𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐒 ― e. caswell ³ ✓

006

Athena put her hands on her hips and nodded in impressment. "Wow, we did that."

"We should've never doubted ourselves," Violetta said. "We're unstoppable."

Athena held up her hand, and Violetta slapped her own against it in a high-five.

The sun sunk all the way down into the horizon, the orangey glow of the sunset fading into a black night sky dotted with stars. A campfire had begun, and Violetta left her tent with Athena, wrapping a red East High water polo blanket around herself (she definitely didn't steal it from EJ.) The two of them had been setting up their tent for the night, and it was actually really cute.

Violetta had a feeling, though, that Athena had suggested they decorate their tent because she could tell something was up, and that Violetta needed a distraction.

They walked over to the logs, but once Athena's eyes set on Ricky who was walking out of the woods with Jet, Athena squeezed Violetta's shoulder and told her she would be there in a minute. Violetta gave her a tight smile and sat down on the log, pulling the blanket a little tighter around herself. She honestly wished that EJ was next to her, but she hadn't seen him at all since they departed to go set up their tents.

To be fair, Violetta could've gone looking for him. But she just knew he would be caught up in his script.

"Welcome, folks, to your very first Newbie Initiation Campout Night!" Maddox then exclaimed, making Violetta snap out of her thoughts.

Gina then sat down next to her, and Kourtney sat down on her other side. Violetta glanced over, and Gina gave her a smile, reaching over and giving her knee a squeeze. God, did she really look that miserable? She honestly felt a little pathetic.

"Now, to kick off the night, let's give it up for our very own Rocket Man!"

Violetta looked up hopefully. EJ then walked out of his tent with a guitar slung over her shoulder. She couldn't help the smile on her face once her eyes set on him. Her grin only widened at the guitar. EJ didn't play the guitar all that often, but Violetta loved when he did.

"All right, everyone, pay attention, 'cause I don't have much time to waste tonight," EJ stated, sitting down on the log by Maddox.

And, in the blink of an eye, Violetta's face fell.

EJ put the guitar on his leg. "I'm gonna need a little help singing parts of this, 'kay?"

"Shake your money maker, Caswell!" Carlos yelled, shimmying his shoulders

"Not helpful, Carlos. All right, here we go. This one is called the Ballad of Shallow Lake, and every word is true."

EJ had used a spooky sort-of voice for that. Violetta's eyes widened at it and she looked over, sharing a look with Athena. Athena merely shrugged and let out a small laugh.

"Gonna tell a story about Susan Fine, she lived two hundred years ago," EJ sang, and Violetta raised her eyebrows. "One night, she heard a whistle, the spooky kind, the sound can make your blood run cold. They say she got swallowed by Shallow Lake, never to be seen again, till her ghost says, come on in."

Violetta had no idea what was going on.

"Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na," EJ and Maddox voiced together. "She lost her soul and she lost her mind, na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na, don't get caught by Susie Fine."

"So pray you find your way back home," EJ continued. "Oh, oh."

"Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na, she'll drink your blood like it's werewolf wine, na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na, you better run from Susie Fine."