Hi everyone! So this next chapter is the last one in the 'introductory' portion of the story - after this, we're officially into their day to day life at camp when all the fun begins. :) So thank you all for sticking with me and for all of your reviews! Please keep 'em coming! Hope you all have a nice Labor Day weekend! Enjoy!


Walking along the dirt road, Jude felt the blue of her Converse sneakers became covered in a light brown. She gripped her duffle bag a little tighter and continued walking, grasping how truly large the camp grounds sprawled.

"I can't believe they put me with the youngest kids!" Karma exclaimed from next to her. "I mean, when you look at me, does the word maternal come to mind?"

Jude glanced over to see her red button-down shirt tied just above her belly button and short jean skirt. She smirked upon her assessment, "I'd say that the chances of you being maternal are about as high as me ever wearing that outfit."

"See!" Karma responded. "I can't handle a bunch of nine year olds!"

"Well, my bunk of thirteen-year olds is going to be pretty hard too," Jude started, thinking about her own bunk assignment.

"Thirteen year olds? They'll be a piece of cake," Karma countered. "At least you can talk to them like normal people. What am I supposed to say to a nine year old? How's your Hello Kitty?"

Jude laughed lightly. "I'm sure you'll think of something. Besides, you'll have the other counselors there to help. The primary counselors, the other music specialist in the boy's bunk—"

"The other music specialist? Speed is more of a child than they are!"

"True…but maybe he'll be good with the kids," Jude attempted. "And if he's in the boy's bunk and you're in the girl's, then at least you'll get to see each other."

"That's true," Karma said thoughtfully, a devious grin emerging on her face. "Maybe we can sneak off at night! Like a secret love affair! Haven't you always wanted to do it in the woods?!"

Jude turned towards Karma with a look of doubt. "Just make sure you check for poison ivy before you lay down on the ground."

"Right…good point," Karma replied. "So is everything okay with Jamie?"

"I think so," Jude replied tentatively. "I mean, he's got some weird issue with staying with the kids, but I have no clue where that comes from."

"Maybe it's that only child syndrome," Karma offered. "Or maybe it's some inexplicable phobia."

"Maybe," Jude replied quietly, her thoughts drifting to Jamie.

Karma, on the other hand, diverted her attention to the woman in front of them. "Hey, miss! Miss!!"

The woman leading the group turned around to face Karma, as all of the girls stopped walking. "It's Erin."

"Right, Erin," Karma said with a sugary sweet smile. "How much longer of a walk is it until we get to Girl's Camp? I mean, we passed Boy's Camp at least five minutes ago and my shoes are seriously not good for this level of activity."

Erin glanced down at Karma's leopard print sandals and smirked. "Well maybe you should've worn more appropriate footwear. Girl's Camp is just up the road. It's pretty far from Boy's Camp…for obvious reasons."

"Clearly she's not getting any action this summer," Karma muttered quietly to Jude as they all began walking again. "This is probably one of the rare times that I really wish I were your sister."

"I know," Jude agreed. "Staying in the air conditioned cabin with Portia? It seems like a dream come true right now."

"Speaking of dreamy…," Karma started, "you know who didn't look too upset about staying in the bunks?"

"Who?"

"Little Tommy Q," Karma replied knowingly. "He seemed all tense when Darius first announced everything, but did you see how all the girls attacked him during lunch?"

Jude nodded, remembering the scene. "Yep. It was tough to miss."

"Even the guys were swarmed around him. There were kids of all ages – from nine to fourteen! Do they even know who Boyz Attack is?"

"Probably not," Jude replied. "But he's Tommy. They all know him."

Karma looked over at her. "So, are you two all BFF again?"

"BFF?" Jude repeated. "I don't think we were ever really that…but we're at least on speaking terms again."

"That's too bad," Karma said regretfully. "Your little hiatus was very beneficial for my album."

"It was?"

"Oh yeah," Karma explained. "He was with me all the time! Helping me write lyrics, trying different beats, mixing all night…it was great! All of his attention was on me."

"Great," Jude grumbled.

"You might just want to keep that in mind when we get back to Toronto…maybe you can try resuming the silent treatment?" Karma asked with a hopeful expression.

"We'll see," Jude said flatly, looking around to finally see a group of cabins in a row along the road.

"This," Erin announced, stopping the group, "is Girl's Camp."

