Politically Incorrect

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GROSSET & DUNLAP
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Text copyright © 2010 by Grosset & Dunlap an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. All rights reserved. Published by Grosset & Dunlap, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 345 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. GROSSET & DUNLAP is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. S.A.

 

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eISBN : 978-1-101-18492-9

Guys, you’ll never guess who I just saw on
Nightly News
! (Brief sidebar—my mom thinks discussing current events after thirty minutes of Katie Couric will somehow prep me for when I take the SAT, like, a million years from now.) Our very own Dr. Steve! Apparently Camp Walla Walla is one of the first camps to “go green,” and he is planning this amazing festival to open the summer season.

I know, some of you might be thinking, “Um . . . so what?” or “Natalie, do you have brain freeze again?” But wait . . . it gets better!!!

The president—as in the president of OUR COUNTRY—is sending his daughter, Tricia, to Camp Walla Walla for a week! Since he was billed as “the first green president” during his reelection campaign, he wants his daughter to participate in the festival. Isn’t that INSANE?! And think about it—Tricia is our age, so we could be sharing a bunk with the daughter of the leader of the free world! I don’t think I’ve been this excited about camp in the history of forever. Only two more days to go! =)

Ugh. Katie Couric just signed off and now my mom is preparing index cards. Ha! JK!

Anyway, I’ll sign back on later. Bye!

PS: Can we convince Dr. Steve to get a stylist? His favorite hat looked pretty ratty on TV.

Seriously?! The president’s daughter is going to be at Camp Walla Walla?! You better not be pranking us, Nat. That’s my job! Tee-hee.

My parents saw the segment on the news, too! Every time I see Tricia on TV, she looks amazing. Great designer clothes. Flawless makeup. Precious mini Cavadoodle in her oversized purse. Love it!

Do you think Tricia’s bodyguard will have to share a bunk with us, too? That could be weird.

I Googled Tricia and here’s what I found out:

Wow! I like her already. Can’t wait to see all of you in a few days!

Cavadoodle? Yoga? Speaks three languages? I’m impressed! Not too fond of red grapes, though. I mean, isn’t everyone’s favorite food pizza? Just sayin’.

Here’s to another great year at camp! See you all on Sunday. Yippee!!!!

I can’t believe my stepmother chose this one to have a baby. You know what else I can’t believe? That I suddenly decided that it was important to do the right thing and chose to stay home and help her with it. I mean, with him. To help her with
him
I mean. So I hope you all enjoy your glamorous presidential summer without me and I’ll think of you as I perfect my diapering skills.

Make that another great year that’s going to be slightly less great now that Avery isn’t coming . . .

Say it ain’t so, Ave. I thought we had a good thing going, you and us Lakeview girls. You will be sorely missed.

Late Sunday morning, Natalie Goode dumped two large, purple duffel bags on her camp-issued twin-size bed and wiped her glistening forehead with the back of her hand. Even though she was never big on working up a sweat, she couldn’t have been happier to finally arrive at Camp Walla Walla. Not only was she going to see all of her best friends again, but she’d also have the opportunity to get to know the president of the United States’s daughter at “The Greenest Camp in America.”

There was truly nothing cooler than that.

“Only two bags this summer, Nat? You’re definitely slipping.”

Natalie had been a little gun-shy about smiling since she’d gotten her braces, but she couldn’t stop herself from breaking into a toothy grin at the sound of that familiar voice. She spun around and saw Sloan, decked out in a pair of khaki shorts and a light green T-shirt.

“Shut up and give me a hug!” Natalie grabbed Sloan and wrapped her arms around her friend.

“Okay, okay. You’re crushing me,” Sloan said, her cheeks turning pink.

Natalie laughed and let go. “I’m sorry. I’m just excited to see you!”

“Sheesh. If that’s how you say hello to me, I’m afraid of what you’re going to do when our celebrity camper arrives,” Sloan joked as she rolled her suitcase over to the bed adjacent to Natalie’s.

“You’re forgetting who you’re talking to. Celebrities don’t freak me out the way they do everyone else. They’re just average people like you and me.”

No one was a stranger to the fact that Natalie’s father was mega-movie star Tad Maxwell, but sometimes Natalie felt the need to remind her friends that she wasn’t a gossip-obsessed famemonger. One day she hoped not to be insecure about her Hollywood roots.

“How is it possible that I already got stung by a bee?”

Natalie and Sloan smiled in unison when they saw their friend Chelsea walking into the tent, holding her blond hair back and pointing at her neck. “Is it bad? Don’t lie to me, I can take it.”

“It’s pretty standard for a bee sting, Chelse. Just red and puffy,” Sloan answered.

“Well I can’t let the president’s daughter see me this way. She’ll think I’m a complete loser,” Chelsea said with a sigh.

“Oh stop it. You look great!” Natalie flung her arms around Chelsea and pulled her in close for a hug. “I’ve missed you!”

Chelsea stared over Natalie’s shoulder at Sloan, confused. “Why is Natalie trying to squeeze me to death?”

“I haven’t figured that out yet,” Sloan replied, giggling.

“I’m just psyched to be here, that’s all! Dr. Steve said on TV that the camp has a lot of cool new features, and this festival he mentioned sounds awesome, and there’s a chance that the president’s daughter will be staying in our bunk, and maybe there will be a lot of new boys this year.” Natalie paused for a second to catch her breath. “I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

“Yes, you are. Now release me from your choke hold so I can breathe,” Chelsea croaked.

Natalie chuckled as Chelsea wiggled out of their embrace. “I can’t wait to see everyone at orientation.”

Sloan glanced at her watch. “Won’t be long now. Dr. Steve’s expecting us all at the new rotunda building at noon.”

“I heard it’s powered by solar panels on the roof,” Natalie said.

“Do they still have calamine lotion at the infirmary? Because I am in desperate need of some,” Chelsea said, scratching at her neck.

“If they do, I bet it’s organic,” Sloan said, smirking.

Natalie was buzzing with such excitement that she couldn’t sit still at the orientation meeting. She was surrounded by more of her good friends—Jenna, Priya, Brynn, Joanna, and Sarah, who were all in her bunk this summer—and the new rotunda building was absolutely amazing. The solar panels on the ceiling were made of a translucent material, so everyone could look up and gaze at the white, puffy clouds that were moving slowly through the perfectly blue sky.

“I wish Dr. Steve would get on with the show. We have so much catching up to do,” said Priya.

“Never mind catching up! Has anyone seen Tricia yet?” Chelsea said, her head pivoting back and forth as she checked out the crowd.

“Nope, not me,” replied Sarah.

“I haven’t, either,” Brynn chimed in.

“Maybe she’s in disguise!” Priya suggested.

Natalie giggled with the rest of the girls.

Priya crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t laugh. I saw it in a movie once.”

“Whoa, check out the eye candy over there,” Joanna said, pointing to a spot a few rows ahead of them.

Natalie peered over the heads of the group in front of her and glanced at a posse of boys sitting to the left of them. A very good-looking, brown-haired, olive-skinned boy who she had never seen before was talking with David, Connor, and Jordan.