Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me, I made up the names Hilary, Amanda, Melissa, Melena, Rachael, and Tracy. But it's stil not mine, just using it for my own personal H/H goodness. Enjoy!
The Parent Trap
Chapter Three
Here Comes Trouble
In the dining hall, twenty minutes later, a hundred and fifty girls, all in camp uniforms, arrive for dinner. They spilt into two lines at the buffet table. In one line, Hallie was getting her dinner and in the other line, Hilary was headed straight toward her. They were both busy talking to their friends, laughing and joking about the food, and they didn't notice each other.
Hilary reached the front of the line and approached the buffet table at the same time as Hallie. For a split second, they were standing right next to each other. But just as they were about to turn around, face to face, Melena, the camp director, stepped between them with a plate full of food.
"Excuse me, girls...I've just got to have a scoop of those gorgeous strawberries," she said, holding large spoonful. She turned towards Hallie, "Care for some?"
"Oh, no thanks, can't, I'm allergic," answered Hallie as she took her plate and walked out of the line.
Melena then turned towards the other line and offered Hilary some. "How 'bout you, dear? Strawberries?"
Hilary was about to leave, too, but just before walking away, she answered, "Sorry, wish I could, but I'm allergic."
Melena seemed confused and looked back in the direction of Hallie, who had already left. "Oh, yes, allergic. You just told me that," she said, not quite looking up yet. "How'd you get over there? Oh well, first day of camp...you'll have to excuse the ol' girl. At least I'm not putting salt in the sugar shakers, yet. I mean sugar in the..." she finally looks up to see a different girl standing in Hallie's spot. So she turns back around to Hilary, but she's not there, either. This only confuses Melena even further. "Now, where'd she go?"
Later that night, Hallie entered the shower house and stepped into an empty stall, beginning to wash her hair. She was wearing a small gold locket around her neck.
Not a minute later, Hilary also walked into the showers and took the stall next to Hallie. She turned on the water, unaware of who was next to her since the girls could not see over the partition. Hilary also had on a gold locket, identical to Hallie's.
Hallie dropped her soap a second later and it slid into next stall. Hilary grabbed the soap bar and reached over the partition to hand it back to whoever was there.
"Here you go," said Hilary.
"Got it! Thanks." Hallie replied.
They both stood frozen for a moment as their fingers touched. A current of some sort was running between them. They both turned to look at their touching hands. Then, at the same time, they both let go.
Hallie lifted her locket to her mouth and starting biting on it. Hilary did the exact same thing as she turned off the water. They shrugged it off as a weird sort of magical energy, thinking they had simply met another witch without knowing it.
The next day at camp, there was a fencing match going on. Two girls, each wearing nylon jackets and wire-mesh masks were in the middle of a duel. The first girl was obviously beating the other girl's butt, as she knocked the other girl's sword out of her hand and pinned her against a wall. The other campers applauded and cheered. Both girls took off their masks and jackets and it turns out that Hallie was the winner.
"Touché! Excellent, girls," exclaimed Melissa, the director's daughter and second in charge of the camp. She raised Hallie's arm in the air, "The winner and still undeafeted champ, Hallie Potter!"
Hallie took a bow and moved off with her friends. Just then, Hilary, Amanda, and Tracy pass by the dueling area in time to hear Melissa ask, "Do we have any challengers?" When none of the girls replied, Melissa frowned. "Oh, c'mon girls, there's gotta be someone that can take down Hallie's title. Someone? Anyone?"
Hilary decided to speak up, since it looked like no one else was going to try it. "Sure, I'll take a whack at it." She snapped on a vest and mask, flipped the sword into the air and caught, and then nodded to Melissa.
Melissa blew her whistle, shouting, "En garde!"
Hallie turned around to face Hilary, but since they were both wearing the masks, they couldn't see each other's faces properly. Hilary saluted briskly with her sword. Hallie hesitated, but then she also did the same. They stood on guard, looking like toy duellers.
'This going to be even better than a wizard's duel!' though Hilary. Hallie had thought the same thing on her first match.
Melissa blew her whistle once more and the real duel began.
Hallie lunged first, but Hilary parried, then attacked. Hallie tried to knock the sword out of Hilary's hand but Hilary deflected the blade, whirled around, and lunged. A point for Hilary!
Hallie got the jump on Hilary and came in low. A point for Hallie! Hallie lunged again, but Hilary caught her sword and swept it in a full circle, pulling them together, mask-to-mask. They broke.
Hallie charged but Hilary side-stepped it and Hallie ran past her, instead. Hallie stoped and whipped around to find Hilary lunging toward her. Hallie stepped back, lost her balance, and fell butt-first into a water trough, landing with a huge splash. The campers exploded with laughter.
