Read Online Camp Forget-Me-Not by J. K. Rock - Free Book Online

around.” He clenched the hand that touched me. Regretting it, I’m sure.
    As he walked away, I watched his retreating back and the way his wide shoulders moved with an easy, athletic grace. He’d always been cute in a boyish way. Now he was grown-up and totally hot. Yet there was no point in noticing him like that. He’d moved on and so should I.
    I trudged to the front of the cabin to grab the note. Since he hadn’t mentioned it, he must have missed it. Relief and a little disappointment warred with each other.
    But when I checked the rail, my note was gone.
    My pulse raced faster than my feet as I sprinted back to my cabin. If Nick took my note, he might be thinking anything right now, including that I still liked him. He must have taken the note so his cabin mates wouldn’t discover it. No way was I going back to make friendship bracelets and face him. I’d rather go to the nurse. But first I needed to grab a book. There was nothing worse than listening to Nurse Hammel’s gross-out injury and sickness stories. No thanks.
    But as I jogged up my porch steps, a scrap of blue paper tacked to my railing caught my eye and stole my breath.
    Another note from Nick. What did it mean? Had he forgiven me? Wanted to be friends again?
    I unpinned the note, my fingers tearing the folded paper open.
    Kayla, I’m glad your face is “fine.” I’m sorry you got hurt at the lake. I should have been watching. Brooke won’t hurt you like that again or anyone else. Oh—and the next time you write, consider using a few more words. Maybe even a full sentence. Yours, Nick
    Yours?
    Next time?
    I was reading so much into this my brain cells overheated and my knees gave way. I sat on the top step and read and reread the note until Rachel emerged around a curve in the path, her brown curls streaming behind her.
    “Are you coming back or what?” she gasped. “Mrs. Sutton’s pissed. Not to mention Brooke.”
    I stared at her for a long moment, stuffed the note in my pocket, and stood, resigned. I’d have to figure out what this meant later. As for now, my time belonged to Brooke.
    But the real question was if “Yours, Nick” meant a part of him might still belong to me.
    I couldn’t imagine thinking an entire coherent thought about Nick, let alone writing one. Yet he’d said “next time.”
    Would I answer him? Everything felt upside down and inside out, starting with my heart.

Chapter Four

    THREE YEARS AGO

    The senior level for campers was the next up from middlers. I’d been excited and nervous, too, because we had the option of changing cabins and I could be with all new girls. Preferably some who wouldn’t throw things at me during movie night.
    Mostly, I was excited to see Nick.
    Last year, he’d never commented once on the fact that I was a bigger girl. A couple of times, he’d stuck up for me when mean kids said dumb things, like how big of a splash I made when I jumped off the dock. But he’d never said anything directly to me about it and I guess I’d hoped he hadn’t noticed. Now that I’d grown taller and the old pudge had redistributed in a way that boys no longer made fun of, I wondered if he’d say anything.
    Was it shallow of me that I kind of wanted him to?
    “Nick,” I yelled, pounding on the bus window when I caught sight of his dark hair in the crowd of people on the sidewalk at Camp Juniper Point. He waited off to one side of the crowd in the late afternoon shadows.
    He waved to me, and I noticed how much he’d grown since the summer before. He was definitely bigger than I’d remembered. His bright smile and his dimples, though, had stayed the same. As always, they did something a little funny to my heart, and I wondered if there was any chance this summer we could become more than best friends. I couldn’t hurry off the bus fast enough.
    He grabbed my bags to help me out of the foot traffic, and I noticed the new muscles pop in his arms.
    “Have you been working out?” I asked over his