¨Caitlyn?¨ Connie surprised her. ¨Y-yeah?¨ She washed her hands in the sink. ¨Could you and Mitchie come in a little early tomorrow?¨ She nodded. ¨Yeah of course.¨ She dried her hands and walked out the back door to her cabin. Once she was inside she curled up under her blankets.
With a slam of the screen door, Mitchie entered the cabin. ¨Mitch? Your mom wants us in early tomorrow.¨ She yawned.
¨Wake up! Up! Up! Up!¨ Mitchie shook her awake the following morning. ¨Go away!¨ Caitlyn burrowed under the blankets. She pulled the blankets off of her and finally sat up. ¨I´ll be there in a few.¨ She shuffled over to get dressed. Mitchie shrugged and headed off to the kitchens.
Caitlyn pulled out a layered white and green tank top and denim shorts with her green converse. She threw on some accessories and left.
¨Caitlyn?¨ She turned around. Nate was jogging towards her, he had on a white wife beater and basketball shorts. ¨Hey, I was on my morning run and saw you, what are you doing up at six in the morning?¨ She looked at the ground.
¨I uh, work in the kitchen.¨ She stammered.
He nodded. ¨Sweet, can I help at all?¨ She looked at him blankly. ¨Uh I guess we could always use another pair of hands!¨ He took her hand and walked with her to the kitchen.
¨Mitchie? Connie? Do we need any more help?¨ Connie smiled. ¨Well more help is always appreciated Nate, grab an apron and start mixing!¨ He nodded and tied one around his waist.
¨What do you want us to start with?¨ Mitchie asked her mom. ¨Well let´s do some pancakes to begin.¨ The three teens nodded and began to toss ingredients into bowls. ¨Flour?¨ Mitchie moved bags all over the counter but couldn´t find any
¨I found it!¨ Nate said with some in his hand. ¨What?¨ Caitlyn looked up as he flicked it at her.¨ Oh my gosh Nate!¨ He laughed heartily at her.
¨Eh hm.¨ Connie looked at them. ¨Sorry Connie.¨ They said in unison. ¨I can´t believe you did that!¨ Caitlyn whispered.
¨Okay I´m gonna start on the eggs over here, don´t make a mess.¨ Connie told them from behind the refrigerator door. Mitchie cleared her throat, ¨Yeah. Me too!¨ They walked to the other part of the kitchen.
¨Can you pass the milk?¨ Caitlyn asked Nate, reading the recipe Connie had left them.
Nate looked at her. ¨Uh, yeah, here.¨ Handing over the milk, as his hand brushed hers he shocked her. She withdrew her hand too quickly and the milk fell to the ground, spilling everywhere.
¨Oh my gosh!¨ Caitlyn exclaimed getting to the ground with a rag. Nate joined her, mopping it up. Once it was cleaned Nate tossed the rags in the laundry bin by the door.
¨Are you going to come to Final Jam tonight?¨ He asked covering her hands with his.
She shrugged. ¨I don´t know, it´d be hard just being a part of the audience.¨ She looked down at the floor.
¨I really want you to go.¨ Nate told her seriously. ¨I don´t know what I´m gonna do.¨ She admitted. ¨Are you two cooking?¨ Connie called. They seemed to remember where they were and got back to work.
Once breakfast had rolled around Nate left the kitchen to change before he headed over to the mess hall. ¨Guys?¨ He called, but it looked like they had already left. He changed into a blue plaid shirt with jeans. He ran over to the mess hall and sat between Jason and Shane.
¨Mm, these blue berry pancakes are so good!¨ Jason exclaimed, heaping more onto his plate. ¨Thank you.¨ Nate grinned proudly.
¨Wha?¨ Jason looked up with his mouth full. ¨Oh yeah, this morning when I went for my run I ended up helping out in the kitchen.¨Jason looked at him. ¨Doesn´t Caitlyn work in the kitchen too?¨
Nate smiled. ¨Yeah, she does.¨ Shane and Jason snickered but Nate pointedly ignored them. ¨Hey Nate.¨ Caitlyn walked by with Mitchie. Shane looked down at his breakfast until they had passed.
