Ella was standing in the girls bathroom, looking at herself in her one piece, running her hands down her tummy. She didn't like how she was changing. She didn't like this "puberty" thing. She didn't want to get older, to change, to look different. Everything was changing too damn fast. She heard the bathroom door open and saw Gilly come in behind her. Gilly, on the other hand, was in a cute frilly two piece, with her hair up in a braid. She picked up the camera hanging around her neck and snapped a picture of Ella as she was half turned to facing her.
"Hey!" Ella said.
"That's a keeper," Gilly said, laughing.
"You have a real camera, and not just a cell phone?" Ella asked and Gilly shrugged.
"I have both, I just like taking pictures different ways," she replied, "It's fun to try everything. Anyway, what's taking you so long? I don't wanna walk to the lake alone. Will you pleeeeease walk with me?"
"I don't know, I don't like how I look," Ella said.
"You look fine!" Gilly said, grabbing Ella's arm and tugging her, "Just come on!"
The girls headed out of the bathroom and down the hill towards the lake, hand in hand. With her free hand, Gilly fiddled with her camera while Ella watched from the corner of her eye. Ella felt weird, walking hand in hand with a girl she'd kissed mere nights ago, but...but she knew that lots of girls their age walked holding hands. It was just something girls could do. The whole BFF culture thing allowed them to do it without anyone seeing it as anything other than such.
"Do you wanna take pictures for a living?" Ella asked.
"Like as a job?" Gilly asked, putting her camera back around her neck, shrugging, "I don't know...I don't really feel like it's something I enjoy and most people don't enjoy their jobs, at least that's how it seems, and so like, why would I ruin something I like by getting paid to do it? Then it stops being fun. It stops being something you like to do and becomes something you have to do."
"That's a good way of thinking about it, I suppose," Ella said, just as they approached the lake and noticed Amie sitting by the side, not even in a swimsuit, just staring off at everyone in the water and enjoying themselves.
"You're not going to swim?" Ella asked, and then looked down at Amie's leg and continued, "Oh...right. I guess that wouldn't make much sense. You'd probably rust or something."
"Or just sink," Amie said, picking at the dirt in front of her, "Besides, I don't really like the water."
"Do you need someone to hold your camera?" Ryan asked, from his 'lifeguard' seat, holding his hand out as Gilly handed her camera to him and then waved goodbye as she raced towards the lake, leaping right in. Ryan shook his head, chuckling, and placed a label with her name on the camera and put it with the others in the pile to his side.
"I could sit with you if you want," Ella said, taking a seat beside Amie, "I don't really like swimming too much either. The only reason I took swim lessons was because my parents said it was important and I had to know, just in case I ever found myself drowning or something."
"Exactly," Amie said, "It's never something I'd do on my own accord."
Ella walked past her, and sat on the edge of the docks, looked around, cupped her hands and dipped them into the water. Once they were filled to the brim, she brought them up to her face and smelled the water, just to be sure.
"What're you doing?" a voice, half curious and half laughing, asked from behind. Ella quickly let the water fall back into the lake while she looked behind herself, seeing Rachel standing there, also in a one piece. Ella was so starstruck by the vision, she could hardly form words, but eventually managed to regain her composure.
"I...I'm...sniffing water," she said stupidly, but it did make Rachel laugh. Rachel sat down next to her and slid her legs into the water, kicking and making gentle currents.
"And why exactly are you sniffing water?" she asked.
"Well, I..." Ella started, but then realized she still didn't know this girl very well, and could she trust her if she told her about her fish? She looked at Rachel and swallowed her fear, continuing, "Um...do you wanna see something cool?"
"Always," Rachel said. Ella got up, took Rachels hand and pulled her away from the lake. As they headed back up the trail towards the cabin, Rachel tightened her grip on Ellas hand, making Ella blush. Rachel smirked. She clearly knew what she was doing. As they approached the cabin area, specifically Rabbit Cabin, Ella looked around, just to make sure there was nobody else around, and then snuck Rachel into the cabin behind her. As Rachel took a seat on the bed, Ella got on her knees and reached under the bed, pulling out her suitcase and opening it with the lid facing Rachel, so she couldn't see in.
"Well?" Rachel asked, and Ella spun the suitcase around.
