A couple weeks later, Charlie was getting packed to go to the math camp. A couple weeks that hardly felt like that amount of time to Charlie. She still felt like the time for the camp should still be a couple weeks away.
"Are you sure you don't need us to help you pack?" Charlie's father asked from the doorway of her room.
"I'm good dad. Really," Charlie replied cheerfully as she packed for the math camp. Charlie knew he was dealing with his own worries and wanting to do something that would he helpful, but right now Charlie wanted to deal with it on her own. Although Charlie wasn't sure, but her father had seemed to be more distracted about his job lately than he had than he ever had that she could remember lately. She was beginning to wonder if his business was getting ready to go out of business. She didn't think Cherie had noticed, her attention more on her friends and social stuff when their father was around.
"Maybe a snack for the road?" he suggested.
Charlie sighed, rolling her eyes. "Dad, you know how far away I'm going. I'm not going to need a snack for that short of a trip," Charlie replied, surveying what she'd chosen to pack.
She'd been told to bring a swimsuit, so she had. She'd also packed shirts, skirts, a few pairs of jeans and shorts, underwear, socks, a spare pair of shoes, her toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, floss, and a couple gardening books.
She wasn't sure what exactly to expect but knew that she probably wouldn't be prepared for enough of what she'd need. Not counting what she was expecting in regards to getting the Heart of the Forest back. She didn't expect it to be simple, but she wasn't going to try for anything complicated either.
However, the most difficult part of this whole endeavor might be dealing with her father. While Charlie had gone to camps in the past, it was always as just a camper, not a counselor – even a junior counselor. Which Charlie assumed meant that she'd be there as a volunteer counselor, given she'd never heard of a junior counselor before, although maybe she just wasn't aware of that kind of position. So, while she felt a little apprehensive because of that fact, her father seemed to be on a whole different level, maybe a whole different scale even, than Charlie was.
"What I'm mostly wondering, dad, is if you'll be okay?" Charlie asked, trying to turn the tables on him, given how much of a bother he was being with her packing.
He blinked. "Why wouldn't I be okay, Charlie?" he asked, his eyes showing innocence, which let Charlie know he should be a good target.
"Well, you're clearly needing to spend as much time with me as you can before I leave tomorrow," Charlie replied, trying to sound as innocent as her father was trying to sound. "So, I was thinking that if you're this worried about me, you might not even be able to sleep while I'm at the math camp for two weeks."
Charlie's father laughed. "I get your point, Charlie. I just want to make sure that there's nothing that you won't need while you're at camp."
Charlie stopped packing her bag and turned to her father. "Dad, I'm not going to be a 'camper' there, I'll be a junior counselor. Which means that I'll have things that I'll need to take care of that I'll learn about after I get there. If I do need anything that they didn't put on the list, I'm sure they'll provide it. Besides, the first week will be about learning what I'll be expected to do as well as getting everything set up as well."
"You know I worry about you, right?" he asked, walking over next to Charlie.
"Yeah, I know, dad," Charlie replied, wrapping her arms around him.
"Just make sure that whatever you have to do there, you'll still find a way to have some fun yourself, okay?" he asked, returning Charlie's hug.
"Of course, dad," Charlie said, as she released him from the hug.
Charlie waited a full minute for her father to let her go before pushing him away. "Come on, dad," she protested. "It's not like I'm not going to be coming back."
"I know, I just can't help it," he replied. "Maybe it's just that it's been a while since you went to a summer camp, but it's hard to let you go like this."
"Don't worry dad, I'll be back before you realize it," Charlie said, closing her bag.
"Hurry up already!" Cherie yelled from Charlie's doorway.
Cherie was annoyed that Charlie was going to the camp. Especially since she was aware of the swimming pool at the camp and while she'd been enrolled in the camp for the week after Charlie would be done at the camp, that week had been cancelled due to not enough people signing their kids up in addition to Cherie not being able to get a slot during any other week. Charlie was confident, even without looking at Cherie's thoughts, that Cherie was most upset about that fact.
"I'm just about done, Cherie," Charlie said. "Not that I understand what your impatience is about. I mean, I haven't been packing for even half an hour."
Cherie glared at Charlie. Cherie didn't say anything, but Charlie heard a thought clearly in her sister's mind through her magic: Just because you get to swim easily at the start of this summer doesn't mean I have to tell you anything.
Charlie didn't expect that to occur, partly given that she'd mostly gotten good at not hearing stray thoughts like that when she wasn't trying to hear other's thoughts and partly because she'd made it a point to not try to see the thoughts of those close to her. It felt rather invasive and she didn't think that it was an act that invited trust. If anything, Charlie had decided that it would damage any trust that had been built and stunt the growth of any further trust.
Charlie decided to reply to the thought Cherie had without mentioning it. "If you'd like, I'll see if Heathcliff can make room for you in the first week," Charlie offered.
Cherie was surprised and it took her a moment before she recovered enough that she could respond. "Don't bother," Cherie replied, her anger still apparent, even as she had to put her glare back on. "I don't need your charity. I can go to any other camp I want."
