CHAPTER FOUR: Summer Camp

Michelle POV

It's my favorite time of the year, summer. Every summer here in the countryside, camp site is provided for kids and teenagers. It's like a vacation without parents control, no learning or assignment. We all gathered at the park and prepared to leave, I and Terence have arrived so we were waiting for others. Terence's mum was dropping us at the camp.

'Hey' Terence greeted

'Hi' I responded trying not to make my attraction to him obvious.

'What do you plan on doing at camp' Terence asked

'Almost everything doable including horse riding competition, singing of country songs and I also brought a cow boy hat' I said pulling out the hat from my bag and wore it. Terence smiled and helped me tie the rope under my chin, I stared at him in daze and felt my cheek start to burn I bet I look like tomatoes now.

'We are here, summer has begun, have fun, follow the rules and you won't get in trouble' Mr. Ken said, he is the summer master, he owns the camp. He was addressing the campers before we headed for our rooms should I say tent. Last year summer we unpacked in a cabin the s year we are staying in tents. Jane, Jonas and Jax, the camp counselors help set up the tents.

'The tents have been set' Jan announced

'Five people in each tent, girls take the right side down the hill, guys take the left at next two hills' Jonas said and the camper groaned in disappointment.

'If you need anything the 3Js are here to help' Jax said

'3Js?' a girl asked

'Yeah, Jane, Jonas and Jax, 3Js' Jax explained, he seemed to be a jovial type

'Since when have you been called 3Js' a guy asked

'Uhm, since middle school right?' Jax asked Jane

'We were nemesis during middle school but we were know as 3Js in grade 11' Jane narrated and wee applauded them for their long lasting friendship it makes me remember that I have to leave my gang.

Activities started at earnest, there was different competitions to participate in and also campers from the city came for this year summer camp and some or most of them call us country bumpkins.

"Who put on heavy make up for hiking?"

Jax volunteered to teach us horse riding. I'm a natural cowgirl and very influential with horses that's what Jax said not me bragging.

Days went by faster than I could imagine I wished that time would slow down. I and Elisa tried coping with the two city girls who were the same age with us. Isabella was a natural since she moved from the city at an older age. She did a nice job snapping and shutting them up when they crossed the line, I was happy that even when she behaves snarky she still see us as friends.

We meet up with the boys in the food hall or should I say gossip hall, what? It's literally a gossip hall. The boys had their caretaker, Terence so they were in good hands. Lucky for them the city boys aren't as touchy as the girls in my tent are so they get along.

Derek and Isabella joined in the camp play, I couldn't stop laughing when the play was showcased, Derek was really a clown and Isabella was so into the play even though she wasn't the main character, I remembered when she was rehearsing for the play, she didn't meet her so called new city friends she came to Elisa and I which made me glad but she's a workaholic for drama.

It's the second to last day of camp and we were having dinner in the gossip hall as usual I and my whole gang sat on a table to eat.

'I have something to tell you guys' I said as we ate

'is it bad or good news' Isabella asked with the straw of her orange juice in her mouth

'Its bad news' I said

'Are you terminally ill?' Terence asked as worry painted his face

'Are you going to die' Isabella asked putting everyone in tension

'None of the above' I said dropping my fork

'So what's it' Elisa asked and all looked at me with curious eyes

'I'm leaving the countryside to the city because my dad got transferred' I broke the news to them with my eyes closed so I won't see their expressions

'What?!' they chroused alarmed causing everyone attention to be on us, they didn't even care about that.

I sighted Ryan few tables away he seemed to have told his friends the news they seemed to be sad, the way boys get sad but the timid one has his eyes swollen looks like he cried.

Soon everyone continued what they doing 'When are you leaving?' Isabella asked trying hard to hide her sadness

'As soon as we come back from the camp' I replied

'I thought you were going to stay long with us and I was going to take everything slow' Terence said,

Does he feel the sa...no Chelly snap out of it'

'I'm sorry, I got no choice' I said

'You're only apologizing to him don't you know I'm hurt too' Elisa said with tears forming in her eyes, hugged her and wiped away the tears on her cheeks.

'Let's do everything we go to do today and tomorrow' Derek suggested

'Everything doable' Terence said smiling at me.

Maybe I'm seeing things already.

When everyone went to bed we sneaked out of our tents and went to the stable for horses and took one horse each. We started racing, it was a 100m race, I and Nick were leading, the final race was between me and Nick, and I was leading until my horse hit a stone and I fell out balance, halting the horse so I won't fall over and Nick won.

'Did you know that there's a rumour about a tree ghost in the woods' Isabella said, she's always the one to bring rumours to our door

'And you believe that?' Elisa asked

'Yeah, I believe that they exist' Isabella said

'How about we go on a ghost hunt' Derek suggested

'No' Nick, Terence and I chroused

'Have it your way, Bella com'n' Derek said to Isabella and they headed into the woods, we had no choice but to follow in case anything happens.

The moon was full and bright that we could see in the night as we went through the woods, now we are at the the middle of the forest and we heard rustling in a small bush and immediately we started running and screaming still riding on the horse. We were able to get out of the woods and our screaming woke Mr. Ken and the 3Js with some other students including my brother who gave a look that could kill I have to go beg him so he won't tell me.

'You'll all serve your punishment tomorrow' Mr. Ken said as the 3Js helped the students back to their tents. We took the horse back to the stable the laid down on the grass,we talked for a while before we slept off.

'3Js! hand them the rake!' Mr. Ken ordered 'start gathering the fallen leaves'

'yes sir, we'll finish in no time' we said jokingly and started gathering, Derek's rake mistakenly swept some dried leaves on Isabella retaliated and that's how the dried leaves fight broke out.

Since it was the last the day in camp, we made camp fires, our tent mates and the boys' tent mates circled one of the camp fire. We taught the city kids some country songs and they played some of theirs on their phone. We made jokes, reminisce about old memories these made me nostalgic. The voices if my friends laughter sent me into silent tears of joy, we were young but we have come this far.

it is more enjoyable to spend my last days in the countryside with my friends.