Politically Incorrect (6 page)

“So where were you really?” Sarah inquired.

“Actually, I was in L.A. with Rob Pattinson.”

The girls erupted in a frenzy of
ooh
s and
aah
s.

“Don’t tell anybody, but that boy likes shopping more than
I
do!”

Everyone laughed and giggled at Tricia’s joke, especially Chelsea. She was excited that Tricia’s “real” personality seemed similar to her own. She had a feeling they were a lot alike!

“Wait a minute. Are you saying that all the stuff we found out about you on the Internet isn’t really true?” Natalie asked, crossing her arms.

Chelsea threw Natalie a sharp look. Why was her friend all up in Tricia’s face suddenly? Did it matter what anyone said about Tricia on the Web? She was here now, being honest with everyone, and that was the most important thing.

“I don’t know, I stopped Googling myself a long time ago,” Tricia said with a shrug. “But I do have to act a certain way in public. It’s a drag, but whatever, I deal.”

Chelsea grinned at Tricia. She absolutely loved this girl’s attitude!

“Tell us more about L.A.,” Chelsea blurted out. “Did you shop with anyone else famous?”

“Actually, guys, I’m supposed to take Tricia for a tour of the grounds now,” Natalie interrupted. “Can this wait until later?”

Chelsea’s cheeks flushed pink. She had spent all this time and energy preparing something special for Tricia’s arrival. Why was Natalie trying to spoil it, especially when she knew how much meeting Tricia meant to Chelsea? Plus, Dr. Steve
had
said that he was leaving so all the girls could get to know one another better.

Then it occurred to Chelsea that Natalie was used to getting all the attention, what with being the daughter of a movie star and all. Could it be that Natalie was jealous of Tricia?

“Yeah, Nat and I made plans on the way over here,” Tricia said as she hopped off the bed and put an arm around Natalie. “She’s my special, personal guide while I’m here.”

Chelsea’s eyes widened to the size of volley-balls.
Special, personal guide?
!

“It was Dr. Steve’s idea,” Natalie added.

Chelsea swallowed hard. If she had written her own essay, maybe she’d be in Natalie’s shoes right now. Life was so unfair.

“Later, ladies!” Tricia said as she tugged Paris behind her and followed Natalie out the door. Once Jones quickstepped behind the girls and out of the bunk, Chelsea took a moment to consider the glittery welcome sign her friends had made with disappointment. With Natalie stuck to Tricia like glue this week, Chelsea doubted that Tricia would get to know her at all, let alone become her best friend.

“These are the best pancakes in the whole world,” Jordan mumbled, his mouth full of pancakes. “Who’dda thunk going green would do such good things for the food around here?”

“You mean the whole
universe
,” corrected Priya. The pancakes in question were buckwheat and made from scratch early that morning by Dr. Steve and some of the older campers.

“I don’t know how you guys can even eat,” David said through a long yawn. “I am so tired I can barely chew.”

“Me too,” said a weary-eyed Jenna. “Why does being green have to be such a sacrifice?”

“Come on, if the pioneers had to do this stuff, so can we,” Sloan said as she licked some syrup off her fingers. “In fact, maybe we should have a pioneers skit for the festival or something.”

“That’s a cool idea,” Jenna replied. “You should mention that at the meeting this afternoon.” Jenna was talking about a Green Festival planning meeting scheduled for a little later in the day.

“Great, I will.” Sloan’s face lit up with excitement. She was glad that her friends were getting in the spirit, and hoped the meeting would be packed. In fact, she had made up some flyers (on 100 percent recycled paper) that she was going to post around camp to get buzz going so more people would show up for the meeting.

“So where are Natalie and Tricia?” Joanna asked, glancing around the dining hall. “I haven’t seen them at all this morning.”

Chelsea rolled her eyes. “They went on some lame early morning hike.”

“Hike? But doesn’t Nat
hate
hiking?” Connor asked.

