Family is always the most important thing. You got to make sure you always have each others backs. Unless of course that back is Derek's then we may have to weigh the pros and cons.
"What are you doing?" Marti asks coming out from under my bed as I finish typing in my online diary, waking me up from my blue background daydream. I minimize the window and turn in my chair.
"Uh, nothing." I say. "What are you doing under my bed?" I ask with a little more sternness in my voice. Marti just giggles and skips out leaving the door open behind her. I shake my head and hear loud music start to play. Derek must be back from hockey. I roll my eyes and ban on the wall. "DEREK TURN THE MUSIC DOWN I'M TRYING TO STUDY!" I yell not wanting to get up and looking down at my chemistry book. I feel my room start to shake from the base as I'm sure he turned his music up. I roll my eyes again and stand up and bang on his door. "DEREK!" I yell. I open the door anyway and see he's on his bed with headphones on. "DEREK!" I yell again turning his stereo off and taking the headphones off his head.
"Hey!" He yells.
"Why do you have music blasting through the whole house if you are just listening to headphones?" I ask crossing my arms.
"To bother you, now get out," Derek says pushing me out. I roll my eyes as he slams the door behind, but it quickly opens back up. "By the way, stay out of the living room tonight. I have a date," Derek says.
"Who would ever wanna go out with you?" I ask in a taunting tone.
"Only every girl at our school" Derek says quickly.
"Not every girl," I say rolling my eyes. Derek laughs a bit as I walk to my room. I groan as I grab the phone and call Emily.
"Hello?" Emily asks.
"Em, can we have movie night at your place tonight?" I ask her.
"Sure, actually you can help me pack," Emily says.
"Pack?" I ask.
"For camp. Come on Casey you can't say that you forgot?" Emily says. A flood of memories come back to me and I sigh. How could I ever forget about summer camp. The school thought it would bring the student body together and picked the most organized seniors to organize and create a great camp for the high school. It also happens to be the biggest party of the summer at the end of the camp. It's actually pretty fun and basically a big party every night, depending on where it is. Sophomore year it was just at the school, but junior year we all stayed at a camp ground that was near Sheldon Schlepper's huge mansion. So naturally the party was there. But now that Sheldon has moved it is sort of up in the air where camp will be for my last year.
"Right, do they have a location?" I ask.
"Well not yet, but I still have to prepare my outfits," Emily says.
"Just make sure you wear something great for the party," Lizzie says from the other line.
"Lizzie! Get off the phone!" I yell.
"I need it. Go over to Emily's house if you wanna talk to her," Lizzie says.
"What do you need it for?" I ask Lizzie.
"Casey, I'll see you soon. Okay?" Emily says.
"Okay bye Em," I say hanging up. "LIZZIE!" I yell.
"I'm on the phone!" She yells back slamming her door. I hear Derek laugh from his room and I roll my eyes.
I go down stairs and see Mom setting the table.
"Oh no dinner for me Mom. I'm going to Emily's," I explain.
"Actually Casey, I have some news that I'd like to say at dinner."
"We are moving back to our condo?" I ask almost too hopefully.
"No Casey. Something not nearly as bad as that," she says.
"Well, just tell me now," I say walking all the way down the stairs and sitting down in my dinner seat.
"Well it doesn't just involve you," Mom says.
"Dinner!" George yells from the kitchen as he brings in some sort of casserole. Derek hops down the stairs and heads to the door. "Derek? Dinner."
"Oh sorry Dad, got a date," Derek says.
"And I have news, sit!" Mom says.
"But Nora," Derek complains.
"Just for a little bit." Derek sighs and puts his jacket on then sits at the table. Everyone else comes down for dinner and we start eating.
"So Mom, what's the big news?" I ask trying to get to Emily's quickly.
"The school called," Mom begins.
"What did Derek do?" I ask glaring at him.
"Actually it concerns both of you."
"What did Casey do?" Derek asks smugly.
"Mom can we just get to the point?" I ask her.
"Camp has been cancelled."
"What?" Derek and I sat at the same time.
"But what about the fun activities? What am I gonna do all summer?"
"What about the party!" Derek says.
"Party?" George asks.
"I mean the end of camp dance. It's kind of like a party," Derek says. "It's through the school," he quickly adds. I roll my eyes slightly. The party is hardly through the school since it gets way out of control and people end up drunk and doing drugs anyway.
"The school said they didn't have enough funding because certain parents think it's a money grab," Mom explains.
"Money grab? It helps pay for the prom, new lockers, water bottles at lunch! This is so unfair."
"Actually most of the money was used for the location last year," Derek says taking his jacket off and making a plate.
"Wait, if their camp is cancelled does that mean no high school camp next year?" Edwin asks.
"Yeah what about us! Everyone says that camp has become the best place to really make a name for yourself and be cool for in coming freshman," Lizzie adds.
"Yeah! What about us!" Marti yells.
"Martin you can't even go for a few years?" George says.
"I still know it's for cool people."
"It's not just cool people it's for everyone," I say.
"Yeah that's why they let you in," Derek says.
"I will have you know that I am very cool," I snap back.
"In who's world?" Derek asks. I start yelling at him and he yells back at me causing a riot at the table.
"Enough!" George yells over everyone. We all fall silent. "Now I know you kids are upset, but there are plenty of other summer activities for you two to do. Lizzie, Edwin, Marti you will survive. Maybe it will be back by time you get to high school."
"Yeah we just get the short end of the stick," I say standing up. "I'm going to Emily's," I say grabbing my jacket.
"Casey-" I hear my mom say as I slam the door behind me. I start walking next door when I hear the door open again and Derek walks out to get in the car.
"You sure your date is still waiting for you?" I yell to him.
"They are always still waiting for me," he says cockily. "Just ask Emily," he adds as he slides in the car and pulls out quickly almost running me over. I jump back.
"DEREK!" I yell splitting the syllables a bit.