A/N: Hello all! Here is the next chapter! Thank you to my beta awkward-like-grace from Tumblr for giving this a looksie.

Also I realized I never put a disclaimer. So four chapters in and I'm sure you guys already know I don't own anything except the characters that didn't show up or are mentioned in the film as well as the plot. You guys know how it goes.

Chapter 4

After showering and dressing in her Takota threads, Charlie tied a matching blue bandana over her head to keep her hair in place. She double-laced her sneakers before she set off at a brisk jog toward the mess hall. She got as far as the craft hut and Maxine's office before she had to stop and heave in air. Maxine walked out of her office with her arms crossed when she heard Charlie's coughs sound worse.

"Where are they?" Max asked.

"Where are what?" Charlie asked her expression pained as she continued to wheeze.

"Are you really going to act like you don't know what I'm talking about?" Max helped Charlie stand up straight and looked her in the eye, "I thought you quit."

Charlie coughed a couple more times, "I'm not smoking them every day anymore. Just when I'm stressed."

"Seems to me that there's been something stressing you since before you got here," Maxine settled next to Charlie against the building and looked out at the camp, "You want to talk about it?"

Charlie looked out at the camp too, but her gaze was far off. She was quiet for a few minutes before she forced air out of her nose, "My parents are just being real shitty toward my aunt for taking me in. She tries to keep it from me, but I can tell it's getting to her."

"You're parents are such dicks," Maxine shook her head, "I don't understand how you missed that gene, but I'm glad you did."

Charlie smirked, "Yeah, well, anyway…I'm fine. I don't have a pack on me, so you don't have to worry."

"I always worry," Maxine leaned her elbow on top of Charlie's head, "I've come to think of you as a weirdly-old child of mine."

Charlie laughed and stepped forward from Maxine's arm, "And I've come to think of you as a weirdly-young mom of mine."

"But the coolest and hippest mom, right?" Maxine widened her eyes and glared at Charlie.

"Oh, right, yeah," Charlie held up her hands, "No doubt. You are far out."

Maxine pursed her lips, "Mmhmm, get out of here. Shouldn't you be setting up the mess hall with a certain cutie who's 'nice on the eyes'?"

Charlie stuck her tongue out at Max and set back off toward the mess hall.

Maxine shouted out after her, "Hey, your words, not mine!"

Charlie reached the mess hall and walked in to find the tables and benches all set up. Charlie's eyebrows wrinkled as she stepped into the kitchen and found Allison, sitting on a stool and taking a break from the look of things.

"You already got everything set up out there?" Charlie pointed a thumb over her shoulder.

"Yeah, it's no big deal," Allison nodded, "Eli is here with a delivery if you wanted to go ahead and start bringing that in. I'm a bit winded from setting up the tables, but I'll help out in a moment."

"You wouldn't be so winded if you waited," Charlie scolded and walked out the back door to find a few boxes of fresh produce in Eli's truck bed.

As Charlie approached the back of the truck, she saw Eli and Elise in the truck.

When Elise leaned in for a kiss from Eli, Charlie started coughing obnoxiously.

"Get a room," Charlie said between coughs, and she walked up to Eli's side with a smile plastered on her face.

"Hey Charlie," Eli sighed and leaned back in his seat.

"Charlie," Elise leaned over Eli and stuck her head out of the window, "don't you have some, I don't know, fruits to peel?"

"Elise," Charlie mimicked Elise's tone, "the produce won't be cut until Drop Off Day. It won't stay fresh if we cut it today."

Elise stuck her hand out, flipped Charlie off, and used her hand to tap her middle finger against Charlie's nose.

"Then go take the produce in," Elise tapped her finger on Charlie's nose one last time before she sat back in her seat, "Eli and I were going to go out today since I don't have to set up the craft hut."

"Okay, I'll go get the boxes then," Charlie shrugged, then a mischievous grin formed, "Hey Eli, funny story this morning, Elise here woke up-"

Before Charlie could get out the events that happened, Elise practically leapt forward and covered Charlie's mouth with her hand.

"Charlie! Don't you have boxes to get?" Elise pulled her hand away when Charlie licked it, "Ew! You don't even know where my hand has been."

"Ugh, now I have really bad images in my head," Charlie covered her eyes and went to get a box of vegetables out the back of the truck.

"Well, can't say anything to that other than you should have thought before you licked," Elise's tone was sing-song. Charlie flipped Elise off before she hoisted a box of vegetables out of the truck.

"Charlie," Eli called out and Charlie turned around, "I included some of those herbs you wanted. They're in the smaller box back there."

"Great, thanks Eli," Charlie smiled and brought the box in the kitchen.

"Lovebirds at it?" Allison hopped off the stool and took the box from Charlie.

"Almost, but I came in and was all 'Cockblock!'" Charlie punched the air on the last word.

Allison laughed and started to sort out the vegetables, "How many other boxes are there?"

"Only two, I can grab them if you wanted to sort?" Charlie asked.

"I was getting ready to suggest that," Allison nodded, "Great minds much?"