“I know. Isn’t she being kind of fake?” Chelsea replied.

Sloan rolled her eyes. Chelsea was definitely overreacting. Natalie was just doing what Dr. Steve had asked and giving Tricia some special attention.

“Nat isn’t being fake, Chelse. Tricia probably asked her to go hiking and she was just being a good sport, that’s all.”

“Whatever,” Chelsea huffed.

“I really loved hearing Tricia’s stories over dinner last night,” Sarah said, smiling. “I still can’t believe that she flew on Air Force One with Ashley Tisdale!”

“Or had the Jonas Brothers play at her birthday party,” added Priya.

“It’s just weird that she’s so different than we’d thought,” Sarah said as she helped herself to a second glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

Sloan nodded in agreement. They’d all found out over dinner that none of the Internet stuff Sloan had discovered was true. Not even the red seedless grapes part! Still, Tricia was a fun and vivacious girl who seemed more than happy to help use her celebrity for a good cause like Walla Walla’s Green Festival. Did anything else really matter?

“It’s a shame that she’s only going to be here for one week,” Chelsea said. “I doubt any of us will get a chance to know her all that well.”

Sloan could see Chelsea’s point. Tricia was only here for a few days and Chelsea seemed interested in spending time with Tricia—was there a way Sloan could help out somehow?

Hmmm . . . this might do the trick,
she thought.

“You know what, Chelse? The committee is probably going to work with Tricia a lot in preparation for the festival.”

“Yeah, so?” Chelsea huffed.

“Well, why don’t you cochair the group with me? I’ll need your help in prepping Tricia for her big speech on Sunday,” Sloan suggested. “What do you think?”

“I think . . . you’re
totally righteous
!” Chelsea shrieked, throwing her arms around her friend.

“So I guess this means you’re in?” Sloan said, laughing.

“Of course!” Chelsea shrieked.

“Good, maybe now we won’t have to listen to Chelsea’s whining anymore,” David joked.

“I don’t whine. I’m just . . . intense, is all,” Chelsea said with a grin.

Sloan chuckled under her breath—
overly dramatic
was more like it. Even so, Sloan was glad she’d asked Chelsea to be her partner. Together, they were going to make the Green Festival a weekend no one would ever forget!

Before the first activities of the day began, Sloan had special permission to post her green flyers on the bulletin boards located around camp. A couple of times, campers came up to her while she was pinning up the flyers and told her they were going to come. She couldn’t have been more pleased.

Until a certain someone surprised her while she was posting a flyer outside the boys’ bunk.

“Hello again,” a voice called from behind her.

Sloan turned around quickly and nearly dropped the remainder of her flyers when she saw Miles standing a few feet away. He was wearing a Camp Walla Walla baseball hat, which hid his friendly eyes a little bit and made it easier for Sloan to look at him. She was still embarrassed about the way she’d reacted to his comment on her essay—and even more embarrassed about the fact that he’d wound up being right. “Hey,” she said sheepishly.

“I’m glad I caught you. I want to talk to you about the other day.” Miles rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I’m sorry for being a jerk.”

Sloan gave him a little smile, feeling more at ease. It was cute that he wanted to apologize. “It’s okay. You were just being honest with me. I shouldn’t have gotten so upset. In fact, maybe if I’d listened to you I would have won the contest.” Just then, Sloan realized that Miles had been looking out for her. Which was the nicest thing anyone could do for someone else.

Miles flashed Sloan a wide smile. “Well, I’m still sorry I hurt you, especially before I got the chance to really know you. Though my grandmother
does
say honesty is the best policy.”

“So does mine,” Sloan said with a giggle.

As Miles approached her, Sloan couldn’t help but notice that he had the sweetest twinkle in his eyes. But he was also a little bit awkward, which Sloan found really charming.

“What’s that?” Miles reached out for the flyers in Sloan’s hand, and accidentally brushed up against her wrist. It sent little shivers up her arm.

