Camp Confidential 05 - TTYL (12 page)
Read Camp Confidential 05 - TTYL Online
Authors: Melissa J Morgan
Instead of eating in the cafeteria, like she normally would, Grace took her lunch to a quiet corner of the school-yard so that she could read alone. After the trauma of her pop quiz, she wanted some time to herself. She pulled out her lunch bag and arranged the sandwich, chips, apple, and cranberry juice around her for easy access, and then reached into her backpack for her copy of
The Pinballs
.
The Pinballs
.
As she munched on her lunch, Grace tried to read a few pages of her book. She liked the characters in the story right away, but she was having a hard time paying attention to the plot of the book. After realizing she was reading the same paragraph over and over for almost ten minutes, she shut the book in frustration and simply finished her lunch, staring off into the trees that circled the school.
When she’d eaten everything her mom had packed that morning, Grace shoved the wrappers and apple core back into the lunch bag and walked back into the school toward the cafeteria, where she knew she’d find her friends.
But as she passed Mr. Roslyn’s classroom, she stopped in her tracks. Through the small rectangular window set into the wooden door, she could see Mr. Roslyn working at his desk, grading papers while he ate a sandwich.
Grace tentatively walked closer to the door and raised her hand to knock. When she rapped gently at the door, she saw Mr. Roslyn look up. When he saw her, he smiled and motioned for her to come in.
Grace pushed the door open and walked in.
“How can I help you, Miss Matthews?” Mr. Roslyn said, putting down his red pen and pushing the stack of ungraded papers away from him. He shoved his chair back a bit and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Hi, Mr. Roslyn,” Grace said. “Um . . . do you have a few minutes to talk?”
Mr. Roslyn uncrossed his arms and gestured to the closest desk. “Of course. Have a seat!”
Grace sat down, placing her backpack carefully next to her feet. “I wanted to talk to you about reading,” she said.
Mr. Roslyn smiled warmly. “One of my favorite things,” he said. “But I know not everyone feels that way,” he added, leaning back in his chair. “One of the things I’ve learned as a teacher is that if you really work hard, and really put your mind to it, you’ll be able to do anything. Grace, I can already tell you’re a fine student, especially when you really put your mind to something. I talked to your parents a few days ago, and they told me you’ve been studying a lot this year, and that’s great. Just keep working at it, and you’ll be fine.”
“That isn’t what’s wrong,” Grace said quietly.
“Is it that you don’t like reading?” Mr. Roslyn prompted.
“No! I like to read!” Grace protested. “I just . . . I’ve been having some trouble.”
Mr. Roslyn frowned. “What’s the trouble?” he asked.
“Well,” Grace began, looking down at her hands, “I have trouble concentrating. I don’t mind reading, but it’s hard to get into it.” She looked up at her teacher. “Do you ever have a hard time concentrating?” she asked.
“Absolutely, Grace,” he replied with a smile. “In fact, when I was your age I had a terrible time reading.”
“So what changed?” Grace asked.
Mr. Roslyn frowned thoughtfully. Grace noticed that when he seemed to be thinking, his cheeks turned a bit redder than normal—and they were pretty red to begin with. “Hmmm,” he said, still thinking. Then his eyes lit up.
“I know what it was!” he exclaimed. He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a tattered book.
“Reading made you like reading?” Grace asked skeptically.
“No,” Mr. Roslyn said. “This book made me like reading.”
He displayed the book’s cover, and Grace gasped.
“Peter Pan?
” she shrieked. “Did you know I was in
Peter Pan
this summer in my camp play?”
“Peter Pan?
” she shrieked. “Did you know I was in
Peter Pan
this summer in my camp play?”
Mr. Roslyn smiled widely, displaying rows of sparkling white teeth. “I did not! Who knew there was a thespian among us?”
“Yeah, I played Wendy!” Grace said happily. “So . . . is it your favorite book?”
