Friends ForNever Read Free Page B

hair was pulled back in a French braid. Her forehead was usually wrinkled up in a really serious expression, like she was concentrating on solving a complicated math problem.
    â€œHey, it could’ve been worse. The new girl, Patty, picked the top bunk. At least you’re not climbing up there every night,” I told her. Nicole and I pulled out dry clothes from our trunks and changed out of our wet swimsuits.
    â€œWhere’s Miss Whitney Louise Carrington?” Sarah asked in a perky voice that was supposed to be an imitation of Whitney. Even though Sarah mocked Whitney constantly, they were still best friends.
    â€œI think she’s giving all the newbies the grand tour,” said Nicole.
    â€œMy mother was a camper at Pine Haven from 1977 to 1981, and my grandmother was a camper from 1951 to 1960,” Sarah said in her chirpy Whitney voice. Nic and I fell over laughing. We were definitely in for a fun summer with Sarah around.
    â€œSo four new campers? What are they like?” asked Sarah, hunching over to sit on the bottom bunk.
    â€œWell, let’s see—I’ve already mentioned Patty in the top bunk. Seems nice. Kinda quiet, though. She’s Asian, long dark hair. I think she’s going to be really easygoing. The other three are on Side B with Whitney—Ashlin, Natasha, and Claudia.”
    â€œNatasha was on the bus with me,” added Nicole. “She sat behind me with that really obnoxious girl.”
    â€œBut Natasha seems like a real sweetie,” I pointed out. “She’s very petite, glasses, African American. You can tell she’s a little freaked over meeting all these new people. Now, is Claudia the one with dark hair?” I asked Nic.
    â€œNo, that’s Ashlin. The first time I saw her, I thought she was somebody’s little brother. Girls who are that flat-chested shouldn’t wear their hair so short,” said Nic.
    Okay, that was a little mean. “Like you and I have so much to brag about,” I said. “So Claudia must be the one with reddish hair—long, parted in the middle. She seems sort of . . .” I tried to think of a way to describe my first impression of Claudia.
    â€œBored,” Nic put in. “This may be her first summer at Pine Haven, but she told us at lunch that she’s been to three other summer camps. She’s not exactly a newbie.”
    â€œAnd Whitney already has them all under her spell? Amazing!” Sarah snorted.
    â€œNeed any help getting your bed made?” I offered.
    Sarah groaned and closed her eyes. “Don’t bother. I just want to veg for a while.” She stretched out on her unmade bunk.
    Since we had some free time before dinner, Nic and I left Sarah to chill while we went up and down Middler Line, trying to find all our old friends.
    â€œLook, there’s Alex! And Jennifer’s with her!” I said. Alex was our counselor from last year, and Jennifer was our old cabinmate. We all had a happy little reunion in front of Cabin 1.
    â€œYou got braces!” I said, and Jennifer moaned and gritted her teeth.
    â€œTwo months ago. I hate them.”
    â€œWhere’s Reb?” asked Nicole. That was Jennifer’s BFF.
    â€œNot here yet! Can you believe it? She had a really late flight.”
    â€œI’m just so glad I’ve got a whole new batch of good campers this year,” Alex teased us. “I hope they don’t give me as much grief as I had last year.”
    That homesick feeling hit me again, like a wave in the ocean when you weren’t expecting it. If only I could relive last summer, with everything exactly the same.
    â€œOh, really?” I asked. “Well, Libby Sheppard and Jamie Young are our counselors, so Nic and I got someone decent. For a change.” Teasing Alex made the feeling go away a little.
    When I looked up, Mary Claire, Nicole’s eight-year-old stepsister, was walking toward us. When she saw Nic and me with