly creeping up the gravel road, and I watched scenes like this over and over. Sometimes the girl in the car got out slowly and looked around. No one ran up to her car and screamed and hugged her, so I could tell she was a new girl, like me. Her parents would stand there for a few seconds looking confused, until one of the counselors in the green shirts would say hello and give them instructions about what to do and where to go.

It reminded me of the time our family was in New York City on vacation, and we went to Grand Central Station and watched all the people coming and going in the big lobby.

But this was North Carolina, not New York. And we weren't in the city anymore, that was for sure. I couldn't believe all the nature I was seeing for the first
time. Mama and Daddy put Samantha and me on the plane this morning, and as we were coming in for the landing, all I could see were green mountains, trees, and rivers everywhere.

Nearby the camp director and a big group of counselors were busy welcoming parents and girls. A counselor in a green shirt noticed I was by myself and walked up to me. “Hey! Can I help you find anything?”

“Oh, no thanks. I told my little sister to meet me here after she moved into her cabin.”

We were standing under shade trees in front of the dining hall. Behind us was a wooden footbridge across a stream, and hidden behind some trees was a little cabin that looked like it came right out of pioneer times, with a couple of rocking chairs on the porch and flowered curtains hanging in the open windows.

She glanced at the wooden name tag I was wearing around my neck. “Well, Kayla, it's nice to meet you. I'm Libby. If you have any questions, just let me or one of the other counselors know, okay?”

“Thanks. Actually … is there a piano somewhere that I could practice on a little sometimes?”

“Oh, yeah. There's a piano in each of the lodges. You can go in there any time during free time and practice.”

“Thanks! Nice to meet you, Libby,” I said.

She walked off to talk to some other people. Then I noticed Samantha far away at the top of the hill, and when she saw me waving, she started running in my direction. The dozens of beaded braids in her hair were all bouncing as she ran. I'd worn my hair like that when I was younger, but I'd gotten a short haircut for the summer.

Three other girls were running with Samantha. By the time they got to me, they were all out of breath. “This place is so cool!” Samantha announced.

I couldn't keep from smiling. “You like it?”

“I don't like it. I love it! And these are my friends. We're all in the same cabin. Junior Cabin Two. Gracie, Mary Claire, and Alyssa—meet my sister Kayla. She's twelve. That makes her a Middler.” We'd just found out that there were three different age groups here at Pine Haven.

Alyssa, the one with big teeth and long, dark hair hanging in her eyes, looked me up and down. “Huh. You look older than twelve.”

“Well, I'll be thirteen in September,” I told her. “Did you get your sheets unpacked and your bed made?” I asked Samantha.

She nodded. “I picked out a top bunk. And I thought there weren't any bathrooms, but there are. Only
they're not inside the cabins. There's this other building with faucets on one side and bathroom stalls on the other.”

“We found out the name for the bathrooms is ‘Solitary.' Isn't that weird?” asked Gracie, the smallest girl, with bright red hair. She was holding Samantha's hand.

“And we're the first ones to get moved into our cabin. Every cabin has eight girls and two counselors. So four more girls aren't even here yet. But the four of us are already friends, and we just met ten minutes ago!”