“No. Not my favorite. But it was once, before I went to college. In college, I read a book called
Ulysses
. Well, in college I read a lot of books, but that one was my favorite ever since. I guess I have a lot of favorites.” Mr. Roslyn paused. “Grace, would you like to borrow my copy of
Peter Pan
?”
Ulysses
. Well, in college I read a lot of books, but that one was my favorite ever since. I guess I have a lot of favorites.” Mr. Roslyn paused. “Grace, would you like to borrow my copy of
Peter Pan
?”
Grace drew in her breath. “I’d love to!” she exclaimed. “Thanks, Mr. Roslyn!”
“Not as homework, you understand,” he cautioned. “For fun.” He emphasized the word
fun
by pointing his pencil at Grace.
fun
by pointing his pencil at Grace.
“Got it, Mr. Roslyn,” Grace said. Even though the thought of
extra
reading sounded anything but fun. She forced herself to look enthusiastic. At that moment, the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period.
extra
reading sounded anything but fun. She forced herself to look enthusiastic. At that moment, the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period.
“You hurry along to class. And let me know how you like the book,” Mr. Roslyn said. “And try to make a stab at
The Pinballs
, too . . . I think you’ll like it more than you think you will.”
The Pinballs
, too . . . I think you’ll like it more than you think you will.”
Grace stood up and slung her backpack around her shoulders. “Thanks, Mr. Roslyn,” she said shyly, before heading to the door. Even if she didn’t do as well on the quiz as she would have liked, she knew that she’d tried her hardest and that her teacher was on her side.
Posted by: Grace
Subject: Reading
Subject: Reading
Hi, Lakeview girls! I’m so excited about our book club—I think it’s really going to help me in my English class. Plus, my English teacher gave me a copy of
Peter Pan
to read for fun. But I still have to read
Pinballs
for homework. So I think I’ve heard from everyone about being in the club, except Chelsea. Does anyone know if she’s been checking the blog? Chelsea, if you’re reading this, let me know if you want to join!
Peter Pan
to read for fun. But I still have to read
Pinballs
for homework. So I think I’ve heard from everyone about being in the club, except Chelsea. Does anyone know if she’s been checking the blog? Chelsea, if you’re reading this, let me know if you want to join!
Have you guys ever felt really different from your friends? I have this new friend, Lara, in drama club. She’s super smart. She went to this really elite private school. But I really like her a lot, and I know she likes me, too. We hung out last weekend and I want to hang out with her again this weekend. But I feel like when she discovers the truth about me, that I’m not great in school, she won’t want to be my friend anymore. Does anyone have any advice?
Anyway, we start
Pinballs
on Monday . . . I plan to have the first chapter read by that day. Hope some of you will, too! I’ve got to get back to drama club—we’re on a break, and I just wanted to say hi!
Pinballs
on Monday . . . I plan to have the first chapter read by that day. Hope some of you will, too! I’ve got to get back to drama club—we’re on a break, and I just wanted to say hi!
Love,
Grace
Posted by: Sarah
Re: Reading
Re: Reading
You’ll love
Peter Pan
(the book), Grace! It’s different from the play, but it’s still really magical and cool.
Peter Pan
(the book), Grace! It’s different from the play, but it’s still really magical and cool.
Love ya! Sarah
Posted by: Jessie
Re: Reading
Re: Reading
Hey, Grace, I have a friend like that, sort of. She’s really good at sports, and all of her friends are on the basketball team and stuff. We’re best friends because we live in the same neighborhood. We didn’t even go to elementary school together. But now that we’re in the same middle school, I was really worried that she wouldn’t want to be my friend anymore, since we do such different things. You’re really lucky to have a friend with the same interests, and I can’t imagine that Lara would change her mind about you just because of a couple of bad grades. After all, she likes YOU, right? Not your report card! :) Molly and I are still best friends, even though I’m not the best athlete ever. So I don’t think Lara will care. (And if she did, she wouldn’t be very cool anyway, right?)
