11 Years and 9 Months Later

The camp was flooding with buses and cars as more and more girls were arriving. It was the first day of summer camp at Camp Walden, an all-girls camp. The camp was in Massachusetts and 11 year old Alice Johnson had just arrived coming all the way from Australia. She flew out to America by herself just to attend this summer camp. There weren't any all-girl summer camps back in her home country so, she and her mother both agreed that she could come to Camp Walden for the summer.

As Alice stepped off the bus, she saw her bag being tossed on top of a huge pile of other bags. She walked over to the giant pile. "Okay, there's my bag."

Just as she was about to grab it, more bags were suddenly being tossed on top of hers. "Now the question is, how do I get it out?"

She walked around the pile, trying to figure out how she was going to get it. She decided to start tugging at the only exposed part of her bag and see what would happen. "Okay, I can do this." She continued to pull and tug, "okay, no I can't." "You must be new here," a girl's voice said from behind. Alice laughed, "Yeah, how can you tell?" "You didn't know how to grab your duffle before it got tossed into the world's largest pile of bags to ever exist." This made them both laugh. "You want some help?" The girl asked. "Yeah, thanks so much."

They both started tugging at the bag handle again. As they were pulling and tugging, they noticed another girl dressed in a tie dye shirt walk by and grab a bag that was at the very bottom of the pile. "Whoa. Now that's my kind of woman." Alice said. "Yo tie dye girl!" The other girl shouted. The girl dressed in tie dye turned her back and saw Alice. She walked over to the girls, "You need some help?"

"Yeah, it's the big yellow bag, its way in there."

"Oh that one? No problem!' She pulled the bag out of the pile almost effortlessly.

"Thank you so much." Alice said. Both of the other girls looked at each other in shock as if they never heard Alice's accent before. "Whoa, are you like from England?" the tie dye dressed girl asked.

Alice laughed again. "No, no. I'm from Australia."

"Australia! That's so cool! Do you have a pet kangaroo?"

"Oh what about a pet koala bear?"

Alice laughed at their comments "No. Actually I have a dog. Her name's Lola. Just because I live in Australia, doesn't mean I have all those animals as pets!" She smiled at their silliness.

"Do you live near the Sydney Opera house?"

"Actually, I've never even been there before. We live near my mum's dance studio. She's a dance teacher. You know she actually used to be on TV."

"Really?" both girls said simultaneously.

Alice nodded her head, "mhmm. She was on Dancing with the Stars." They both gave her confused looks and as if their faces were speaking to her, Alice answered them. "Oh, it's an older show. It ended a few years ago. I'm Alice by the way."

"I'm Molly" the girl dressed in tie dye said.

"I'm Hallie." The other girl added.

"Alice Johnson!" a camp consoler called.

"Right here!"

"You're cabin 42."

"Hey, I'm there too!" Hallie chimed in.

"Oh my gosh, me too!" Molly added.

"That's awesome!" Alice said. The three girls started walking towards their cabin. "So... uh, do either of know happen to know how to play poker?"

They both shook their heads, "No, never played it before." "Hmm, I'll have to teach you."

They continued their walk until they heard a beeping sound coming from behind them. They moved to the side and watched as a limo drove pass them. "Whoa!" Alice started, "I wonder who's in there."

The limo pulled to the side and 11 year old Elena Herjavec stepped out of the car. Mary, her father's assistant and her nanny, walked around the car to join her. "Well, here we are. Camp Walden."

"This is so cool!" Elena said as she looked around.

Mary giggled, "Well, I'm glad you think so. Okay, let's review your father's list."

Elena rolled her eyes.

"You know, he does this because he loves you."

"Yeah, I know" she groaned, "but he acts as if I'm in another country or something!"

"Well, you are half way across the country." Mary said.

"Okay, okay. Let's review the list."

Mary pulled out her notepad and pen, "Meds?"

"Yup."

"Sunblock?"

"mhmm"

"Chap stick?" Elena rolled her eyes, "yes. But how on earth am I going to get chapped lips in this heat?"

"Elena, don't complain, just pay attention. Bug spray?"

"Yup."

"Undergarments, pajamas, clothes, tooth brush... and so on. I don't think we need to go through this entire list, do we?" Mary said. Elena smiled as she shook her head.

"Oh! I almost forgot something!" Mary searched in her purse for a few seconds and then pulled out a deck of cards. "A spanking new deck of cards from Uncle Noah and Aunt Jamie. Maybe you can actually find someone who can beat you at poker."

Elena took the cards from her nanny's hands, "hmm well I doubt it, but thanks. And thanks for bringing me half way across the country, Mary."

Mary frowned at her, "aw I'm gonna miss you so much!" She squeezed her into a tight hug, then pulled away.

"I'm gonna miss you too."

"Hey, give me five, girlfriend." Mary held out her hand and Elena knew exactly what she meant. Elena and Mary had made up their own little handshake and they've been doing it since Elena was 5 years old.

At the end of their handshake, they hug again for one last time before Mary leaves. She steps back into the limo and waves.

"I love you! "Mary calls out from the car.

"I love you more!" Elena says waving back.