Snapshot (2 page)

“No. I think I’ll let you enjoy that on your own. I better be getting back. I’ve got a long drive ahead of me.”

“Okay, but you drive safe and stop some place fun for dinner.”

“You take such good care of me. For the next two weeks, I want you to relax and forget everything except having a good time.”

Marti smiled at her Grandmother. “I’ll do everything except the part about forgetting you!” She embraced Grandma in a squishy hug and enjoyed her lilac-scented perfume. “I love you, Grandma.”

“I love you too.” She gazed at Marti with adoring eyes. “Now I better get going before we turn into a big puddle of weeping women. You won’t catch any cute boys if they see you’re a cry baby.” She climbed into the car and settled her purse on the passenger seat.
 

“You be sure to write and tell me how things work out with that boy. He seems like a good sort.”

Marti shook her head. “I’ll keep you posted, but don’t get your hopes up. Boys aren’t too high on my radar right now.”

“Now that’s a big fib if ever I heard one,” Grandma teased.
 

“Time for you to go!” Marti laughed, wanting her to leave before she tracked down every boy at camp.

“Oh, did you remember your sunscreen and bug spray? I hear the mosquitoes up here are the size of small birds.”

“Yes, I have bug spray, a hat, sunglasses, sandals, and everything else.”

“Of course you do. I guess I’m stalling.” She reached out and gave Marti’s hand a quick squeeze. “I love you, honey. Have a wonderful time.”

“I will.” Marti stood out of the way as Grandma backed out of the spot and turned down the road that would lead her out of camp. Marti looked around at all the kids arriving and parents leaving. She hadn’t been to a summer camp since fifth grade, and this was no average camp. This was an arts camp for kids who wanted intense immersion in their subject of interest. Along with photography, the camp had drawing and painting too.

She took the handle of her rolling suitcase and followed a trail of kids heading down the path to the lakefront cabins. Her adventure was about to begin, and she couldn’t wait to see what it brought.

*
 
*
 
*

Adam followed the uneven sidewalk for what seemed like a half mile. But what was another few-minutes walk after two connecting flights and a three-hour ride from the airport. He was finally here!
 

He watched dozens of kids locate their cabins. Excitement buzzed through the air along with nerves as all of the campers faced the unknown. He said hi to kids as he passed. Quaint little cabins lined the way, each with a different name: Loon, Eagle, Spruce, Pine, Aspen. He hoped he’d like the guys in his.

 
He reached the last cabin. Two guys relaxed on a spacious covered porch with their feet up on the railing. One, with loose wavy brown hair, wore a Green Day t-shirt and a shit-eating grin. The other sported expertly trimmed black hair and smart eyes that gleamed with adventure.

Adam rubbed his hand over his newly shortened hair.
Here goes nothing
. He climbed the steps and stopped at the top. Cameras sat on the table between the two guys, along with a docking station playing some adequate indie tune. A quick peek in the cabin revealed what appeared to be a black light.

“What’s up?” Adam asked. Would they recognize him or would he blend into his new surroundings?

“Dude,” the guy with black hair acknowledged. “Welcome to The Chateau!”

Adam looked to the other guy in confusion.

“Beetle is a stupid name for a cabin, and since we’re up on a hill overlooking the lake, we renamed it The Chateau.”

“Nice.” Adam nodded and gazed out at the spectacular view. Their cabin perched at the highest point of the hill. “I’m AJ,” Adam said. The new name would take some getting used to.

“I’m Kyle,” said the guy with the wavy hair as he leaned forward to shake his hand.

“I’m Justin,” said the other, offering his hand. “Help yourself to a Dew. There’s a cooler inside.”

“You brought a cooler?” Adam asked, lugging his gear into the cabin.

“I brought everything. And trust me. We are going to have the best time! You know what the Boy Scouts say. Always be prepared.” Justin smiled in a way that said he’d probably never been a Boy Scout and if he had, he probably got kicked out.

“Dang, I wish I’d have thought of that,” Adam said, thinking of all the extra stuff he’d have packed.
 

“Technically, we’re not supposed to, but as long as it’s out of sight, the counselors won’t bother us. We’re the last camp of the summer, and I’m sure they’re so sick of teenagers that they could care less what we do.”

“Check it out. Here comes another girl for the cabin next door.” Kyle sat up, eager to get a better view.

Justin grabbed his camera. “Very nice. I can definitely work with that.” He snapped a couple of pictures.

They watched the girl Adam met earlier, with the honey blonde hair and sassy spirit, pull her bag toward the cabin next door. “You might have to fight me for her,” Adam challenged with a grin.

“We’ll have to see about that,” Kyle said.

“Guys, there are many fish in the proverbial sea of camp,” Justin said.

Maybe, but Adam looked forward to trying to hook this particular little fish.

*
 
*
 
*

Marti’s rolling bag bumped and bounced along the busy sidewalk. The forest of trees created an aroma like nothing she’d experienced. Finally, she spied Firefly, one of the last cabins.
 

Her stomach clenched as she shifted the many straps over her shoulder. She took a steadying breath, gripped the handle of her bag and pulled it up to the cabin. As she mounted the three wooden steps to the front porch, the screen door flew open and a perky girl with a dusting of freckles, wavy brown hair and a button nose leaned out.

“Hi! Come on in.” She held the door open.

“Hi!” Marti hauled her load through a screen porch and into a main room.

“I’m Kayla. Welcome to Firefly!” She nearly bounced out of her flip flops.
 

“I’m Marti.” She lowered her bags to the floor and looked around at the knotty pine walls, worn wood floor, and four beds positioned around the room. “This is awesome.”

“It’s gotta be the best! We’ve got our own screen porch. The only other cabin with a porch is Beetle, next door, but theirs isn’t screened-in.”