"Finally!" Karma exclaimed, dropping her duffle on the ground.

"The bunks are arranged in age order," Erin explained, pointing to the row of cabins. "So over here are the youngest kids, the nine year olds, while all the way down there are the fourteen year olds."

"So ladies, the first name on my list is…Karma!" Erin called, reviewing the clipboard in her hand. "You're in this bunk here, Girls 1."

"Great," Karma muttered, picking up her bag yet again. "See ya, Jude."

"Good luck!" Jude called, watching Karma walk up the stairs and into her bunk, followed by a round of shrieks and screams from the little girls inside.

Jude followed Erin as she directed each of the other staff members towards bunks down the line.

"Jude Harrison," Erin called as Jude walked forward. "You're in Girls 5. It's right over there next to the oak tree."

"Thanks," Jude murmured before slowly walking towards the steps of the bunk. She was surprised to feel her nerves kick in and her pulse race as she approached the bunk.

Mounting each step, she gazed at the dark wood walls, realizing that this was going to be her new home for the next four weeks. She closed her eyes and made a quick wish that it would be an easy, fun few weeks before grabbing the small door handle and pulling it open.

As the door squeaked open, she heard a few gasps and whispers from inside.

She walked in and nervously smiled at the ten faces standing before her, surrounding the entrance.

"Hi," she said quietly, immediately feeling overwhelmed by their presence. "I'm…Jude."

As the words left her mouth, the calm in the bunk faded and was replaced by screams and hollers.

"Jude!"

"It's her!"

"Oh my god!!"

Without warning, she felt about six sets of arms smother her into some kind of odd group hug where the only thing she was directly hugging was her duffle bag. As her breath started to become constricted, she heard from behind her,

"Girls, girls – back up! Give Jude some space or you're going to kill her!"

Jude smiled sheepishly as she felt their grips loosen and the campers slowly retreat. She took a deep breath, feeling the air fill her lungs again, and quietly put her bag down on the floor.

"Sorry about that," a girl with curly brown hair said, approaching Jude. She was taller than the campers and wore a small white name tag on her camp t-shirt. "I'm Amy, the primary counselor. It's nice to meet you."

"Jude Harrison," Jude replied with a smile, holding out her hand to shake Amy's.

"This is your bed," Amy showed her, pointing to an empty twin bed at the front of the cabin. "That one across is mine. And then the kids are all in that back area."

Jude's gaze followed her gesture, realizing that there was a separate section through a screened door with two rows of bunk beds and a large bathroom.

"Nice," Jude said, surveying the small entry room, her eyes landing on the group of kids still anxiously waiting to talk to her. "So…should we start introductions?"

The girls all immediately leapt at her, eager to introduce themselves.

"I'm Jessica," a shorter girl with glasses said, shaking her hand. "I am like, in LOVE, with you. And your music. You're like, the coolest musician ever."

"Wow, thanks Jessica," Jude replied with a smile.

"I'm Hailey," another girl with blonde hair said. "I want to be a singer just like you."

"That's great, Hailey," Jude replied. "Do you write songs too?"

"No, but I signed up for your songwriting program, so I hope I will by the end of the summer," Hailey replied optimistically.

The rest of the girls excitedly introduced themselves too, leaving an exhausted Jude.

"Okay, girls," Amy announced, once they had all finished, "I think it's time to give Jude a break. She needs to get settled and unpack. Free swim is in twenty minutes, so why don't you all change into you suits?"

The girls all sighed disappointedly but opened the screen door to go back to their section.

"Thanks," Jude said, sitting down on her bed. "That was like ten Energizer bunnies."

"They've been talking about you all day," Amy said, sitting on her own bed. "Even before they realized you were staying here. They're all huge fans."

"Let's hope they still like me after living with me over these next four weeks," Jude replied with a smile.

Amy laughed lightly. "Yeah, I guess the expectation is kind of high for you. Fortunately, no one cares if I'm a slob."

Jude sniggered in response. "As long as they don't take pictures of my messiness. The paparazzi would just love to see shots of my underwear scattered all over the floor."

"Well, if they do, I can just claim it as my own," Amy said with a grin.

"Thanks," Jude said, leaning back on the bed and staring around their alcove. "You know, I really think this is going to be a good summer after all."

Amy nodded in response. "It will. For all of us."