Hilary gasped and reached out to help Hallie, "Oh my gosh, are you okay?" she asked. But Hallie grabbed Hilary's hand and yanked her into the trough, as well. The campers cracked-up as the two girls sat soaking, side-by-side. They climbed out together and angrily pulled off their masks.
Hilary tossed her long hair while Hallie shook out her short hair.
"Looks like we got ourselves a new camp champ, Miss Hilary Granger!" yelled Melissa. "Let's shake hands, girls."
Neither girl turned around.
"Girls!" scolded Melissa.
Hilary and Hallie finally turned, hands extended. And for the first time, they looked into each other's faces...and froze. Speechless. It was like looking into a mirror.
Hallie extended her again and this time, Hilary reached for it. As they touched, something electric again passed between them. They both looked down at their hands, not knowing what to say.
Just then, their friends joined them and they immediately slipped their hands into their pockets - at the same time. Their friends stopped in their tracks and looked from Hilary to Hallie, stunned at the resemblance. The lunch bell rang and everyone else on the lawn ran towards the Mess Hall.
"Why's everyone staring?" asked Hallie, though most of the girls had already left.
"Don't you see it?" asked Hilary.
"See what?"
"The resemblance," cried Hilary, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "between us."
Hallie looked as though it was the most preposterous idea ever. "Between you and me!" she exclaimed. "A resemblance? Let me see, turn sideways..."
Hilary turned.
"Now the other way..."
Hilary did.
"Hmm," said Hallie, thoughtfully. "Well, your eyes are much closer together than mine. Your ears stick out; your teeth are crooked; and that nose! Well, don't worry, dear, those things can be fixed."
Rachael and Nicole lauged.
Amanda asked Hilary, "Want me to deck her for you?"
"Hold on, I'm not quite finished," interupted Hallie, before Hilary could answer. "You want to know the real difference between us?"
"I have class and you don't? Or I know how to fence and you don't? Take your pick," remarked Hilary.
Hallie angrily stepped forward, muttering, "Why I oughtta..." but Melissa squeezed between them.
"Okay, ladies, time to break-up this little love fest. Hilary...Hallie," she said, but then how much they looked alike and did a double take. "I mean, Hallie...Hilary. I mean...whoa."
The lunch bell rang again and this time, Amanda and Tracy pulled Hilary away as Rachael and Nicole pulled Hallie away in the other direction.
"That girl is a major loser," said Rachael, as they walked away.
"Yeah," agreed Nicole. "Too bad you couldn't look like someone cooler."
At the same time, on the other side of the lawn, Hilary asked, "Do we really look as much alike as I think we do?"
"It's just a weird freak of nature," said Amanda, slapping her on the back. "Please accept my condolences."
Hilary looked back at Hallie, who was also sneaking a look at her, and quickly turned away.
In the Navajo bunk that night, there was a poker game taking place. A crowd of girls watched as Hilary Granger, who had a Tootsie Pop dangling from the side of her mouth, was playing with four older girls and winning, big-time. A pile of change, crumpled dollar bills, and candy bars lay in the middle.
"Sorry, ladies, read 'em and weep," said Hilary, as she spread out a full-house. The older girls groan and toss in their hands, as Hilary raked in the pot.
"So...that's it? No other takers?" she asked.
"You've already taken in everybody," stated a younger girl.
A crisp, new, five dollar bill floated onto the cot.
"Not everybody," came a voice.
Hallie Potter was standing over Hilary, a smile on her face.
Moments later, Hallie was skillfully shuffling a deck of cards. She dealt the cards, and the next thing you know, the two girls were going one-on-one, shuffling, dealing, drawing, bluffing. First, Hilary took it...then Hallie...then Hilary. It was back and forth, until finally, the entire pot sat in front of Hallie and Hilary was down to her last dollar. It was winner take all.
"Three bucks," said Hallie, tossing in her bet.
Hilary checked her hand, she was holding a straight. She bit her lip, knowing she was holding a winning hand.
"Tell you what I'm going to do; since you're almost tapped out, I'll make you a deal: loser jumps into the lake after the game," suggested Hallie.
Hilary grinned. "Excellent."
"Nude."
"Even more excellent," commented Hilary, as she laid down her cards. "Queen high straight."
Hallie smirked widely, "In your honor," she said in a fake British accent. "A Royal Flush."
Hilary gaped.
"Start unzipping, Princess."
That night, Hilary was taking off her camp uniform. She watched in regret as it fell onto the sand. Slowly, she started stepping away from her clothes.
The girls from the poker game were huddled together on shore, holding dimly lit candles. Hallie was standing in the center of the group, a content smile on her face.
Rachael watched Hilary walk to the lake. "That girl's butt looks awfully familiar," she said.
Hallie raised her eyebrows and gave her a weird look.
"It does!" exclaimed Rachael.
Hilary reached the dock; her teeth were chattering. She turned back to look at the girls, once more. Hallie and her friends waved. Hilary saluted them as her legs gracefully sliced through the water in a perfect dive.
