Caitlyn normally liked the various jams at camp. Except tonight's jam. She really, really hated it.
Jason had been staring at the first performer all night. Some tall girl with very well-behaved blonde curls and a voice like an angel. No, seriously. The girl sounded like an angel. And looked like Taylor Swift.
And there was almost no way Caitlyn Gellar could compete with a Taylor Swift-look alike.
"You know Jase, if you keep staring at her, she's liable to burst into flames," Caitlyn said, nudging his shoulder.
Jason finally pulled his eyes away from the girl and looked back at Caitlyn. "Sorry. I…She's just a really good singer, that's all."
"It's a music camp, Jason. There's lots of really good singers here." She hoped she didn't sound bitter.
Jason smiled at her. "Yeah. There are."
Caitlyn bit her lip as the girl approached them. "Hi, I'm Cara."
Jason's face went white, then red, then blue before he finally coughed and stuck his hand out. "Hi, Cara. I'm Jason."
Caitlyn let her breath out in a low hiss as she heard Jason's voice get ever so slightly deeper. She stood there, stewing for a moment before she heard Cara inviting Jason to check out her guitar.
"You don't mind, do you, Caity?" Jason asked.
Caitlyn looked up at him. "Why would I mind?" she said coolly.
Jason gave her a strange look. "Because we were going to do that thing for Ella's birthday after the jam?"
"Oh. Well, that isn't for a week and a half. So we have time. Go look at Cara's guitar. Whatever."
Cara nudged Jason and he smiled at her for a moment before looking back to Caitlyn. "Well, if you're sure…"
"I'm sure, Jason. Good night."
"Night, Caity," Jason said slowly.
(LINE)
"You two. Come with me. Now," Caitlyn commanded, pulling Mitchie and Ella outside.
"But Cait!" Ella whined. "I was just getting somewhere with Nate! And then you—"
"Jason's flirting his ass off with Cara. Who's tall and leggy and blonde with a great voice and no qualms about performing in public. She's everything I'm not. And Jason's flirting with her."
"Okay, you win," Ella said, grabbing her wrist and leading her into the kitchen. She pushed Caitlyn down on one of the stools and sat across from her. "Okay, explain."
"Cara, that first performer at the jam? She's now Jason's…gawkee."
"Gawkee?" Ella asked, wrinkling her nose.
"She's the recipient of Jason's gawking," Mitchie explained.
Caitlyn nodded. "Yeah. So now…I'm…sort of…"
"Jealous?" Ella asked with a grin.
"Just a little," Caitlyn said sulkily.
Ella and Mitchie exchanged small grins. "Sounds more than a little," Mitchie said.
Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "You want me to say that Jason's mine? That that's the reason this is bugging me so bad?"
"Is it?" Ella asked.
Caitlyn put her head down on the counter. "Yes," she mumbled.
"So, what are you going to do about it?" Mitchie asked.
Caitlyn chewed on her lip. "I think…I think…I'm going to perform at an upcoming jam…"
"You are?" Mitchie asked.
"But you hate performing!" Ella exclaimed.
Caitlyn shrugged. "It's Jason…"
Mitchie put an arm around Caitlyn's shoulders. "You really like him, don't you?"
"No, of course not. I'm just acting like I'm incredibly jealous of the Guitar Girl." She paused and looked over at Ella. "Could you help me find an outfit for this crazy scheme?"
Ella grinned. "Got any bird stuff?"
Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "Of course."
"You're turning me loose on your summer wardrobe?" Ella asked.
"Don't put me in anything pink or girly," Caitlyn warned.
"So your My Little Pony shirt is out?" Mitchie asked.
"Yes, Mitchie. The My Little Pony shirt is out. It doesn't convey the right tone."
"And what tone would that be?" Ella asked slyly.
"That being just friends is boring and I'd rather be able to pounce on him incessantly."
Mitchie and Ella burst into giggles.
"You're a dork, you know that, Cait?" Mitchie asked.
"No, I'm just frustrated by Jason's obliviousness. I mean, usually I'm pretty much assured of Jason's interest. Unless he's distracted by a bird or a guitar or something. But not another girl."
Mitchie and Ella both hugged Caitlyn quickly before Mitchie ran to one of the cupboards and got out two Ziploc bags of cookies.
"Mom made these earlier for me. Kitchen-sink cookies. Let's get some milk and cups and go make Caitlyn write a kickass song while Ella puts together a kickass outfit."
Caitlyn grinned. "You two are great, you know that?" she asked.
(LINE)
Caitlyn had been avoiding Jason for the past four days while she prepared her song. She had been playing her guitar almost nonstop and had written nearly ten versions of the song. Ella had made Caitlyn try on every last mathematical combination of clothes she had brought with her, plus a few things of Mitchie's and Ella's in her size.
In the end though, they had settled on a sleeveless navy blue dress printed with tiny brown owls, a pair of brown, over-the-knee socks and a pair of heeled, brown boots with chains and buckles. And a whole slew of owl jewelry.
The entire outfit felt rather Taylor Swift-ish and as Caitlyn glanced in the mirror, she ran a hand through her hair. While her hair was wavy, it didn't have quite the definition of Taylor's.
