Mistaken Love

"Mama?"

"Yes dear?"

"Are you SURE I'll like camp? I mean, why can't I just stay home with you? We could bake, lots of normal kids my age bake with their moms."

"Now Rory-"

"OR I could help you clean! Sure I hate it, but I'd be glad to help!"

"Honey, can't you think of going to camp like an adventure? Like in those books you always read."

"HEY! I never thought of it like THAT! Heh, thanks mama!"

"Your very welcome sweetie."

Hi. My name is Rory Hannah Lynn Ska. I'm eight years old and I really like the color red. I have two eyes, a nose, a mouth, two ears, and long brown hair! I'm just your average eight year old. I like reading, rollerblading, and I take ballet. I live with my mama in a small house perfect for three people. I used to have a papa but he went to Heaven. Last December he died of something called cancer...I didn't really understand why he died so I went to a library and asked the nice lady to give me a book on it. There were lots of big words so I asked for a dictionary and looked it all up. I cried a long time.

See my mama and papa loved each other. I mean you could just feel it in their eyes! When one would walk in the room the other had this a spark of life that seemed to dance. Not anymore though, mama has fallen into what another big book calls depression. She acts real good to hide her sadness. I came home on the last day of school and found her crying while watching their wedding tape. After that she signed me up for a girl's camp. I don't want to leave her alone but if she thinks that I should be here for the next eleven weeks instead of with her then so be it. I just don't want her to cry alone.

The car ride was a long one. I finished reading Into the Land of Unicorns and then dozed off about two hours later. When I came too, I looked out the window and my eyes were replaced with saucers! This place was beautiful! Huge green trees that towered over me like castles covered the vast land. The wind called the tiny blades of soft, healthy green grass to dace! The blue sky was calm and full of fluff clouds. But the most amazing thing here was the crystal clear lake. The sun's rays were shimmering off the cool water making pebbles near the shore sparkle like diamonds. I stared in awe as my mama grabbed all my things.

We both walked up a sun lit gravel road that lead to a large wooden cabin that read Check In Here. The large green doors were swung open as another little girl ran past me giggling. I peeked inside and gulped. Hearing a sigh coming from my mom I took a deep breath and opened the door again. The wooden walls were lined with different pictures of wild flowers and tall grass. Rugs that hung from the ceiling had different animals sewn into them. Two tables off the the very left side of the room were set up as a medicine drop off and a registration center. Mama led me over to the health table first to drop off my bright red inhaler. The old nurse lady looked nice...in that sort of "Hi Hansel and Gretel, wanna take a nibble out of my house?" kind of way.

Mama turned her attention to the other table now and I saw an actual human smile down at me and ask for my name. She was tall and had wavy brown hair with skin like caramel. Her pretty eyes reminded me of honey! She was pretty like my mama so I didn't feel scared, but I was still nervous, wasn't I told to not talk to strangers? My mama beamed down at me and nodded her head.

"Rory Ska." I answered while grabbing onto my mama's leg.

"Rory Ska...Rory Ska-AH HA! Here she is! Rory Ska, cabin 13."

"Thank you very much." I smiled and walked out with my mama.

I didn't let go of my mama's hand as we climbed another gravel road. As we rounded a bend it became a soft dirt road that lead past cabin one and two and three and, well you get the gist of it. There was a cluster of trees near cabin ten, a tire swing was tied to a tree branch on one of them. It figures my cabin was the last one on the road. We had to cross a small old wooden bridge. It creaked and groaned under our weight. A skinny snake like rivulet flowed underneath it. The cabin itself was an ugly tan color with a forest green roof. The steps were surrounded by dandelions and daisies. As soon as I crossed the threshold my heart sunk because I knew I'd be alone. Inside were these Barbie loving, wanna marry Ken clones. There weird stares had my eyes water a bit. Compared to their pink frills my red basketball shorts must seem ugly. I went over to the empty bunk and got the top near a window. I figured no one wanted it because a spider might get through he open window...oh I hope not.

"Now sweetie, remember to have fun and make lots of friends!" My mama smiled and placed a kiss on my forehead.

"Yes mommy."

"Listen to your advisers and DON'T get in trouble." She warned placing my bag on the bunk net to me.

"I'll try mommy..."

