𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 - 𝐡𝐬𝐦𝐭𝐦𝐭𝐬 (𝐢𝐢𝐢) | ✔

two

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two: camp shallow lake
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     She was still getting her backpack when she heard E.J.'s car honking outside. Her sisters were quick to open the window and tell him to stop making noise, since they were sleeping still, but Juliette was happy to see him and ready for whatever Summer had in store for her. E.J. had made sure to send her a text everyday telling her all the good things that happened at Camp Shallow Lake and he had managed to make her excited even about the mosquito bites.

"Coming!" she yelled, taking her favourite sweatshirt and yelling goodbye to her parents and sisters before she went out the door.

"Let's go, let's go!" he exclaimed as Juliette got in the fourth seat of the back of the car. E.J. had rented a special car just for their trip to California so they could all fit in. "Last one in's a rotten egg. And that's no yolk."

"Oh my God, don't ever say that again," she pleaded as she fastened her seatbelt and greeted Ashlyn, Carlos and Kourtney, who were already there, and Gina, who was in the front seat alongside E.J. Both of them had gone steady recently and, to be honest, Juliette could not be happier for them. Ever since Gina started dating her best friend, the two girls were closer than ever and Juliette actually considered her one of her confidantes.

"He's on a dad joke kick 'cause he's taking us all on a road trip," Ashlyn explained as Juliette closed the door.

"That is completely false and I just have one question," E.J. continued. "What's orange and sounds like a parrot?"

He stopped, waiting for the others to even try and answer his question so he could tell his stupid joke. However, seeing that no one did, he finished his attempt at making them laugh, making all of them cringe.

"Just for a final headcount, who's not here?"

"Big Red's gota work."

"Sebbie's gotta milk."

"Nini's with her moms."

"And Ricky's with..." Carlos spoke before E.J. interrupting him honking the horn of his car and throwing him a harsh look, trying to subtly point at Juliette.

"We don't say her name," he explained.

"It's okay, you can just say he is with the female version of Lucius Malfoy," Juliette tried to play the matter down.

"Lucius?" Kourtney asked.

"Draco's hot," she replied before E.J. continued.

"And why are you all coming to the world's greatest camp for two weeks?"

"Because there's a secret celebrity!" all of them screeched at the same time, wondering who could it be. Honestly, Juliette was expecting for it to be, at least, Zendaya. Or Tom Holland. Or both. Why choose one beautiful person when you could rejoice your eyes with two?

"Oh," he let out, disappointed. "I was actually looking for 'because we all love each other' and, you know something, something 'Wildcats!'"

"Yes," Ashlyn answered. However, they quickly changed topics as E.J. started the engine.

Camp Shallow Lake, here we come.

—

The trip was one of the best experiences in Juliette's short life. Soon, they were fighting for the AUX cord and playing (and singing) they favourite Summer tunes, which included but were not limited to one of the best songs ever written: What Time is It, from the best High School Musical movie.

They also stopped a few times along the way, taking pictures and videos for their end-of-summer tiktok recap, something they had been talking about doing ever since all of them agreed to go to camp. And, of course, they could not finish without the infamous truth or dare round, from which they discovered that Carlos sometimes skips his skincare routine, that Kourtney used to love skirts over jeans and that E.J. loved using Ahslyn's gymnastics leotards as a kid just because they were sparkly.

Before they knew it, they could smell the sun and the forest. They had arrived.

"Camp Shallow Lake, y'all. My second home," E.J. smiled as soon as they passed the entrance arch. Juliette did not know if she was going to enjoy camp or not, but seeing E.J.'s true smile upon returning to that place made it all worth it. And, who knows, some time away from Ricky and his new best friend Lily could be good for her.

"Don't you have a second home?" Gina asked.

"Well, my second second-home. Come on," the ex-senior prompted them. "I came to this camp an athlete and became an athlete-actor. You come to Shallow Lake one way and you just become something else."

And so did Juliette hope. That way, maybe she could find herself again, find joy in the things she used to love so much and that now she could not bring herself to do because of the many bad memories that came with them.

"Are those Wildcats I see?" a girl with a bright smile approached them and immediately addressed E.J. "What's up Rocket Man?"

"How you doing, Gadget?" he replied, bro-hugging her.

"What language are they using?" Gina whispered by her side, making her laugh softly and shrug.

"All right, it's five minutes in and I already miss Seb," Carlos stated, to which Ahslyn agreed saying that she missed Big Red as well.

"This is our Wildcat Summer adventure and we're going angst-less," Ahslyn reminded Carlos.

In the meantime, Juliette was too busy taking in her surroundings to pay any attention. She had never gone to camp and she did not know whether to be anxious or excited about everything that was ahead of her. Her meditation was, however, soon interrupted by a blue-eyed boy that looked at her from the other side of the field. The redhead, too nervous to do anything, broke visual contact just in time to hear 'Gadget' asking them to put their phones in the bucket she was holding. And, to be honest, she was glad to get rid of it for a bit. Maybe that way she would not have to see Ricky's story sharing Lily's tiktoks.

As soon as she was gone, E.J. advised them to go have a look around the camp so they could "blend in with the villagers", as he liked to put it. And so Juliette walked away with Gina while Ashlyn and Carlos continued to comfort Kourtney about having to put her phone away.

"How are you holding up?" the taller girl asked her, walking by her side. Although Gina was a year younger than Juliette, the girl had become like a big sister to her, and she knew she could trust her with her life. "I know this is a big change of plans for the Summer but I'm sure it'll do you good."

"Yeah, it's not like I had any other plans, really..." Juliette whispered, looking around her. "I really want this to be the best Summer ever."

"And it will be. Just think about it: no East High-North High drama, no Ricky, that boy who keeps looking at you..." she finished, raising her tone and surreptitiously pointing at the same boy that had been looking at her before and who, apparently, was now walking towards her.

Before she could say anything, Gina had left and the boy was in front of her with a smile.

"Sorry to make your friend leave but do I know you from somewhere?"

"I don't think so..." she replied, already nervous. His eyes were bluer than she had perceived at the beginning and they really looked like they could see into your soul.

"It must have been in my dreams then," he threw her a wink, making Juliette smile and chuckle quietly. "We don't get many redheads around here. I'm Benjamin, CIT."

The girl giggled involuntarily and looked back at him. "I'm Juliette. Aaaaand now I have to go before my friends come drag me with them. Nice to meet you Benjamin."

"Call me Ben and, as soon as we get our phones back, you can call me every night," flashing a beautiful white smile, he left, leaving Juliette flustered and confused as to what had happened. When she turned around to look at her friends, she found smiles so big that she feared they hurt.