Camp Mirror Lake
Chapter 11 On The Lake With Jen

"Okay, everybody grab a partner, a personal floatation device, a water bottle and a paddle!" Jen instructed as she waited by the water, where 14 canoes waited for us.

"Melissa, you will be with me today!" she beamed at me.

"Oh, goodie!" I gave a fake cheer, but it didn't seem to effect Jen at all.

I'd been hoping to go with Becky, or really anyone from my group. They weren't bad girls, just silly! And since we were put with a different cabin of boys than my brothers, I'd been hoping to get to talk to her.

No such luck! I was stuck with Cheerleader Barbie! Today she wore her perfect pony tail pulled through a pink ball cap, with her standard perfect uniform, which was gonna get soaked by the end of the canoe trip!

Not only were everyone's emotions starting to feel... greyer, but so was the sky! In fact, even though it wasn't raining, it was a heavy mist that stuck my clothes to my body. It wasn't cold, we were in the middle of August, for crying out loud! But still... couldn't they postpone this trip until... well, maybe never! I wasn't into canoeing. It made my arms ache, and I tended to get sea sick!

"Okay, partners, one in the front and one in the back. Work together to shove off, then follow me!" sang Jen.

I grabbed my gear and put on my PFD, resigned to probably the worst morning so far. On my way to meet my "partner," I passed by my Todd's.

Oh. My. Freakin'. Gosh! They were gray! But that wasn't even the weirdest part. No! Their reflections were red and bright just like I'd seen them on the first day here! What the heck was going on in this place???

With my mind spinning out of control, I stepped up to Jen and tried for casual instead of the whack job I felt like I was becoming.

"So, where do you want me?" I asked.

"You're up front! It's easier for me to take control from the back..." she smiled, but I swear there was a mean red spark in her eyes as she was talking.

I just smiled and walked up to the front of the canoe and tossed my paddle into the boat.

"Go ahead and get in," she chimed. "I can take it from here!"

"If you insist," sarcasm dripped from my honeyed voice.

I hopped in, hoping she wouldn't tip the boat. But she held it steady, then shoved off and hopped in the back.

"Okay, due to the weather, we won't be out for more than an hour, I promise!" She shouted to everyone.

Well, that was something, at least, I grouched to myself.

"You know," Jen started happily, but something in her emotions told me not to believe the next thing that came out of her mouth. "I just saw Nate and Steph together this morning at breakfast. They are such a cute couple, don't you think?"

Stinging right through my heart. This girl knew how to crawl under my skin and do the worst damage. I had seen them together this morning too, but it didn't look like anything serious.

My face burned, and my eyes stung. But thankfully she couldn't see my face because she was behind me. I tried to focus on the rhythm of my paddling. She would never see what her words just did to me. And if my hands were shaking, well, it's just the chill from the lake!

"I didn't realize they were a couple," I tried to keep as much emotion out of my voice as possible.

"Oh, yeah! They've been together for a few weeks. I've seen them sneaking off into the woods when they think no one is looking," she giggled.

I could feel the lie. I knew it wasn't true. I also knew there was an end objective for her torturing me this morning. I just didn't know what it was.

That didn't stop the stupid jealousy from spreading through my heart and ending at my stupid brain!

I remembered the first day we showed up, and Nate introduced us to the girls. I remember feeling the jealousy coming from Steph. Maybe they had been a couple... Maybe Nate didn't really want me at all.

Steph was beautiful. She has long brown curls, and shiny blue eyes. They could almost be twins! She did mention how sweet he was when he walked me over...

Was Nate just a player and wanted the next new shiny toy that came into camp?

"Ben, on the other hand, is totally infatuated with you! None of the girls have caught his attention until you showed up..." she smirked.

And there it was. Her objective.

"I hadn't realized it was so hard to capture his attention..." my throat tightened.

"Oh, yeah! None of the staff have even caught his eye. Loren and Meg have been trying the last couple years. Dawn and Shelly gave up after the first couple months. Brittany just admires him from afar. Steve and James told the girls he was just playing hard to get and to keep trying, while Tom and Ron have been telling them that they would happy to be consolation prizes..." she chuckled at the camp councilor gossip.

"I didn't know. I've only been here a couple days and he seems to be... What's the word? Possessive of me?" I let that hang.

"Well, of course! Your new, beautiful, and unattached! Why wouldn't he be drawn to you. In fact he is very determined to make you his by the end of the week," she assured me.

Not that that was assuring! It was sickening!

No wonder she was trying to hurt me with Nate, she wanted to shove me off on Ben. But the only way to do that was to make sure Nate wasn't there. She wanted me to be jealous and tell Nate I heard about him and Steph, get into a fight and never see him again...

Devious little minx!

Well, I hate to break it to her, but that wasn't going to happen. My heart was already Nate's, and nothing she said would change that. But I didn't want her knowing that, or telling Ben. I guess I had to play along until I could talk to Nate.

"So, what would Ben do, if you know... I let him..." I couldn't finish that sentence! YUCK!

"Oh, he'll be thrilled! In fact the whole staff will be happy to find out Ben has finally found a match just for him," she cheered. "This will be perfect! He has big plans for you this weekend! Then we can be best friends!"

Did she really believe that dribble that came out of her mouth? Or the crap that I just vomited? I don't know, but for now it's safer to let her believe her own lies.

I looked up at they gray sky, trying to keep my emotions in check, when the sun broke through the heavy clouds and sent a stream of light through the water crystals in the air. But instead of a bright beautiful rainbow, all the colors had gone gray. My breath caught and I looked down at it's reflection in the water, where the colors were bright.

This world has gone topsy-turvy, just like my life. Hopefully would be able to find the rabbit hole soon and climb back out!

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