Tricia’s shoes (ugh) and speak with him about moving Tricia to a private bunk.
Natalie had no idea what to say to Dr. Steve. What if he thought that Tricia wasn’t enjoying her stay at Walla Walla and it was all Natalie’s fault? Natalie considered telling Dr. Steve that Tricia was just very messy and wanted more room in which to make that mess, but then she felt like she was betraying her country or something.
Natalie figured she’d just make up some excuse on the fly when she got there. She really couldn’t figure out a better way to explain the situation.
“Hey, Natalie,” said Ben, one of the junior counselors at Walla Walla, who had an adorable smile, now that she thought about it.
“Hi there,” Natalie replied. “I wanted to stop by and pick up a package for Tricia. Where can I find it?”
Ben laughed and gestured to the copy room on his left. “I think you’re going to need some help. It’s a pretty big box.”
Natalie glanced over and saw a cardboard box the size of a forty-inch TV. “I’ll take care of it later, then,” she said, sighing in defeat. “Is Dr. Steve here? I have to ask him a question, and it’s kind of important.”
“No, he’s at the Green Festival planning meeting,” Ben said. “I’m surprised you’re not there yourself.”
Natalie’s breath caught in her throat. I can’t believe I forgot about the meeting! ARGH!
“Yeah, I was tied up most of today. Where is it again?” Natalie really hoped she could get to the meeting before it ended. Even if she wasn’t chairperson, she still had a ton of ideas that she wanted to share!
“It’s at the new rock garden. Sloan thought that it was the perfect place to inspire everyone’s imagination,” Ben said.
Natalie felt the jealousy come on in waves. If she hadn’t fallen for Dr. Steve’s spiel about her being the perfect candidate to show Tricia around camp, she would be in charge of the committee instead of spending every waking moment being Tricia’s errand girl! But she knew she had to shake herself free of those negative thoughts quickly—there was no time to lose!
“Thanks, Ben. I’ll head over there,” Natalie said.
Within seconds, Natalie was out of Dr. Steve’s office and running as fast as she could across the campgrounds, the box of garbage bags in one hand and Tricia’s Kit Kat in her back pocket. She managed to reach the rock garden in about three minutes flat. Unfortunately, by the time she got there, the meeting was already breaking up. Natalie watched in disappointment as Sloan shook hands with the counselors and fellow campers who had volunteered to help with the festival. She even saw a cute new boy camper standing next to Sloan with a huge grin on his face.
Natalie felt her heart sink, but when she saw Chelsea approaching, she put on a happy face.
“Hey, how did the meeting go?” Natalie asked, trying to seem chipper.
“It was really good. Can you believe this many people came?” Chelsea said enthusiastically.
Natalie bit her lip to keep herself from getting upset. “I know, Sloan did an amazing job of getting the word out.”
“She sure did. So where have you been all day? I thought for sure you’d want to be here, after all that work you put into your essay,” Chelsea said sarcastically.
Natalie’s mouth dropped open in surprise at Chelsea’s comment. She knew she hadn’t been able to thank Chelsea properly yet for all her help with the essay, but did she really deserve that kind of snotty remark? It didn’t make Natalie eager to express her gratitude, that was for sure.
“Oh, Tricia and I spent all morning hiking the trails with Cybil. Tricia’s training to be in some marathon and—”
“Yeah, whatever.” Chelsea looked over her shoulder intently, like she was hoping to find a way out of the conversation. “Anyway, I’d better get back to Sloan. We have so much organizing to do.”
Natalie flinched. “ We? ”
“Oh, didn’t you hear the news? Sloan and I are
Natalie had no idea what to say to Dr. Steve. What if he thought that Tricia wasn’t enjoying her stay at Walla Walla and it was all Natalie’s fault? Natalie considered telling Dr. Steve that Tricia was just very messy and wanted more room in which to make that mess, but then she felt like she was betraying her country or something.
Natalie figured she’d just make up some excuse on the fly when she got there. She really couldn’t figure out a better way to explain the situation.
“Hey, Natalie,” said Ben, one of the junior counselors at Walla Walla, who had an adorable smile, now that she thought about it.
“Hi there,” Natalie replied. “I wanted to stop by and pick up a package for Tricia. Where can I find it?”
Ben laughed and gestured to the copy room on his left. “I think you’re going to need some help. It’s a pretty big box.”
Natalie glanced over and saw a cardboard box the size of a forty-inch TV. “I’ll take care of it later, then,” she said, sighing in defeat. “Is Dr. Steve here? I have to ask him a question, and it’s kind of important.”
“No, he’s at the Green Festival planning meeting,” Ben said. “I’m surprised you’re not there yourself.”
Natalie’s breath caught in her throat. I can’t believe I forgot about the meeting! ARGH!
“Yeah, I was tied up most of today. Where is it again?” Natalie really hoped she could get to the meeting before it ended. Even if she wasn’t chairperson, she still had a ton of ideas that she wanted to share!
“It’s at the new rock garden. Sloan thought that it was the perfect place to inspire everyone’s imagination,” Ben said.
Natalie felt the jealousy come on in waves. If she hadn’t fallen for Dr. Steve’s spiel about her being the perfect candidate to show Tricia around camp, she would be in charge of the committee instead of spending every waking moment being Tricia’s errand girl! But she knew she had to shake herself free of those negative thoughts quickly—there was no time to lose!
“Thanks, Ben. I’ll head over there,” Natalie said.
Within seconds, Natalie was out of Dr. Steve’s office and running as fast as she could across the campgrounds, the box of garbage bags in one hand and Tricia’s Kit Kat in her back pocket. She managed to reach the rock garden in about three minutes flat. Unfortunately, by the time she got there, the meeting was already breaking up. Natalie watched in disappointment as Sloan shook hands with the counselors and fellow campers who had volunteered to help with the festival. She even saw a cute new boy camper standing next to Sloan with a huge grin on his face.
Natalie felt her heart sink, but when she saw Chelsea approaching, she put on a happy face.
“Hey, how did the meeting go?” Natalie asked, trying to seem chipper.
“It was really good. Can you believe this many people came?” Chelsea said enthusiastically.
Natalie bit her lip to keep herself from getting upset. “I know, Sloan did an amazing job of getting the word out.”
“She sure did. So where have you been all day? I thought for sure you’d want to be here, after all that work you put into your essay,” Chelsea said sarcastically.
Natalie’s mouth dropped open in surprise at Chelsea’s comment. She knew she hadn’t been able to thank Chelsea properly yet for all her help with the essay, but did she really deserve that kind of snotty remark? It didn’t make Natalie eager to express her gratitude, that was for sure.
“Oh, Tricia and I spent all morning hiking the trails with Cybil. Tricia’s training to be in some marathon and—”
“Yeah, whatever.” Chelsea looked over her shoulder intently, like she was hoping to find a way out of the conversation. “Anyway, I’d better get back to Sloan. We have so much organizing to do.”
Natalie flinched. “ We? ”
“Oh, didn’t you hear the news? Sloan and I are
Similar Books
