Snapshot (9 page)

“Canteen is open. Anybody want something?” Haley asked.

“I’m in,” Kayla said.
 

“Definitely.” Marti joined them, along with a few others as they wandered to the canteen over by the lodge. Most of the guys went back to the beach to cool off.

The girls ordered ice cream. Marti chose a toffee bar, and they all returned to a picnic table on the beach where they let the hot afternoon sun burn their skin.

“So, Marti, what’s going on with you and AJ?” Brooke asked with a knowing look.

“Nothing. He bugs the hell out of me. He’s so full of himself.” Marti ripped the paper off her bar.
 

The silent look exchanged between the other girls did not go unnoticed.

“What?” Marti refused to share the whole story. She could picture Adam flirting with all the girls if they knew his real identity. She could barely stand him as it was. She didn’t need him strutting around like some rock God.

“If you ask me, it’s like you two are performing a mating ritual.” Brooke licked at her ice cream.

“Oh my god, not hardly! If anyone is doing a mating dance, it’s you and Justin. I could feel the steam off of you two.” Marti looked at the lake where the guys tossed a football back and forth in the water.

Brooke grinned. “I know. He is so hot.” She waved at Justin.

“If you ask me, I say AJ is hot for Marti, and the more she pushes him away the more he’s going to keep coming,” Kayla said.

Marti’s blood boiled. She clenched her teeth. That’s what she didn’t want, more attention from Adam. Let him chase after some other gullible girl. No, she didn’t want that either. It drove her nuts that he bothered her so much.

“And he looks pretty fine with his shirt off,” Haley said, appreciating their view of the guys.

“Where’s my camera when I need it?” Kayla said.

Marti picked up her own camera and snapped a couple shots. “For you.” She smiled at Kayla.

“AJ and Justin are both totally hot,” Kayla said. “Ryan needs to do a few push ups. The poor guy is like a pole.”

Marti watched the guys throw the ball. AJ wasn’t overly buff. He was lean and fit, but obviously strong. His shoulders were solid, and his upper arms were muscular but not in a ‘I’m all bulked up way,’ more of a ‘I can lift anything you throw at me and you’ll never know how I managed’ way.
 

The guys charged out of the water and approached the picnic table. Kyle stood in front of Kayla and shook his mop of hair.

“God, Kyle, grow some manners would you!” Kayla yelled.

Kyle grinned.

Adam’s stare burned into Marti. She huffed and looked away.

“Want some?” Brooke held her ice cream up to Justin. He leaned in, took a lick and smiled. Brooke grinned and took a lick of her own.

“Somebody needs to get a room,” Haley said, under her breath.

“Let’s go. I’m hungry,” Adam said to the guys.

The girls watched as the guys, dripping in their wet, tanned awesomeness, headed for the canteen.

“You know,” Marti said. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say Kyle has a thing for Kayla.”

“Oh, ick! You are so wrong. Oh my god! You don’t even know how wrong you are.” Kayla scrunched her face in disgust.

“What? You just said the same thing to me about AJ.” Marti laughed.

“That’s different,” Kayla said.

“Sure it is.” Marti looked out to the lake and hid a smile. She liked seeing someone else in the hot seat for once. Still, her mind kept drifting back to Adam and she didn’t know what the heck to do about it. Maybe she could drown him.

*
 
*
 
*

Later that night, during lights out, instead of the low tones of the cello, the sound of an acoustic guitar came over the loud speaker. The gentle plucking of strings played Brahms lullaby.
 

“That’s cool,” Kayla said.

The sweet sounds of the lullaby played over the airwaves. Marti suspected immediately it must be Adam, but how the heck did he pull that off? He should be in his cabin, lights out. She just saw the guys a few minutes ago. She pictured Adam in the lodge office, holed up with a guitar across his lap. Despite her anger with him, the blending chords soothed her.

“I wonder who it is,” Brooke said.
 