KIT! Jess
> WEDNESDAY
When the bell rang at the end of the school day, Natalie was excited for her skating date with Kyle . . . but totally nervous, too. In fact, she’d been getting more and more jittery all day.
She’d worn her favorite jeans and the red top she’d bought with Hannah, and she knew it was a pretty cute combo. So she wasn’t surprised that Kyle blushed when he walked up to her at her locker after school.
“Uh, hey, Nat,” he said. He had his rollerblades slung over one shoulder and his backpack over the other. “You ready?”
“Definitely!” Natalie said, trying to make her voice sound steadier than she felt. “Let me just grab my stuff, and I’ll be ready to go.”
“Awesome,” Kyle replied. They walked together through the hallway of the school toward the big entrance doors. Natalie couldn’t believe she was on her first real date.
I will remember this date for the rest of my life
, she thought.
I will remember this date for the rest of my life
, she thought.
Near the entrance, Natalie saw Hannah standing with a couple of other girls. She smiled at her friend, but Hannah just shot her back a strange look. There was no pretending that it was a mistake or something Nat had imagined—obviously Hannah was grouchy that Natalie was going on her date.
Kyle noticed the exchange, and leaned over to Natalie. “That’s weird,” he said. “Isn’t Hannah, like, your best friend?”
“Yeah,” Natalie said.
Though these days, I’m not too sure.
She pushed her hair back out of her eyes. “Let’s go!” she said, trying to sound more excited. This was her first date, after all, and she wasn’t going to let anything ruin it.
Though these days, I’m not too sure.
She pushed her hair back out of her eyes. “Let’s go!” she said, trying to sound more excited. This was her first date, after all, and she wasn’t going to let anything ruin it.
Not even losing her best friend.
As Kyle and Natalie walked toward Central Park, they talked about school and about their friends. Kyle told Natalie that over the summer he’d started hanging out with kids from his neighborhood instead of just friends from school. “That’s cool,” Nat said. “I made a lot of friends this summer.”
“Really? At camp?” Kyle asked, surprised.
Natalie laughed. “Why do you sound so shocked? I spent eight weeks living in a tiny cabin with a bunch of other girls. Obviously we’d be friends.”
Kyle blushed. “Well, right,” he said. “I guess I’m just surprised because, you know, um, I remember you weren’t too excited about camp when you first told me about it.”
“No, I wasn’t,” Natalie said. She smiled, remembering the first few days at camp, when she’d hated getting up early, hated being all sweaty, and hated being out in nature. But she’d grown to really love Camp Lakeview. “I mean, yeah, I missed New York. But . . . I don’t know. I guess eleven-year-old girls have more in common than you’d think, no matter where they’re from.”
“And eleven-year-old boys,” Kyle said quietly.
Natalie knew he was talking about Simon. Simon who had finally called her the other night and left a message—though they’d been playing phone tag and still hadn’t spoken. But what could she say to make Kyle feel better? She did like Simon—and she liked Kyle, too.
Boys
, she thought.
Are they really worth it
?
Boys
, she thought.
Are they really worth it
?
They reached the bottom of Central Park at 59th Street. Kyle shaded his eyes against the sun and looked for a bench where they could put their Rollerblades on. “Hey, over here,” he said.
“Do you want to get a Frappuccino first?” Natalie asked, looking longingly at a Starbucks across the avenue.
“Uh . . . not really,” Kyle said. “I don’t like coffee.” He started across the street toward the bench.
“Okay . . .” Natalie mumbled, surprised. Even if Kyle wasn’t into caffeine, wouldn’t it have been polite to take her anyway?
Well, I’m new to this dating thing
, she thought, deciding to be a good sport. She hoisted her backpack and followed Kyle across the street.
Well, I’m new to this dating thing
, she thought, deciding to be a good sport. She hoisted her backpack and followed Kyle across the street.
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