While Hilary was underwater, Nicole loudly whispered, "Hurry! Let's get her clothes!"
The girls started giggling as they grabbed Hilary's uniform and shoes and took off through the woods.
Hilary finally popped up out of the water, but everyone was gone. She hurried out of the lake and across the sand where she left her clothes on an old log, but nothing was there.
"Uh! That girl..." she groaned. "Well, if that's the way she wants, then let the games begin," she said, with her eyes narrowed and a frown on her face.
The next day, Hallie and her friends were truding back to their cabin after a hot, sweaty, and tiring hike.
"I swear I heard that girl sneezing all the way across the Mess Hall this morning," said Hallie, as she was riding piggy-back on Nicole. The others laughed as Hallie yawned. "I am so tired. I'm crawling back into bed and sleeping till lunch!"
Nicole stopped, looking up at the roof of their bunk and Hallie slid off her back. "That does not seem like a possibility, babe."
"Why not?" asked Hallie.
Nicole simply pointed to the roof, "That's 'why not'."
Hallie stopped in her tracks, her eyes raising to the roof of the cabin, where every single cot was now perched. "No way," she breathed.
Later, that night, the lights were out and everything was quiet and peaceful. Suddenly, three shadowy figures ran silently towards Hilary's bunk.
Inside the cabin, the girls were sleeping soundly as the door squeaked open. Hallie stepped in, signalling 'the coast is clear' and Nicole and Rachael also tip-toed in, carrying strange, unidentifiable objects.
They all quickly got to work, opening and pouring a jar of honey into a pair of Adidas, squirting shaving cream onto a pillowcase, winding a ball of twine around a bedpost and zigzagging it across the room, emptying an industrial-size can of chocolate into a bucket, and dumping Wesson oil all over the floor.
Very early, the following morning, a sleepy seven-year-old with a bugle played reveille...badly. In the Navajo bunk, the cabin resembled a giant spiderweb. Mazes of string were everywhere. The sound of Emille reverberated through the room as the girls got out of bed, slid in the oil, got stuck in the honey, tripped over the string...more chaos ensued and a lot of yelling and screaming could be heard from far away.
Hilary stood up, dripping in shaving cream. "Eww..." she grumbled, reaching out for the bedpost. Unbeknowest to her, she had pulled a string as well, and two water balloons shot down from somewhere up above. Hilary shrieked as she dodged the balloons, which bust upon hitting the floor, splashing water around her ankles.
"She didn't get me," Hilary said in relief. Just then, another water balloon, much larger than the other two, slowly descended and hit her, smack on the top of her head, soaking her completely. "She is, without a doubt, the lowest, most awful creature that ever walked the planet!" she exclaimed angrily.
Outside, Hallie, Rachael, and Nicole were peeking in the windows, thrilled with their achievement. Upon hearing Hilary's angry shout, Hallie impersonated Elvis Presley, "Thank you, thank you very much."
Just then, the two camp directors, Melena and her daughter, Melissa appeared behind them, clipboards in hand.
" 'Morning, girls," said Melena.
The three girls were still busy enjoying the pandemonium they had created inside the Navajo bunk and absent-mindedly greeted the two women, " 'Morning, Mels,"
'Mels' is what all the campers called the mother-daughter team since both of their names started with M-E-L.
After realizing just exactly who was behind them, the girls freaked out. "Mels!"
Melissa climbed the steps to Hilary's bunk and sang out, "Na-va-jos! Surprise inspection! Ten-shun!" then she turned back to her mother, "Mom, why don't you do the honors?"
Melena nodded and reached for the screen door handle but Hallie rushed to her before she could open it.
"No! No, don't go in there!"
Hilary, meanwhile, crossed to her side of the screen door and watched, wondering what Hallie was up to.
"One of the girls got sick last night and it's a big mess. Save yourself the aggravation. It's really disgusting," Hallie quickly lied.
But Melena looked more determined than ever to get inside. "Well, if someone's sick, dear, then I must go in." She started to open the door, not realizing that she was pulling on a string which was attached to a bucket that was about to tip right over her head.
Hallie's eyes shot up to the bucket, and then back to Melena. "No, really, let go of that door. I insist. She's highly contagious."
"Actually, we're all fine in here," came Hilary's voice from the other side of the door. "Unless Hallie Potter knows something we don't know." She saw Hallie's eyes dart up to the bucket again. "Open the door and come on in, ma'am."
With that, Melena swung open the door, tipping the bucket which was filled with Hershey's syrup. She was instantly covered head-to-toe in deep, dark, rich chocolate.
Melissa, on the other hand, screamed as she slipped in the syrup, accidentally pushing her mother into the cabin. Then she also slid inside, blinded by the chocolate.
