"Are you excited for camp?" Mitchie's dad asked as he put her bag in the back of their truck.
"Yeah, I guess." she replied leaning against the passenger door. He looked at her surprised.
"Why do you guess? You love camp."
"Yeah, I do, and I'm excited for the music part, but there's a lot of drama."
He nodded, and replied, "I get it. Just try not to concentrate on the drama, and worry about the music." I thought of objecting, but decided not to.
"Ok, I'll try." Mitchie's mom came out soon after, and they left, saying goodbye to Steve.
So, what's this drama at camp? Is it Tess again?" Mitchie's mom asked after they had gotten on the freeway.
"No, just everyone wants me to be with them."
"I thought that's what you wanted, a lot of friends." Connie said confused.
"They don't want me as a friend. They want me to date them."
"Oh, that makes more sense. Is Shane one of them?"
"No, he loves Tess, and Tess doesn't seem to want him anymore."
"Poor Shane."
"Yeah, I just wish they would get it when I say I'm not interested."
"They'll figure it out, just keep telling them."
"I will." Mitchie said before she heard her mom sigh, and turn up the radio. They drove without talking. The drive went slowly as Mitchie started to feel excitement rush into her. She got three texts at once when they were ten minutes away, and they all said the same thing. "Are you almost here yet?" The only difference was who sent them. "It's started." She thought knowing this would be a long two months if they kept up like this. Mitchie didn't answer any of them, and when her mom pulled into camp she felt nervous.
"You can just tell them the truth." Her mom offered as she pulled their bags out of the truck. Mitchie gave her an "are you kidding?" look, and she replied, "Fine." They went into the cabin, and unpacked. Mitchie finished first, and left to see what was going on with her friends. She walked until she ran into Peggy and Ella.
"Hey, guys." She said giving each of them a hug.
"Hey, Mitchie, how have you been?"
Peggy asked, and after talking for a minute Mitchie asked, "Have you seen the others?"
"Yeah we were just with them, but we wanted to get away, and be alone." Ella replied grabbing Peggy's hand.
"Well, I'll leave you guys, and find the others." Mitchie said before walking past them till she reached the cabin that Shane, Nate and Jason slept in. She knocked and thankfully Shane answered the door.
"Hey, Mitchie." He said pulling her into a hug.
"Hey Shane I heard this is where the party was."
"Yeah, come in and join." He stepped away and Mitchie searched the room till she found what she was looking for.
Not wanting to draw attention to herself she walked across the room and said, "Hey Caitlyn."
Caitlyn turned around from talking to Lola and said, "Hey Mitchie."
They hugged and Lola was called by her boyfriend, Andy, so she said, "I gotta go Caitlyn, we'll talk later."
"Ok." Caitlyn said pulling away. As Mitchie and Caitlyn talked about Jason and Nate sat seething with anger.
"How can she just over pass us? We care more for her than Caitlyn." Nate asked.
"I don't know, why don't you ask her?" Jason asked waving at Barron and Sander.
Nate gives Jason a dirty look and asks, "Are you an idiot?" and before Jason can answer he continues, "I can't ask her. She'll think I'm desperate."
"But you are desperate." Jason says innocently.
"She doesn't need to know that." Nate says before standing and walking away to talk to a girl named Cammie. Nate talked to Cammie, but kept an eye on Mitchie as she talked to her best friend. He became more infuriated when others joined especially when Tess walked over because he knew she liked Mitchie as well.
"Uh, Nate, if you don't want to talk to me just say so." Cammie said, but Nate wasn't listening so, annoyed, she walked away. Nate laughed when Tess walked away from Mitchie looking rejected.
"Mitchie likes guys." He thought before looking back and not seeing Cammie and instead of feeling guilty blamed her. "Flake." He said standing up to get a drink. The party continued and everyone started to have a good time. By the time she left, Mitchie had talked to everyone and found out what they had done while not at camp.
"Let's get out of here." Caitlyn offered seeing Mitchie getting drained.
"Ok." Mitchie said smiling. They left and everyone noticed, but not caring enough to go find them. Shane started to feel like he needed fresh air and decided to talk a walk. He walked feeling relief of getting away from the stuffy cabin and Tess who only pined after Mitchie. On his walk he saw two people making out pretty heavily. He kept walking, but just barely caught someone's breathy voice whisper, "Mitchie," And looked back to see Mitchie sucking on someone's neck. He smiled to himself and walked back to his cabin to see the party still going. He scoured the room for Tess and found her talking to Jason.
"Tess, I gotta talk to you." He said grabbing her hand.
"Shane, you know I don't like you." She replied pulling back violently.
"Fine, I won't tell you what I just found out about . . ." he looked around and leaning forward whispered in her ear. "Mitchie."
"You better not be joking, Gray." She said as she let him lead her out the door and back up the trail. "Where are we going, Shane?" she asked when they were almost at the spot he'd seen Mitchie.
"Just a little bit farther." He mumbled. "See." He said with his back to where Mitchie had been leaning. He looked around and saw the two of them were alone.
"What am I supposed to be seeing?" Tess asked angry.
"Mitchie was making out with someone here."
Tess' eyes glistened with pain as she asked, "How do you know it was Mitchie? It could have been anyone. I mean, Peggy and Ella left the party a while ago."
"I heard someone say Mitchie's name." he explained. "I'm sorry Tess, but I thought you should know."
