will be off kissing and dancing,” Brynn added.
“Look! There’s Karen!” Jenna cried.
Soon everyone except Valerie and Chelsea had gathered at the table. Natalie sat next to Alex and looked straight ahead. She didn’t speak to Alex, and Alex didn’t say a word to her, either. The others were trying on their purple sunglasses and putting on nail tattoos and having a good time. All the cool stuff was from Natalie.
Alex felt even more like a total loser.
A DJ wearing a big beige hat was sitting at a console that read DJ KMAXX! He smiled as Kathleen walked up to him with a piece of paper. Probably a song request, Alex realized. The DJ nodded and punched something in to his console.
As the girls sat down, the spicy smells of pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, and French fries filled the air. Although it reminded her of camp, Alex didn’t feel hungry in the least. And she sure didn’t feel like dancing, even if the songs were the latest and greatest.
Marissa and Julie brought over large pitchers of soda, one in each hand, and set them down on the table.
“This one’s Diet Coke,” Julie told Alex as she placed it in front of her.
Alex nodded. Even though she knew a lot of the other girls drank diet sodas, she felt singled out.
Just then, Dr. Steve appeared on the little stage at the end of the room. He was wearing his navy blue Camp Lakeview polo shirt and khakis. In fact, he looked the same as he did at camp, except he was a little pale, compared to his usual burnt-lobster hue at camp.
Everyone at the table except Alex, Marissa, and Julie started cheering and screaming. Alex just sat there.
“Hello, Camp Lakeview alumni!” Dr. Steve said. The microphone zinged and he took a step away from it. Then he craned his neck down and said, “Can you hear me now?”
Laughter echoed off the walls.
“Okay, let’s review some safety tips and Village Bowl regulations, and then we’ll get this reunion started.”
More applause and cheers rocked the house. Alex heard some boys hooting and strained to see where 3F was sitting. But she couldn’t see beyond the 3C table. They had so much stuff heaped on it that it blocked her view of the rest of the party room.
Their beloved leader started to blink as he droned a long list of rules and regulations, most of it seeming to center around wearing socks with their rented bowling shoes. As was their habit, the girls of 3C pretty much ignored “Dr. Flutter Bug,” which was his camp nickname because he blinked so much.
Then Dr. Steve finally said, “All right! Our DJ, KMAXX, will be taking requests, so just come up and tell him what you want to hear. And now, I declare this reunion officially begun!”
Everyone yelled and cheered again. Alex couldn’t find it in her heart to say one “yay.”
“That means we can start eating, right?” Grace asked Julie.
“Yes,” Julie said. “It’s a buffet, so you can grab a plate and load up on whatever you want. I’ll bet Jenna will eat at least four burgers. Right, Jenna?”
But Jenna didn’t reply. She was studying 3A’s table as if something was wrong. Alex wondered if she thought the Color War theme was dumb, too.
“I’m eating six pieces of pizza,” Sarah announced. “What about you, Alex?”
“Sure,” Alex muttered. She started to push back her chair at the exact same time as Natalie. She got her ankle caught in her chair leg and fell forward—knocking over the pitcher of Diet Coke. It splashed all over Sarah, completely soaking her from her chest on down.
“Oh, no!” Sarah wailed, leaping to her feet. She was dripping wet. She staggered backward, staring at herself, and burst into tears. “My outfit!”
“I’m so sorry!” Alex cried. “Let me help you!”
Sarah ran for the bathroom. Alex started to follow, but Julie said, “Don’t worry, Alex. I’ll handle it.”
Julie took off after Sarah while the rest of the table immediately started cleaning up the mess. Alex gathered up wads of napkin to sop
“Look! There’s Karen!” Jenna cried.
Soon everyone except Valerie and Chelsea had gathered at the table. Natalie sat next to Alex and looked straight ahead. She didn’t speak to Alex, and Alex didn’t say a word to her, either. The others were trying on their purple sunglasses and putting on nail tattoos and having a good time. All the cool stuff was from Natalie.
Alex felt even more like a total loser.
A DJ wearing a big beige hat was sitting at a console that read DJ KMAXX! He smiled as Kathleen walked up to him with a piece of paper. Probably a song request, Alex realized. The DJ nodded and punched something in to his console.
As the girls sat down, the spicy smells of pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, and French fries filled the air. Although it reminded her of camp, Alex didn’t feel hungry in the least. And she sure didn’t feel like dancing, even if the songs were the latest and greatest.
Marissa and Julie brought over large pitchers of soda, one in each hand, and set them down on the table.
“This one’s Diet Coke,” Julie told Alex as she placed it in front of her.
Alex nodded. Even though she knew a lot of the other girls drank diet sodas, she felt singled out.
Just then, Dr. Steve appeared on the little stage at the end of the room. He was wearing his navy blue Camp Lakeview polo shirt and khakis. In fact, he looked the same as he did at camp, except he was a little pale, compared to his usual burnt-lobster hue at camp.
Everyone at the table except Alex, Marissa, and Julie started cheering and screaming. Alex just sat there.
“Hello, Camp Lakeview alumni!” Dr. Steve said. The microphone zinged and he took a step away from it. Then he craned his neck down and said, “Can you hear me now?”
Laughter echoed off the walls.
“Okay, let’s review some safety tips and Village Bowl regulations, and then we’ll get this reunion started.”
More applause and cheers rocked the house. Alex heard some boys hooting and strained to see where 3F was sitting. But she couldn’t see beyond the 3C table. They had so much stuff heaped on it that it blocked her view of the rest of the party room.
Their beloved leader started to blink as he droned a long list of rules and regulations, most of it seeming to center around wearing socks with their rented bowling shoes. As was their habit, the girls of 3C pretty much ignored “Dr. Flutter Bug,” which was his camp nickname because he blinked so much.
Then Dr. Steve finally said, “All right! Our DJ, KMAXX, will be taking requests, so just come up and tell him what you want to hear. And now, I declare this reunion officially begun!”
Everyone yelled and cheered again. Alex couldn’t find it in her heart to say one “yay.”
“That means we can start eating, right?” Grace asked Julie.
“Yes,” Julie said. “It’s a buffet, so you can grab a plate and load up on whatever you want. I’ll bet Jenna will eat at least four burgers. Right, Jenna?”
But Jenna didn’t reply. She was studying 3A’s table as if something was wrong. Alex wondered if she thought the Color War theme was dumb, too.
“I’m eating six pieces of pizza,” Sarah announced. “What about you, Alex?”
“Sure,” Alex muttered. She started to push back her chair at the exact same time as Natalie. She got her ankle caught in her chair leg and fell forward—knocking over the pitcher of Diet Coke. It splashed all over Sarah, completely soaking her from her chest on down.
“Oh, no!” Sarah wailed, leaping to her feet. She was dripping wet. She staggered backward, staring at herself, and burst into tears. “My outfit!”
“I’m so sorry!” Alex cried. “Let me help you!”
Sarah ran for the bathroom. Alex started to follow, but Julie said, “Don’t worry, Alex. I’ll handle it.”
Julie took off after Sarah while the rest of the table immediately started cleaning up the mess. Alex gathered up wads of napkin to sop
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