I Wanna Dance With Somebody
“Isn’t she beautiful.” Kelley said, taking a step back for emphasis and wiping a fake tear from her eye. She looked around the cabin and saw that everything was exactly how she had pictured it when her and Emily had decided on the theme for the summer.
“Get over yourself?” Emily said scoffing playfully at Kelley. “But this does look amazing” she admitted with a shrug.
The cabin was covered in posters of various 90’s pop stars, on the walls were big drawings of cartoon characters from shows like The Rugrats, Pepper Ann, Doug and Cat Dog that Emily had drawn on white butcher paper. They had spent a whole afternoon cutting them out and coloring them and laughed at Ashlyn’s jealousy over Emily’s artwork. Each bed at a name tag attached to the front of it and a tiny goodie bag, which had a slap bracelet, a tiny rainbow slinky and a friendship bracelet all wrapped in the tie dye bandanas and secured with a scrunchie.
Kelley looked around the room admiring again before she heard Emily clear her throat.
“Snap out of it, we have children arriving in two hours and I’m still freaked about that.” Emily said. Her eyes scanned the cabin again and she walked towards the closest bunk straightening the name tags.
“I’ve told you once I’ve told you a thousand times, the kids are the easiest part of this.” Kelley went over to the door and propped the screen door open, hoping to let in some breeze. It was already warm outside but not uncomfortable yet. Much like she predicted, Emily had stopped blow drying her hair in the morning and had settled into the universal camp hairstyle of a messy bun. They had spent the past five days in deep cleaning mode, they had dusted, washed and polished every inch of their cabin, the dining hall and all of the facilities. They spent one full day stuffing camper and parent information packets in an assembly line fashion with the other 10 counselors until every folder and envelope was signed, sealed and ready to be delivered. Kelley was pleased to see that Emily was fitting in nicely with the other counselors and even offered to drive when someone needed to go pick up the Official Camp T-Shirts and only looked briefly at Kelley with begging eyes to come with her after Ashlyn and Ali volunteered to go with. Overall the summer felt seamless so far and the entire camp looked great.
Kelley was knocked out of her trance when she heard a giant “HOWDY” and the roar of an engine from outside of the cabin. She and Emily laughed loudly when they saw Steph speeding on a tractor with a cowboy hat on her head, she had Kristie, Sam and Moe in the attached trailer and was going as fast as the tractor would go.
“She really thinks she’s catching wind.” Emily came and stood by the door next to Kelley, leaning against the door frame and crossing her arms over her chest.
“I don’t think she has any idea she’s going more than maybe 4 miles an hour.” Kelley mused and watched the three in the back of the trailer try desperately not to fall off as they hung onto the folding chairs that were also in the trailer with them.
“Come on nerds we have to go set up!” Steph screamed from across the camp, she was joined by a chorus of the other three calling them nerds and slow pokes until Kelley and Emily walked out of the cabin and headed towards the dining hall.
“That is the saddest looking banner I have ever seen.” Emily said walking up to the dining hall and looking at the banner being hung by Tobin who was teetering on a chair with a staple gun in her hand. The banner said “Wecome to Camp Takatoa!” the writing was all slanted to one side and the letters gradually got smaller trying to fit each letter in.
“Tobin. Honey. No.” Christen walked out of the Dining Hall laughing and looking at the pathetic banner.
“What! I did exactly what Christie asked” Tobin had hopped off the chair and stood back admiring her work.
“Who's going to tell her that she spelled welcome wrong?” Ashlyn fake whispered to Kelley, pushing past her with arms full of welcome packets.
“I’m gonna let Chris take care of that.” Kelley walked into the dining hall flanked by Emily and Ashlyn trying not to laugh as she heard the disgruntled cries of Tobin who had apparently just realized her mistake.
There was a mini breakfast spread on one of the fair tables filled with donuts, juices, fruit and pastries of all kind. It clearly had already been destroyed by a few of the other counselors as told by the discarded plates and napkins and the tale tale glaze crumbs from a donut all over the table. Kelley ran over and grabbed a danish and a piece of pineapple with her fingers and handed a plate to Emily.