Before Charlie could respond, Cherie had already left her room. While Charlie wasn't sure how to take Cherie's reaction, she did get the sense that Cherie's anger was more for show because of how much she wanted to try out the swimming pool that they'd seen at Heathcliff's.
"Don't worry about your sister," Charlie's father consoled her. "I think she's just disappointed to not be able to see the camp, and I doubt she wants to go there while you're a counselor."
"I wasn't really worried about her," Charlie replied. "I just thought I'd offer, as I wouldn't want to be a counselor around her as a camper either, but I thought it might be better than not going at all."
"You can ask anyway for Cherie, and if Heathcliff agrees, then you could call us and let us know," Charlie's father suggested.
"Okay, dad. I'll do that, but I'll let you pass the message on. So, if he says no, you can decide if she gets told or not," Charlie said, closing her bag.
"Would you like me to help with that?" he asked, ready to move if Charlie indicated that she would.
"I got it dad. I'll need to be able to lift it myself to take it to wherever I'm supposed to put it, anyway," Charlie said, carrying her bag with both hands as she started moving it so it would be next to the front door. "Thanks anyway, dad."
Charlie saw her father smile as she passed by him. She was feeling as confident as she had ever felt that this was going to turn out to be a good trip.
She was about to head towards the stairs as she left her room, when she felt her father start to follow her. "Remember, when you get back from the math camp, we'll go on a real camping trip," he said, while they walked.
Charlie already knew about that but hadn't let herself think about it that much. Her focus had been on getting the Heart of the Forest back. Besides, she didn't need to think much about it. She loved camping and planned on enjoying it as much as she could when they went on that trip. However, she knew she wouldn't be able to enjoy it as much, even with anticipating it, while she knew that Petals was waiting for the help she needed to reclaim the Heart of the Forest so her home could continue to be safe.
_
Charlie was surprised when they pulled up at Heathcliff's. When they'd been there for the business dinner, his house was the only building that they could see from his 'driveway,' but now he'd had a few other buildings built since then.
Charlie was sure at least one of them was the dormitory, or 'cabin,' where she'd be staying for her time at the camp.
She wasn't surprised to see only older teenagers as well as a few adults, given a few were also getting a ride from their parents, but most were driving themselves or catching a ride with friends who were also staying.
She hugged her parents after she got her bag out of the car. "I love you guys, I'll see you when it's over," Charlie said, hoping she wouldn't start to tear up. Again. She frequently did that in the past when she got dropped off at camp and always felt really embarrassed about it.
"I love you too, dear," Charlie's mother replied. "Have fun and let us know if there's anything you might need from us, okay?"
"I'll call anyway," Charlie said, smiling, no longer feeling like she was about to tear up. At the moment.
"Don't use all your brainpower up this summer," her father joked. "You'll want to save some for when school starts."
Charlie couldn't help but roll her eyes at that. "Seriously dad, don't try so hard, okay?" Charlie said before turning away and starting to walk to where she saw most of the others heading, not waiting for her father to think of something to respond with. Nor did she look to see them leave. If she did, she was certain that she would start to tear up.
Most were heading to Heathcliff's house, which Charlie wasn't surprised about. She'd figured that it would be where his office was, and it felt like he probably would have everything start in that building. As Charlie reached the front door, an older teenager who was waiting near the front door called out to her.
"You must be Charlie," he said, smiling as he approached Charlie.
"Yeah, that's me," Charlie replied cautiously, not sure what this was about, or even how he'd know what she looked like, let alone what her name was. She certainly hadn't seen him before.
"Heathcliff asked me to help you get your bearing around here as well as anything else you might need," he said, which Charlie took as weird. He had dark brown hair, brown eyes, Charlie estimated his age to be around 18, he was around six foot five, and rail thin.
"Thanks, but I still don't know where anything is, aside from Heathcliff's house, which is why I'm heading inside so I know where I'll be staying," Charlie replied, walking by him to enter the mansion.
Charlie wondered what it would be like if she was more of a confrontational person as the teenager started walking with her. She certainly would be more than happy to have had him remain outside the front of the mansion.
"So, is this your first time as a counselor?" he asked.
"Yeah, it is," Charlie replied, hoping responding would get him to leave her alone. "I've only been a camper at camps otherwise."
"So, how'd you get in this gig? I just barely made the cut," her continued, much to Charlie's annoyance.
"Not sure. Just found out from my principal when she told me that Heathcliff was doing this camp," Charlie said letting her eyes adjust, wondering suddenly if this guy was trying to do more that just ask her questions. She wondered if this guy was hitting on her in a weird way. Not that she was going to ask. She didn't want to give the guy any ideas or thoughts that she might be interested in him.
"Wow," he said. "Any idea why he did that?"
"Nope, all I know is that it was unexpected," Charlie replied, finally seeing where most everyone was heading to. A room near the base of the stairs that had the room which she'd seen the Heart of the Forest at the top of it.