Charlie shrugged and backed out of the kitchen to get the other two boxes. She hopped up in the truck bed to grab the last small box that had scooted toward the front of the truck.

Allison looked at the box in Charlie's hands as she went to stash it next to Maxine's fiber nuts, "Are those drugs?"

Charlie sighed deeply, "Why does everyone assume I have drugs?"

"Whoa, not assuming, only asking," Allison shook her hands, "No judging, dude."

"They're herbs," Charlie pulled down the box and opened it, "Sage, a little mint, and some spices like cinnamon. I like to make my own loose leaf teas."

"Huh, cool," Allison said, taking the box and pulling it to her nose to smell them, "So, Eli's been growing these for you?"

"More like giving me some," Charlie said, "He doesn't use them that much, but he has them planted just in case."

Allison nodded and gave the box back to Charlie, "I'll have to try a bit the next time you brew."

Charlie smirked, "Maxine likes to joke with the campers and say that it's my witches brew when I make it."

Allison laughed, "Yeah, well, you can't blame her for the jokes. Once Max gets to know you, they really are more endearing than anything."

"So I've noticed."

"You two seem pretty close. How did you two meet?"

"A mutual friend, you might remember her from when she came here to camp. Thora Aleksei?"

"Oh, yeah! She was a really nice girl."

"Yeah, I had that rough patch a few years back and Thora introduced me to Maxine and the camp, and Maxine was super desperate for a cook. When I first met Max she greeted me with a hug and asked if I was stupid because I offered her a handshake," Charlie's eyes crinkled as she laughed and smiled, "She looks out for me. Like really looks out for me."

"I was wondering about the whole 'Mom' thing last night," Allison sorted the last of the produce and wiped her hands on her shirt, "Well I think we are officially set up. Just need to figure out the menu for tomorrow."

"I was thinking the standard Sloppy Joes, and your famous tots," Charlie leaned against the island countertop.

"And then maybe a fresh spring salad with plenty of toppings for our health?" Allison asked and wrote everything down on a notepad.

"Sounds good," Charlie stretched her arms over her head, "Should we plan for the day after now, too, or do you only plan them the day ahead?"

"Day ahead, so then I can see what I have to set aside for it," Allison set the pad and pen down, "This feels like it's almost too easy with two people."

Charlie crossed her arms, "I can always back off a bit in the kitchen if you wanted a bit more of a challenge."

"No, you're fine! I was only saying so because I really like having you," Allison's smile widened, "Dare I say it, we make a nice…'pear'?"

Charlie laughed as Allison held up a pear, "Elise warned me of the puns," she moved to the boxes of produce, "I told her not to worry about it though, puns are the 'radish'!"

"'Gouda' one!" Allison shook a block of cheese above the door of the open fridge.

The two girls then ravaged the kitchen, trying to find as many puns as they could. By the time they were down to last few things, there was food piled on every countertop.

"I don't know if I can get anymore puns," Allison sat across from Charlie on the floor around a box. She leaned forward and pulled out the last item, "I've 'beet' this to the ground."

"Guess you've 'beet' me then," Charlie pouted, and then her eyes shone, "I guess we're at our 'roots'?"

"Oh!" Allison started to bow at Charlie, "Okay, you got it. You are now crowned the pun-master of Takota."

"Woo!" Charlie stuck her arms over her head in victory, "How much time did we kill?"

"About two hours," Allison checked her watch, "I guess it's going to take about half an hour to get everything put back."

"Eh, it was worth it," Charlie stood up and brushed the back of her shorts.

"What the hell happened in here?" Maxine asked as she walked into the kitchen, "Did you guys take a full inventory or what?"

"We had a pun-off," Allison explained as she placed vegetables into a box, "But dammit! We could have killed two birds with one stone!"

Charlie just shrugged, "I was too distracted by the puns."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's all that distracted you," Maxine murmured at Charlie and laughed.

"What?" Allison asked.

"Nothing," Charlie started to pick up the pace, the back of her neck was flushed.

Allison looked to Maxine for an explanation, and got a suggestive wink as a response. Allison's face began to burn, despite the smile that formed on her face. She didn't have to know what Max said, Max had picked up on Allison's attraction to the new girl. But Allison was sure that the attraction wasn't one-sided.

"Okay, well I guess I'll leave you guys to it," Maxine stepped out, but before she left she looked at Charlie, "Could you come by my office after you clean up here? We still need to talk."

Charlie nodded her expression solemn. She didn't exactly look forward to the meeting. It was only a dream, and it was inconsequential to anything. Charlie was over her ex, it had been almost three years. She never answered when Charlie tried to contact her.

Except there was the letter that showed up before she left for Takota. Charlie didn't smoke only because of her parents.

Melanie had contacted her. In handwritten form. At least, that's what Charlie thought. If Mel was going to contact her through snail mail, she would probably go all the way. She always went all the way with things. Charlie didn't even open the letter, only tucked it into her favorite book that was currently in her backpack in her cabin room.