“What needs to be done?” Emily asked looking around.
“Open your eyes new kid, everything needs to be done.” Moe said exasperatedly while dragging in a long table. Sam was trailing behind it, clearly supposed to be helping but laughing at Morgan’s efforts.
“Mostly we have to clean up, separate our areas and folders so our girls know where to come when they check in, finish organizing the welcome packets, move our cars excetera excetera.” Kelley rambled off, shoving half of the danish into her mouth. She looked over at Emily who seemed to be calculating things in her head, her eyes moving over the room.
“I’m going to be honest with you. You just gotta tell me what to do so I don’t feel useless.” Emily said with a shrug. Kelley laughed and nudged her and finished off the danish.
“Come on, we’ll help them unload the trailer.” Kelley walked out with Emily on her heels towards the parked tractor. Apparently it was not a smooth ride due to the scattered folding chairs throughout the camp that had fallen off the trailer. Steph and Kristie appeared to be in a race of who could pick up the most and were sprinting around with chairs clanging against their legs and arms. “Just go stack them by the door” Kelley jutted her head towards the entrance of the dining hall where Tobin and Christian were currently in talks of making a new banner and Ali and Ashlyn were struggling with opening up the folding tables.
Over the next hour there were tables set up all in front of the dining hall, one for each cabin as well as one for the camp nurse and the main registration table. Each table was noted with a highlighter pink sign that Emily and Kelley had proudly made. Crystal and Steph had lined up traffic cones in order to indicate parking and pull throughs for all the parents and all of the welcome packets had been sorted, organized and stacked at the appropriate areas. Lauren and Amy showed up, each holding a box on their hip and dramatically dropped them to the ground.
“Gather ‘round ladies. Come grab your staff shirts.” Amy ripped open the box and started tossing out shirts to the counselors who walked forward and fielded the questions and comments of “yes it’s a polo.” “you only have to wear it today and the last day of camp” “I don’t care if you think it’s ugly.” and “this is the smallest size they come in Sydney.”
“We look super official and also super lame” Emily said tugging the shirt on over her head. Kelley was shoving her hair into a ponytail and tucked her shirt into her shorts.
“Not the best look but it does make us look the part.” She looked around and saw Ashlyn who had just put her short hair until a tiny pony tail on the top of her head complaining about “frizz” while Ali rolled her eyes.
“Campers and their anxious parents should be here in a little under half an hour, it looks great in here just make sure to tighten up your tables and if you have any questions or last minute freak outs, direct them towards Christie.” Lauren laughed and patted Christie on the back.
“You look like you’re about ready to run away.” Kelley looked at Emily who had wide eyes and was looking all around the dining hall like she was trying to figure out where she was. Emily just shrugged a little and her face relaxed. “Don’t worry, worst case scenario, a child runs away and we both go to prison but other than that it will be fine. Christie would get a way worse sentence than us anyway.” Kelley giggled at her own joke while Christie scowled at her as she walked by.
“First day’s the hardest.” She said patting Emily’s shoulder. “Don’t sweat it, you’ll be fine.”
“Yeah I know. Whatever happens is what happens.” Emily shrugged, her eyes blank.
“Here, put your bandana on, it’s time to go in full hardcore cheesy mode” Kelley rolled up her bandana and tied it around her head like a sweatband, she knew that the tie dye clashed with the bright blue camp shirts, but she almost got a smile out of Emily when she finished the look and made a huge cheesy smile with jazz hands. The two walked over and straightened their welcome folders and chairs while Kelley added some “last minute pizazz” to their poster. She noted that Emily had become reserved since they left the cabin this morning and was slouched back in her chair. Kelley started to get the sinking feeling in her stomach that she had the first few days when she realized that Emily was going to be her new partner. She tried to think of something reassuring, or comforting to say to Emily but she let her annoyance and camp counselor vibes take over and decided to leave it.
