"A slumber party? In the woods? Sophie, your idea of a slumber party is TOTALLY distorted," Shelby told her after Sophie revealed her plan. "For one thing, we don't do slumber parties. For another thing, slumber parties are held in a warm place with a TV and stereo, and with TONS of junk food. Not spent in the woods."
"We'll take a radio and we'll certainly take junk food," Sophie said with a grin. "I am a woman, you know. Can't live without my chocolate."
"I don't like chocolate," Juliette complained. "I mean, I like it, but it goes straight to my thighs."
"Shut up, Queenie," Shelby said playfully. She turned to Sophie. "So if we did, by some miracle, decide to do this, we would all go?"
"Um, no not all of us," Sophie said. "I thought we'd do it this weekend. And Dawn, since your dad's coming, you obviously can't go. And Jess can't go because she's sick. So it's just the five of us. Juliette, Daisy, Kat, Shelby, and me."
"So I'm spared this little female bonding activity?" Dawn asked. "Gee, and to spend the day with my dad? Even better." She grinned wickedly.
As she exited the room, Juliette started laughing. The other girls looked at her like she was nuts.
"You did this on purpose, didn't you, Sophie?" she asked with a giggle.
Sophie hung her head slightly. "Yeah, I did," she confessed. "Sorry, guys."
"Sorry?" Shelby asked incredulously. "Why should you be sorry? You did us a huge favor. I don't know about the rest of the girls, but I could use a weekend off from Miss Priss, a.k.a. the Poster Child for Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde."
Juliette giggled again. "Yeah, we could all use a weekend away from her, that's for sure."
As the girls chattered on about what to bring, Dawn stood outside the door, fuming. She silently vowed to get Shelby back for causing all of Dawn's misfortune.
"OK, girls," Sophie sang out bright and early the next morning. "Let's get this show on the road."
Shelby hugged Jess and told her to take care. Scott watched from a distance. He envied the closeness between Shelby and Jess. He and Shelby had once been that close.
Face it Barringer, he told himself. You blew it. No one else. Just you. Shaking his head, he turned and walked back into the lodge.
Dawn too was watching from a distance. She was disgusted by what she saw. She had never been that close with anyone in her life and she was doing just fine. So would they. She turned as a car pulled into the long driveway. Great, she thought. Daddy dearest is here. She looked around for Scott, but he was nowhere to be seen. She was angered by this, as she had expected him to be there for moral support.
"Daisy was right, you know," Juliette said behind her. "You were just his rebound. Did you really expect him to stand by you and actually love you?"
Dawn was getting sick of all these perfect little brats telling her what she was to Scott. She was the one to dictate her relationships with Scott. This was a job no one else could do, for no one knew what she had in mind for Little Miss Priss. Shelby would regret crossing her this time.
"Dawn doesn't seem too happy to see her father," Sophie commented as she strapped on her pack.
"Well, do any of the kids seem excited to see their parents when they come for a visit?" Peter asked rationally.
Sophie smiled. "Girls! Everybody ready?" The four girls gathered around her, each holding a pack of their own.
"Sure! I've got the make up," Juliette said patting her pack. "And I didn't forget the mirror!"
"Hurray for Queenie," Shelby mock-cheered. "I've got the CDs, Sophie."
"And I've got the radio," Daisy said holding it up. "And plenty of spare batteries."
"And I've got the chocolate," Kat said. "And I packed a lot. I'll bet my pack is heavier than anyone else's."
"Good, becuase we love chocolate," Shelby said, nudging Daisy. Daisy smiled.
"But what about other junk food?" she asked. "Are we just having chocolate? Not that I'm complaining!"
"Nope," Kat said. "I've got stuff for s'mores, candy, chips, pretzles, and plenty of caffeine."
"Wow," Peter said, impressed. "Sounds like you have enough food to feed an army. Mind if I tag along?"
"Of course we mind!" Sophie said playfully. "OK, girls, I have the blankets, flashlights, swimsuits, and tent. Are we missing anything?"
"You mean besides your sanity?" Peter asked. "Nope, nothing that I can think of. You girls be good."
"Aren't we always?" Shelby said coyly. Peter smiled, but let the comment slip. It was good to see Shelby joking around. She'd been so depressed lately.
"OK, guys, I think this would be a good place to stop for the night," Sophie said looking at her group. They were a strange looking bunch. Daisy was lounging over a rock. Juliette was somehow covered from head to toe in mud, although they never encountered any. Kat was looking thoughtfully around, as if she were truly interested in where they were going to stay. And Shelby looked like she was lost in her own thoughts.
They may be an odd looking bunch, Sophie thought to herself. But they're my odd looking bunch.
"OK, girls," she said. "Let's pitch the tent."
Early that evening, about 2 hours before the sun set, Dawn snuck itno the room she knew Peter had assigned her father to. She picked the lock on his suitcase and stuck her hand inside, feeling for the object she knew he always carried with him. As her fingers wrapped themselves around the cold object, she smiled maliciously. She was not just angry at Shelby. She was angry at all the Cliffhanger girls.
The girls sat around the small fire Sophie had started. She was winding down a scary ghost story. Shelby and Daisy were huddled in a blanket, while Kat and Juliette clutched each other.
Sophie finished her story and they all stood up to look through the assortment of CDs that Shelby had brought. A single shot rang out and five terrified screams could be heard throughout the woods. There was silence for a moment, then a sound of evil maniacal laugh filled their ears.