They knew that the cello player was the camp director, Tony. Maybe he played guitar too. Probably. Adam said he didn’t want people to know who he was. Why would he risk anyone finding out he was the hot shot guitarist from Jamieson?

“I really like this,” Haley said.

The song came to a gentle end. Marti sighed. “Whoever it is, they sure know how to play.”

And then another song began. This time it was upbeat and intricate.

“I know that song. It’s Classical Gas!” Haley popped up in bed.

“I think someone snuck in the office and is going rogue. I’ve been coming here for years, and there is always only one song, and it’s the lullaby,” Kayla said.

The girls sat up in their beds as moonlight shone through the windows. The music trailed and twined up and down the scales with chords and intricate notes. Marti couldn’t help herself. No average guitar player could perform this song at the expert level they heard. She imagined Adam’s long fingers dancing over the strings, moving up and down the neck of the guitar, and changing key.

“Sometimes my dad would play for me at bedtime when I was little,” Marti recalled out loud.
When he wasn’t on tour, or too strung out from a hard day of partying
.

“That must have been so awesome,” Brooke sighed.

“Yeah, it was.” Her dad would sit on the side of the bed with his acoustic guitar. Usually it was Brahms Lullaby, but as she grew older, he would play lots of different things. Sometimes Puff the Magic Dragon, her all-time favorite, or Beatles music or Nirvana. He’d take pretty much anything and play it in whatever style he was in the mood for. His long hair, the same shade of blonde as hers, would fall forward like a curtain of privacy. His face softened and the distractions of his crazed world disappeared.
 

Those were their special moments, which happened less and less as she grew older. Strange. She hadn’t thought anything positive about her dad in forever. It must be camp and getting away.

The guitar music changed key and tempo. A tiny part of Marti itched to see Adam play, to watch his relaxed concentration. She envisioned his easy smile and the way his body would move to the song as he went to that special place musicians go when they’re really into it. Then she reminded herself who he was. Adam Jamieson. A rocker who would lie to get what he wanted. He’d grow more self-absorbed and spoiled as he grew up. He’d end up stomping all over everyone else.

The song ended and silence echoed in her heart. Despite herself, she wanted more.

Kayla whipped back her covers, still dressed in shorts and a tank top. “Do you think the coast is clear?”

“Oh yeah.” Brooke smoothed down her clothes. “I heard Melody and Brian talking earlier. They’re sneaking off to the bar tonight.”

“I bet they’re sneaking off to more than the bar,” Kayla said.

“What are we going to do?” Haley sat crossed legged on her bed.

“I’ll tell you what I think,” Brooke announced. “I think we should go skinny dipping!”

Marti’s head swung around, and her eyes bugged out.

“What?! You aren’t serious, are you?” Haley shot them a worried glance.

“Serious as a missed period,” Brooke said.

“And why not? Let’s live a little.” Kayla bounced onto the edge of Haley’s bed. “No guts, no glory!” She shook Haley playfully by the shoulders.

“But what if we get caught?” Haley’s voice quivered.

“Then it will be the best story of your entire summer.” Brooke pulled her long tresses back in a ponytail.

“Are we really gonna do this?” Marti asked, nervous, but excited. She’d never done anything like it in her life. What would Grandma say if she found out? Marti smiled. Grandma would love it.

“Yes, we are! Now quick, get ready,” Kayla said.

Marti loved how Kayla always seemed ready for a new adventure.

Haley looked at Marti across the moon lit room. “Oh boy.”

Marti grinned. “We need something fun to remember when we look back at our youth.”

Ten minutes later, covered only by their beach towels, the girls of Firefly tiptoed past the guys’ dark cabin and to the forest path. Brooke boldly led the way with her flashlight to the trail leading down to the water and a small sandy area. A perfect spot to wade in. Marti’s stomach performed Olympic level flip flops and her body tingled with awareness.

“I feel so naked!” Marti whispered.

