Fiction: A Different Kind of Summer Camp

Markbassplayer · 11-21-2011, 01:58 PM

A Different Kind of Summer Camp

Prologue: Day Zero

***Chapter One***

“Meghan? I didn’t know you were coming!”

I finished lugging my suitcase up the worn stairs and looked up. Valerie was walking toward me with a big goofy smile on her face.

“Valerie? Wow, I didn’t know you’d be here either. Cool!”

After a quick hug, Valerie said “Isn’t this awesome? Living in dorms like college students, away from our parents for a week! I can’t wait to find out who my roommate is. Have you met yours yet?”

I shook my head and pointed toward my suitcase. “I just got done at the registration table downstairs. I’m in room 313.”

“Hopefully our roommates are cool,” Valerie said. “They used to make you answer all sorts of questions to match you up, but now it’s totally random.”

A tall boy with frizzy hair came in behind us and walked past, stopping in front of one of the dorm doors. He took out a key attached to a shoelace, opened the door, and went in.

“Oh. My. GOD.” Valerie whispered. “That’s my room. My roommate is a boy.”

I gasped, and felt butterflies in my stomach. I’d almost been able to forget that this wasn’t a normal summer camp session at the college. The past few weeks had been a mixture of dread and nervous excitement, wondering exactly what would happen and just how bad it would be. I’d heard rumors and whispers of all sorts of crazy things, but no one seemed to know exactly what was true. The possibility of having a guy roommate in the dorm was just the beginning.

Valerie was just standing there staring. She turned to me with a frightened look on her face. “What am I going to do? I knew it was a possibility, but I didn’t think it would ACTUALLY happen!”

I smiled weakly and shrugged. “I dunno. As excited as I am for classes and band, the other stuff has me scared to death. Especially since no one will actually tell me what exactly it is.”

“I’ve heard all sorts of rumors,” Valerie said quietly. “Having to go around in just your underwear. Sex Ed classes and stuff. But that was before they mixed the boys and girls in the same session, so this year it can’t be that bad. Can it?” She started nervously playing with her hair. “God Meghan, what am I going to do? I was nervous about sharing a dorm room with a stranger, how am I going to get changed in front of a BOY?”

I didn’t think I’d be doing any better if I was in her place, but I patted her arm comfortingly. “It won’t be that bad. You can like, hang a sheet up or something. Or wait until he leaves in the mornings. He’s probably nice, and he’s probably as nervous as you are.” I picked up my suitcase and started down the hall. “Here’s my room. Do you want to come in and hang out here for a while?”

“Yeah,” said Valerie.

****************

The room was small and cramped, with two worn desks, two chairs, a dresser, a wardrobe, and two old metal frame beds bunked one above the other. This was an old dorm that hadn’t been renovated yet, which is why the college was using it for the summer camp session.

The first thing I noticed was that there was a wardrobe instead of a closet. Damn. So much for hiding out while changing. What if my roommate is a boy too?

Valerie sat down on the bottom bed and sighed. I opened my suitcase and started pulling out clothes and tossing them in drawers.

There was a knock at the open door. I looked up to see the frizzy haired boy standing there. He looked as nervous as I felt. Also kind of cute, in a nerdy sort of way.

“Um, hi,” he said. “I’m Daniel. Do you know where we’re supposed to go to get our meal cards?”

I realized I was standing there holding a handful of my underwear, and quickly shoved them into a drawer. “I think we get them tonight when we go to the cafeteria. That’s what they said at the registration desk.”

I looked a little more closely at Daniel. Brown frizzy hair, a shy smile, skinny, and kind of cute. I found myself wondering what it would be like to change clothes at the same time as him, and felt myself start to blush. “Uh, I’m Meghan.”

“Good to meet you Meghan. Hey, are you in band?” he said, pointing to my trumpet case.

“Yeah, and so is Valerie here—we both go to Mitchell, and we march in the band there. Are you?”

“Yeah, I play sax. Cool! So are you two roommates?”

I glanced at Valerie. “No, she’s just hanging out while I unpack.”

Valerie gulped and said quietly “I’m in room 315.”

There was a pause. “Oh,” said Daniel. Then, very quickly, “Um, me too. So I guess we’re roommates then. And we’re both in band, so we have something in common. Well, I’ve gotta go finish unpacking, I’ll see you later.”

After Daniel shut the door I turned to Valerie, who was still pale. “See? He’s just as nervous as you are!”

Valerie shook her head. “That doesn’t make it any less weird. But okay.” She stood up and sighed. “I’m gonna go find my classrooms. I’ll see ya soon.” She took a step, then turned and gave me a sudden, fierce hug. “I’m really glad you’re here. I’m so nervous about this week.”

“Me too,” I said.

But you’re also excited, aren’t you? I thought to myself, though I would never admit it out loud.

