I feel sick in my stomach as I watch my mum help me pack for camp. My heart's racing and I'm starting to sweat a lot. I put on some deodorant again just to be safe.
"Quit it with that face, it's just camp", she says then sighs when my face still remains, "This will be the funnest way to lose weight".
She smiles then pats my luggage, "C'mon now, before Noah starts honking", she says handing me my school bag.
As I walk to the door, I take one last look at my room. My safe haven, I'm going to miss it. My mum helps me carry the luggage as we go downstairs.
"So, I believe we have everything in tact?", she questions. Why is she asking like she wasn't the one who packed the bag?.
"Uh yeah?",
"Ooh just one thing left", she says and I wonder what we must have forgotten.
"Wha-", I get cut off by her pulling me into a hug. I'm startled but I melt into the hug, wrapping my arms around her. She kisses the side of my head.
"I'll miss you my gummy bear", she mutters and I smile.
"I'll miss you too mum", I say and she pulls away holding on to my arms.
"Whatever you need just call, okay?", she tells me so I nod. "I love you", she softly says.
"I love you too mum", I say just as we hear a honk from outside.
"Well, guess it's time to go".
We walk out of the house and approach Noah's car. He gets down on seeing us and quickly helps my mum with the luggage as he takes it to the trunk of the car.
I get into the car with Noah in the driver's seat now.
"Remember, just a call away", she smiles and I nod with a smile of my own. "Bye", she waves.
"Bye mum", I say as Noah drives off. I watch her through the mirror until I can't anymore. She'll probably stay there for a while then go over to Carmen.
"You ready?", Noah asks handing me a pair of dark shades. I take them with confusion written on my face.
The confusion wears off when he puts them on. I chuckle putting mine on too.
"I was born ready".
**
I lied.
I'm literally hyperventilating by the crowd at the parking lot. There are so many people here. I shut my eyes close then open, taking a peek and yup I'm not dreaming they're actually there.
"If you're done playing peek-a-boo hop out", Noah says as he gets down from his car. He's probably tired of me, we've been sitting here for over 10 minutes just because I wasn't prepared to get out.. oh and news flash, I'm still not ready.
I sigh. Take a deep breath Abby.
I look up at the rearview mirror. "You've got this", I say and I hope I haven't jinxed it.
I get down from the car to see Noah with our bags. I look behind him repeatedly.
"What?", he asks, giving me a weird look.
"Aren't you getting your luggage?", I ask, pointing behind to the trunk.
"What'd you mean?, it's right here", he says, gesturing to the duffel bag hanging on his shoulder.
"That's it?", I ask and he makes a tsk sound.
"I'm not a girl, let's go", he says, pulling my luggage with him. I stand in place watching him. He's gonna carry that with this many people around?. It's not all pink but it is kinda girly.
He looks over his shoulder, "C'mon princess",
I quicken my steps.
I wonder where Callie and Hernandez are. Could it be that they haven't showed up yet?. I take a look around, searching for my peas.
Luckily I spot a brunette frowning at her dad at the end of the parking lot.
"Noah I'll..", I pause when I see Noah's already caught the attention of a lot of other popular people. I sigh, well I guess he won't notice I'm gone then.
I approach the Jeffersons.
"Remember snowball, if anything makes you uncomfortable do not hesitate to report to the counselors, okay?", Mr Jefferson tells her and I notice her face turns pink due to some guys passing by.
"I told you to stop calling me that", she fusses crossing her arms over her chest, probably to show she's upset.
She's mad because her dad called her snowball in front of people, so what?. I'd die to hear my- no, enough with the sulking Abby. He's not coming back.
"And if the counselors make you feel uncomfortable, don't hesitate to call me.. okay?", he asks with a stern look.
"Fine", she stretches out with a loud groan. "Enough with the lecturing, you can go now", she says as she grabs her bags from him. A luggage and her school bag, just like me.
Noah's so wrong for thinking it's girls who pack like that. I mean, it's a three week program for crying out loud. You'd want enough clothes for that. It's literally just like three weeks of school. Didn't the thought that he might run out of clothes cross his mind?.
Callie looks over her shoulder, spotting me and she looks relieved. Okay not the reaction I was expecting. I actually expected her to scowl at me, reason why I've been standing here.
I'm not sure if she's over what happened yesterday yet.
"Don't you want me to walk you to the front?", her dad asks her.
"No thanks, Abby's here anyway", she says rushing to me.
Her dad turns, "Oh, hi Abby",
"You know I'm so glad you're here with Callie, makes me less antsy", he says, patting down his pants with a smile on his face. I nod with a smile.
"Sure, just the way my mum's less worried since Noah's here as well", I say. She kept saying it was a miracle they put him in.
"Noah's here?", Callie asks and I nod.
"Who's Noah?", Mr Jefferson asks, showing a bit of interest since Callie asked.
"Oh he's-",
"Her stinkingly hot neighbor", she cuts me off.
"Uh just neighbor is a good description", I say with a dry chuckle as I give Callie a look.
"Oh well I guess that's alright but you girls be careful okay?", he says and we nod.
"Bye sugarplum..",
"Ugh enough with the names", she groans with a roll of her eyes.
Her dad chuckles a bit, "Bye Abby",
"Bye", I say with a little wave.
