Chapter Thirteen
Summary: Emma and her friends find a new hobby, Lou has big news for Ravi, Xander asks Fran an important question and much more!
Evie's Notes: Happy Wednesday! I hope you all are having a wonderful week ! As always, thank you so much your support of this story, it really and truly means the world to me ! I hope that you all enjoy the this new update .
"Emma! Avery and I just had the perfect idea to take this camp to the next level" called Liv, beckoning her friend over to the C.I.T table in the mess hall.
"What did you two come up with?" asked Emma, placing her dinner tray down on the table.
"We were talking… and we want to start a camp newsletter!"
"Fun!" grinned Emma. "There have been Kikiwaka Newsletters over the years. I know when my parents came here my mom ran it, and then there was one my first year. But when Stephen from Badger Cabin left no one picked it up again".
"Well I think we C.I.T.s are the perfect people to run it" declared Avery. "We could cover camper birthdays, news updates, gossip, and run an advice column".
"That sounds amazing!" agreed Emma, "I would love to help you out with it. I have plenty of experience with running a blog. During the school year I run a fashion blog called Kitty Couture"
"You're Kitty Couture?!" gasped Avery and Liv, their eyes going wide in awe.
Emma preened, "yeah"
"I LOVE your blog you give the best fashion tips" gushed Avery
"And your review of my Space Werewolves premiere dress was FABULOUS!"
"Thanks guys. Do you think the other C.I.T's will want to help us?"
"You leave that to me" said Liv, a determined look in her eyes.
"Well in that case, I will ask Gladys if we can use the old newspaper cabin in the woods. It should have all the items we need, like computers, printers and photography equipment" decided Emma. The girls spent the rest of dinner discussing their plans for the new and improved Kikiwaka Post.
*Journey to Happiness - Journey to Happiness - Journey to Happiness*
"All right, everyone load up!" called Hazel checking camper names off her clipboard as they boarded the bus.
"I'm so excited for this outing" celebrated Kim, bouncing in her seat next to Elena.
Jack, who was sitting across the aisle, laughed at her excitement. "You shouldn't be so excited given how often we go bowling back home in Seabrook"
"That just means I'm going to crush everyone else here!" cackled Kim. "Plus it'll be nice to not have to deal with Jerry's victory dance"
"No we just have to deal with yours" muttered Jack
"YOU WANNA COME OVER HERE AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE BREWER?" snapped Kim.
"Nope, I'm good," said Jack hurriedly, hiding from his best friend's rage behind his smirking seatmate Gabe.
Oliver and Cooper who were sitting behind the boys snickered at his fear. They quickly stopped when they saw Kim's Deluxe "I'm Going To Kill You Later" Stare, the one that froze Black Dragons in their place as Kimberly Crawford was not someone to mess with.
*Journey to Happiness - Journey to Happiness - Journey to Happiness*
The counselors had booked out the whole Moose Leg bowling alley for their camp excursion. It was decided that the year groups would pair up and share bowling lanes. This led to some awkwardness as the Grizzly and Woodchuck cabins were paired up. Emma was still miffed about being broken up with so Xander had been doing his best to give her space.
Ravi quickly set up the names in the computer system and Zuri took the first try. Given the fact that the Ross Family had a bowling alley in the Penthouse she crushed it. Ravi could only hope that his sister hadn't attempted to swindle any money out of her fellow campers.
Tiffany took the game far too seriously, as she did most things, so Lou had to quickly step in to calm her down.
Jorge was pretty terrible at bowling, but greatly enjoyed the small arcade in the back of the building. Joey also abandoned the game early on and joined Jorge at the arcade.
Griff was probably Zuri's only competition when it came to campers, his natural athletic ability shining through again. He had gone bowling for the first time when he moved to California to live with Xander's family.
Ravi was really good at bowling and had fun competing with Lou. The two compared their different throwing styles, Ravi's being more calculated and Lou's more loose and free.