¨I´m gonna go.¨ Shane stood up and walked out the door. ¨Jason..?¨ Nate looked at him. ¨Ah, I do not know.¨ He shrugged. ¨Hi Jason, Nate!¨ Some blonde girl sat between them, flirting shamelessly with Nate.
¨Could you leave?¨ Nate finally asked annoyed; the girl seemed taken aback. ¨Uh, okay...¨ She stood up, pushing the chair in angrily. Jason shook his head slowly. ¨Not cool man.¨ The two of them stood up and left.
¨Shane what time´s final jam?¨ Jason called from the other room. ¨Uhh, like five.¨ He shrugged as he pulled on a new t-shirt.
Nate looked around the kitchen as he stepped out of the bathroom. ¨Huh?¨
Jason stepped around him. ¨Final Jam´s at five, meet you back here at five.¨ Nate nodded and walked briskly outside. ¨Have you noticed how this last week, we´ve seen Nate like twice?¨ Shane asked aloud.
¨Caitlyn?¨ Nate knocked on the door. ¨She isn´t here.¨ Lola stepped up behind the door.
He stepped back. ¨Oh, sorry. Do you know where she is?¨ But Lola just opened the door and leaned against the frame. ¨She and Mitchie headed down to the lake I think.¨
He nodded and turned to meet her. ¨Uh, hang on, I think Mitchie´s kind of upset about Final Jam and everything, and you going over there probably wouldn´t do too much good right now.¨
He nodded. ¨Alright, well I guess I´ll see her tonight then.¨ He left and sort of wandered around the camp for a while, ending up in front of the music hall. He walked inside to the instrumental room and sat down at the piano. He slowly began to play, trying to remember what he had learned in those four years of lessons. It all seemed to come flooding back as his fingers flew across the keys.
He stayed there for at least two hours, playing songs he had learned or just made up on the spot. ¨Nathan?¨ Brown walked in. He swiveled in the seat to face Shane´s uncle. ¨Hey Brown, what´s up?¨
He sat down on the set of drums. ¨Eh, not too much, just doing the Pre Final Jam Ritual.¨ He picked up the drum sticks, spinning them in his hands.
Nate looked at him quizzically. ¨You´re a drummer?¨ Brown shrugged and began to play. Nate bopped his head to the beat Brown was making. ¨Yeah, what did you think that I started this camp with no musical ability at all?¨ Brown laughed and Nate joined in.
¨Yeah I guess I just couldn´t pick you out as a drummer.¨ He shrugged. Brown hit the drums a few more times as if to make a point and then spun on his stool. ¨I´m gonna go get ready for Final Jam.¨ Nate stood suddenly to leave. Brown waved and beat the drums.
Once he had arrived back at the cabin he looked out the window and saw Mitchie and Caitlyn standing on the docks. He wanted to go out and see her before Final Jam but in the end, decided against it. When quarter of five rang on the clocks Nate hurried out the door to where they were holding Final Jam.
¨Dude, way to barely be on time.¨ Shane called, sitting at the table where they were going to judge that night. He sat down as people were filing in. Brown took the mic and began the night.
¨This is gonna be fun.¨ Jason whispered eagerly. The first act of the night came on and Jason seemed to thoroughly enjoy it.
¨That was great!¨ He exclaimed once the ¨Hasta la Vista¨ crew had run offstage. They scribbled down notes and then the blonde girl that had sat with them that morning came on next. He was finding it harder to concentrate on Tess; the ¨it¨ chick or whatever because he was attentively scanning the audience for Caitlyn´s face.
The music started to skip and Tess faltered before running off the stage. ¨Dude, do you think she´s okay?¨ Nate looked to Jason and Shane but the two looked just as unsure. Brown came back onstage looking uncomfortable. He began to speak but was cut off. He introduced Margaret Dupree.
She walked onstage, shyly almost and began to play the guitar she had strapped around herself. The guys were all captured by the power of her song. When she had finished every one stood clapping and cheering. Brown came back out, grinning happily.
¨Yes yes she was great!¨ He exclaimed with a laugh. ¨Alright alright it is officially the end of Final Jam! Now it´s time for our judges to talk in private and judge an-¨ But a sound surprised him, cutting him short. He hurried to the wings.
