Eternal Spring A Young Adult Short Story Collection (5 page)

Unfortunately, getting five girls to pack their stuff and
clean a cabin took more time and energy than I'd anticipated. We led them up to
the mess hall, but the other campers had finished and left.

“Everybody grab a muffin and a juice box,” Sophie said.
“Then we have to march down to the parking lot.”

“I want cereal,” Britney whined.

“Tell your parents you want cereal for lunch,” I said as I
grabbed some napkins. “We don't have time.”

“I've never heard of cereal for lunch,” Leslie said.

“You can't have cereal for lunch.” Kelsey rolled her eyes.

“Move it, girls,” Sophie snapped. “I've got a life to get
back to.”

When we joined the others, we discovered that Scott had
become Ian's mouthpiece.

Each had their cell phones back, and Ian was texting Scott.
Scott would then tell the campers what Ian was saying.

Ian had covered his mouth and nose with a dark blue bandana
like an outlaw from the Old West. I was relieved that I didn't have to see the
fish mouth again.

“Can I take a minute, Sophie?” I had to go talk to him. I
didn't care if Scott or the kids heard what I had to say.

Before she could answer, the bus appeared down the road. I
could not get a break.

We hugged each camper, and made sure they had all their
belongings. I had time to see Ian fist-bumping his campers and tousling their
hair, and then Mrs. L was addressing all of us. She called us counselors'
heroes and urged the campers to aspire to be like us.

I teared up, but Sophie went a step further and actually
sniffled.

The campers cheered to thank their counselors, and then they
climbed on the bus.

We waved dutifully until the bus was out of sight.

Mrs. L turned to us and said, “Hallelujah! I think that was
the longest week of my life. Let's head to the great room for pizza and cokes.
You guys deserve a party.”

“When I get home, I'm going to sleep for a whole day,”
Sophie said as we walked over.

“What about Cole?”

“I just want sleep. He can wait.”

“He doesn't get home 'til tomorrow, does he?”

“No. Which only means that I can't prove to you that I'd
rather have a nap.”

“Whatever.” Ian kept to the outside fringes of the group as
we made our way to the great room.

We walked up the porch to the great room, and Scott ended up
holding the door for all of us. An idea hit me, and I stopped long enough to
ask him a hushed question. “Can I see your phone for a minute?”

Scott frowned. “Why? You'll get yours back inside.”

“I know.” Shedding my last ounce of self-respect, I gave him
a flirtatious smile. “It's really important though. I'll give it right back. I
promise.”

“Fine,” he said. Then he pulled his phone out and handed it
to me. “I'm missing the pizza.” He went inside, leaving me on the porch alone.

The number he'd used to text Ian all morning was at the top
of the text thread. I sent it to my own phone, afraid that I wouldn't remember
ten digits in my state of exhaustion. Then I deleted the traces of what I'd
done, and turned off the phone.

Sneaky liar much? Yes. If I'd just asked him for the number,
he would have teased
me or Ian
mercilessly. Ian had
been avoiding me, and I wasn't going to risk sending him running. Of course, he
may be scared off by me texting him, but at least I would be the only one who
knew.

I slipped through the door and joined the others. Scott was
ready for the hand-off, and The Two J's didn't notice.

Mrs. L was applauding our work over the week, and she began
a special thank you to Ian. “I especially want to recognize Ian for all he did
to keep his campers safe. Not many teen witches would sacrifice themselves for
a child. And while Ian had pointed out to me many times his own discomfort is
nothing compared to the life of the child, I think we all know exactly how
great his sacrifice truly is.”

“Yeah, man,” Scott said. He clapped his hand on Ian's back.
“He's going to miss the rest of the school year, and he told me he was the
starting goalie on his team.”

A series of pitying noises filled the room.

Ian's face flamed around the bandana.

“Let's all give Ian a hand,” Mrs. L said.

We clapped and cheered. Ian finally gave up the embarrassed
act, and he started bowing. Scott hooted. The two Gregs broke into an
unbelievably
well-choreographed
dance.

We all cheered more.

Finally, the group calmed down.

“Grab some pizza,” Mrs. L said. “You deserve it.”

The others made a dive for the pizza. Except Ian, who
grabbed a coke and straw.

