CHAPTER 2 – CHICKEN RUN
"Okay everyone get settled and then we're going to have a little ice breaker and cabin meeting. My name is Ariadne and I'm head counselor and this is Mercedes and she's just a regular counselor. Now after tonight you're basically on your own, because Mr. Raditch gets to go back home tonight and we just write letter to him explaining how everything is going until the end of the summer. Honestly, me and M here are just here to get paid. We figure that since you're like 13 and 14 you can take care of yourselves. Am I right?" Everybody shook their head in agreement. "Okay. So, you know what I don't even feel like going into an icebreaker right now, just get situated and do whatever you want. There's really no limit to lights out, because it's the summer and I don't think people should be restricted, but you all are gonna get up at about 7:00 and you're going to get to breakfast by 8. Is that clear?" Everybody yelled yes.
"Okay my name is Grant and I'm here with the head counselor Hunter. I just want you to know that after tonight I really don't care what the hell you all do. You guys are like 13, 14, 15 or whatever and I assume that you can take care of yourselves. Am I right?" "Hell yeah you are," the boys all shouted. "That's good," Hunter commented.
At breakfast in the morning after breakfast Ariadne stood up in front of the whole camp and made an announcement. She said: "Hello and welcome everybody to Degrassi Overnight. I'm going to be one of the substitute program directors for this summer, so you know that means we're gonna have a good time. Anyway, I just wanted to go over a few rules and guidelines so that everybody is safe and cool and all of that. So here they are, the first one is to look at your schedule and familiarize yourself with it. The second one is that when we go to our selected trips only a certain selected group is going at a time. The only times the whole camp will meet is through rare campfires and the weekly dances. And the third is to have fun. So let's get started with our summer." Everybody was yelling and after everybody cleaned up, they lined up and followed their counselors to their cabins.
"Emma, I've got "waterworks" now what'd you have?" Manny asked.
"Waterworks too. What exactly is that anyway?"
"Oh, it's just different stuff like swimming, water skiing, umm …"
"I got it Manny." Emma said clarifying her intelligence. Emma spied Manny putting on a semi-sleazy bikini.
"Manny, the water instructors told us to bring a one-piece."
"Em, like I own a one-piece. Ever since Paige told me in order to get noticed, you've gotta change for the better well, that's what I'm trying to do. 'K?"
"Manny then borrow one of mine."
"No don't think so Em, that's so nasty."
"But I'm-"
"Shush. I'm good." Manny pulled a denim miniskirt over her bikini bottoms and headed out the door of the cabin, which Emma and Manny were the only ones occupying when Emma stopped her
"Manny put on a shirt, you look … naked."
"That's the whole point Em," Manny laughed jokingly. Manny left the cabin swishing her hips towards the lake. Over the course of 8th grade Manny had developed large buttocks and a large bust. And trust me everyone noticed. Especially the boys.
"Hello everyone I'm Hunter and I'm in charge of the "Waterworks" program at this camp. Now today we'll just be taking deep end test but while you're waiting you may play in the lake, but don't go past the yellow rope. Okay." Everybody agreed. "Good." Up first, Toby Issacs." Toby did what seemed like a waddle towards Hunter. "Okay, now everybody in!" Everybody went into the lake.
"Yo, who wants to play chicken?" Jimmy began. "If you want to come over here." Jimmy headed toward the yellow tape. Manny started to follow.
"Manny, don't go. You could get hurt."
"And your point is. Look Em, you're not my mom so don't try to act like her. Besides can't you do something else besides trying to copy Mother Theresa or be all "Save the Earth" like?"
"Manny, don't start that, I'm just trying to say that you could get hurt or something else."
"Look Em, thanks for the concern, but I'll be fine." Just as they were ending their conversation, Jimmy shouted, "LAST CALL!" Then Manny swam towards the group of boys and girls.
" Alrighty, so we've got Manny, Sean, Paige, Hazel, Spinner, Craig, Peter and Ashley," Jimmy sort of whispered.
"Hey can I play, if that's all right with you guys?" Ashley asked.
"Sure … you can." Jimmy responded.