"Who was it?"
"I think Mitchie should tell you that."
"Thanks Shane." She said and walked away to let herself think. She formed a plan and the next day went to Mitchie's cabin.
"Come in." she heard after only one knock. "Hey Tess." She heard Mitchie's chipper voice say from her bed. She looked to see Mitchie putting a bookmark in her book. "What's up?"
"I needed to talk to you about something." Tess said nervous.
"Ok." Mitchie said with a worried look on her face. Tess opened her mouth, but then closed it again and started to pace.
"Tess just ask it's okay." Mitchie said trying to be reassuring, but wondered what the question could be.
"Ok." She stopped and looked into Mitchie's eyes to ask, "Are you with someone?"
Mitchie looked nervous as she replied, "What makes you say that?"
"Shane saw you making out with someone last night." Tess explained and Mitchie looked away.
"I told Caitlyn we should have waited till we got to the cabin." Mitchie mumbled.
"You're with Caitlyn?" Tess yelled.
"Shane didn't tell you who I was making out with?"
"He couldn't see that well. Why her?" Tess asked sounding hurt. Mitchie sighed.
"She understands me. She saw me when no one else did. She's my best friend, Tess." Tess didn't say anything as she turned and started to walk toward the door.
"Are you gonna tell everyone?" Mitchie asked just as Tess had put her hand on the doorknob.
"If you don't, I will." She said not looking back before walking out the door. Mitchie stayed on her bed until she finally got up and walked to Caitlyn's cabin.
"Hey baby." Caitlyn said standing up to hug and kiss her girlfriend.
"Hey we have a problem." Mitchie said quickly after pecking Caitlyn on the lips.
"What do you mean?" Caitlyn asked pulling Mitchie to sit on her bed with her.
"Tess and Shane know we're together."
"How?"
"Shane saw us making out and told Tess."
"Ok, how's that a problem?" Caitlyn asked confused and Mitchie stood up to pace in front of her.
"Everyone in camp will know."
"Why is that bad? It's time they knew." Caitlyn said remaining calm.
"I don't want them to know." Mitchie mumbled, stopping to look at Caitlyn who stood and asked,
"Why? Your mom and dad know and accept. It's time everyone else knew you were mine. Maybe then they'd stop hitting on you."
"I don't know. I'm scared no one will like me anymore." Mitchie replied feeling vulnerable. Caitlyn felt offended but pushed it aside.
"Mitchie, they like you for you and whether we're dating or not shouldn't make a difference."
"But what if it does?"
"Then that's their problem. You'll have me and your parents, isn't that enough?" instead of answering Mitchie looked at the floor ashamed.
"Ok, well, if I'm not enough for you than maybe you should go date Tess or Nate." Caitlyn said anger over coming her.
"Caitlyn that's not what I said." Mitchie tried to explain, but Caitlyn had walked toward the front door and opened it violently.
"You didn't have to. Now, please, leave." Mitchie left without a word and only let herself fall apart when she got back to her cabin.
Days passed and Caitlyn still wasn't letting Mitchie see her. Caitlyn kept avoiding her and Mitchie kept crumbling, a fact that everyone noticed, but didn't know why except Mitchie's mom, Tess and Shane. Neither Tess nor Shane had told anyone about Mitchie and Caitlyn because they were going to give Mitchie a chance to tell, if they got back together. A part of Tess hoped they wouldn't, but another part saw how Mitchie was being affected and hoped Mitchie could be happy again even if that meant being with Caitlyn.
On the third night after the fight Mitchie grabbed a pen and notebook and wrote down what she thought was her last shot hoping to sing it the next night.
At the open mic Mitchie stood up in front of everyone with tear stain eyes and said, "I'd like to dedicate this next song to the love of my life. I know I've been an idiot lately but I want to tell you I don't' care anymore if people know because Caitlyn you're the only thing I need." Her eyes looked around the room and didn't stop till she found the brown eyes that made her knees weak.
I can stand with the weight of the world But when you're holding me like this So let consequence do what it will to us But when you're holding me like this I am not afraid 'Cause when you're holding me like this
On my shoulders
I can fight with the toughest of the tough
I can laugh in the face
Of all my insecurities
Anytime, anywhere, anything
I'm strong enough
I'm carelessly lost in your touch
I'm completely defenseless
Baby, it's almost too much
I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly
Falling in love
I don't care
Let the stars stand as witness to it all
Say the word and tonight I will follow you anywhere
I just can't pretend anymore
I'm too sturdy to fall
I'm carelessly lost in your touch
I'm completely defenseless
Baby, it's almost too much
I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly
Falling in love
I am not afraid
I'm carelessly lost in your touch
I'm completely defenseless
Baby, it's almost too much
I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly
Falling...
I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly
Falling in love
Mitchie finished singing and looked to see Caitlyn not standing where she was. She felt hopelessness and even thought the applause she could heard the cold silence of loneliness. She walked off stage and felt tears sting her eyes. She walked without paying attention and ran right into someone.
"I'm sorry." She said sniffling.
"It's okay." She heard a heavenly voice say. Before Mitchie could talk she's pulled into a strong hug. "I loved the song." She heard and she melted with relief.
"I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner." Mitchie said not letting go.
"You did it now and that's all that matters." Caitlyn pulled away and wiping away Mitchie's tears said, "I love you."
"I love you too." Mitchie said pulling her into a kiss.