"This is my fish," she said, "I brought him to camp with me in this. I was sniffing the lake water to see if I could put any of it in here with him, to make sure it was safe first before I did anything. I wouldn't wanna hurt him, ya know."
"For sure," Rachel said, getting on her knees next to Ella and looked into the suitcase with her. Ella took Rachels wrist and put it over the water in the briefcase.
"If you stick your finger in here, he'll kiss it," she said and Rachel laughed.
"Really?" she asked, before cautiously putting her fingertips in the water, and after a few seconds, felt the fish nibbling on them. She laughed again, pulling her hand out and then looked back at Ella, drying her hand on the back of her one piece, "So...why did you bring him?"
"I didn't wanna come to camp," Ella said, "I thought I was going to be lonely, and I didn't trust my parents enough to take care of him."
"Fair enough," Rachel said.
"I just wanted something familiar close to me," Ella said, "I've never really been away from home on my own like this for this long. I guess I was scared I'd be lonely or scared or something."
"I get that," Rachel said, "But you seem to have friends, like Gilly, and me, so you can't be doing too badly."
Ella blushed as Rachel pushed some of her hair behind her ear and looked at her fingernails. Ella couldn't stop thinking about the kiss she'd shared the other night, and how badly she wanted that from this girl. Rachel, with her long, curly black hair and her light brown eyes, her soft pink lips. Ella wanted nothing more than to reach out and kiss her, her heart racing faster than she thought possible. But before she could make any sort of move, the door opened and Gilly came in, dripping wet and plopped herself right down between them, looking into the suitcase as well.
"You have a fish?" Gilly asked.
"Yeah," Ella said, "I brought him from home so I wouldn't get lonely."
"What's his name?" Gilly asked.
"Gordon," Ella said, "I've had him for a few years. Gold fish aren't supposed to live that long, but he's still really peppy. He's my best friend. I was hoping the lake water would be good enough to fill the suitcase back up with."
"It should be, I mean, fish live in it," Gilly said.
"Yeah, but those are salt water fish, I don't think goldfish are salt water," Rachel said, and both Gilly and Ella looked disappointed before she added, "But, I'm sure the cafeteria has some good, clean water we could use!"
"I'll go see!" Gilly said, before turning and heading back out the cabin door. Ella and Rachel, alone again now, went back to looking at the fish, with Ella stealing glances at Rachel on and off. She was so pretty, she made Ellas heart skip a beat. The way the soft summer sunlight peaking in through the cabin blinds splintered across her face, lighting only certain areas, drawing attention to her soft lips...it made Ella quiver inside, like she'd never experienced beauty like this before, and likely never would again, so she should cherish this moment as long as she could. After a few minutes, Rachel turned and caught sight of Ella staring, and smirked.
"What?" Rachel asked, but Ella quickly looked away, embarrassed.
"...I wish I could be pretty like you," Ella mumbled, unsure now whether she was feeling attraction or just mere jealousy.
"You're pretty, in your own way. I know it's weird, being around a lot of other girls and wanting to feel like you're just as good looking, but society makes us feel so bad about our appearance and you shouldn't, because you're pretty too," Rachel said, "And I'm sure your fish here would agree."
Ella chuckled as Rachel laid her head on her shoulder, their fingertips touching on the floor between them. The door opened and Gilly came back in, putting a small pale of water on the floor before sitting down herself, and then picking it back up and starting to pour it a bit into the suitcase.
"There we go, a happy fish is a...well, a happy fish," Gilly said, "That's not right. A healthy fish is a happy fish. There we go. I knew I'd said that wrong."
The girls sat there and watched the fish swim around in his little suitcase for a bit, all discussing what they'd want to do when they headed back to the pool. Gilly was the first one to leave, really wanting to get some swimming in today. A few minutes after she headed out, Rachel stood up and straightened her hair before putting it up, and helping Ella back to her feet.
"What would you be doing this summer if you weren't here?" Ella asked, "Cause I'd probably just be sitting in my bedroom reading or scrapbooking or something."
"I'd be at my grandparents, up in wine country in California," Rachel said, "It's where I go every summer. I'm glad I didn't have to this time."
"Don't you like your grandparents?"