“I see minivans!” Sydney rushed into the room her hair sticking to the side of her face and her polo already partially untucked from her shorts. All of the counselors laughed at her disarray as she tried to straighten her appearance after running from the main office in a hurry. Lauren and Amy left to go direct traffic while the counselors took place either by the doors and their tables. Christie had taken post directly in front of the door, ready to introduce herself to every camper and parent as she had done every year.
Sydney had gotten her appearance together with the help of Kristie and Crystal and most of the girls were talking softly amongst themselves as they heard the scrunch of gravel and screech of tires.
“Okay so what's going to happen is the parents are going to come and sign their kid in and we are going to do the whole happy go lucky camp counselor thing, then one of us is going to take the kiddos to the cabin to get settled in a few campers at a time. Do you want to be the one sitting here and greeting, or do you want to be the runner?” Kelley turned to Emily who had straightened up in her chair a little and considered the question, her eyes were wide with anxiety and she just looked over at Kelley. “Oh that’s right, you want to be told what to do today. Okay you stay here and sign the campers in and greet the parents, after I walk down with the first group you can send down the kiddos with their parents to the cabin and once everyone is signed in just meet us down there.”
“So you’re leaving me on the front lines?” Emily’s tone had a little jest in it but the high quip of anxiety in her voice didn’t go unnoticed. As she was speaking a lanky girl was being pulled into a hug by Christie while her parents were animatedly gesturing about the camp.
“Trust. The questions you’re going to get up here are going to be way easier than the questions that the parents hit you with when you are trapped in the cabin during their set up and settling time. Don’t worry, you got this.” Kelley held out her first for a fist bump and wiggled her eyebrows at Emily, who didn’t seem at all relaxed after the impromptu pep talk, she fist bumped Kelley anyway and half heartedly made the “blow up” noises which Kelley considered a success anyway. Kelley nudged Emily’s shoulder and grinned as the Dining Hall started filling with pre teens, teenagers, their parents and their very large luggage. Emily and Kelley were swarmed in no time, mostly with returning campers who were excited to see Kelley again and be back for another year. Kelley talked to the parents with ease, directing them to the appropriate tables and feeling incredibly old being reintroduced to the thirteens who she remembered as much smaller twelves last summer.
After a group of about six of the 13 year old campers and their parents had gathered in the Dining Hall, Kelley looked over at Emily and indicated that she was going to lead the group to the cabin. “Don’t worry, if you need anything just buzz me on the walkie and you can send down the parents as soon as they get signed in.” Kelley nodded at the walkie-talkie in front of Emily and clipped her own to her belt buckle, and smiled as she felt even more official.
“Okay ladies! Lets go to our new home, I’m so excited for you to tell me just how much you love your decorations!” Kelley placed an arm around a camper on each side and turned back at Emily who was shaking her head and grinning. She still hadn’t perked up but Kelley was really hoping that she would come around by the time the parents left. The group passed Moe with a sign on a stick above her head leading about eight tenners and their parents to the cabin all assembled in a straight line, Steph who was carrying as many bags as possible on her arms and still trying to race her 15 year olds to the cabin and Christen who was in a quiet conversation with a small group of parents showing them exactly where the lake was while her 14 year olds all gossiped around her.
Kelley knew that her and Emily had done a good job with the decorations the second the door to the cabin opened and the girls had scuttled trying to pick the “best” bunk and calling “dibs” for their friends who hadn’t arrived yet. Almost all of the girls were running around comparing name tags and a few already had their scrunchies in their hair, Kelley felt like her smile couldn’t get any bigger as she watched parents help campers get sheets on their bed and listened to the girls “catch each other up” on everything that they had missed out on since last summer. She roamed around the cabin, welcoming the families that would wander in about every three or four minutes and answering any and all questions that the parents shot her way. She was in the middle of answering for the third time that the campers will still get to recieve mail but phone calls were for important messages and emergencies only when she saw Emily enter through the door of the cabin flanked by two campers who were chatting excitedly and looking at Emily for approval at the end of each sentence. Emily had her eyebrows raised and an amused expression on her face and grinned widely when she saw Kelley. The small cabin was way over capacity with teenagers and their parents all organizing for the summer, some had siblings that were also attending the camp that were filtering in and out of the cabin and some had other siblings that had gathered outside feigning boredom.
