Camp Brooksville

2

"I heard you got called into the principal's office again today," My step brother, Nate, who was three years older than me, stated as he got up on his motorbike.

"Yeah, don't remind me of that." I said, as I got on my own motorbike.

"What happened?"

"Well, Dad wants to send me to some delinquent camp called Camp fucking Brooksville because he thinks that I've gotten out of hand so now Mr. Bell is cooperating with the idea and is willing to give me a break from school."

"Damn," Nate laughed. "When are you going?"

"I don't know. Dad's gonna tell me when we get home."

"I'm going to miss you."

I looked at my step brother and raised my eyebrows. "Pfft. Trust me, Nate. You wouldn't want a troublemaker in the room right across from yours, do you? I could set you on fire when you're asleep."

Nate smirked. "I wouldn't mind. It'd just make me 'hotter'." Then he drove away. I shook my head and drove after him.

XXX-XXX

As I touched the door knob of my house—well, more like... mansion, actually, I thought about how my father would be there, getting mad at me. Should I go in... or run away to my best friend's—Quentin—house. And maybe I could stay there for a while and get a job. Then when I've got enough money, I'd leave this town and go to another city and never contact my Dad or my stepmother again...

After that, I thought of poor Nate. He'd be going to college in a while, but he'd still have to deal with the stress of looking for me. Maybe my Dad would put me on Missing Persons or something... nah, I couldn't do it. Yes, I could—I just and too cowardly to do it.

So in the end, I turned the door knob anyway and got inside. My Dad was with my stepmother standing there.

"Hi," I said, forcing a smile.

My Dad had an angry expression on his face, but my stepmother's expression was more disappointed. She's always been a very kind lady and let me does whatever I want to do, as long as I don't end up in jail (which has... happened before...)

"Hi? Scarlett, I'm sure Mr. Bell has told you what's going on, right?" My father asked.

"Yeah." I answered.

"Good. And before you think i'm trying to get rid of you or something like that, you're wrong. I just... I feel I've had enough, Scarlett. You get in trouble every day. There is not a day has passed without you doing something wrong ever since..." Dad trailed off. I knew that he was going to say since my mother and brother passed away due to the car accident. And my father hates talking about that because the thinks it's his fault. He was the one driving the car and he was the one who got distracted and let the car hit a tree, but the past is past, and there's nothing we can do about it. That's what I keep telling him. But no matter what, he can't seem to get over it.

"You know that you could say it, right Dad? There's nothing we could do to change it, except accept it and move on." I told my father.

"Yeah, sorry..." My Dad cleared his throat and looked to the floor.

"Anyway, Scarlett. Camp Brooksville isn't such a bad place." My stepmother, Leah, said. "I have the brochure right here. Why don't you take a look at it in your room and tell us what you think later on, okay?" She handed out a sky blue brochure to me, and I had to walk a few steps to get it from her. Then I went upstairs to my room and was surprised to see Nate sitting on my bed.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Waiting for you," Nate answered. "What's that?" He asked, nodding at the brochure in my hand.

"Camp Brooksville's brochure," I responded.

"Ha. Can I see?"

"Yup. Haven't seen it, either." I sat next to Nate and on the front of the brochure was a picture of rows of cabins beside a forest. In a red, bold text, were the words:

Camp Brooksville! Where we provide the best life-changing experience for hard-to-care for children (ages 13-17)

I couldn't help rolling my eyes. There is no way I'm going to a place as lame as this.

"This place looks kinda cool." Nate said. I looked at him in disbelief. "Seriously?" I asked.

"No. I mean. . . . kinda looks like the forest from horror movies, you know? The ones we watch. And there's this one movie that looks just like this place. What was it called?"

"Uh... Exists? That one where the four friends went to one of their uncle's cabin in the woods?" I tried.

"No. The other one. . . ."

"Pretty sure we've watched more than five horror movies which involves a group of friends going into the woods and—oh! The Veil, right?!"

"Um, was that the one with Jessica Alba in it?"

"Yeah!"

"Then it's not that one."

I sighed. "Um. . . . The Blair Witch?"

"Yes! Finally!" Nate grinned.

"Now you're scaring me. The Blair Witch was based on a true story, right?"

Nate nodded. "Oh my God! What if this—" He pointed at the photos on the brochure. "—is the same place where they filmed The Blair Witch documentary?!"

"Exactly. But whatever. I'm convinced that place is so boring, I wouldn't mind a little haunting."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Come in." I said, and the door opened, revealing Leah.

"Hey, you two. Uh. . . . Scarlett?" Leah said.

"Yes?" I responded.

"We think it's a good idea for you to leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" I screamed. "When—when—does Camp Brooksville actually begin tomorrow?"

"No, but some people are already arriving tomorrow just to get an early start on settling in. Camp actually starts day after tomorrow, which is. . . . Saturday."

"Leah, what did Dad say?"

"He—he's just dealing with a lot right now, sweetie. . . . work isn't going so well for him. And he thinks it's better if you leave as soon as possible. But don't take this the wrong way. Your father loves you very much, honey. And so do I. We'll miss you so much, okay? But don't worry! We might visit sometimes. And you'll be back in two months."

"Fine. Whatever. I'll—I'll start packing now, I guess." I said, knowing that my voice was trembling. Tears sprang to my eyes, blurring my vision a bit.

Leah smiled. "I'm so glad you understand, sweetheart. I'll leave you now." And with that, she went out, closing the door behind her.

XXX-XXX

I guess this is sort of a filler chapter... but I hope you enjoyed it anyway! Please vote, comment at how you think I'm doing (and don't hesitate to point out any grammatical errors), share, and add to your reading list! Doing all those things combined would probably take only one minute, but it'll make me happy for the entire week! (I kid you not.) See ya in the next chapter, where Scarlett will arrive at Camp Brooksville! Thanks for reading!

xoxo, jasmine