"I love you sweetie, miss you already." She smiled and waved bye.

~~~~~~~~ MEANWHILE ~~~~~~~~

"DAD! How could you send me to a camp? An all girls camp? ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!? They have cooties! Plus they might make me play Barbie's..."

"Maybe it will keep you out of trouble eh? God knows I can't trust you while I'm away. Ah! Excuse me, but my son is here to get his cabin number." Mr. James frowned upon seeing who he was talking to.

"I'm gonna go skip rocks over there dad." the boy sighed and walked away.

"Yes. We spoke on the phone. He'll be set up in Cabin 13. I'll tell her he's arrived safely and that our plan has been set in motion." Mr. Randolph smiled happily and handed Mr. James his papers.

"How is she?" Mr. James asked very sullen.

"Alive, and thrilled to know you were happy to cooperate. You had better let those people know this was all a simple misunderstanding."

"No problem. I was wondering if perhaps, I could speak with her."

"No no, it's getting dark so the little one should get going."

"I understand...thank you." Mr. James sighed and pulled his son away from the pond and up a dirt road.

They weren't seen leaving a strange rundown shack by a field of thistles near the main cabin. Mr. James told his son where to go and that he'd see him in eleven weeks. Not a HAVE FUN or I LOVE YOU. As Edward got to his cabin he stepped into a pink nightmare. Giggling eight year olds were everywhere seeming to multiply every time he blinked. As he walked toward the adviser of this cabin he noticed the stare from one girl smiling at him slightly. She turned her head abruptly and went back to talking with her friends.

I really want to go home.

"Hello? I was told to come here..." I gulped.

"Oh my...little boy there must be a misunderstanding, this is an all girls camp." A girl with blond hair frowned.

"My dad and...another adviser told me to come here. Dad said I needed to stick it out because he can't get his money back. Something about how it's for my own good. If I could though...I really want to go home. I don't want cooties."

"...I see, we'll talk with the counselors tomorrow." She chuckled, "Until then take the empty bunk under Rory." She smiled and pointed.

So, this "Rory" wasn't SCARY but she was a girl. Possibly carrying cooties but I, Eddie James am not scared of girls...at least I hope not. I shuffled over to the bed and saw she was reading a pretty thick book with a pale yellow cover where a girl in a red dress was riding on unicorns.

"Glory of the Unicorns."

"Wha...what?"

"I said it's called Glory of the Unicorns."

"Oh, I see."

She flipped a page and smiled. "All done with that chapter. I'm Rory."

"I'm Edwar-Eddie, I'm Eddie."

"Nice to meet you Eddie, so what are you doing here?"

"It's a long story..."

"Oh, I see...you'll tell me later because you're tired."

"Yeah...tired. Hey Rory?"

"Yes?"

"Do you like spiders?"

"No! I hate them!"

"Well....then don't look to your left..."

"Why no-" She gasped. "AHHHHHHHHH! A SPIDER! AHHHHH!"

Indeed there was a huge black hairy spider. My ears were ringing because of this girl's sonic cry. She backed all the way up to the head board and started bawling. I watched as the spider made its way toward her. To my right I saw a fly swatter and decided to get rid of the spider just to make her stop acting like a baby. To be honest, ever since my mom left I really hate seeing girls cry. So I went to scoop the spider up with the swatter and tossed the spider out of the window. I snickered at her shocked expression.

"You just picked up a spider!"

"Yeah, I figured you'd want it out of here."

"OH EDDIE! YOU'RE MY HERO!"

She got up and flung herself at me. Wrapping her little arms around me, squeezing so hard a boa constrictor would be put to shame. I was defiantly gonna have cooties after this. Rory pressed her cheek against mine and smiled.

"I don't care if you don't want a girl as a friend! You're my bestest friend ever!"

Suddenly my heart clenched. I was happy that I'd made a new friend sure, but this was weird. Just like this girl and just like this camp. Perhaps if Rory is here I'll like this place. Only because we're bunk mates and nothing more. Alright, bunk mates and I'm her bestest friend ever. I could feel my face grow hot as she moved away and took my by the wrist outside to play.

"C'mon! I saw a tire swing down the road! I'll push you if you can beat me in a race!" Rory laughed and bolted.

I stared after and watch her pause mid sprint. "Move it or lose it Eddie!"

I sighed and took off after her. She was screaming and laughing by the time I caught up. No matter how fast I moved though, she remained ahead. She called over her shoulder.

"Even if I win...I'll still push you OK?"

"Sounds good to me!" I smiled and watch her soar around the bend and shout,

"Yes!"

Maybe it's just me...but I think Rory is kind of cute.