“I see you survived the rest of registration?” Kelley walked over to Emily who was securing her own bandana just as Kelley had done earlier and how many of their campers had already done.
“Oh yeah, Aunt C made sure I was okay and all of the parents were super nice. Ashlyn had a minor freak out because apparently the camper that had a huge crush on her is back this summer. But other than that, smooth as butter.” Emily clicked her tongue and shot out finger guns to Kelley who immediately rolled her eyes.
“Okay so there is an orientation back in the dining hall in about an hour and then…” Kelley looked at Emily who was waving her hand away at Kelley.
“And then cabin bonding until dinner followed by a movie night and the first campfire. Lights out at 10:30” Emily rattled off, her eyes scanning the cabin before bringing her eyes back to Kelley and raising her eyebrows. “You know that I’ve been memorizing the schedule all week, don’t seem so surprised.” Kelley laughed at Emily’s burst of confidence.
“Okay then. Let’s do this thing.” Kelley turned her back and dove back into the sea of parents, one of whom had brought in a mini fridge, how they got it past Christie was beyond Kelley. She went to go put out that small fire while Emily went and introduced herself to a few parents, as though she had been doing this as long as Kelley.
The rest of the afternoon went by quickly and loudly. Kelley forgot about how much teenage girls talk, because there was a constant buzzing of chatter and giggles ever since registration started. The seemingly sad and lonely camp from the last week had instantly livened up with the addition of a hundred youths and all of the counselors had adjusted their motivation and energy accordingly. Sydney had not stopped dancing with her “glam squad” as she and Crystal had named their cabin of elevens. Sam seemed to be in an endless game of arm wrestling with her campers who were all mildly impressed by her “gun show”. Ali already had several new braids in her hair adorned by her campers and even Ashlyn had a tiny braid in the middle of her tiny ponytail. The orientation went by quickly and most of the girls were so excited for the summer to start that they brushed off all of their parents with quick goodbyes and hugs.
It was nearing the end of the first campfire, each of the campers stuffed with s'mores and chatty with the sugar and excitement of today. Emily was walking around picking up discarded trash and sticks and checking in on campers with a concentrated look on her face.
“She seemed to fit in just fine today.” Tobin sidled up next to Kelley and nodded in Emily’s direction “Chris told me that she head like three campers come up and start grilling her about who she was and where Alex was and apparently she handled it like a champ.” Tobin shrugged and smiled a lazy smile.
“Handled it like a champ huh?” Kelley looked around and saw Krisite with henna supplies out already adorning the members of her cabin in hand tattoos, on the other side of the fire Ashlyn had out a ball point pen and was drawing smilie faces on the hands of her campers who said they were jealous.
“Yeah, told them that she thought Alex got eaten by wolves and she was the alien sent to take her place.” Tobin had a light airy giggle that made Kelley shake her head.
“You’re shitting… I mean you’re kidding me.”
“No, I’m so serious that's what Christen told me.” Kelley and Tobin were both laughing, Kelley thinking again that she might have been underestimating Emily. They both turned their heads when they heard the strum of a guitar and saw Lauren strumming and softly singing a song. She continued until the entire camp fire scene was silent and had their eyes on her.
“Okay ladies today was awesome! Me and the counselors are so excited that you are all here and can’t wait for a great summer!” Christie grasped her hands, it amazed Kelley how she had the attention of the entire camp in just a few seconds. “Lights out is in twenty minutes so we gotta clean up, head back to our cabins and get ready for tomorrow!” She dismissed everyone and all of the campers started to clump together by age group, the chatter starting back up again, Emily made eye contact with Kelley and wiggled her way over to her.
