So last time, Brooke and Della finally met. What's next? Thanks for reviewing, Bloodylilcorpse and Rya-plume d'un souffle.
Della was surprisingly easy to talk to. She kept asking me questions, and looking interested in my answers. She smiled or looked sympathetic at the right times, and commented on my answers. She was one of the best listeners I'd ever met. I felt myself loosen up as we talked, and I stopped mumbling all my answers. I managed to start talking properly, and I could finally look her in the eye. She was also a lot friendlier than I'd originally thought. Gentle, too. We talked for almost two hours, but the time passed so quickly. I couldn't believe it when I saw the clock.

"I noticed you yesterday." she confided after a few minutes. "I thought you looked lonely. It was at the campfire, but I didn't know where your cabin was at the time, so I didn't get the chance to talk to you afterwards."

I paused, looking at her with slight suspicion. "Don't you have friends here already?"

Della gave a sigh. "I find someone to hang out with each year, yes, but they're not really friend friends." Her expression became dark and depressed. "I think they're my friend, but I never hear from them after camp, and then the next year, I'm roomed with some other people and it starts all over again. Last summer, my friend wasn't even in my cabin. Then she made friends with her bunkmates and she didn't have time for me any more. I was so upset that I almost wanted to call my parents to persuade them to let me come home."

Her words stirred my sympathy. She was alone, and although I wasn't, I had nothing in common with my bunkmates.

"I can't believe that!" I exclaimed. "That is so not fair – you mean she ditched you just for some other girls? Way not cool."

Della shrugged. "That's what happens. I kind of got used to it. This year, I decided I wanted to keep my distance from everyone." She paused. "But I didn't want to see anyone else going the same way. That's why I decided I wanted to get to know you."

"So...we'll stick together during camp, and stay like that after the summer too?" I suggested. "Friends."

Della's smile was radiant. "Yes, friends. But," she added, "Since we're not the in the same cabin, it'll probably be harder to find each other. Why don't we each make our afternoons free, then we can hang out together at that time? And maybe some evenings – we can sit together at the campfire and things." She suddenly got up. "Anyways, I'm going to have to finish unpacking." she laughed. "I never bothered to get everything done yesterday. My bunkmates will be totally steamed if I don't get it done now. Later!"

"Later!" I called back as she left. Then I lay back on my bed, a smile on my face. I'd made a friend. And what was better, I didn't feel shy with her any more. In fact, I'd never felt so comfortable with anyone I'd just met.

I definitely didn't feel as comfortable with Meg, Jan and Jasmine. I could speak to them without mumbling, but I couldn't look them in the eye. I was too intimidated, especially by beautiful Jasmine. Knowing that I was a better swimmer than she didn't help one bit. She still seemed totally out of my league.

My bunkies came back in about ten minutes after Della left. They looked exhausted, but they'd apparently enjoyed themselves.

"So what did you do all afternoon, Brooke?" Meg asked. "You should've come jet-skiing. It was so much fun!"

"I'm doing it tomorrow, anyway." I said quietly. "One of the other girls didn't feel like doing anything, either, so she came and hung out with me. She left a few minutes ago – she hadn't finished unpacking."

"Weird." Jasmine commented. "Who doesn't unpack straight away when you're staying here for six weeks?"

Jan giggled. "It took me a whole week to unpack last time my parents and I went away – when I was ten. That was a four-week holiday in Illinois!" (The camp was in South Dakota, but we all came from different states – I lived in south Minnesota).

Meg laughed, too. "If that can happen, then I guess I can believe someone else hasn't finished yet. So when did you turn into the organized woman you are now?"

Jan grinned at the teasing tone. "Oh, you know, in four years or so. I just unpack stuff more carefully."

I felt a lot more comfortable with my bunkies than I had this time yesterday. It was nice that they were all so friendly, and they seemed genuine, too.

We had an extra campfire that night, although for the next six weeks, they'd only be twice a week, sometimes three times – depended on which two days passed when we didn't have one. The first one was just a rules-at-camp one, so this time, when we all traipsed out, the campfire was meant to be a social thing, with the counselors making sure everything was cool. Plus, if there were any rule-breaking incidents in the water, Liz would go over it with us so it didn't happen again (I got that info from Meg – apparently it happened a lot). Then we'd end the campfire with the camp song. We were allowed to leave after that, or we could hang out there for a longer while, maybe to tell ghost stories or something.

My bunkies wanted to all sit together at the campfire, but I remembered what Della had said, and searched with my eyes.

"What are you doing?" Jasmine asked.

"That girl I was talking to this afternoon – I said I'd hang out with her-" I began to explain, when I heard a voice.

"Brooke! Over here!" Della waved to me from the other side of the campfire. I grinned and went to join her.

We whispered through most of the campfire, except during the camp song. I was starting to learn the words, and Della really threw herself into it. She sang in a clear soprano voice, perfectly on pitch. But weirdly enough, she sounded rather sad as she sang. I didn't say anything to her, especially since when the song ended, she was smiling. Her eyes shone with happiness.

"Wow." I said. "How come you didn't tell me this afternoon you could sing?"

Della shrugged. "I guess it didn't come up. I mean, I love singing, but it's not something I do all the time."

I didn't see her after it was time to go back to the cabins. That was weird. I was hoping she might come in and talk to me again, but she didn't. Jasmine, Meg and Jan were all in and out of the cabin at different times before the curfew. Jasmine wasn't really in at all, to be honest, but Jan was mostly in – girls kept coming in to talk to her. Meg was half-and-half. I guess I could have gone to find Della's cabin, but I guessed she might be too tired to talk, or maybe she had another friend she wanted to talk to as well.

Still, I slept a lot easier that night.

Lucky Brooke. She'd have nightmares if she knew what Della was planning. Hope this was enjoyable!