Prologue Part 2
It was another day at the camp, about a week before the parents were due to come and pick all the kids up. Parent's weekend had passed a month before. Rory's mom, Lorelai, had come. No one had for him. But he expected that by now, plus Sarah had called the day before and told him that she wouldn't be able to make it. 'I just can't afford to take off from work, plus... Hank said we couldn't afford the gas to drive. I'm sorry hun, see you soon.'
And after all the time he had spent with Rory and Lor, he really didn't mind as much as he normally would. Upon hearing that he would be spending his time alone, Lorelai insisted that he hang out with them, since he and Ror were friends. She reminded him of Lizzy's weird friend Maria, except her sense of humor was much better, and she didn't act like she was the boss. He liked her. She made him feel like he fit. With them.
The only thing wrong with the weekend was Rory's dad, Chris, had said he would come. Rory had told him before that she didn't expect him to really be there, as he usually said he would be there then didn't show. Still though, when Lorelai had shown up alone and attempting to cover for Chris, he could tell that she was disappointed.
She had gotten over it quickly though. Lorelai turned out to be a pretty good grown up. Most weren't, but there was the occasional exception, and she was definitely one of them. She had even invited him to stay in the cabin with her and Rory, as a sleepover. But he had to say no. He could tell that the two girls needed some time to themselves. Even though they both denied it, they weren't used to being anything more than a duo, and he felt like he was imposing.
After Lorelai left, Rory and him grew closer than before. Her mother accepted him, which meant she was right about him; he was a good person. Soon they felt like they knew everything about each other. At least, he did. She felt like he was hiding something, but couldn't tell what. Every time she would start to ask him about his home life, his eyes would grow dark and he'd tell her to drop it. She didn't push. She knew that he'd tell her if it was important.
She had some suspicions though. When they had gone swimming, she had seen marks on his back. Long, like from a stick or something. When she and Lor had been alone, she told her about it. She could see something switch in her mom's eyes, but couldn't tell what. All her mom had said was 'Well, don't push him. If he wants you to know, he'll tell you. Just, be careful with how you deal with it.' She never told Rory what she knew it was. Marks from a belt.
Part of the reason she held contempt for her parents. They believed in that sort of punishment. At least her mother did. She had gotten the belt, only once though. She had been nine, and had gone to play outside, in the rain, in a brand new white dress. She'd never forget the look on her mother's face when she came back inside. Or how fast she changed her mind about her parents. They cared more about the cost of a dress than the fun she had in it. Her father hadn't even consoled her when he got home. Just said to mind what her mother said.
-----------
It was a new activity today. Canoeing. It was supposed to be tennis, but since the temperature had raised overnight, the managers decided water sports would be a better idea. Never mind they wouldn't even be in the water, Michael pointed out to Rory.
'Technically we are."
'How do you figure that?'
"Well, we'll be in boats, in the water." She smiled cheekily at him.
'Oh yeah, that makes all the difference."
They were at the edge of the lake now, waiting for the canoe's to be given out. They had done this once before, so they didn't need a guide. Only half the camp was canoeing, but that was still a lot of people. So they didn't expect to get their boats so soon.
The whistle sounded, signaling everyone to get in and kick off. Rory got in first, and Michael pushed them off. He jumped in, causing the boat to rock a little.
'Sorry.' He remembered she told him about how she was a little nervous about boats.
"It's okay. Can we just go a little slower this time?" Last time they had gone really fast, and nearly crashed.
'Sure, were gonna get left behind though.'
"I don't care. Do you?"
'Not really. All those kids give me a headache.'
"We are kids Mikes." He hated being called Mikey, so she revised it into Mikes.
'Yeah yeah.'
They were quiet after that. Just enjoying the scenery and each other's company. At camp they hardly had any quiet time, and had to struggle to hear each other. It wasn't as hot as everyone had thought it would be. Actually, there was a nice breeze going, with the sun shining bright, but not hot. She thought back to when Michael had told her about Sarah's story.
It had been raining hard, and since the cabin's leaked, everyone was in the cafeteria with their sleeping bags. Most were already asleep, except for a few people, including them. He noticed how she jumped every time there was a thunder strike. So he climbed into her sleeping bag and hugged her. To calm her down, he told her of the sun and moon, and how they were cursed.
She looked over at him and wondered what he was thinking about. His eyes were closed, and there was a slight frown on his face. She hated to see him frown. That was all he had done before they were friends. She had wanted to approach him so badly, but could never seem to find the right time to do it. Then when he had stood up for her, she took that as her chance. She was glad she had too. He had changed a lot. At least, to her. He was still closed off to anyone else.
"Hey Grumpy, what's wrong?"
He snapped his eyes open and looked at her as if he had forgotten she was there.
'What?'
"What's wrong?"
'Nothing, just thinking.'
The water started to pick up force, pushing them along faster. Rory was about to ask him what he was thinking about when she saw something behind him. It was a rock. A large one sticking out of the water three feet high, and two across. About the same as the canoe. And they were heading straight for it. He saw her stare and turned to see what it was.
They were too close to completely avoid it, but they could try. Michael turned so that he was completely facing the rock and they both stared to row to the left as hard as they could. They were almost to it, and they knew it was gonna hit. Figuring it would be easier on the canoe, and them if they weren't on it, he told Rory to jump.
He barely made it out when he heard the sound of splintering wood and a loud crack. He turned to see the canoe floating away, only the front of it damaged. He went to swim after it, but he knew that the water was moving it away too fast. Plus it would be of no use to them. He could see it start to dip down, sinking from the water pressure.
'Well, there goes the canoe. And desert privileges.' He said while turning, but no one answered.
'Rory?' he looked around but she was nowhere in sight 'RORY!!!'