Sloan giggled again and then froze for a second.

“It’s a flyer reminding everyone about tonight’s Green Festival planning meeting.”

Sloan felt her skin turn warm and tingly as she handed one to him.

“Nice,” Miles said, quickly reading it over. “It’s really cool that you’re still so into this.”

“Thanks,” Sloan said, blushing. “Actually, Dr. Steve made me the committee chairperson yesterday, so I’m
really
involved.”

“But I thought Natalie won the contest,” Miles said, confused.

“She did, but she wound up being reassigned,” Sloan said. “Isn’t that great?”

“I guess,” Miles said, adjusting his hat. “Was Nat mad or anything?”

“Nat seemed cool with it,” she replied.

Miles shrugged. “I was just wondering. She seemed really excited when she won.”

Sloan remembered the moment when Natalie’s name was announced. At the time all she could think about was how bad it felt to lose. Now did she need to feel guilty about luck being on her side?

“Well, now she’s the personal guide to the president’s daughter. That’s a pretty sweet trade if you ask me,” Sloan said.

“If you like that kind of thing,” Miles said. “Personally, I think the festival is more interesting.”

Sloan grinned. “You do?”

“Yeah. My dad used to take me to the Bald Eagle Festival in Alaska every year. I loved it,” Miles explained.

Sloan’s heart fluttered a little bit. “Wow, that sounds amazing.”

“So can I keep this flyer? I’d like to show it to some of my friends.” Miles motioned to a group of boys hacky-sacking near one of the bunks.

Sloan grinned. She was happy that Miles was going to be in close proximity now that the two of them were on better terms.

“Sure, the more people we have helping out, the better,” she replied.

“Great,” Miles said. “See ya later at the meeting.”

“See ya,” Sloan said as she watched Miles wander off to his circle of friends, waving her flyer above his head.

When rest period finally rolled around, Natalie collapsed onto her bed. She was completely exhausted from her hike with Tricia, Cybil the nature counselor, and Wharton, the most athletic Secret Service agent in Tricia’s security detail. Tricia had convinced both Natalie and Cybil that the hike was going to be a short little jaunt to jumpstart their morning, but they’d wound up covering almost all the trails around Camp Walla Walla, thanks to Tricia’s unlimited supply of energy. Apparently Tricia was training for some type of marathon personally recommended by her friend Vanessa Hudgens. Marathons
definitely
weren’t Natalie’s thing.

As Natalie rubbed one of her aching calves, she tried to remind herself that looking after the president’s daughter was a super-important task that she had been handpicked to do. Still, Natalie couldn’t get rid of the heavy feeling inside her chest that told her choosing Tricia over a college app-building activity may have been a mistake. Tricia had been running Natalie ragged since she’d arrived and didn’t seem to care one bit.

Then again, maybe I just hate hiking more than I thought I did,
she thought.

Natalie closed her eyes for a brief moment, hoping that she could meditate her way into a good mood, but soon she was startled by a high-pitched scream. She leaped up and found Tricia standing on top of her own bed, frantic with fear.

“What’s wrong?” Natalie asked worriedly.

“A bug!!!” squealed Tricia. She pointed at the floor, her hands shaking. “It’s disgusting!”

Natalie glanced down at the bottom of Tricia’s bed and saw a pretty sizable insect crawling around. What was even more disgusting was the mess that the insect was crawling around in. Natalie had no idea how Tricia had built a pile of candy bar wrappers and crumb-filled bags of cookies in less than twenty-four hours, but nevertheless, there it was. And if Natalie didn’t act fast, more bugs would be on the way.

“Hold on, let me get something to capture it with,” Natalie said.

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you,” Tricia said in relief. “Bugs freak me out so bad!”

Natalie shook her head and laughed to herself. Sure, there may have been a time when she was prone to flipping out over little things like bugs, but honestly, wasn’t Tricia too old to be acting like a frightened—and maybe a teensy bit spoiled—little girl?