Reunion #21 Read online

  Reunion #21

  Morgan, Melissa J.

  PENGUIN group (2012)

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  * * *

  Table of Contents

  Copyright Page

  Title Page

  chapter ONE

  chapter TWO

  chapter THREE

  chapter FOUR

  chapter FIVE

  chapter SIX

  chapter SEVEN

  chapter EIGHT

  chapter NINE

  chapter TEN

  chapter ELEVEN

  chapter TWELVE

  chapter THIRTEEN

  chapter FOURTEEN

  chapter FIFTEEN

  chapter SIXTEEN

  EPILOGUE

  Teaser chapter

  GROSSET & DUNLAP

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  PROLOGUE

  From: NatalieNYC

  To: Aries8

  Subject: Summer blues!

  Hey Jenna,

  Greetings from the Big Apple! How are you?

  I’m trying to keep busy now that we don’t have a summer at Lakeview to look forward to. In case you were wondering exactly how desperate the situation is, Dad even convinced me to sign up for some improv classes through a performing arts school here in the city. (There may or may not have been a shopping-related bribe involved.) I know—you can’t picture it. I tried to convince him that acting is so not my thing, but I think he gets excited about me possibly following in his footsteps. Anyway, maybe now I’ll be able to compare notes with Brynn the next time I see her. She’ll be so excited to have another “thespian” (her word, of course) among our campmates! Speaking of . . . do you know what she’s doing this summer, now that Lakeview’s shut down? Have you heard from anyone else? And what about you, by the way? Inquiring minds want to know! Tell me I’m not the only one who is feeling kinda lost without camp.

  Write back soon and give me all the gossip.

  Miss you,

  Nat

  From: Aries8

  To: NatalieNYC

  Subject: Re: Summer blues!

  Hiya, city slicker!

  I’m glad to hear that you’re keeping busy. (But I would so pay money to watch you in an improv class! LOL! I hope the shopping spree was at least worth it!) I am, too. My community center has a summer soccer clinic that I’ll go to three times a week, and on the off days I’ll play tennis with Adam. Naturally, I plan to kick his butt 100 percent of the time. We may be twins, but when it comes to athletic ability, all Blooms are not created equal!

  I got an e-mail from Brynn a few weeks ago, and it sounds like she’s planning to do some kind of arts program in her town. I think she’s disappointed. She expected it to be a huge dose of high-falutin’ theatre, but when she went to the orientation, she found out that instead it’s some hippie teacher encouraging her to “engage her body in creative movement.” Like, I think it’s mostly interpretive dance or something. I told her a little interpretive dance never hurt anybody (as far as I know). I’m not sure that she was totally convinced.

  Oh well. I wish we could see each other at Lakeview again, but it looks like that’s not in the cards anymore. At least we’ve all found some way to spend the summer vacation. For better or for worse . . .

  Write back soon!

  —Jenna

  “I love the Film Forum,” Natalie sighed, stepping off the elevator and into the plush hallway of her apartment building. “Where else can you see a movie like The Wizard of Oz on the big screen?” She reached into her quilted pink tote bag and fished out a jangly silver keychain, unlocking the door to the Manhattan apartment she shared with her mother.

  “Also, they have the best popcorn in the city,” her best friend Hannah replied. “What do you think they put in it to make it so extra yummy?”

  The two girls crossed through the spacious living room and back toward Natalie’s pristine bedroom. As usual, her mother was still out, working all hours like the crazed professional that she was. Not that Natalie minded having freedom; she knew she was way lucky that her parental supervision was mostly kept to a minimum, unlike some of her friends, who had all kinds of curfews and rules and things like that.

  Rules. Natalie shuddered just thinking about it. Rules probably involved not being allowed to go downtown in a cab with your BFF to watch a movie in an awesome art-house theater.

  “Earth to Natalie,” Hannah chimed in. “Do you not have an opinion on the great popcorn mystery?”

  Natalie shrugged, settling onto her plush bed with her sleek laptop. “As long as it’s so delectable, why ask questions?”

  “Fair enough,” Hannah agreed, collapsing next to her in a heap on the bed. “So,” she continued, propping herself up on one elbow, “now that you’ve seen that movie a million and one times, be honest—does the Cowardly Lion still freak you out?”

  Nat made a face. “What can I say? His voice is so thick and creepy. But after seeing the movie a million and one times, I think I can handle it, finally. The one that really impresses me is Judy Garland. I mean, she can cry on command. That’s acting! She totally knows how to ‘go there.’ I think ‘going there’ is going to play a key role in my improv classes this summer.”