Marti peeked out the window and saw a couple of guys hanging out on the porch.

Kayla followed her gaze. “Isn’t it great? Two of the guys over there are really cute, and the other is okay.”

“You didn’t waste any time checking things out,” Marti said. Kayla reminded her of Grandma, and Marti liked her right away.

“Heck no! Gotta get the lay of the land right away. I’m a seasoned professional at summer camp. We’re sitting on prime real estate here. We are the second to the last cabin, we have a porch, we have an amazing view of the lake, and there’s a hiking trail that starts on the other side of the guy’s cabin.”
 

Grumbling sounded from outside the cabin.

“Hang on!” Kayla hollered, ran to the porch and opened the door for the new girl.

Marti glanced around, noticing a small bedside table with a low lamp by each bed. Both sides of the room featured a dresser with a mirror. There was a sink with vanity and drawers beneath it, a large mirror over the top and a bathroom located to the right.

“Brooke, this is Marti. Marti, meet Brooke.” Kayla plopped down on a bed.

“Hi.” Brooke wiped her brow, revealing large almond-shaped eyes and long silky hair. “That is one freakin’ long walk.”

“I know. I thought I’d never get here.” Marti perched on the edge of the closest bed.

“Where can I dump this stuff?” Brooke surveyed the room.

“Anywhere you like, except this one.” Kayla pointed to her coordinated bedding complete with hot pink pillows and a purple, sparkly make-up bag on the bedside stand.
 

Brooke heaved her leopard print bags on the bed next to Marti’s and then sprawled on top, extending her long tanned legs. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to be here.” A mega watt smile highlighted her beautiful face.
 

The guys would love Brooke. She hoped she and her cabin mates would to.

The screen door creaked. The three looked at each other and squealed. Kayla yelled, “Wait!”
 

They rushed to greet their final cabin mate, a petite blonde with large, green, doe eyes and thin hair pulled into a ponytail. She looked up as she struggled through the screen door. They all grabbed a bag off her shoulder or from her hand.

“Thanks,” she said with a smile as innocent as her Hello Kitty t-shirt.

“I’m Kayla, and this is—”
 

“I’m Brooke,” Brooke interrupted.

“And I’m Marti.”
 

“Hi, I’m Haley,” the new girl said.
 

There was a long pause, and then they all looked at each other, grinned and started screaming.
 

Marti liked them all, which made her so much more excited.

Chapter 2

“Welcome to Camp Hiawatha. I’m Tony Johnson, Camp Manager,” said a tall man who resembled a scarecrow with his long pointy nose and spiky hair. “I see a few familiar faces out there—welcome back—and a lot of new faces too. On behalf of the camp staff, who you’ll be meeting a little later, we’re excited to have you here. Now before I lose your attention, we need to go over a few housekeeping rules.”

Marti huddled with her new friends at a long table with benches on each side. Huge windows revealed a clearing around the building, the lush forest provided the backdrop. It was almost like being outside.
 

“Did you see that guy with the black hair? He keeps looking over here,” Brooke said, peeking out the corner of her eye.

Marti glanced over to see not just the one guy, but also three of his friends eyeing their group. “They are totally checking us out,” Marti said, her heart beating a little faster. The cute dark-haired guy seemed to be tracking Brooke’s scent.

“The one with the wavy hair is kind of cute,” Haley whispered, as she chewed on her fingernail.

Marti glanced at him. Bushy eyebrows framed his face.

“You can have him,” Kayla said. “I’m trying to decide between the other three.”

“Do you think they’re here for photography or one of the other camps?” Haley asked.

“With looks like his, I don’t think he’s here to dabble in the arts. I think he’s here to dabble with the girls.” Brooke met the dark steamy guy’s gaze.

Marti could tell that Brooke was in a class of her own where guys were involved.
 

“Intense,” Kayla said.
 

Tony droned on. “In a weather emergency, you’ll hear the bell ringing...”

“Check out the guy with the short hair. He is totally hot!” said Kayla.

Marti peeked over at the guy she had talked to when Grandma dropped her off.
 
He had a narrow nose, great cheekbones and a strong jaw. He’d be great model material if they did any studio work. He joked with his friends and laughed. “His name is AJ. I met him when I first got here.” AJ sure was easy on the eyes, not that she was looking for a guy. And unless it was an act, he seemed like a nice guy.
 

“I wouldn’t kick him out of bed, not that anyone’s asking,” Brooke said.
 

AJ looked over, and they all giggled. He smiled, not minding the attention.

“That’s it for tonight. I’ll bore you with more details tomorrow.” Tony clicked off the mike and the kids broke into small groups.

As the girls walked through the lodge, Marti noticed a small room off the main area. It featured overstuffed chairs, a bookcase overflowing with novels, an upright piano, and a couple guitar cases.

“Hey look,” Haley pointed. “A piano. Anyone play?”

“Not a note,” Kayla said. “My mom made me take piano for an entire year, and I hated it. I missed the music gene. It went to my brother.”

“Is he older or younger?” Marti asked.

“Younger, but he acts like he knows everything. He’s such a control freak.” Kayla rolled her eyes.

“My brother is older, and he’s impossible, but now he’s at college, so it’s a lot better,” Brooke said, brushing a long gleaming lock of hair from her face. “What about you, Marti? Any sibs?”

Marti considered telling them about her two half-siblings, a brother and a sister, who were total losers she barely knew and never ever saw, but that seemed like too much information. “Nope. It’s just me.” Which was more or less true.

“Four sisters,” Haley said. “Two older and two younger. I’m lucky when my parents get my name right.” Marti had assumed Haley was the youngest because of her innocent face and Hello Kitty accessories.