The campers enjoyed a pizza lunch before engaging in a fierce competition where the winners of each age group faced off. The final three bowlers were Zuri in third place, Alex in second and Kim in first. The whole camp was then treated to the spectacle that was Kim Crawford's victory dance.
*Journey to Happiness - Journey to Happiness - Journey to Happiness*
At dinner Thursday night the conversation at the counselor table shifted to talk of old camp pranks.
"Then there was that time that Jaz and the old fox cabin residents covered the whole weasel cabin in honey" laughed Lou
"Ugh, it took FOREVER to get that sticky stuff off us and our stuff" whined Hazel.
"I still think that my reprank of Xander, my first summer,was the best," said Ravi proudly.
"Ugh, those sewers were disgusting," shuddered Xander.
"Why were you in the sewer system?" asked Fran
"I had pranked Ravi and Jorge their first summer into following a fake scavenger hunt to find the lost Swearengen Treasure" explained Xander. "They were put out when they discovered the prank and turned it around on me. They made it seem like they discovered a clue to the real treasure and sent me into the sewer system to retrieve the prize. Ugh, I smelled so gross for the next week"
Frannie laughed "Good one Rav"
"Thank you, Thank you" smirked Ravi, standing to offer a fake bow.
"So is there really a lost treasure of Jedidiah Swearengen?" asked Maya curiously.
"Who knows?" shrugged Lou, taking a careful bite of what they were all hoping and assuming was meatloaf. "It is certainly a nice thing to think about… but no one has found any clues to it yet".
"Whoever finds it though would get to keep it since it has been so long" added Zay. "Cowboy Rules"
"Yee haw" smirked Maya.
The conversation then shifted to that evening's plans; half of the counselors had the night off while the others would stay behind to oversee the campfire.
*Journey to Happiness - Journey to Happiness - Journey to Happiness*
"Hey Ravi, are you ready to get this party started?" asked Lou, entering the Grizzly cabin.
"Absolutely! Fran is planning to stay at camp this evening so she said we could borrow her car to drive into Moose Rump" grinned the man, holding up Fran's Barbie keychain.
"To the Franmobile!" cheered Lou, following Ravi out of the cabin.
The pair drove the short journey into town making their way to the local ice cream parlor, Moose Tracks. Entering the shop they spotted quite a few familiar faces, such as Ted the sketchy owner of Moose Mart, famous horror author Stephanie Queen, Junkyard Judy, Pa Gordon founder of Gordon's Oatmeal company, Emmit owner of Moose Rump Antiques, Collectibles and Assorted Jerky, and Miss Tilly the Innkeeper of Tilly Inn.
Ordering their ice cream treats, the Kikiwaka pair headed to the back porch of the establishment, settling themselves away from the others.
"I'm so glad we got the chance to hang out just the two of us" grinned Ravi, "We've been back two weeks now and I haven't been able to get you to myself before now".
"Haha, yeah. I'm happy too. I've missed hanging out with you, just us. I was bummed that you didn't come to join us for counselor training this year".
"Trust me, me too. Unfortunately I had to finish out my internship from last semester. I got here as fast as I could".
"Well I am glad to have you here now" grinned Lou, squeezing Ravi's hand.
"So what are your plans for after the summer? Last time we talked before camp you mentioned that you had big news?"
"Well you know how I taught at Hillgrove Middle last year? Well after a lot of thinking… I have decided to take a teaching position elsewhere".
"Oh? Where?" asked Ravi curiously.
"I'm actually taking a job teaching at the local school here in Moose Rump"
"Really?!"
"Yeah, a couple of last year's campers live locally and they talked me up to their parents, one of which is on the school board. The board invited me out to come interview and a few weeks later I accepted their offer".
"I'm so happy for you Lou. If anyone loves this strange little town it's you. I'm sure you will like living here in the off season" grinned Ravi, so proud of his friend.
"Are you looking forward to starting your first year of Med school?"
"Definitely! I'm excited to finally just be focusing on my specified area of work"
"You're just happy to not have to take any more English classes"
"Oh yeah, for sure, I'm done with poetry," laughed the young man.
