"I am not going here to see some dorky sights and read up on the history
of Paris," Kate was saying to Claire. "I am going to the mall, buying a
sexy new outfit and posing outside of stores and waving at guys."
"What about Ethan?" Claire asked. "He came along on this trip because of you."
"Claire, sometimes I wonder if you ARE a poser," Kate griped. "Honey, he didn't come because of me. He came for the girls. And I, Kate Lynne Saunders, am going-for the guys!"
"Sor-ry!" Claire apologized sarcastically.
"Girls, we are unpacked for you," one of the chaperones said.
"Gee, thanks," Kate said in a sweet voice.
"Yeah," the chaperone said, a cigarette in her mouth. "Thanks for helping."
"I don't mean to give orders," Claire said, bunching her eyes. "But if you get that smoke all over my three hundred dollar suitcase, you are going to have to pay me back because I am not taking a smelly suitcase back to my house."
"Hey, hon, who has to watch a bunch of smelly little teenagers for 24 hours?"
"Uh, duh." Kate grimaced. "Look, that doesn't mean you can stink up the whole entire car and our stuff!
"Oh yeah," the chaperone continued. "And who has to watch a bunch of snotty annoying primpy girls who think they are so full of themselves."
"You know, as a chaperone, you are second to us. I can report you," Kate said, sticking her finger in the woman's face.
"You just try and I'll deny it," the woman sneered.
"I can't believe this is Gary's mother," Claire whispered in Kate's ear.
"Maybe that explains why he is such a jerk in every school play. He can play the part perfectly. I hate to say it, but I feel sorry for him now." Kate whispered in a gossipy tone. Claire nodded and reached forward and snatched the cigarette from the chaperone's mouth, barely missing the lighter. Both gave each other a glare.
"Guys," Karen pointed behind them, coming out from the rental car in a miniskirt. "Look!" Kate and Claire looked behind them and stopped. A blue sky enveloped a magnificent and Victorian-like modern hotel that was twenty stories high. The windows were embellished with beautiful shades with flowers or artsy color stripes. The doors that led to the front of the hotel were automatic and filled with crowds flocking in to enjoy the hotel's beauty.
"I think we are in a palace," Claire murmured.
"There is Lizzie!" Karen exclaimed. "And Gordo, and Daniel, and Nina and Jackie and Lexie and Ben and Q-"
"Karen," Kate said, holding up her hands. "We get it."
"And there are Lizzie's parents getting the stuff out of the car," Karen said.
"How do you know Lizzie' s parents hon?" Ellie hopped out of the car.
"Camping trip two years ago. I was looking in Mrs. McGuire's bag for some toilet paper."
"That must have been pretty easy," Claire laughed. "She is such a dork."
"Those glasses have got to be changed," Karen laughed.
For once, Kate did not pay attention. She stared at the many groups coming to the hotel. She watched wistfully as Mr. McGuire heaved a suitcase from the trunk of-of a taxi. Then she watched as Mr. and Mrs. Danter began their arguing. Kate began biting her lip. This whole trip would force them to be surrounded by adults. Not her idea of a good time. Kate and Claire both simultaneously began making their way to the hotel's doors.
"What about Ethan?" Claire asked. "He came along on this trip because of you."
"Claire, sometimes I wonder if you ARE a poser," Kate griped. "Honey, he didn't come because of me. He came for the girls. And I, Kate Lynne Saunders, am going-for the guys!"
"Sor-ry!" Claire apologized sarcastically.
"Girls, we are unpacked for you," one of the chaperones said.
"Gee, thanks," Kate said in a sweet voice.
"Yeah," the chaperone said, a cigarette in her mouth. "Thanks for helping."
"I don't mean to give orders," Claire said, bunching her eyes. "But if you get that smoke all over my three hundred dollar suitcase, you are going to have to pay me back because I am not taking a smelly suitcase back to my house."
"Hey, hon, who has to watch a bunch of smelly little teenagers for 24 hours?"
"Uh, duh." Kate grimaced. "Look, that doesn't mean you can stink up the whole entire car and our stuff!
"Oh yeah," the chaperone continued. "And who has to watch a bunch of snotty annoying primpy girls who think they are so full of themselves."
"You know, as a chaperone, you are second to us. I can report you," Kate said, sticking her finger in the woman's face.
"You just try and I'll deny it," the woman sneered.
"I can't believe this is Gary's mother," Claire whispered in Kate's ear.
"Maybe that explains why he is such a jerk in every school play. He can play the part perfectly. I hate to say it, but I feel sorry for him now." Kate whispered in a gossipy tone. Claire nodded and reached forward and snatched the cigarette from the chaperone's mouth, barely missing the lighter. Both gave each other a glare.
"Guys," Karen pointed behind them, coming out from the rental car in a miniskirt. "Look!" Kate and Claire looked behind them and stopped. A blue sky enveloped a magnificent and Victorian-like modern hotel that was twenty stories high. The windows were embellished with beautiful shades with flowers or artsy color stripes. The doors that led to the front of the hotel were automatic and filled with crowds flocking in to enjoy the hotel's beauty.
"I think we are in a palace," Claire murmured.
"There is Lizzie!" Karen exclaimed. "And Gordo, and Daniel, and Nina and Jackie and Lexie and Ben and Q-"
"Karen," Kate said, holding up her hands. "We get it."
"And there are Lizzie's parents getting the stuff out of the car," Karen said.
"How do you know Lizzie' s parents hon?" Ellie hopped out of the car.
"Camping trip two years ago. I was looking in Mrs. McGuire's bag for some toilet paper."
"That must have been pretty easy," Claire laughed. "She is such a dork."
"Those glasses have got to be changed," Karen laughed.
For once, Kate did not pay attention. She stared at the many groups coming to the hotel. She watched wistfully as Mr. McGuire heaved a suitcase from the trunk of-of a taxi. Then she watched as Mr. and Mrs. Danter began their arguing. Kate began biting her lip. This whole trip would force them to be surrounded by adults. Not her idea of a good time. Kate and Claire both simultaneously began making their way to the hotel's doors.
