CHAPTER 18
I sat on the floor next to my suitcase, studying each outfit I’d brought. I had not packed for a dance in the middle of an RV park in the middle of Wyoming. Actually, not themiddleof Wyoming. Kind of on the edge of Wyoming, if I remembered the map right, but whatever part of Wyoming we were in, I did not think there was going to be dancing.
Ezra was ready and waiting outside but my mom was in her bed reading a book.
“What do you think about this one?” I asked Mom.
She laid her open book on her chest. “Might be kind of cold for a sundress once the sun goes down.”
“The only other thing I brought is T-shirts, jeans, and shorts. And my interview outfit, but Willow says it looks like something a librarian would wear, so I don’t think it would work for a dance.”
“The librarian I know wears T-shirts and jeans. Her T-shirts say the funniest things on them too.Book this. My schedule is booked up. The book was better.” Mom, who’d been looking upwhile trying to recall the snarky T-shirts, returned her attention to me. I was still holding up the dress. “I’m sorry, yes, wear the sundress. It’s cute. Or wear a paper bag if you want, you’d be cute in whatever.”
“Why do parents say stuff like that? Nobody would be cute in a paper bag. So now I question whether or not your sundress opinion is valid.”
She smiled and threw something at me that hit my arm and landed in my open suitcase. It was a hair tie.
I picked it up and twisted it and untwisted it around my finger a few times. “You tired? It’s only seven.”
“No, just reading.” She showed me her book.
“What are you and Olivia going to do while we’re gone?”
“Maybe we’ll walk around or turn in early. I’m not sure.”
“Are you fighting with her?” I didn’t know why I asked that. I hadn’t seen signs of it. But maybe she and Olivia were having the same issues as me and Skyler—time away had put a strain on things—and that’s what was bothering her.
“With Olivia?” She laughed. “No, of course not.”
Now I felt stupid for asking.Of course not.That was only my problem. “Okay, good.” I held my sundress up to my body and my eyes caught on something in the corner of my suitcase. Another note. I unfolded it. This was a picture of mountains and two stick figures climbing one of the peaks together.It’s the climb.We used to say that whenever something silly happened: like they were out of the taco we wanted at the food truck on campus or the size shirt we wanted when we were shopping.
I smiled and tucked it back into my suitcase. That’s when I saw something else. The friendship bracelet from Skyler. Maybe its best friend juju could work some magic. Trying not to think about it too hard, I slipped it on my wrist, then went to the bathroom to change.
***
I didn’t know how everyone else felt, but I felt awkward walking through camp, hair done, makeup on, in a dress. I should’ve just worn jeans and a tee. Too bad I didn’t have a snarky tee. One that saidI’d rather be readingorI almost wore a sundress. How stupid would that have been?
“Should we have a code word for if we want to leave?” Ezra asked. He was in a polo shirt, dark jeans, and Converse, which was similar to what both Austin and Skyler were wearing.
“That is the main reason cell phones were invented,” Paisley said. She must’ve known to pack for a just-in-case party because she looked adorable in a skirt and long-sleeved striped sweater. “Someone wanted to leave a party early.”
“In case one of the party throwers is too close to covertly text about our boredom,” Ezra said.
“Ezra likes to read people’s texts,” I said from where Paisley and I were walking arm in arm in front of the guys. “But, yes, let’s make a secret word.”
“It needs to be something that can be said naturally in a sentence,” Paisley said.
“Bighorns?” Skyler said.
I twisted the bracelet on my wrist. He’d said that for me, I was sure. He probably sensed my irritation.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Austin said. “Is that dirty?”
“No!” Skyler said.
“How would that be dirty?” I asked.
“More importantly,” Paisley said, “how are we supposed to use that naturally in a sentence?”