She turned around in the cabin and her eyes fells on Ella's hair curler.
With a grin, she grabbed it and ran for the costume cabin.
(LINE)
Caitlyn tried to breathe deeply as her name was announced. Tucking a strand of her newly-curled hair behind her ear, she climbed up to the stage and sat on the stool. She could clearly see Jason staring at her.
She leaned close to the microphone and smiled. "Um. Hi. I don't normally do this but…I wanted to this time. So, I hope you like it."
She arranged her fingers on the strings and then…one snapped. She looked down at her guitar in alarm and bit her lip. She tried to go on, but none of the chords sounded right. That messed up her vocals, making her off-key and causing her to forget the words. She heard a few giggles and bit her lip again, dropping her eyes to her useless guitar. She set it down and took off, unable to stand the complete failure of her performance.
(LINE)
A few hours later and Caitlyn lay curled up in bed, silently staring at the wall of her cabin.
"Cait?" Mitchie asked, walking in the cabin. "I'm sorry that got messed up."
"Are you okay?" Ella asked.
Caitlyn rolled over to look at them. "No, I'm not okay. I screwed up royally. I totally blew my chances with Jason. He's going to continue being amazed by that stupid blonde guitar girl and I'm just going to sit here, perpetually single. I put on a dress and curled my hair and got up onstage to sing by myself, something I never, ever do all for a guy and I messed it up completely. No wonder he's so amazed by Cara. She'd never run offstage in tears because a guitar string broke. She'd never forget the words to a song she wrote especially for him. She'd never sing off-key because she was nervous."
"Caitlyn," Mitchie started.
"Cara's perfect. No wonder Jason couldn't take his eyes off her. I mean, seriously. She's beautiful. I'm just…not," Caitlyn said with a sigh.
"Caity, you're gorgeous," said a voice from outside the door.
Caitlyn let out a loud squeak and fell off the bed.
"Caity?" Jason asked. "Are you alright? Could you come outside please?"
Mitchie and Ella both looked at Caitlyn expectantly as she got up and dusted herself off.
"Caity?" he asked again.
"Just a minute. I need shoes," she said, looking under her bed. She finally stuffed her feet into a pair of Vans and combed her fingers through her hair before making her way to the door. She turned to her friends. "Don't eavesdrop. I mean it."
Mitchie and Ella grinned and pushed Caitlyn out the door and into Jason.
"Hi," he said with a grin.
Caitlyn licked her lips nervously. "H-hi."
They stared at each other for a moment before Jason suddenly grabbed her and pressed a rough kiss against her mouth. She relaxed against him for a moment before quickly squirming out of his grasp.
"Wait. What the hell is going on?"
Jason rolled his eyes. "What do you think, Caity? I'm kissing you."
She hit his arm. "I know that," she said angrily. "But why?"
"Because I like you?" he said with a shrug.
"So why were you staring at another girl if you like me so much?" Caitlyn asked, crossing her arms.
"Jealous, Caity?" Jason asked with a smirk.
"Why else would I have done all of what I did tonight, Jason?" Caitlyn exclaimed.
Jason smiled softly. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Sometimes…I just can't tell with you. You're sort of cryptic, you know?" he asked.
Caitlyn smiled. "Yeah, I know. But you're sort of oblivious, you know?"
He laughed. "Yeah, I know."
"So…why were you staring at Cara?" she asked softly.
Jason shrugged. "She was sort of pretty…but I was mostly in awe of her guitar."
"Really?" Caitlyn asked, looking up at him.
He nodded. "You know me. I like guitars."
"Did you have to like hers so much?" Caitlyn asked sullenly.
Jason laughed. "I like your guitar much better. Just so you know."
Caitlyn wrinkled her nose. "I hate it right now. Stupid string breaking on me."
Jason tipped her chin up. "Until that happened, I thought you were really good."
She let out a frustrated breath. "Stop trying to make me laugh."
"Fine with me," Jason said, pulling her against him and kissing her once again. Caitlyn smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck as he pressed her against the wall of the cabin. He slipped a hand under the hem of the short sleeved hoodie she was wearing and ran his thumb over her stomach. Caitlyn growled and jumped up onto the windowsill, yanking Jason closer by the collar of his shirt.
A sudden knock on the window made Caitlyn yelp in surprise and pull away from Jason.
"Caitlyn, it's time to come in," Mitchie said.
"I don't wanna!" Caitlyn yelled, wrapping her arms around Jason's neck.
"Ow, ears, Caity," Jason mumbled against her cheek.
"Shut up," Caitlyn said, nuzzling his neck. "You should be used to my loudness."
Jason rolled his eyes. "I am."
"Why do you say that like it's a bad thing?" Caitlyn asked, sliding off the windowsill.
Jason snorted. "Why do you think it's a bad thing?"
"Because you rolled your eyes! You're being sarcastic! You're turning into me!"
He laughed. "Caity, shut up, okay? I love you."
"I-you what?"
Jason smiled and kissed her cheek. "You heard me. Good night, Caity." He was walking down the steps of her cabin when he heard it.
"I love you too."