Both the Mels screamed as they slipped and slid everywhere, getting tangled up in the strings, honey, shaving cream, and other monstrosities. They both ended up falling flat on their butts on the hardwood.
Melissa tried standing up a couple times, and finally achieved it, after feeling around for some support since she stil couldn't see. She had grabbed a Barbie doll, which happened to be attached to the overhead fan by twine. Pulling on the doll, she accidentally turned the fan on and as it started to spin, bright, white, pillow goose feathers flew everywhere, sticking onto the syrup the two Mels were already covered in. Melissa screamed once more as she fell back down.
A few minutes later, Hilary and Hallie were standing side-by-side as Melena paced in front of them, holding a towel, still wiping off the thick chocolate. Melissa stood by her side, also spotted in chocolate.
"Congratulations, ladies," began a very angry Melena. "That little stunt was the most revolting display of hooliganism ever to take place on these hollowed grounds."
"A-men," added Melissa.
"And worst of all," continued Melena. "Coming from two sisters who should be setting an example for the entire--"
She was cut off by Hilary. "We're not sisters, ma'am."
Melena turned to look at them more closely.
"We've never even seen each other before," put in Halle.
Melena was astounded, "That's impossible."
"I'm afraid the look-alike thing as been the crux of the problem, Chief," said Melissa.
"Well, whatever the excuse, I recommend immediate dismissal." Melena ordered.
Hallie looked wide-eyed at the directors of the camp. "You're sending us home?"
Melissa looked thoughtfully at her mother. "That somehow says we failed, doesn't it, Mom?"
Melena sighed, "All right, all right...let me just think..."
"Uh-oh," said Melissa, under her breath.
The entire camp of one-hundred-and-fifty girls, all dressed sharply in their green and white uniforms hiked up relatively flat terrain and down a wide path as ten of the band members played the funeral theme on their trumpet and trombones.
The two Mels lead Hilary and Hallie a little in front of the others, marching solemnly behind them. Hallie had her duffel bag balanced on her shoulder and was watching Hilary stuggle with her many pieces of luggage.
'I really should help her,' thought Hallie. 'But she almost got both of us sent home!'
"To the Isolation Bunk!" shouted Melena into the loudspeaker.
Melissa glared at the two girls, her lips in a weird smirk, as she twirled her hand and pointed to a small, lone cabin sitting atop of a hill.
"We've got six more weeks left at camp and you two are going to spend every glorious one of them - together. You'll eat together, bunk together, and do all you activities together. Either you'll find a way to get along or you'll punish yourselves much better than I ever could," Melena told the girls.
"You'll thank us for this, you'll see," said Melissa, as they left. Leaving Hilary and Hallie alone and - even worse - with each other.
The two girls walked quietly into the cabin, it had just two cots and two trunks, but they didn't complain. Hilary lifted her suitcases onto the bed and neatly started to unpack her things. Hallie, on the other hand, flipped open her trunk, unzipped her duffel, and shook out her belonging like she was emptying a bag of potato chips into a bowl.
At the Mess Hall, that afternoon, a sign hung above the far corner of the cafeteria read: Isolation Table - Do Not Disturb. There sat Hilary and Hallie, directly under the sign. They were separated from the other campers and ate without speaking.
Hilary was eating a well-balanced meal while she read a thick book. Hallie was munching on a cheeseburger and fries and playing on her Game Boy. They didn't even look at each other.
In the dance room, that day, Hilary was dressed in a black leotard, her long, brown hair in a bun, standing at the ballet barre, and practicing her pliés to Swan Lake.
Hallie entered the room in black, bike shorts and a sports bra, carrying a boombox. She ignored Hilary, turned on a Jennifer Lopez CD and started practicing a hip-hop routine.
Annoyed, Hilary turned up Swan Lake. Hallie blasted J.Lo right back at her.
In the bath house, that night, Hallie stood in front of her mirror, in pajama bottoms and a T-shirt, combing her wet hair. She wrapped a towel around her head, just as Hilary's friend, Amanda, entered.
Amanda squealed as she saw Hallie. "Hilary, hi! Oh man, I can not believe they stuck you with that Hallie person. I feel so bad for you."
Hallie tried doing her best English accent, which was pretty melodramatic and said, "You have no idea, luv. It's just bloody awful being in insolation with that dreadful little monster. I do miss you so, daahling. Come give us a kiss...right here on my rosy little cheek. Come, come, don't be shy...I've been ev-uh so lonely."
Amanda gave Hallie a strange look, then kissed her awkwardly on the cheek.
Just then, Hilary entered the bath house, holding her toothpaste and toothbrush.
Amanda leaped away from the other girl. "Hilary!"
"Amanda?"
The girl who had been talking to Amanda a minute ago smirked, "Guess that makes me Hallie."
Amanda's scream was drowned out by the sound of rolling thunder.
A/N: The last scene was in the original script and I decided to keep it.