"When you're through with life and all hope is lost hold out your hand because friends will be friends right till the end."
-Queen
Camp Oak Ridge. Population: 93
Meet Mary Anne, Myles, Penelope, Princeton, Emily, Blake, Mallory, and Chase - everyone...
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"Hey Emily!"
I stop in my tracks and turn to see a girl in Mary Anne's group, Savannah, coming towards me. I was kind of hoping to have a quiet afternoon by myself but it looks like that might not be the case.
"What's up, Savannah. You having a good day?" I ask, trying to hide my annoyance.
"Um, sort of," she starts. "I just wanted to talk to you about something."
Guess my lake trip will have to wait until tomorrow...
"Why didn't you wanna talk to Mary Anne about it?"
Be nice, Emily. Hold back the inner bitch.
"Well, Princeton said you could help me," Savannah explains.
Oh.
"Okay then," I say, sitting down outside the shack. Across the gravel path, Princeton is supervising a game of basketball. I still can't believe my team beat his so badly yesterday. "What's going on?"
"I found out yesterday that my boyfriend cheated on me," she sighs.
"Damn, girl are you okay?"
"I'm better today, but yesterday Princeton got to see the ugly part. He didn't really help that much."
"I bet he didn't. But, good on him for sending you to me I guess."
"You get cheated on?" She asks.
"Yeah, actually." I let out a sad laugh. "We we're together for three years and I thought he was the one, you know?"
"How'd you find out?"
"He told me that he was going out with his friend, Hayes. I looked out the window and saw him getting in the car with this girl named Jessica who's in a few of his classes. I left for camp the next day and he hasn't answered a single one of my phone calls since I got here."
"That's awful, I'm sorry," Savannah says. "Why would he cheat on you?"
"Why does anyone cheat? That's a question for Jesus, babe, not me," I sigh. "So what happened with your man?"
"We dated for seven months and the moment we're apart for more than a week he apparently forgets that he's in a relationship and sleeps with some college girl at a party. Idiot."
"How'd you find out?" I ask.
"My friends were at the same party and saw them together. The party was Saturday night and it took them until yesterday to tell me. Don't know how I feel about that," she says.
"Well they probably didn't know how," I suggest. "I wouldn't know how to tell my friend either. Do you think you're gonna try and work it out or are you done with him?"
"I think I'm done. He wasn't that awesome, really. My family hated him."
"Well babe, love is blind. It takes a few tries to find the right guy and sometimes he comes out of nowhere," I say. "Now, I'm not saying you should go ahead and get a rebound or something, but if you really feel like it, you might find yourself a nice guy here. Camp baes are a good idea, sometimes. Some of my best friends met here and now they're dating."
"I'll think about it," she laughs.
"I have an idea," I start. "Why don't I go find Johnny and suggest the kitchen staff put out some ice cream during dinner? Then we can go to the lake together and scope you out a potential camp bae. Only if you feel up to it, of course."
"I think I could go for some window shopping."
"Okay then, go get your towel and meet me back here."
Savannah nods and runs off towards Sugar Pine. As I turn to go to the Mess Hall, Princeton catches my eye again. Briefly abandoning my mission, I cross the gravel path and head towards the basketball court.
Princeton looks over and sees me coming so he leaves his spot and meets me halfway.
"That was really thoughtful of you to point Savannah in my direction," I say.
"Well I suck at relationship advice and I knew you'd been through something similar so I thought you could help."
"I think I might've. We're going to the lake now to scope out some new boyfriend options just for fun," I laugh.
"Gonna find yourself a younger man, Em? Doesn't seem like you," Princeton jokes.
"Excuse me, sir, I'm still planning on marrying you. We'll be thirty in less than ten years, Prince."
"Oh my God don't ever say that again."
"Would marrying me be that bad? I'm offended."
"Nah, I think we'd have a lot of fun being married. They always say your spouse should be your best friend and I think we already have that part covered," he says. "But honestly, Em, I don't think you'll have a problem finding someone who's gonna love you forever. Any guy would be lucky to have you. But, hey, if you're meant to marry me then I guess we'll find out, huh?"
