By Meghan K.

Firefly Ridge was four cabins: the main cabin; Cabin 1, for the kitchen staff; and Cabins 2 and 3, for us to sleep. Boardwalks built over a large dip in the terrain connected the cabins.
I walked into Cabin 2.
A short red-headed girl, Erin, introduced me to everyone; Miranda, Abby, Danny-
“And you are?”
“Zoey,” I said.
“So you’re my bunkmate,” said Danny. “Bunk preference? Or rock-paper-scissors?”
“Winner gets top?”
We held out our fists.
“Rock. Paper. Scissors!” we both shouted.
Danny won the top bunk.
Three more girls joined us-Sam, Rose, and Megan-before we were called into the main cabin to for icebreaker games.
Erin loved to act. This was Miranda’s first year of camp. Abby was the oldest of seven kids. Danny was really good at the piano. Sam had fallen off horses. Rose and Megan were twins.
The girls from Cabin 3 had stuff to share too. The Other Rose was the oldest girl at camp. Laura was awesome at math. Caitlin and Courtney were twins. Emma was from New York City. Madison was a dancer. Hailey was a talented sailor. This was Claire’s sixth year at camp.
Cabin 3 invited us to see their cabin.
It was a mess, yet tidy. The lower bunks had bead curtains, and each bunk had sheets from those bed-in-a-bag things. The cubbies were filled with everything one could imagine.
We returned to our cabin for a game of Slapjack.
“You’re good at this, Erin!” Rose exclaimed.
“Well,” said Erin, “after two years of epically loosing, I’ve kinda mastered it.”
“Well, prepare to meet your match!”
We played until the counselors called us to dinner.
“Hey, Danny,” I said, “Have you noticed the difference between our cabin and theirs?”
“What do you mean?”
“Our cabin seems excited, loud, and just happy. But Cabin 3 looks almost bored, like they don’t want to be here.”
Danny peeked at the girls from Cabin 3.
“You’re right,” she whispered.
“It’s always like this when I’m here. But I just figured it out now.”
Danny grinned.
“Well, they’re missing out. We’re in the fun cabin.”
 “They’re trying to pretend that they’re more sophisticated,” Rose said harshly.
“Whoa,” I said. “Where did all the hostility come from?”
“I was one of those girls once,” Rose replied. “I was in a cabin with The Other Rose and a few other girls. Then I met Jessie, from the other cabin. She was fun to hang out with, unlike my cabin mates. She had a sense of humor and could laugh at herself. But no one in my cabin liked her. So they told me to ditch her. But I said I wouldn’t. She was my friend. After that, they didn’t want me around. But I still had Jessie.”
“You’re still mad at The Other Rose, though,” I guessed.
There was a loud cough behind me; I’d forgotten The Other Rose was-
“Still here,” she said icily.
Rose scowled.
Erin tripped over a root, and then doubled over with laughter.
“I was going to say something,” she giggled, “to diffuse the tension, but my clumsiness rescued me!”
I had to laugh, too.
One day down. Five to go.

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