I took the opportunity to ask Mrs. L for my phone. “I know
we get them back soon, and I'm not trying to cut in line. I just wanted to try
to talk to Ian before we left.”

Apparently, I'd said the magic words because Mrs. L beamed
at me as we walked to her desk for my phone.

“Thanks.”

“Thank you, Emma. I hope you'll consider coming back.”

I had been dreading this week. I was exhausted, and I had
poison ivy on my calf. “Of course,” I answered. “I'd love to.”

She handed me my phone. “Good to hear,” she said.

I powered up my phone, turned off the ringer, and waited for
the text from Scott's phone to come through. Then I looked back at the group.
Sophie had two cans of Coke in front of her, and she was inhaling her pizza.
The others, except for Ian, were happily munching on a slice. Ian had
disappeared.

Sophie looked my way, and I held my finger to my lips. Then
I backed away from the group to text Ian without everyone clamoring for their
own phones.

Now that I had everything I needed, I hesitated. Chicken.
Just do it. “Can we talk? It's Emma,” I texted.

I wasn't sure if he would reply. I stuck the phone in my
pocket and ordered myself to go back to the others so I wouldn't obsess.

My phone vibrated before I had taken my second step.

I stopped, turned around, and whipped out my phone. Had he
really answered?

He had!

“Sure, what's up?”

Here goes nothing. “I'm sorry your spring got ruined.”

“No big deal. I'll live.”

“I wouldn't have been able to save him. I'm going to start
studying magic like you guys said.”

“Good. You should. But I knew because Mrs. L did it for me
once. I was one of the slow learners.”

He had been a troublemaker? I couldn't picture it. I thought
about him bonding with all those campers and jumping in to make them feel
better about themselves. I could picture it. “If you hadn't been you, Owen
might have died.”

He didn't answer, so I sent another text. “Can I text you?”

“Isn't that what we're doing?”

“I mean later. From home.”

"Sure.”

“Good.”

Mrs. L was calling me over. “One last piece of business.
Each of you has earned a bonus this week.”

“One free selfish potion?” Scott asked.

“No. Close. The punishment for your next selfish charm or
potion will be attenuated. The punishment will be milder and shorter in
duration.”

We all cheered.

“Now grab your things from your cabins. Your parents will be
here any minute.”

Sophie busted me as soon as we were alone. “What happened
with Ian?”

“How do you know something happened with Ian?”

“You're grinning like a love-sick idiot.”

“Thanks.”

She crossed her arms. “Tell me or die.”

“I texted him. We're going to talk. Well, text.”

Sophie hugged me. “He is so perfect for you. I'm proud of
you.”

“Proud of me?”

“Yeah, you're so shy and reserved. I was worried you
wouldn't talk to him.”

Shy and reserved? Really. I wasn't that bad. Sure, I didn't
have her experience with boys, but…

“Let's go,” she said, grabbing her rolling suitcase and
bags.

I grabbed my suitcase full of dirty laundry and went out the
door of our cabin for the last time.

“You know what, Emma?” Sophie asked. “I had fun this week.”

“Me too. We should come back.”

Her upper lip curled in disgust. “Are you nuts?”

I was a little nuts.

We passed Ian's cabin just as he and Scott came out. I
smiled at him, and I could tell he was smiling back despite the bandana
covering the lower half of his face. I could see the smile in his eyes. Instead
of avoiding me, he walked along beside me.

Rolling our suitcases on the pea gravel path was a bit
awkward. Scott and Ian carried their duffels easily. They didn't walk ahead
though. Sophie chattered to Scott about all of the things she would do when she
got home.

As we walked, Ian caught my hand and threaded his fingers
through mine. I squeezed, and he squeezed back. The thrill of his touch chased
away my fatigue.

I could see our parents standing near their cars in the
parking lot, and I knew this was my last chance.

“Wait,” I said.

I stopped, and he stopped and turned toward me.

Sophie and Scott were a few feet away.

“Promise you'll text,” I said.

He nodded.

“I'm so glad Sophie got busted for sneaking out with her
boyfriend.”

He tilted his head to one side in confusion.

“Never mind,” I said. Then I did the bravest thing I've ever
done. I put my free hand on his arm and stood on my tiptoes as I leaned in to
kiss his cheek, right above the paisley on his bandana. His cheek was a little
scratchy and warm. Heat rose in my face as I met his eyes.