It was another day at the camp, about a week before the parents were due to come and pick all the kids up. Parent's weekend had passed a month before. Rory's mom, Lorelai, had come. No one had for him. But he expected that by now, plus Sarah had called the day before and told him that she wouldn't be able to make it. 'I just can't afford to take off from work, plus... Hank said we couldn't afford the gas to drive. I'm sorry hun, see you soon.'
And after all the time he had spent with Rory and Lor, he really didn't mind as much as he normally would. Upon hearing that he would be spending his time alone, Lorelai insisted that he hang out with them, since he and Ror were friends. She reminded him of Lizzy's weird friend Maria, except her sense of humor was much better, and she didn't act like she was the boss. He liked her. She made him feel like he fit. With them.
The only thing wrong with the weekend was Rory's dad, Chris, had said he would come. Rory had told him before that she didn't expect him to really be there, as he usually said he would be there then didn't show. Still though, when Lorelai had shown up alone and attempting to cover for Chris, he could tell that she was disappointed.
She had gotten over it quickly though. Lorelai turned out to be a pretty good grown up. Most weren't, but there was the occasional exception, and she was definitely one of them. She had even invited him to stay in the cabin with her and Rory, as a sleepover. But he had to say no. He could tell that the two girls needed some time to themselves. Even though they both denied it, they weren't used to being anything more than a duo, and he felt like he was imposing.
After Lorelai left, Rory and him grew closer than before. Her mother accepted him, which meant she was right about him; he was a good person. Soon they felt like they knew everything about each other. At least, he did. She felt like he was hiding something, but couldn't tell what. Every time she would start to ask him about his home life, his eyes would grow dark and he'd tell her to drop it. She didn't push. She knew that he'd tell her if it was important.
She had some suspicions though. When they had gone swimming, she had seen marks on his back. Long, like from a stick or something. When she and Lor had been alone, she told her about it. She could see something switch in her mom's eyes, but couldn't tell what. All her mom had said was 'Well, don't push him. If he wants you to know, he'll tell you. Just, be careful with how you deal with it.' She never told Rory what she knew it was. Marks from a belt.
Part of the reason she held contempt for her parents. They believed in that sort of punishment. At least her mother did. She had gotten the belt, only once though. She had been nine, and had gone to play outside, in the rain, in a brand new white dress. She'd never forget the look on her mother's face when she came back inside. Or how fast she changed her mind about her parents. They cared more about the cost of a dress than the fun she had in it. Her father hadn't even consoled her when he got home. Just said to mind what her mother said.
-----------
It was a new activity today. Canoeing. It was supposed to be tennis, but since the temperature had raised overnight, the managers decided water sports would be a better idea. Never mind they wouldn't even be in the water, Michael pointed out to Rory.
'Technically we are."
'How do you figure that?'
"Well, we'll be in boats, in the water." She smiled cheekily at him.
'Oh yeah, that makes all the difference."
They were at the edge of the lake now, waiting for the canoe's to be given out. They had done this once before, so they didn't need a guide. Only half the camp was canoeing, but that was still a lot of people. So they didn't expect to get their boats so soon.
The whistle sounded, signaling everyone to get in and kick off. Rory got in first, and Michael pushed them off. He jumped in, causing the boat to rock a little.
'Sorry.' He remembered she told him about how she was a little nervous about boats.
"It's okay. Can we just go a little slower this time?" Last time they had gone really fast, and nearly crashed.
'Sure, were gonna get left behind though.'
"I don't care. Do you?"
'Not really. All those kids give me a headache.'
"We are kids Mikes." He hated being called Mikey, so she revised it into Mikes.
'Yeah yeah.'
They were quiet after that. Just enjoying the scenery and each other's company. At camp they hardly had any quiet time, and had to struggle to hear each other. It wasn't as hot as everyone had thought it would be. Actually, there was a nice breeze going, with the sun shining bright, but not hot. She thought back to when Michael had told her about Sarah's story.
It had been raining hard, and since the cabin's leaked, everyone was in the cafeteria with their sleeping bags. Most were already asleep, except for a few people, including them. He noticed how she jumped every time there was a thunder strike. So he climbed into her sleeping bag and hugged her. To calm her down, he told her of the sun and moon, and how they were cursed.
She looked over at him and wondered what he was thinking about. His eyes were closed, and there was a slight frown on his face. She hated to see him frown. That was all he had done before they were friends. She had wanted to approach him so badly, but could never seem to find the right time to do it. Then when he had stood up for her, she took that as her chance. She was glad she had too. He had changed a lot. At least, to her. He was still closed off to anyone else.
"Hey Grumpy, what's wrong?"
He snapped his eyes open and looked at her as if he had forgotten she was there.
'What?'
"What's wrong?"
'Nothing, just thinking.'
The water started to pick up force, pushing them along faster. Rory was about to ask him what he was thinking about when she saw something behind him. It was a rock. A large one sticking out of the water three feet high, and two across. About the same as the canoe. And they were heading straight for it. He saw her stare and turned to see what it was.
They were too close to completely avoid it, but they could try. Michael turned so that he was completely facing the rock and they both stared to row to the left as hard as they could. They were almost to it, and they knew it was gonna hit. Figuring it would be easier on the canoe, and them if they weren't on it, he told Rory to jump.
He barely made it out when he heard the sound of splintering wood and a loud crack. He turned to see the canoe floating away, only the front of it damaged. He went to swim after it, but he knew that the water was moving it away too fast. Plus it would be of no use to them. He could see it start to dip down, sinking from the water pressure.
'Well, there goes the canoe. And desert privileges.' He said while turning, but no one answered.
'Rory?' he looked around but she was nowhere in sight 'RORY!!!'