11-21-2011, 01:58 PM	#1
Markbassplayer Distinguished Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 766	A Different Kind of Summer Camp A Different Kind of Summer Camp Prologue: Day Zero ****Chapter One** “Meghan? I didn’t know you were coming!” I finished lugging my suitcase up the worn stairs and looked up. Valerie was walking toward me with a big goofy smile on her face. “Valerie? Wow, I didn’t know you’d be here either. Cool!” After a quick hug, Valerie said “Isn’t this awesome? Living in dorms like college students, away from our parents for a week! I can’t wait to find out who my roommate is. Have you met yours yet?” I shook my head and pointed toward my suitcase. “I just got done at the registration table downstairs. I’m in room 313.” “Hopefully our roommates are cool,” Valerie said. “They used to make you answer all sorts of questions to match you up, but now it’s totally random.” A tall boy with frizzy hair came in behind us and walked past, stopping in front of one of the dorm doors. He took out a key attached to a shoelace, opened the door, and went in. “Oh. My. GOD.” Valerie whispered. “That’s my room. My roommate is a boy.” I gasped, and felt butterflies in my stomach. I’d almost been able to forget that this wasn’t a normal summer camp session at the college. The past few weeks had been a mixture of dread and nervous excitement, wondering exactly what would happen and just how bad it would be. I’d heard rumors and whispers of all sorts of crazy things, but no one seemed to know exactly what was true. The possibility of having a guy roommate in the dorm was just the beginning. Valerie was just standing there staring. She turned to me with a frightened look on her face. “What am I going to do? I knew it was a possibility, but I didn’t think it would ACTUALLY happen!” I smiled weakly and shrugged. “I dunno. As excited as I am for classes and band, the other stuff has me scared to death. Especially since no one will actually tell me what exactly it is.” “I’ve heard all sorts of rumors,” Valerie said quietly. “Having to go around in just your underwear. Sex Ed classes and stuff. But that was before they mixed the boys and girls in the same session, so this year it can’t be that bad. Can it?” She started nervously playing with her hair. “God Meghan, what am I going to do? I was nervous about sharing a dorm room with a stranger, how am I going to get changed in front of a BOY?” I didn’t think I’d be doing any better if I was in her place, but I patted her arm comfortingly. “It won’t be that bad. You can like, hang a sheet up or something. Or wait until he leaves in the mornings. He’s probably nice, and he’s probably as nervous as you are.” I picked up my suitcase and started down the hall. “Here’s my room. Do you want to come in and hang out here for a while?” “Yeah,” said Valerie. ************** The room was small and cramped, with two worn desks, two chairs, a dresser, a wardrobe, and two old metal frame beds bunked one above the other. This was an old dorm that hadn’t been renovated yet, which is why the college was using it for the summer camp session. The first thing I noticed was that there was a wardrobe instead of a closet. Damn. So much for hiding out while changing. What if my roommate is a boy too? Valerie sat down on the bottom bed and sighed. I opened my suitcase and started pulling out clothes and tossing them in drawers. There was a knock at the open door. I looked up to see the frizzy haired boy standing there. He looked as nervous as I felt. Also kind of cute, in a nerdy sort of way. “Um, hi,” he said. “I’m Daniel. Do you know where we’re supposed to go to get our meal cards?” I realized I was standing there holding a handful of my underwear, and quickly shoved them into a drawer. “I think we get them tonight when we go to the cafeteria. That’s what they said at the registration desk.” I looked a little more closely at Daniel. Brown frizzy hair, a shy smile, skinny, and kind of cute. I found myself wondering what it would be like to change clothes at the same time as him, and felt myself start to blush. “Uh, I’m Meghan.” “Good to meet you Meghan. Hey, are you in band?” he said, pointing to my trumpet case. “Yeah, and so is Valerie here—we both go to Mitchell, and we march in the band there. Are you?” “Yeah, I play sax. Cool! So are you two roommates?” I glanced at Valerie. “No, she’s just hanging out while I unpack.” Valerie gulped and said quietly “I’m in room 315.” There was a pause. “Oh,” said Daniel. Then, very quickly, “Um, me too. So I guess we’re roommates then. And we’re both in band, so we have something in common. Well, I’ve gotta go finish unpacking, I’ll see you later.” After Daniel shut the door I turned to Valerie, who was still pale. “See? He’s just as nervous as you are!” Valerie shook her head. “That doesn’t make it any less weird. But okay.” She stood up and sighed. “I’m gonna go find my classrooms. I’ll see ya soon.” She took a step, then turned and gave me a sudden, fierce hug. “I’m really glad you’re here. I’m so nervous about this week.” “Me too,” I said. But you’re also excited, aren’t you? I thought to myself, though I would never admit it out loud. Last edited by Markbassplayer; 11-21-2011 at 09:50 PM.