Read Online Camp Confidential 01 - Natalie's Secret by Melissa J. Morgan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melissa J. Morgan
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did them for me after kitchen duty,” Marissa said, wiggling her toes at Natalie by way of demonstration. “Passion Fruit.”
“Nice,” Natalie said approvingly.
“I brought People and YM, and if you’re nice to me, I’ll braid your hair,” Marissa promised. “Steph’s abandoning us today to flirt with Tyler.” She indicated the swim shack, where, in fact, Jenna’s older sister was attempting to read the palm of an older and very cute swim staffer. “She is shameless,” Marissa commented. Then, sensing Natalie’s mood, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Did you know that I have to go on a camping trip with the nature group?” Natalie blurted out.
Marissa nodded her head. “Well, yeah. All the specialties have something big they do sometime during the session. The drama kids do a play, the newspaper prints an issue, ceramics, arts and crafts, woodworking, and photography all have a ‘gallery day’ where they show their work. Didn’t you know that?”
“I do now,” Natalie said.
“I thought you were starting to like nature,” Marissa pointed out.
“Hey, just because I’ve managed to avoid walking head-on into a poison-oak patch does not mean that I’m a born-again nature girl,” Natalie said. “This trip sounds like bad news. We have to canoe out to some deserted island. When has anything good ever happened on a deserted island?” Natalie demanded.
Marissa laughed. “Slow down, drama queen,” she said. “The nature kids go on the same trip every year, and nothing has ever gone wrong. I’m sure this year won’t be any different.”
Natalie glared at Marissa. “Okay, and then after we dock our boats, we have to hike—which I think is just a fancy term for walk, except maybe it’s hilly and rocky and hard. Hike up a mountain, and then set up camp. And then we cook on the mountain and sleep there!”
“It’s called ‘roughing it,’” Marissa said. “Some people enjoy it.”
“Not this people,” Natalie said, frustrated. “I’m here, aren’t I? I’ve tried to be a good sport. I eat the food. I sweep the porch. I come down to the lake during free swim. I haven’t had access to my cell phone or e-mail since we got here. Marissa—” Natalie murmured, her voice lowering, “I even clean the toilets. I’ve been roughing it!”
“Well, do you want me to talk to Julie about getting you out of the trip?” Marissa asked with sincerity.
Natalie thought seriously for a moment. Did she? The idea was awfully appealing. It was easy to spot poison ivy in the clearing behind the nature shack, but she had a feeling the wilds on the deserted island would be more . . . well . . . wild . Nothing about the trip sounded like fun.
But.
She had promised Julie she would be strong, and for the most part, she had been. She had gotten to know Val, and liked her. She put up with Chelsea’s snotty comments. She even learned a little something about nature. Just last week, Roseanne had complimented her on the bird-feeder that she’d built. So being strong wasn’t so bad, and even though Natalie really didn’t love nature, she wasn’t a quitter. And besides, Simon would be on her trip.
Of course, so would Chelsea.
Simon. Think Simon , she reminded herself. That was a reason to go on the trip.
In fact, it might be all the reason she needed.
She turned to Marissa, squaring her shoulders with determination. “No,” she said. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll go.”
Marissa squealed and hugged her. “You rock! Scoot over then, sister. I’ll braid your hair.”
Just before dinner that evening, Natalie and the rest of her bunkmates gathered outside the mess hall. Before and after meals was a time when campers could really visit with friends from other bunks, or even other divisions, since everyone ate at the same time. Lots of campers chose to hang out on the steps of the mess hall itself, but Natalie still had the camping trip on her mind, and so she
“Nice,” Natalie said approvingly.
“I brought People and YM, and if you’re nice to me, I’ll braid your hair,” Marissa promised. “Steph’s abandoning us today to flirt with Tyler.” She indicated the swim shack, where, in fact, Jenna’s older sister was attempting to read the palm of an older and very cute swim staffer. “She is shameless,” Marissa commented. Then, sensing Natalie’s mood, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Did you know that I have to go on a camping trip with the nature group?” Natalie blurted out.
Marissa nodded her head. “Well, yeah. All the specialties have something big they do sometime during the session. The drama kids do a play, the newspaper prints an issue, ceramics, arts and crafts, woodworking, and photography all have a ‘gallery day’ where they show their work. Didn’t you know that?”
“I do now,” Natalie said.
“I thought you were starting to like nature,” Marissa pointed out.
“Hey, just because I’ve managed to avoid walking head-on into a poison-oak patch does not mean that I’m a born-again nature girl,” Natalie said. “This trip sounds like bad news. We have to canoe out to some deserted island. When has anything good ever happened on a deserted island?” Natalie demanded.
Marissa laughed. “Slow down, drama queen,” she said. “The nature kids go on the same trip every year, and nothing has ever gone wrong. I’m sure this year won’t be any different.”
Natalie glared at Marissa. “Okay, and then after we dock our boats, we have to hike—which I think is just a fancy term for walk, except maybe it’s hilly and rocky and hard. Hike up a mountain, and then set up camp. And then we cook on the mountain and sleep there!”
“It’s called ‘roughing it,’” Marissa said. “Some people enjoy it.”
“Not this people,” Natalie said, frustrated. “I’m here, aren’t I? I’ve tried to be a good sport. I eat the food. I sweep the porch. I come down to the lake during free swim. I haven’t had access to my cell phone or e-mail since we got here. Marissa—” Natalie murmured, her voice lowering, “I even clean the toilets. I’ve been roughing it!”
“Well, do you want me to talk to Julie about getting you out of the trip?” Marissa asked with sincerity.
Natalie thought seriously for a moment. Did she? The idea was awfully appealing. It was easy to spot poison ivy in the clearing behind the nature shack, but she had a feeling the wilds on the deserted island would be more . . . well . . . wild . Nothing about the trip sounded like fun.
But.
She had promised Julie she would be strong, and for the most part, she had been. She had gotten to know Val, and liked her. She put up with Chelsea’s snotty comments. She even learned a little something about nature. Just last week, Roseanne had complimented her on the bird-feeder that she’d built. So being strong wasn’t so bad, and even though Natalie really didn’t love nature, she wasn’t a quitter. And besides, Simon would be on her trip.
Of course, so would Chelsea.
Simon. Think Simon , she reminded herself. That was a reason to go on the trip.
In fact, it might be all the reason she needed.
She turned to Marissa, squaring her shoulders with determination. “No,” she said. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll go.”
Marissa squealed and hugged her. “You rock! Scoot over then, sister. I’ll braid your hair.”
Just before dinner that evening, Natalie and the rest of her bunkmates gathered outside the mess hall. Before and after meals was a time when campers could really visit with friends from other bunks, or even other divisions, since everyone ate at the same time. Lots of campers chose to hang out on the steps of the mess hall itself, but Natalie still had the camping trip on her mind, and so she
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