“Now it’s all us, the real test begins newbie” Kelley nudged Emily and attempted to wolf whistle, gathering the attention of all of the campers around her. “Okay thirteens! First one back to the cabin gets the tiny personal fan that I bought for the night!” All of the girls perked up in excitement and got ready to run. “On your mark! Get set! Get that fan!” the girls sprinted forward along with Kelley who had grabbed Emily’s arm and ran with her.
“What are you doing?” Emily panted running alongside Kelley.
“I don’t wanna give that fan up! Duh.” Kelley said pulling her and running a bit faster.
They reached the cabin behind all of their campers, and with no one in agreement who came in first, Kelley decided it was only fair if she got to keep the fan for the night, which lead to major moaning and whining from most of the girls much to her enjoyment. The girls bounced around the cabin getting ready for bed and still running on the excitement of today.
“Kelley! I remembered to bring it again this year!” one of Kelley’s campers from last year, Caitlin was standing by her side holding out an iPod classic, last year this was a major player for many dance-a-thons and cabin parties.
“Sweet! Thanks Caity! I’m gonna hook it up right now!” Kelley pulled on the end of the girls ponytail and winked, before heading over to her speakers she had bought for the summer. “Okay pretty ladies! You all have until the end of this song to have your tiny butts in bed and ready for lights out.” Kelley shouted above the masses, she was met with a mixed responses such as “Okay Miss Kelley” and “yeah yeah” and “whatever you say boss lady.” She scrolled through the iPod before clicking on “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston and the sound filling the cabin.
“Can this be more cliche?” Emily laughed to Kelley when the whole cabin broke out in dancing and singing. The young teenage girls linking hands and twirling one another, others singing into toothbrushes and hairbrushes and a few others already getting cranky and ready for bed.
“Get used to it. All summer long.” Kelley pulled the end of Emily's hand and twirled herself singing along to the song before shouting out “one minute!” dancing by all the campers as they were settling into their beds and ready for the night. The song ended and Kelley walked over to the front of the cabin with Emily while the girls all settled into their bunks. They could still hear the sounds of the surrounding cabins singing and dancing and the distinctive howling from the “female wolf pack” that Steph and Kristie had clearly already assembled.
“Okay girls! Tomorrow is the first day of real camp stuff! First alarms go off at 5:30 for rise and shine yoga lead by Christen and running club lead by Steph, everyone else is going to be at breakfast by 7:30, which means by 7 if you aren’t up I’m going to sit on you. All clear?” Kelley looked around the cabin at the semi interested girls who were giggling and rolling their eyes and was met with mostly affirmative responses. She looked over at Emily “Emily, anything you wanna add?” Emily shrugged and looked around the cabin.
“Kelley snores so you all want to fall asleep before she does!” This was met with an eruption of laughter and Kelley rolling her eyes and flipping off the light switches.
“If you’re chatting in more than 20 minutes I’m going to come stand at the edge of the bed and watch you until you fall asleep, and then that’s going to creep us both out so try to sleep. Y’all have two months to be besties.” Kelley said with a wave of her hand, the chatter wound down to just whispers and creaking of the bunks.
“What do we do now?” Emily searched for Kelley’s eyes in the dark.
“I thought you had everything memorized Miss Over Prepared?” Kelley shrugged her shoulders and laughed and made one last round around the room, bopping each of the campers on the head and telling them to “hush and close their eyes” before climbing into her bunk. Emily settled into hers with her booklight and open book while the cabin grew quiet around them.
“Miss Emily, you’re not going to do this all summer are you?” One of the campers whispered out which caused the entire cabin to erupt in giggles. Kelley could hear Emily stammering below her and was giggling herself.
“Lets just be happy she doesn’t howl all night like the fifteens or make everyone do jumping jacks when they wake up like the tenners.” Kelley said from the top bunk. Her comment was met with Emily reaching around the bunk for a fist bump and Kelley reaching down to reciprocate. The entire cabin was almost silent in thirty minutes until howling in the distance created another eruption of giggles.