Sarah went into her room. It had one bunk bed and one single bed. The bottom bunk and the single bed were already taken. Good. I get the top bunk. She saw Emily and went up to her.

"Hey," she said. "Do you know Kayla?"

"No. She's knew, I hear. So, you're Elliot's girlfriend?"

"Yeah. Why? You like him?"

"No, I have a boyfriend. Todd. But basically every other girl on campus has a crush on him. It's weird that-if you don't mind me saying this-Elliot likes tomboys."

"I don't mind. I used to be a lot more of a tomboy than now. I was never seen in a skirt before Elliot came."

"So how'd you guys meet?"

"Our family has known them for a long time and during the summer we would go to Lake Winetka and visit, and try to win this tournament. The Murtaughs always won. But this summer we went after-I don't remember, four years? So we liked each other and he asked me out-there's a funny yet humiliating story about that."

"Care to give me details?"

"Well, his dad and my dad decided to show up early."

"That's all I need to know."

Sarah smiled. She'd already made a friend.

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Elliot and Jake entered their room. "I call the single bed!" Jake called.

"I call the top bunk!" Elliot said at the same time.

"Okay," Todd said as he entered. "I'll take the bottom."

No one talked for a few minutes when finally, Jake broke the silence. "I'm going to go around the dorm," he said.

"Okay," Elliot replied. "But be back in forty minutes."

After Jake left, Todd asked, "What's in forty minutes besides me beating Chris at basketball?"

"Me, Jake, and Sarah are going down to the beach."

"So, how did my best bud go to his summer house for a month and come back with a girlfriend?"

"Well, really we've known them for a long time. Every year, our families would compete in a tournament. We'd usually win. They skipped coming for a few years, but they came this summer and I had a crush on Sarah. I asked her out to the movies."

"How'd it go?"

"Well, my dad and her dad showed up to look after us, and well, it was not pretty."

"Enough said."

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Sarah and Emily were talking when a short girl with brown curly hair came in. "Hi," she said. "I'm Kayla."

"So . . . Kayla, you're new here? Yeah, but my cousin Sarah filled me in on what's going on. So the most popular kid in school is now dating you?"

"Yes."

"Lucky you. But you're going to hear a lot of snickering." Sarah remembered the girls. "Everybody," Kayla looked at Emily. "Well, almost everybody has loved him. He's smart, he plays the drums, he surfs, skateboards, he's nice and funny, he's so hot, and his hair is dreamy. I see why you picked him."

It was clear to Sarah that Kayla liked him too. "Hmm. . ." Sarah mumbled. She looked at her watch. Ten minutes until they were all supposed to meet. "I got to go," Sarah said. "I'm meeting my brother and Elliot."

"See ya."

"Bye."

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Elliot looked at his watch. "Got to go," he said. "I'm going to the beach."

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Jake looked at the clock in the hallway. Time to go. He went back to the room and got his stuff.