  “Go where?” Hannah looked puzzled, even through her toothy grin.

  Natalie rolled her eyes. “I think it’s an expression. At least, I hope it’s an expression. The only place I want to go is Pinkberry after class every week. Seriously—I don’t know if I’m cut out to be an actress. That’s, like, my dad’s thing, or Brynn’s.” Natalie’s father was the movie star Tad Maxwell, who had appeared in a bunch of blockbuster spy movies that were immensely popular. And Brynn was Natalie’s friend from summer camp who had a flair for the dramatic.

  Natalie could be plenty dramatic herself when she wanted to be. But that didn’t mean she had designs on seeing her nam
e in lights. She was happy to leave that to her friends and her father.

  “I think it’s cute that your dad wants a little mini-me,” Hannah insisted. “He’s all showing he cares and stuff. It’s sweet.”

  “Great. Then you‘go there,’ ” Nat countered. She smiled to show she was teasing. Mostly. “Honestly, Han? I never in a million years thought I would say this, but I’m so bummed that Camp Lakeview closed. I really miss it, and all of my camp friends. And you’re going to be jetting off to France for your dad’s sabbatical, so it’s going to be superlonely around here.”

  “I could stash you in my suitcase; you could stow away,” Hannah offered. “We could spend all summer sunning on the Riviera!”

  Natalie raised an eyebrow. “Are you trying to make me feel worse? You know I have a fear of small, enclosed spaces. So your suitcase—and hence, France—are out. Pfft.” She sighed. “No France, no Lakeview ... just a summer of doing breathing exercises and pantomime and stuff . . .” She let her voice trail off forlornly and flipped open her laptop, tapping away at the keyboard, firing it up, and scanning her e-mails.

  “This from the girl who always claimed to be allergic to nature,” Hannah said, shaking her head in disbelief. “I am shocked. Shocked, I tell you.”

  But Natalie wasn’t listening to Hannah anymore; she was too caught up in what she was reading onscreen. Suddenly she sat up straight. “You’re not the only one! Check out the e-mail that I just got!” She flipped her computer around so that Hannah could see the screen clearly.

  “Blah blah Dr. Steve—he’s the Lakeview director, right?” Hannah asked, scanning the screen.

  Natalie nodded excitedly. “Yep. Well, he was, until Lakeview closed. But keep reading!” She jabbed her index finger back in the direction of the computer.

  “Camp Walla Walla?” Hannah read aloud. “In Connecticut?”

  Natalie nearly bounced off the bed and onto the floor, she was so hyped up. She looked at Hannah, her eyes shining with enthusiasm. “Camp Walla Walla,” she repeated, “in Connecticut. Dr. Steve made a last-minute decision to work there this summer!” She paused, giving the information a moment to sink in. “And he wants us to join him!”

  “Maybe you got your wish,” Hannah said, looking pleased for her friend. “You could be going back to camp after all!”

  Posted by: Jenna

  Subject: Walla Walla—who’s in?

  Hey guys!

  Can you believe the e-mail from Dr. Steve about Camp Walla Walla? I know I can’t! Don’t get me wrong—I was getting psyched for soccer and tennis (I mean, you guys know me), but now that Dr. Steve’s got a new camp, I’m thinking we Lakeview girls need to start a new tradition!

  I did some Googling on Camp Walla Walla, and it looks amazing! They’ve got a top-of-the-line ropes course, archery, an Olympic-sized pool and a lake, and a serious boating and outdoor survival program. It sounds totally cool and rustic and outdoorsy, just up my alley.

  Oh, and did I mention the thing where it’s also amazing?

  Who’s in?

  Posted by: Priya

  Subject: Here’s to new traditions!

  Um, so I’m no Olympic archer, and I’m kind of afraid of heights, but it’s hard not to get psyched about Walla Walla with your whole ringing endorsement, J!

  Posted by: Jenna

  Subject: Totally psyched!

  Because of the amazingness, right? Come on, girls! We have to go. Lakeview reunited! The gang’s all here! Best friends forever!

  Posted by: Brynn

  Subject: Dramarama

  OMG, Jen, we get it. And they say I’m the dramatic one. Hmph. Do they do any plays or anything,or are we just going to be learning to identify poisonous berries and how to make a sleep shelter from a bikini top and stuff?

  Posted by: Jenna

  Subject: Aww c’mon . . .

  If you come to camp, Brynn, I swear I’ll run lines with you every night. And you can borrow my bathing suit for your sleep shelter, if it comes to that.

  Posted by: Chelsea

  Subject: I’m in!

