Camp Confidential 05 - TTYL Read Online Free Page B

School!
     
    Hey, Brynn!
    Are you amped to start school tomorrow? I hope you have a great time ruling the school! I’ll be jealous while I’m trying to figure out where all my classes are.
    Sorry this is so short—I’ve got to get to bed!
    Luv,
    Grace

Alex > TUESDAY

    BEEP
    BEEP
    BEEP
    Alex groaned and rolled over to swat her alarm clock. “Six thirty already?” she moaned. It was the first day of school and she was already ready for summer vacation to swing around again.
    Pulling herself out of bed, she stumbled out the door and down the hall to the bathroom. After a nice hot shower, maybe she’d start to feel like herself again.
    After her shower, she pulled on the outfit she’d decided on the night before: her favorite jeans and a cool yellow shirt she’d gotten at the mall over the weekend. She blow-dried and brushed her long black hair and pulled it back into a ponytail, and as a finishing touch, put on a pair of white socks with little frogs on them and her favorite green sneakers. Appraising herself in the full-length mirror that hung in the hallway, she thought to herself, Perfect ! Casual, cute, and not too girly. She was ready to face school.
    Downstairs, her mother had poured a bowl of Cheerios for her and set it on the table with a glass of orange juice. “Eat up, Alex,” her mom said. “Excited about school?”
    “Yeah!” Alex replied, sitting down and taking a big gulp of juice. “Totally. I got an e-mail yesterday about soccer tryouts, too—they are today after school. So I won’t be home till five.”
    Alex’s mother put down the newspaper she was reading. “That’s very exciting, honey,” she said. “Do you know anyone else who’s trying out?”
    “Well, I think a lot of the girls from my team last year will try out,” Alex said. Just then, Alex’s father walked into the kitchen, jangling his keys.
    “Ready to go, Al?” he said. He leaned over and kissed Alex’s mom, and then looked at Alex expectantly. “We’d better get a move on if you’re going to be at school on time.”
    “Can’t be late on the first day!” Alex’s mom said. She got up and walked over to Alex. “Take a few more bites, and then you should get going!”
    Alex shoveled a few more spoonfuls of cereal into her mouth, and then stood up to kiss her mom good-bye. She grabbed her brand-new backpack from the floor, where she’d placed it the previous day, and shifted it onto her shoulders. “Ready!”
    The drive to school didn’t take long. Alex’s dad gave her a few dollars for lunch, and she ran excitedly into the school lobby. Instantly, though, as she entered the crowded room, she knew she was more worried than she had let on. There were so many people packed in—and they were all so old ! She felt like a baby—all the other kids were taller and bigger than she was. The boys looked like grown men, and the girls looked like adult women. Some of the boys even had mustaches ! And the girls . . . well, they were obviously not in elementary school anymore.
    In the corners of the lobby, Alex could see small groups of what had to be sixth-graders, all huddled together, looking young and scared. She stood stock-still and scanned the room, looking for a familiar face. Finally, she saw one across the room—her best friend, Bridgette. Their eyes met, and obvious relief crossed both of their faces. Thank God , Alex thought. Bridgette was wearing one of her typical anime-logo T-shirts. At least some things never changed. She scurried over to her friend.
    “Hi!” Bridgette squealed, throwing her arms around Alex for a big hug.
    Alex was about to launch into a long tale about her exploits at Camp Lakeview when a loud voice boomed over the loudspeaker. “ALL STUDENTS TO THE GYMNASIUM,” the man’s deep voice said. “ALL STUDENTS TO THE GYMNASIUM FOR WELCOME ASSEMBLY.” Bridgette and Alex looked at each other.
    “Well, here we go,” Alex said nervously.
    Bridgette laughed. “Oh, come on, Alex. It’ll be