The pair enjoyed the rest of their sweet treats before heading back to camp.
*Journey to Happiness - Journey to Happiness - Journey to Happiness*
Frannie found herself up early Friday morning working on the most exciting part of that day's Obstacle course, the "laser grid", with Xander. The pair were making the "spider web" like grid out of yarn they had swiped from the arts and craft supplies.
"My girls are so excited for today's competition" said Frannie as she taped one of the red strings into place.
"I'm glad, the Kikiwaka Obstacle Course is always a highly anticipated event" replied Xander, accepting the scissors Frannie passed him. "You're really good at all these arts and crafts things"
"Thanks, I guess it's all the time doing arts and crafts with my students. Perks of being a teacher. I'm guessing there are not a lot of opportunities for arts and crafts in Law School?"
"Ha, yeah next to zero. Closest I get is highlighting my notes, I make sure to use a rainbow of highlighters"
Fran snorted in laughter at that. "What made you choose law school anyways? Did you always want to be a lawyer?"
"No actually. For the longest time I wanted to open a guitar shop here in Maine, since this is where my family is from"
"Really? Music shop owner to Law School is a big jump, what made you change?"
"Griff actually," admitted Xander.
"Your brother?"
"When Griff first came to camp a couple years ago he was part of Maine's Juvenile Rehabilitation program. We got really close and when summer ended I convinced my dad to let Griff come home with us during the year so he wouldn't have to go back to juvie. Griff quickly grew on my mom and dad, and they officially adopted him a year later. Hearing about all that Griff had to go through, made me want to help kids who are in similar situations".
"Wow, that is pretty amazing of you" remarked Francesca, causing Xander to duck his head and blush. "And I can tell that you guys are doing right by Griff, he absolutely adores you"
"Yeah, he's the best little brother ever" agreed the young man. "Hey Fran?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"I think you just did, but shoot!" giggled the girl.
"There is this really great Italian place here in town, I was wondering if you would go to dinner with me there on Sunday?"
"Why Mr. McCormick, are you asking me out?"
"Yes, yes I am" replied Xander nervously.
"Well then you bet I would!" grinned Frannie.
The pair quickly finished assembling the yarn grid before heading back to their respective cabins to gather their campers for breakfast.
*Journey to Happiness - Journey to Happiness - Journey to Happiness*
"All right Fox Cabin let's rock this obstacle course" cheered Francesca, applying the last bit of pink face paint to Elena's face. The girls were all wearing their matching pink "Fox" tee shirts for the competition.
The course involved a variety of different tasks which the campers would be timed on. The times would be recorded and totalled up at the end of the event to find who won. Activities included a canoe race, archery, rope climbing, an inflatable challenge, an egg race challenge and a balance activity over a pit of mud.
The campers had fun competing in the various competitions, breaking only for lunch before continuing through the afternoon. When the Owl and Bunny cabins finished their final competition Gladys sounded the alarm calling everyone to gather around the campfire.
"Alright listen up you miscreants" yelled Gladys standing on the stump at the front of the fire pit. The gathered campers all stopped talking and turned their attention to the Camp Owner. "In third place we have the Eagle Cabin"
The cabin of ten to twelve year old boys cheered loudly. Holden and PJ lifted Alex in the air in celebration.
"In second place we have a tie between Wolf cabin and WoodChuck Cabin" the two cabins high fived and yelled excitedly.
"And finally in first place is Fox Cabin!"
Francesca jumped up and down with her girls celebrating excitedly. She gladly accepted the gift card to the local pizza parlor that Gladys passed her as their award for getting first place. Leading the girls back to Fox cabin she chatted happily with them as they got ready for dinner.
Evie's Notes 2: Thank you all so much for reading ! I I hope to see you all next week !
I love hearing from y'all ! Let me know what you think of the chapter and the story so far in the comments or my Tumblr Find-y0ur-j0y! - Xo Evie