Camp Payback Read Online Free Page B

were sitting on one vacant bunk, the uncovered mattress squeaking as they shifted to see who came in.
    Right in the middle of them?
    My green duffle.
    “What are you doing?” No chance I was going to last out the summer. A girl kissing me…these guys handling my stuff…
    There was no respect for boundaries in this place. Tension vise-gripped my shoulders.
    One of the guys—a tall, slick-looking dude in a faded red polo—stood. “Just carried your bag up here for you, man. I’m Cameron.”
    I was less interested in Cameron than the guys behind him, still way too close to my things. I flexed my fingers, trying not to get bent out of shape too fast. “Anger issues” was one of the labels I’d seen in that thick file of mine. But I was working on that. I had to.
    “Javier,” I informed him, angling to drag the canvas sack toward an empty bed in the far corner. I flung the bag up onto the mattress and folded my arms, staring them down.
    “I’m Eli.” A squirrely red-headed kid practically leaped to his feet. “Welcome to the Warden.” He darted toward the door, nodding at the other guys. “We’re going down to the beach before dinner if you want to come.”
    The other guys fell in line. Cameron and some big, silent musclehead.
    I shook my head.
    “Too bad.” Eli slid out the door. “I’ll bet your girlfriend will be down there!”
    The other guys snickered while I fumed.
    I tossed out some clothes and reined in my temper. If I let things get worse, there’d be a fight before bedtime. Besides, the person I should be mad at was the dark-haired girl.
    But as I remembered the look on her face while those guys laughed at her behind her back, I half-wondered if she and I had something in common. At that moment, she hadn’t looked like she fit in any more than I did.

Alex
    I so did not want to be here. At least, not stuck in the administration building, crawling on my hands and knees, searching for missing lanyards. I was ready to get the camp party started. If only Emily would let me off the hook so I could scoot over to the arts and crafts building and make over my wardrobe from drab to fab. After Vijay’s put-downs and the tornado of rumors swirling around me, I needed to look amazing for tonight’s bonfire. Day one of my best summer ever was going down in flames, and I’d have to work fast to correct that.
    My fingers connected with a braided leather piece under a desk. Finally.
    “Here’s the last one.” I straightened and waved a tan bracelet with green beads.
    Emily held out an overflowing cloth bag. “That makes fifty-two. Thanks, Alex.” Her large eyes ran over the shattered driftwood display she’d placed back on the table. “Hours of work gone in seconds. It’s hard to believe.”
    “I’m sorry,” I said again, meaning it. It sucked when you worked at making something special only to have it shattered into millions of pieces. Like Vijay did to my heart. I pictured the lanky, endearing boy I’d fallen for last summer and wondered where he’d gone. He used to have a good side—but calling me a prude, asking me if I still wanted to be a virgin and planned to keep my legs crossed…it didn’t even sound like him.
    Emily’s eyes crinkled, and she extended a fist my way. “Don’t worry—be happy. Right, home girl?”
    We bumped knuckles, and I returned her broad smile, relieved she’d forgiven me. Her thin arm hooked around my waist as I hefted my gray suitcase. “You can help pass these out at the bonfire.” Emily swung the bag and shook back her tangled blonde curls. “But first I want to hear the dirt on Vijay.” She lowered her voice to a stage whisper. “And your new boyfriend, Javier. Fast moves, girlfriend, but be careful there. He’s totally quasi-staff this year.”
    “Can we wait until we get back to the cabin? I need to stop at the arts and crafts building,” I stalled. My kissing partner-in-crime had definitely been hot, but he’d been a weapon against Vijay.