"My grandmother died this month. I only would've gone for her memorial service. I don't want any bad memories attached to that place, so I'm glad my parents sent me here instead," Rachel said, "Now come on, let's go swimming. This fish is making me jealous."
With that, the girls left, hand in hand, and headed for the water.
"Hey!" Ella said.
"That's a keeper," Gilly said, laughing.
"You have a real camera, and not just a cell phone?" Ella asked and Gilly shrugged.
"I have both, I just like taking pictures different ways," she replied, "It's fun to try everything. Anyway, what's taking you so long? I don't wanna walk to the lake alone. Will you pleeeeease walk with me?"
"I don't know, I don't like how I look," Ella said.
"You look fine!" Gilly said, grabbing Ella's arm and tugging her, "Just come on!"
The girls headed out of the bathroom and down the hill towards the lake, hand in hand. With her free hand, Gilly fiddled with her camera while Ella watched from the corner of her eye. Ella felt weird, walking hand in hand with a girl she'd kissed mere nights ago, but...but she knew that lots of girls their age walked holding hands. It was just something girls could do. The whole BFF culture thing allowed them to do it without anyone seeing it as anything other than such.
"Do you wanna take pictures for a living?" Ella asked.
"Like as a job?" Gilly asked, putting her camera back around her neck, shrugging, "I don't know...I don't really feel like it's something I enjoy and most people don't enjoy their jobs, at least that's how it seems, and so like, why would I ruin something I like by getting paid to do it? Then it stops being fun. It stops being something you like to do and becomes something you have to do."
"That's a good way of thinking about it, I suppose," Ella said, just as they approached the lake and noticed Amie sitting by the side, not even in a swimsuit, just staring off at everyone in the water and enjoying themselves.
"You're not going to swim?" Ella asked, and then looked down at Amie's leg and continued, "Oh...right. I guess that wouldn't make much sense. You'd probably rust or something."
"Or just sink," Amie said, picking at the dirt in front of her, "Besides, I don't really like the water."
"Do you need someone to hold your camera?" Ryan asked, from his 'lifeguard' seat, holding his hand out as Gilly handed her camera to him and then waved goodbye as she raced towards the lake, leaping right in. Ryan shook his head, chuckling, and placed a label with her name on the camera and put it with the others in the pile to his side.
"I could sit with you if you want," Ella said, taking a seat beside Amie, "I don't really like swimming too much either. The only reason I took swim lessons was because my parents said it was important and I had to know, just in case I ever found myself drowning or something."
"Exactly," Amie said, "It's never something I'd do on my own accord."
Ella walked past her, and sat on the edge of the docks, looked around, cupped her hands and dipped them into the water. Once they were filled to the brim, she brought them up to her face and smelled the water, just to be sure.
"What're you doing?" a voice, half curious and half laughing, asked from behind. Ella quickly let the water fall back into the lake while she looked behind herself, seeing Rachel standing there, also in a one piece. Ella was so starstruck by the vision, she could hardly form words, but eventually managed to regain her composure.
"I...I'm...sniffing water," she said stupidly, but it did make Rachel laugh. Rachel sat down next to her and slid her legs into the water, kicking and making gentle currents.
"And why exactly are you sniffing water?" she asked.
"Well, I..." Ella started, but then realized she still didn't know this girl very well, and could she trust her if she told her about her fish? She looked at Rachel and swallowed her fear, continuing, "Um...do you wanna see something cool?"
"Always," Rachel said. Ella got up, took Rachels hand and pulled her away from the lake. As they headed back up the trail towards the cabin, Rachel tightened her grip on Ellas hand, making Ella blush. Rachel smirked. She clearly knew what she was doing. As they approached the cabin area, specifically Rabbit Cabin, Ella looked around, just to make sure there was nobody else around, and then snuck Rachel into the cabin behind her. As Rachel took a seat on the bed, Ella got on her knees and reached under the bed, pulling out her suitcase and opening it with the lid facing Rachel, so she couldn't see in.
"Well?" Rachel asked, and Ella spun the suitcase around.
"This is my fish," she said, "I brought him to camp with me in this. I was sniffing the lake water to see if I could put any of it in here with him, to make sure it was safe first before I did anything. I wouldn't wanna hurt him, ya know."