He put his arm on the small of my back and tugged me into a
hug. The hug made me wish I never had to leave Camp Cauldron.

He released me and walked me across the lot and over to my
car. Sophie and Mom were already talking, and I was sure Sophie had ratted me
out.

“Mom,” I said. “This is Ian, and he can’t talk right now.
But it isn't his fault. That he can't talk, I mean.”

“Nice to meet you, Ian,” Mom said. She shook his hand.

Then Ian loaded our giant suitcases into the minivan. He
waved goodbye, paused for a second, and actually bowed toward
me and Mom
. He walked over to the SUV, where a man and woman
were doing a pitiful job of hiding their curiosity.

I waved at them as the woman hugged him, and then I climbed
into the van.

I hadn't been anywhere this soft, cushy, and high tech in a
week, and every muscle in my body relaxed as I sank into the seat. Sophie had
her head down and was texting already.

“So,” my mother said as she started the engine. “What have I
missed?”

I didn't answer. I closed my eyes to keep the memory fresh.
I couldn't fight my grin as the van crunched the gravel under its tires, and we
pulled out of the camp.

Through the fabric of my khaki shorts, I felt my cell
vibrate.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

For more magic, more kissing, and a cute guy who doesn't
have fish lips,
check
out Zoe's story,
Stirring Up
Trouble
.

***

Juli Alexander writes
young adult romances and romantic comedies for teens. In “Camp Cauldron,” Emma
shies away from her magic, but Zoe has a passion for potions in
Stirring Up
Trouble
. She’s searching for a substitution for toad slime and hopes to
cure disease. In the April 2012 release, The
Karma Beat
, Jen, a genie, risks getting
banished to the other realm. And in May 2012,
Ally
deals with unpleasant realities as a teen with divorced parents in
My Life as the
Ugly Stepsister
.
http://www.julialexanderauthor.com

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Barre Hopping at Midnight

By

Amanda
Brice

Life sucks when your boyfriend is a vampire.

Fine, he’s not really a vampire. And if we want to get 100%
technical, he’s not really my boyfriend, either. Sorta kinda maybe. But not
really.

I don’t know.

It’s complicated.

Jackson leaned in closer, mere millimeters away, two-hundred-year-old
ebony eyes locked on Robyn’s green ones with such intensity she found it
uncomfortable not to look away. Yet she couldn’t. “I will love you until the
day you die.”

Robyn shivered at his touch, despite heat from the nearness. She felt
like a scorpion’s prey – paralyzed, standing as still as a statue, almost
in a trance. “But…what would Eric say?” she finally whispered.

His gaze clouded over as suddenly as the vast desert sky before a
midsummer monsoon. “I don’t give a damn what that animal would say.”

“But--”

His lips grazed hers in the lightest of kisses, sending a thousand
watts of energy racing down her spine and cutting off any stray thoughts she
might have had about his rival. “Hope springs eternal. Just like my love for
you. Robyn Bell, do not deny your destiny. You are mine. Today, tomorrow,
forever.”

Le sigh. Was there anything more romantic?

“Are you reading that stupid book again, Dani?” Analisa San
Miguel’s voice snapped me out of my reverie. Why doesn’t she just splash a
glassful of cold water in my face while she’s at it? That might actually be
less jarring. “We’ve been backstage for what, two minutes at most, and you’re
already at it?”

“Take that back!” I said, playfully batting her in the arm
with the hard box of my toe shoe as she leaned over her outstretched leg to
work out the kinks after our dress rehearsal. “I can’t believe you called it
stupid. Bethany Beyer is a literary genius.”

Okay, perhaps a bit of hyperbole. But, cynic though she was,
even Analisa couldn’t deny that the
Midnight
saga was an international sensation.
Originally aimed at the teen market, the little-known indie e-book catapulted
into the public eye when one of the ladies on
The View
mentioned she’d read it while
post-op from giving Mother Nature a little help during her latest ride on the
nip-tuck-go-round, claiming she’d discovered the fountain of youth in a
self-published Young Adult paranormal romance novel. Suddenly
Midnight
was
on everyone’s TBR list – daughters, moms, and grandmas alike. In fact,
the average reader’s age was more than double that of the main characters.