Mr Jefferson gets into his car and we start to walk to the now forming crowd around at the front. Some students had carried a small podium there so people were gathering it now.
"Hernandez here yet?", she asks and I shake my head. We move in an awkward tension until she says, "Look I'm sorry about yesterday",
I turn to her, "Me too, you were right.. getting intimate wasn't fair to you", I say and she snorts so I smile.
"I was being bitchy, wasn't I?, she asks and I squint my eyes pulling my index and thumb together to indicate 'a little'.
"Okay", she chuckles and so do I.
"Maybe we should go check for him-", I'm being cut off by the sound of a loud disturbing noise and I bet it's from a motorcycle cause any car that could sound like that is probably wrecked. The noise doesn't only disrupt me but everyone else.
A black dirt bike makes an entrance, catching everyone's attention. It drifts in front of the crowd, creating a bit of dust flying around and it causes people upfront to cough.
The biker, with an all black attire (supposedly Hernandez) takes his helmet off and the diamond piercing immediately sparkles due to the sun light, shining brighter than those flashlights my mum bought me.
He licks his lips, clearly not seeing the attention he's gotten himself engulfed in, "Am I late?",
"Right on time man and nice bike", someone yells from the crowd and everyone hoots along.
"Uh thanks", he says sheepishly as he rubs the back of his neck. He's probably feeling awkward.
"Let's walk to him", I say to Callie but she seems preoccupied, ogling over Hernandez. I nudge her and she stops whatever K-drama she must have had going on.
"Let's go", I say and she looks lost but then nods in realization.
"Oh yeah, sure", she says and we walk to Hernandez but some girls beat us to it.
"Hey are you new here?",
"Yeah, what's your name?",
"You ride bikes often?",
Okay that was a very stupid question. Of course, he does. Isn't it obvious?.
"Uh..", Hernandez trails nervously, looking around and until his eyes land on us. And the same relief I saw in Callie's eyes were evident in his.
"Hey girls", he says excusing himself from them.
"Oh my God, so rude", one says and the others agree walking away as they mutter profanities under their breath.
"What an entrance you made", I say and he chuckles.
"Honestly didn't think it'd be that loud", he says, taking off his gloves.
"Of course, you didn't", I tease and he laughs.
"Um I think the Principal's here", Callie says so we look ahead to see Principal Shelby walking to the podium with a pair of khaki shorts and a wine colored polo shirt, wearing socks and sneakers. Marianne, her secretary follows her behind holding some files to her chest and also wearing the same outfit.
The sun gave her skin a little shine, giving her a little black girl magic going on. We watch as she steps onto the podium.
"She looks damn hot in that", Hernandez comments and I can't help but think he's absolutely right.
She squints her eyes due to the sun light then whispers something to Marianne below. She nods then walks away only to come back with a no top cap.
Principal Shelby puts it on, pushing her black curly hair back. Guess she didn't want to wear it straight today.
"That's much better", she says and it gets into the mic so we all hear it.
"Now students, a few of you may be glad to be here while the others.. are not", she says and there's some mumbling going around.
"But not that I care", she states with an unfazed face, showing she really doesn't care, "Now, as we all know or should know, this study program is for the benefit of everyone here even if you don't believe that", she says muttering the last part.
"We've made sure to add other extracurricular activities to make sure you have a bit fun while learning and tutoring",
"I hope that you all focus and strive to improve",
"You must all be wondering where the cabinets are..", she trails and the murmurings start to get louder. Come to think of it, there's nothing here. Just a bunch of trees.
"The hill right there, will take you there and due to its rocky nature, you'll have to go on foot", she finishes and everyone groans.
"There you'll meet four counselors, two volunteer teachers and two professional camping counselors. They'll tell you everything you need to know", she says then looks around.
"I hope that you all have the best three weeks of your lives", she says then adds, "Good day students".
She gets off the podium and walks away to her car with Marianne following behind. Wait, if she isn't going up with us then what was the use of her wearing that outfit?.
The crowd starts to disperse until the school's Student Gov., Adam rushes up the podium.
"Attention everyone", he yells and he manages to get a not too noisy crowd.
"As your Student Gov., and Anna your vice we'll be leading the way to ensure that you move in an orderly manner and also that no one gets lost", he says.
Adam and Anna our years Student Govs. and so the head of other Student Govs. Two diligent brunette twins. People preferred to talk to Anna cause Adam was a stuck up. Had the rules tight up his ass.
"The other student Govs will also help in leading -", a loud music cuts him off and there's a look of disdain on his face as everyone's attention, not that most people were paying attention, moved to the classic pink 1959 Cadillac driving in.
Sabrina Carpenter's Juno blares in the air as the car rolls to a stop and Loren steps out. Her whole pink attire screams expensive with a furry sleeveless crop jacket on top a leopard print bralette that matches her leopard print head band. A skirt, that could go as a top and high heel knee boots.
With dark sunglasses and her Fendi bag on one arm, she flings her long blonde hair (clearly hair extensions) to a shoulder.
She takes off the glasses, "The show can now begin".
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hi guys, so sorry for the late update. I've been having a bit of a writer's block lately but I'm back in track now. Don't hesitate to bring in ideas and also don't forget to vote and comment your thoughts on this chapter. Love you guysâ¤ï¸.
Oh I almost forgot, the Wattys Award shortlist is coming on Monday so wish me luck guys.