"For sure," Rachel said, getting on her knees next to Ella and looked into the suitcase with her. Ella took Rachels wrist and put it over the water in the briefcase.
"If you stick your finger in here, he'll kiss it," she said and Rachel laughed.
"Really?" she asked, before cautiously putting her fingertips in the water, and after a few seconds, felt the fish nibbling on them. She laughed again, pulling her hand out and then looked back at Ella, drying her hand on the back of her one piece, "So...why did you bring him?"
"I didn't wanna come to camp," Ella said, "I thought I was going to be lonely, and I didn't trust my parents enough to take care of him."
"Fair enough," Rachel said.
"I just wanted something familiar close to me," Ella said, "I've never really been away from home on my own like this for this long. I guess I was scared I'd be lonely or scared or something."
"I get that," Rachel said, "But you seem to have friends, like Gilly, and me, so you can't be doing too badly."
Ella blushed as Rachel pushed some of her hair behind her ear and looked at her fingernails. Ella couldn't stop thinking about the kiss she'd shared the other night, and how badly she wanted that from this girl. Rachel, with her long, curly black hair and her light brown eyes, her soft pink lips. Ella wanted nothing more than to reach out and kiss her, her heart racing faster than she thought possible. But before she could make any sort of move, the door opened and Gilly came in, dripping wet and plopped herself right down between them, looking into the suitcase as well.
"You have a fish?" Gilly asked.
"Yeah," Ella said, "I brought him from home so I wouldn't get lonely."
"What's his name?" Gilly asked.
"Gordon," Ella said, "I've had him for a few years. Gold fish aren't supposed to live that long, but he's still really peppy. He's my best friend. I was hoping the lake water would be good enough to fill the suitcase back up with."
"It should be, I mean, fish live in it," Gilly said.
"Yeah, but those are salt water fish, I don't think goldfish are salt water," Rachel said, and both Gilly and Ella looked disappointed before she added, "But, I'm sure the cafeteria has some good, clean water we could use!"
"I'll go see!" Gilly said, before turning and heading back out the cabin door. Ella and Rachel, alone again now, went back to looking at the fish, with Ella stealing glances at Rachel on and off. She was so pretty, she made Ellas heart skip a beat. The way the soft summer sunlight peaking in through the cabin blinds splintered across her face, lighting only certain areas, drawing attention to her soft lips...it made Ella quiver inside, like she'd never experienced beauty like this before, and likely never would again, so she should cherish this moment as long as she could. After a few minutes, Rachel turned and caught sight of Ella staring, and smirked.
"What?" Rachel asked, but Ella quickly looked away, embarrassed.
"...I wish I could be pretty like you," Ella mumbled, unsure now whether she was feeling attraction or just mere jealousy.
"You're pretty, in your own way. I know it's weird, being around a lot of other girls and wanting to feel like you're just as good looking, but society makes us feel so bad about our appearance and you shouldn't, because you're pretty too," Rachel said, "And I'm sure your fish here would agree."
Ella chuckled as Rachel laid her head on her shoulder, their fingertips touching on the floor between them. The door opened and Gilly came back in, putting a small pale of water on the floor before sitting down herself, and then picking it back up and starting to pour it a bit into the suitcase.
"There we go, a happy fish is a...well, a happy fish," Gilly said, "That's not right. A healthy fish is a happy fish. There we go. I knew I'd said that wrong."
The girls sat there and watched the fish swim around in his little suitcase for a bit, all discussing what they'd want to do when they headed back to the pool. Gilly was the first one to leave, really wanting to get some swimming in today. A few minutes after she headed out, Rachel stood up and straightened her hair before putting it up, and helping Ella back to her feet.
"What would you be doing this summer if you weren't here?" Ella asked, "Cause I'd probably just be sitting in my bedroom reading or scrapbooking or something."
"I'd be at my grandparents, up in wine country in California," Rachel said, "It's where I go every summer. I'm glad I didn't have to this time."
"Don't you like your grandparents?"
"My grandmother died this month. I only would've gone for her memorial service. I don't want any bad memories attached to that place, so I'm glad my parents sent me here instead," Rachel said, "Now come on, let's go swimming. This fish is making me jealous."
With that, the girls left, hand in hand, and headed for the water.