Virgin Camp

Natalie's POV

“I can’t believe you’re done with high school,” my mom cried. She had a camera in one hand and a wad of tissues in the other. “One more picture?” She threw me next to my dad and my sister, visibly brightening at the prospect of being useful for two seconds.

I didn’t even bother to smile anymore because we already had five billion pictures of this day, all featuring me with a fake smile and my now frizzy dirty blonde hair tucked under a dark blue graduation cap.

We were surrounded by newly-graduated kids, shining faces holding up diplomas, extended family members standing awkwardly as they watched pictures being taken. I had waited for this day my entire high school career. I thought it would have been a lot more satisfying. Instead, I only felt a dull sense of relief. The big sign that said Graduating Class of 2032! did nothing but make me wonder who had thought it would be a good idea to dot the exclamation point with a heart.

“Natalie,” my mom pleaded. “Smile.” When I didn’t smile, she dropped the camera to her side and gave me a concerned look. “Are you sad about leaving such a big part of your life behind?”

“Yes,” I said. I pointed to my face. “Can’t you see all the invisible tears streaming down my face?”

My sister, Kaylie, smacked me in the arm. “You’re such a smartass,” she informed me.

“I beg to differ,” I said. I was about to go on, but was cut off by the most obnoxious person in the world, also known as my best friend. Supposedly.

“Natalie!”

Soon enough, I was trampled by Trisha. She engulfed me in a hug that could pass for a deathtrap. Kaylie sauntered off, probably to find her friends. My parents watched Trish with something that resembled awe. I sometimes wondered if they wished she was their child. “You’re not going to be a loser anymore!”

“Because I graduated high school?” I asked, peeling her off of me.

“No.” She was bouncing on her feet and blinding me with her smile. I noticed she was wearing minimal clothing today. Trish always wore minimal clothing. It was kind of like a sneak preview for everyone who looked at her—a message to guys saying, if you like this, just wait till you see what’s underneath. Bleh. She wasn’t wearing a graduation gown because she was a year older than me and had graduated a last year. Many a tear was shed when Trish graduated. Mostly from my own mother. She was very attached to Trish, for some reason I simply couldn’t fathom. “Because of me,” Trish clarified.

“What did you do?” I asked, slightly alarmed.

“I signed you up for summer camp,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. “As your graduation present.”

“Summer camp? What summer camp?” I hated camps. I hated camping. She knew that.

“Virgin Camp,” she said with a flourish, like it was some kind of dream come true.

I stared at her, dumbfounded.

“Nat. Come on. You can’t go to college a virgin.”

I crossed my arms. “Why not?”

“Because no one will want to be your friend.” This was an obvious exaggeration, but she continued anyway. “I’m giving you a chance to grow up here! College. College. You’re an adult now. Adults have sex. It’s fun!”

I blinked.

“You dropped the bomb, I take it?” Sawyer asked Trish, appearing out of nowhere. He was in normal person clothes, because he had graduated last year too. I felt like an idiot with my starchy graduation gown and glaring virginity. He turned to look at me. “Your face is saying so much right now.”

“How could you let her do this?” I asked him. He was supposed to be the hand of reason guiding Trish to make semi-acceptable decisions. This in no way, shape, or form was acceptable. “I’m not going.”

Trish laughed. “You’re too cute.”

“What? I’m not. You can’t make me.” I was very aware that I sounded like a four-year-old who didn’t want to eat her vegetables.

“Oh, yes I can,” she countered.

“Mom,” I said, turning to my parents who were still watching Trish. “Help me out here.”

My mom looked away, pretending to examine the flowers on the stage where I had accepted my diploma. My dad was trying to look like he hadn’t been listening to the entire conversation, surveying the large football field we were standing in.

Even my parents thought I was lame.

It took me off guard for a few seconds and I accidentally let my defenses down, leaving me vulnerable to Trish’s persuasion.

“You’re cool in every single aspect of your life except this. If you did this, you would rock college like none other,” she was saying. “Sawyer and I paid for everything.” She looked at Sawyer, like she expected him to contribute something, but he just gave her a look like, this is all yours. So she continued. “Nat. This camp is proven. One hundred percent of their kids leave with a notch or two on their belts and the hope that is a sex life.”

“I do think this would be good for you,” Sawyer finally said, after Trish smacked him in the arm.

But I didn’t want a sex life just for the sake of having a sex life. I didn’t want to have sex just because I was lame if I didn’t. That’s a terrible reason. Yet… I didn’t want people to think I was lame. Because I wasn’t lame. I was awesome.

I looked over at my parents, but they were no longer there.

“Stop worrying!” Trish exclaimed, grabbing me by the shoulders. She really liked to touch people. “You need this. It’ll help loosen you up. You’re too tightly wound. Just live for once. I’m begging you.”

“Live for once, Trish?” I was appalled. “What about… what about that time I shaved off half of Mr. Dewey’s mustache while he was sleeping? That time I filled your ex’s car with packing peanuts? That time I had to convince you to take a road trip to Cali for your sixteenth birthday? Remember how I lived then?” I was getting way too worked up, especially in the hot sun and the awful dark blue graduation gown I was wearing.

“That’s different—”

“That time we snuck into Evan Henley’s dorm room and got drunk until we puked out the window? That time we beat the shit out of those two pricks at the Marvin Fairley concert? That time we hitched a ride with a perfect stranger so we wouldn’t have to walk two miles in the rain? I wasn’t living then?”

Trish put her hand on her hip. “Are you done?”

“Hey, now,” Sawyer interjected. “I think we should be able to discuss this calmly and rationally.” He zoned in on me. “Nat, you’re going whether you like it or not.”

“But—”

“Nope.”

“Sawy—”

“Nope.”

I glared at him with a huff. Sawyer was supposed to be on my side. Trish was the crazy one. Sawyer and I were the logical ones. Clearly he had gone over to the senseless side while I wasn’t looking.

“If I wanted to have sex with a man-whore, I would’ve done it when I was with Brad Teskey.”

Trish rolled her brown eyes. “Yeah, well, you don’t really have a choice because I’m not letting you go to college as a virgin. It’s ridiculous! I won’t let it happen. Either you go to this camp or you don’t go to college.”

I was about to laugh when she continued.

“Besides.” She leaned in closer, trying for the menacing look. “I know about Kaylie.”

“What about her?” I asked, even though I already knew. No. No no no. How did she find out? I thought I was the only one who knew.

“You know what I’m talking about,” Trish said, an evil glint in her eye. “And dear Mommy will find out if you don’t do this. I only have your best interests at heart!”

I scanned the people around us, searching through the flow of dark blue gowns when my eyes finally landed on Kaylie’s pale yellow dress. She was yapping away at some boy, who looked like he wanted to eat her. She had only just finished her first year of high school—too young for Mom to hate her. I didn’t want rumors to be flying around like kites about my little sister. As much as I hated her sometimes, I loved her too much to let that happen.

It was over. I was going to Virgin Camp.