  I’ll go if you guys go. I think my parents were worried that I was just going to be bumming around the house all summer, anyway. They’ll be relieved for me to get outside and into the great outdoors and stuff.

  Posted by: Sloan

  Subject: Me too!

  Count me in. Arizona gets crazy-hot in the summertime, and anyway, my tarot cards say that there is a blessing to be found in nature. And everyone knows the cards don’t lie.

  Posted by: Jenna

  Subject: Halfway there . . .

  Woo-hoo! That’s three of us! Priya? Brynn? Nat? I know you’re out there! Quit lurking and get with the program!

  Posted by: Priya

  Subject: !!!

  All right, all right, just stop with the exclamation points! It’s like you’re shouting at me across cyber space. My parents say I can come. And I’ll do you one better: Jordan and David are going to come, too! Aren’t you glad my best friend is a guy? I bring the cute boys with me wherever I go.

  Posted by: Jenna

  Subject: Yoo-hoo?!

  It’s down to Nat and Brynn. You’re the last holdouts. What’s it going to be?

  Posted by: Natalie

  Subject: Count me in.

  You’re lucky that you caught me during a weak moment. I’ll come, especially if it means I can escape torturous improv class. I think week one is an exercise in channeling our pets. Do I seem like the sort of person who would want to channel her pet (if I had one!)? I refuse to unleash my inner hamster.

  I’m not gonna lie, though, Jenna—I’m a little worried about the whole sports theme you’re so hyped up on.

  Posted by: Jenna

  Subject: Do Not Fear the Sports!

  NATALIE! I will take your turn in dodgeball for you! I will run relays in your place! I will score endless free throws in Horse in your name.

  Posted by: Natalie

  Subject: Surprise

 

  All right, all right. That sounds okay. As long as you swear I won’t have to break a sweat (or a nail) if I don’t want to.

  Annnddddd . . . here’s a surprise for you guys: I talked Reed into coming to camp, too! He said he was going to try to spend the summer holed up in his father’s screening room, but honestly, I think he liked the idea of camp and other kids his age. And now that there’s no Logan in the picture anymore, maybe Reed and I can pick up where we left off with our crushing!

  Posted by: Jenna

  Subject: Yay!

  Silly Nat—I should have known you’d be in if there were cute boys involved. Not that I’m complaining! Yay for cute boys! Yay for Walla Walla! Yay for us!

  Posted by: Brynn

  Subject: ???

  Reed’s coming? No way am I missing out on Natalie’s L.A. boy. I’m in!

  Posted by: Natalie

  Subject: Double yay!

  I never thought I’d feel this way, but hear, hear! We’re going back to camp!

  chapter ONE

  “Oh. My. Wow.”

  Jenna Bloom looked up from her duffel bags to find her friend and fellow Camp Lakeview exile, Natalie Goode, staring at her like she’d just sprouted a second head. She was totally psyched to see Nat, of course—it’d been, like, a whole summer since they’d last hung out—but was suddenly concerned that her face was streaked with leftover strawberry yogurt from lunchtime or something equally icky.

  “What?” she asked, bringing a hand to her cheek self-consciously. “Do I—”

  “Your hair!” Natalie shrieked, rushing forward to run her fingers through Jenna’s newly glossy, stick-straight locks. “What did you do?”

  Jenna winced. Natalie’s voice had reached an octave generally reserved for dogs or other members of the animal kingdom.

  “Oh, yeah,” she said. She reached up and flipped her light brown hair off of one shoulder, remembering. “I got, um, one of those straight perms? For Stephanie’s sweet sixteen? Steph
anie thought it would look cool? And, you know, I never ever change my hair, so I thought maybe it was time?”

  Her uptalking betrayed the fact that Jenna was a tomboy by nature, way more into layups than lip gloss. Natalie was the resident camp glamourista. But the truth was, Jenna was kind of into her shiny, shiny hair, and was glad that her older sister had suggested it. Maybe all those summers at Lakeview with Nat had finally rubbed off on her. It was at Lakeview that she’d met her first boyfriend, after all. And they’d even agreed to stay together after Lakeview shut down. But during the school year, they ended up deciding they were better off as friends. Yes, her relationship with David was officially Of The Past . . . and so, unfortunately, was Camp Lakeview. Jenna and Natalie were about to take the plunge—or rather, the chartered coach bus—to the wild outskirts of Connecticut, to Camp Walla Walla, hence the duffel bags.

  Jenna’s eyes wandered down to Natalie’s luggage. The girl had managed to drag not one but two enormous polka-dotted lavender bags and a hot pink trunk that could have doubled as a traffic sign. A very girly traffic sign.