“That’s because you are so naked!” Kayla giggled.
 

The nearly full moon reflected off the water, and the lights from the distant lodge glowed like a string of holiday lights. Cricket chirps echoed in the air. The cooler night air chilled Marti’s skin. She pulled the towel tighter, nearly dropping her flashlight.

“If I get caught, my mom is going to kill me,” Haley said.

“Come on, there’s far worse things we could get caught doing,” Brooke said. “Like getting drunk at camp. Oh yeah, we did that last night.”

Kayla laughed. “I think we should do a different outrageous thing every night.”
 

They arrived at the sandy expanse and stood in a tight clump, staring at the water.
 

“Now what? Who’s going first? ‘Cause I can guarantee it won’t be me,” Marti said.
 

“And it won’t be me,” Haley added.

“We could all go at the same time,” Kayla suggested.

Marti looked behind them to the darkened forest. Even though they were all alone and a towel covered her privates, she’d never felt so exposed.

“I’ll go. I don’t care.” Brooke took a quick glance around before she tossed her towel and slowly walked into the water.

*
 
*
 
*

As Adam reached his cabin door, he heard his name whispered. Actually, he heard the name AJ whispered. He glanced around, saw nothing, grabbed the door handle.

“AJ! Over here.”

The girls’ cabin looked dark and unwelcoming, like Marti’s feelings for him. He looked the other direction toward the path and saw a shadowy figure. He squinted. Justin stepped out and waved him over.

Adam held up a finger, signaling that he’d need a minute to put his camera away. He used the excuse of leaving his camera at the lodge so that he could sneak back in to play the lights out lullaby. Of course, he added a bit of his own flavor to the melody, but he didn’t think Tony minded. Tony had been supportive of Adam attending camp and even changed his name on any paperwork that other employees would see.

“Bring it!” Justin whispered again, waving him over.

What the hell was up? Adam looked around to make sure no one watched as he joined Justin, Ryan and Kyle in the shadows of the trees.

“Dude, what’s going on?” he asked.

“Shh! They might hear you?”

“Sorry.” He lowered his voice. “Who might hear me?”

“The girls,” Justin said.

Confused, Adam looked at each of the guys and their shit-eatin’ grins.

“They’re going skinny dipping!” Ryan whispered.

Adam’s eyes widened, and he immediately scanned the area.
Naked girls!

“This way.” Justin pointed and then silently led the way. The rest of the guys followed.

A couple minutes later, they heard the girls’ giggles and whispers. Adam peeked through the trees, as the full moon illuminated the four girls, each wrapped in only a towel.
 

Holy crap! They were about to drop towel and go in. Adam glanced at Justin who nodded and grinned like he’d just produced the Holy Grail, which he sort of had.

With more stealth than a SWAT team, they crept close to their prize. Adam recognized each girl by her silhouette and quickly spotted Marti. He wished he could figure out a way to make her stop hating him. He really hadn’t done anything wrong.

Then Brooke looked around. The guys all crouched down in case she could see them. Suddenly, she tossed her towel aside and walked straight into the water. Her nude body, outlined by the moonlight, reflected off the water. Adam’s jaw dropped. He’d never seen a naked girl before. He lived in a household of guys and, other than his mom, the only girls he got close to were fans at meet and greets after a performance. Those girls possessed more bodyguards than the president.

Before Adam could blink, Brooke moved out of sight, her form blocked by the other girls. Justin motioned to Adam’s camera.

Oh shit! Adam fumbled to pull the case and lens cover off, but his fingers moved in slow motion. He glanced up to see if he missed anything. The guys motioned for him to hurry. He freed the camera and turned it on. The low mechanical sound seemed loud as thunder, but the girls didn’t notice. He futzed in the dark with the controls, trying to adjust the shutter speed for such low light. He didn’t know if he had it right or not, but was positive he turned the flash off. A camera flash would not be cool!