"So since there's an even amount of people I'll be the "ref." and now for the pairings, Sean and Manny up against Peter and Paige. Let's go to work." Jimmy commanded. By this time a crowd had gathered around the "chicken tournament." Manny grasped Sean's back and started mounting his shoulders, Paige did the same.
"ALRIGHTY, ON THE COUNT OF THREE, ONE, TWO, THREE!"
By this time the girls were seriously wrestling. Paige knew the trick of this game, it was just to go for the girl's top if she was wearing a bikini and that's exactly what she did. With Peter's help, Paige lunged forward and pulled on Manny's top and with Paige's release Manny fell into the lake and so did her top. Everybody started laughing and Emma was watching from a couple of yards away with distaste. She knew this would happen but Manny who was famous for not taking anybody's word always got herself in trouble like this.
Pete went to go get Manny's top, which was swimming away, while Manny tried to cover herself and once she did she ran for her cabin crying just a little not even thinking about her top. Everybody was still laughing when Paige said,
"That's what the little bitch gets for trying to be man's best friend." Only Hazel laughed at this one.
"Paige that's not even funny, seriously. I'm gonna go check on her," Peter suggested.
"I'll go with," Craig added. Craig and Peter went straight for the girl's cabin carrying Manny's bikini top.
Craig and Peter walked into the cabin looking for Manny who was weeping on her bed (with a night shirt on) at the far end of the cabin and as the boys approached her she yelled, "JUST GET THE HELL OUT!" The boys didn't stir. "GET THE HELL OUT! NOW!" The boys only went closer to her and then Craig said, "Look, Manny we just wanted to give you your umm … top back. Then Peter started chuckling. Manny then snatched the bikini top from Pete and threw both boys out of the cabin.
That night Manny slept in her bed all day. She really only went out for lunch and dinner, but by now the whole camp knew a variation of what happened. After all it was apparent by the way people were staring and laughing at her. Manny decided to sit with Emma, J.T. and Toby who pretended like nothing even happened. And that's why she loved them.
After everybody got ready for bed and fell asleep Emma was in the bunk above Manny and she was talking to her. None of them could sleep so they decided to talk about the days events.
"Look, Manny I'm sorry about what happened, but it wasn't really that embarrassing."
"Easy for you to say Em, has that ever happened to you?"
"No, but I th –"
"Em, just shut up, I don't wanna talk about it. Okay?"
"But Manny I told you so."
"Emma, can't you just shut the hell up. If you're not talking about the damn earth, then your talking about "I told you so."" Manny said imitating Emma towards the end.
"Look, I'm just trying to help I was trying to protect you."
"Emma I told you before, you're not my momma so don't try to act like her. Okay!" At this point Manny rose out of bed and crept towards the lake. Manny liked the lake at night, it was so peaceful and serene and nobody could bother her there. She was thinking about her baby, the abortion, Craig, Emma, Ashley basically everything from last year. And this was when she had started to cry harder than she ever did before.
"Manny, are you okay?" At this voice's whisper, she turned around. It was Craig.
"Craig, what're you doing here?" whispered Manny wiping off her tears.
"Couldn't sleep, so I thought that I'd just come out here you know. But it seems as though this spot is already taken by somebody, so I'll just go."
"Craig you can stay if you want." Manny stifled through sniffles.
"Okay. Fine." At this Craig sat beside Manny. His feelings of hatred and anger sort of diminished from him, because he saw how vulnerable she could be. He almost felt so sorry for her, but he knew that wouldn't help anything.
"Manny, I just want you to know that I'm sorry for everything I did at school. And I'm sorry about what everybody else did to you too."
"It's okay, seriously. I mean it wasn't just my fault, after all it does take two to tango." They both laughed at this.
"Well, you're a pretty good sport about all of this." Craig said moving closer to her. He grasped her hand and their faces moved towards each other. They leaned in for the kiss when somebody yelled "OH NO NOT AGAIN!" They turned around and it was Peter.
"Well, umm … I'm gonna go Man, see ya later."
"See ya," Manny whispered.
"Whacha want Peter?" Manny asked clearly aggravated.
"I just wanted to say sorry."
"For what?"
"For earlier today."
"Okay, so bye."
"Alright, bye."