The guys had just headed behind the audience to decide who the winner was. They pretty much had figured out who they were choosing but suddenly a girls voice broke the air. Shane turned around instantly, his eyes lit up.¨That´s the song.¨
Nate spoke: ¨So that must be the girl.¨ And Jason rolled his eyes: ¨Duh.¨
Shane put the mic up to sing and stepped forward towards the girl. Nate and Jason grinned at each other; happy that Shane had found her. But suddenly Nate´s attention was directed to someone else beyond the stage.
Caitlyn was sitting at her laptop, cords dangling from it, her fingers sweeping the keys, the light from the laptop was brightening her smile even more but as the song wound to an end, her gaze locked on Nate. He felt himself standing up, running along the wall, towards the backstage.
¨Caitlyn!¨ He exclaimed breathlessly. He soundlessly wrapped her in his arms. ¨Miss me?¨ She laughed. Everyone crowded backstage while the winner was announced by Shane and Brown and the director. ¨Margaret Dupree!¨ Peggy´s eyes widened as she practically floated onto the stage.
A few minutes later everyone was positioned on stage. Nate was just a few meters away from Caitlyn and they were looking up ever so often at each other. He held the guitar lightly in his hands and began to play. Shane and Mitchie started off singing but soon enough everyone had joined in.
On the final note, as everyone´s hands shot upwards two hands connected, falling to their sides.
After the show Caitlyn slipped into the storage room that Nate was standing in, his body leaned up against the window. She crossed the room in steps and slipped into his embrace, leaning up to kiss him. He kissed her back, but pulled away after a moment, leaving her confused.
He moved away, offering her his hand that she took gladly and they walked out of the building wordlessly, Nate guiding her. He pushed on a door and she suddenly realized they were in the music hall, entering the room full of instruments. She looked at him quizzically but he just smiled and gestured for her to sit beside him on the piano bench.
He began to play one of the songs he had written that day, singing to her. She leaned against him and kissed his cheek. ¨That´s beautiful.¨ She whispered.
He grinned and whispered back: ¨So are you.¨ and turned her body to kiss her. She smiled and positioned herself so her back was facing the piano. He kissed her slowly at first, their mouths closed but as she arched her back, leaning slightly backwards, brushing the keys, the pace sped up.
She opened her mouth to his, their tongues dancing as one. As the heat grew rapidly between them, she fell back against the piano, the keys playing notes as they kissed. Her legs wrapped around him, his hands entangled in her hair and caressing her back.
Once they had broken apart Nate was sitting on the floor, his back against the wall and Caitlyn was sitting in his lap, her legs falling over his. He twirled a piece of hair around his finger, holding her against his chest. ¨What am I supposed to do?¨ He asked her, a frown covering his face.
¨What do you mean?¨ She shifted to look better at him, his brown eyes suddenly warm and comforting. ¨Three months a year is all I´ll see you. What am I supposed to do during the other nine?¨ She shrugged, a tear slipping down her cheek.
¨Bye Caitlyn, call me once you guys are settled at the new place?¨ Nate kissed her goodbye. She nodded and kissed him back. ¨Bye Nate...¨ Jason pulled he and Shane into the limo.
¨Okay ready to roll?¨ The driver called into the backseat. Jason looked sadly at his two best friends holding their phones as if deciding when was too soon to text Caitlyn and Mitchie. ¨Yeah, we are.¨ He pulled them both towards him. ¨Group Hug! You two need one.¨
¨Caitlyn go get the door.¨ Her brother Russell called from the den. ¨I thought all the stuff was brought in already?¨ She moaned standing up. ¨Just answer the dam door!¨ He exclaimed.
¨Fine fine fine!¨ She pulled the door open. ¨Delivery.¨ Two men were standing with a box between them. ¨Sign please.¨ One of the men held out a clip board. She scribbled her signature and eyed the box. ¨Oh yeah right.¨ The other muttered.
He tapped the box several times and the sides fell to the ground. ¨Cheesy? Or cute?¨ Nate was standing with his arms outstretched. She ran to him and hugged him like she never wanted to let go.