Sweeney & Bowen

Chapter Twenty-Six: Happy Campers

"Another WildCat?" Gadget assumes, smiling kindly.

"That's me." I confirm, nodding.

EJ nods, "Yeah! Maddox, meet Bianca. Bianca, meet Maddox, or her camp name, Gadget." He grins, motioning between us.

I smile, extending my arm, "It's nice to meet you."

She returns my smile and handshake, "Welcome to Shallow Lake."

"I'm happy you're here, but," EJ questions, "What made you decide to show up? You're usually in Washington with your dad."

I shrug, huffing an uncomfortable laugh, "Change of plans."

"Hey," Maddox's questioning voice drowned out my response, "Didn't you write that 'If Only' song for your school musical?"

EJ caught on quickly that I wasn't too happy to be here, so he grinned and motioned to Maddox, as if her words would cheer me up instantly.

I nod, smiling kindly, "I did."

She chuckles, "Are we sure you're not the celebrity guest?"

"If we were back in Salt Lake." I joke, "Also, what celebrity guest?"

They look at each other, smiling knowingly. "You'll have to wait and see!" EJ teases.

I nod, with an enthusiastic smile to match their energy, before asking, "So, where's Carlos? I wanna surprise him."

"Wait," EJ mutters, clearing his throat to deepen his voice, "License and resignation?" Raising a brow with the smirk he mastered as Gaston.

I raise my brows, waiting for the punchline with a false, wide smile.

"I'm kidding!" He quickly assures, waving it off, and laughing with Maddox.

"We just need your phone." She informs.

I nod, pulling the device out of my back pocket, with a tight-lipped smile. Maddox places my phone in the bucket.

"Hey, so my brother is here," I inform, "Can you just let him know that I'm okay, and he can just set my stuff wherever?"

EJ nods, "Yeah! I'll show him to Honeycomb, the cabin where you'll be staying. And since it's late, I'll let him know he can stay in the music director's cabin tonight, if he wants, since the director hasn't shown up yet." He grins.

I smile, "Thank you."

"Make a wish." Maddox instructs, handing me a sticky note after tearing it off.

I take the paper, puzzled, "What?"

"It's tradition," EJ informs, holding out a pencil for me, "We all write something that we hope happens by the end of summer."

"After that, I'll show you to the canteen, that's where everybody's at." Maddox informs.

After writing on the note, and sealing it together with the adhesive strip on the back, Maddox led me to the canteen. We had a nice talk on the way, but she had to take off to help set up the amphitheater for the celebrity guest.

I walked into the canteen and searched through the crowd of campers, shocked at how many people turned up.

I grinned as my eyes landed on Gina, Kourtney, Ashlyn, and Carlos in line at the buffet, their backs were turned.

My best friend was behind all of them, so I snuck up behind him to cover his eyes, "Guess-"

"I know a good lawyer!" He jumped, dropping his empty paper plate.