"If there's anything you need help with, just let me know anytime. I'd be more than willing to help in any way that I can, regardless of what the problem might be," the teenager offered, though Charlie didn't care for the smile that he put on his face to go with the look. His smile did not reflect his eyes, which Charlie didn't think was a good thing. He would be someone that Charlie would need to keep an eye on as she worked at figuring out where the Heart of the Forest was as well as how to get it.
"I'll keep that in mind," Charlie replied politely, hoping her tone didn't tell him anything about what her opinion of him was.
Then before he could respond in any way, Charlie entered the room and found herself in a small conference room, several chairs were set up and many were already filled. Charlie took a chair that already had someone on either side of it and was a little annoyed when her potential stalker took a chair as close to where she was sitting as possible. Fortunately, he didn't say anything else at that time, partly because the orientation was starting already as Heathcliff entered the room.
The orientation wasn't too difficult to follow. Heathcliff let them know that he was still working out some fine details about the camp, but that he'd have that completed before the campers began to show up in a week. He assigned various tasks for each of them. Charlie was put on helping paint the outside of the 'cabins' that the girls would be staying in. Heathcliff admitted that he didn't expect them to complete all of the tasks, but would have contractors to finish whatever they didn't or couldn't finish over the weekend, during which he would take them all to Winter Park for a few exercises. The only other person that Charlie kept in mind what their task was, was the teenager that had spoken to her as she was entering the building. Aside from her own, that is. His task was to 'assist' anywhere that needed extra help. Charlie was pretty sure she wasn't going to like what interpretation he would take it as. He didn't strike Charlie as the type that would leave her alone, especially since he seemed like Charlie had caught his interest somehow. Not only that, but there was something about him that Charlie found repellent. She couldn't put her finger on what it was, she just felt there was something about him that she'd rather keep away from her. Well away.
The work would begin in the morning, so as the orientation closed, they were informed that the rest of the day would be for them to settle in and relax. The pool would be open to anyone who wanted to swim, others could explore the grounds if they wanted, however Heathcliff's house was off limits, aside from issues that needed to be addressed by Heathcliff himself or for first aid matters with the exception of serious emergencies.
As everyone left, Charlie waited until she had a chance to speak to Heathcliff. The room was mostly empty when she saw her chance.
"Um, excuse me, Heathcliff?" Charlie said, as she approached him, struggling to make her voice audible with the moderate noise from the others in the room.
Heathcliff turned to Charlie and smiled. "How can I help you?" he asked.
"I wasn't sure where exactly I'd be," Charlie asked, partly conscious of her bags still with her.
"The girls cabin will be the one on the left when you leave my house," Heathcliff replied, his smile putting Charlie more at ease than she thought it would.
"Yeah, but where in the cabin will I be?" Charlie asked. She knew how to identify the girls cabin, it had a sign, if nothing else, in front of it. This, however, was her first time as a counselor. All the times before when she was a 'camper,' she'd never seen the counselors sleeping with the other 'campers.' Which meant she'd likely be somewhere else.
Heathcliff chuckled. "The room for the counselors. Pick whichever bunk in the counselor's room that's currently open right now. You should be able to find one of the other counselors for the girls easily and if you need help adjusting to being a junior counselor, talk to Shirley Brown. She's the counselor in charge of the other counselors for the girls. She'll be more than happy to help you adjust to being a counselor," Heathcliff replied.
"Thanks," Charlie returned, her smile genuine and as broad as Heathcliff's. If she didn't know that he'd had someone take the Heart of the Forest from Petals' forest, she wouldn't have thought that he was capable of anything bad.
Charlie made her exit and quickly went to the girl's 'cabin' so she could put her stuff down and maybe change into her swimsuit so she could do some swimming before the pool got crowded.
As she entered the room for the counselor's, however, she almost ran over another counselor. This one was clearly taller, around five foot ten, and Charlie guessed her age at about 19. She had black hair, in a series of braids pulled into a ponytail, brown eyes, and her skin was a dark chocolate. Charlie quickly stepped back so they wouldn't run into each other.
"Sorry," Charlie quickly said.
The older girl looked at Charlie and looked around. "I thought campers weren't going to show up until next week," she called out to the other girls in the room.
"They're not," one of the other girls replied, Charlie couldn't see who.
"Well, I got one here already."
"Send her back," came the reply.
"Um," Charlie ventured. "I'm here as a junior counselor."
The girl in front Charlie sized Charlie up. "Not a chance, girl. You're, what? Twelve?" she stated.
"I'm fourteen," Charlie defended herself.
"Uh huh," she retorted. "Not a chance. You're twelve. Though, I'm not sure why you're here when it should have been next week before you got dropped off."
Charlie considered her options. The best seemed to be more direct. She certainly wasn't going to let herself get chased out before she had the chance to really try to see what it would be like being a junior counselor, let alone to get the Heart of the Forest back. "Heathcliff told me to take an open bunk in the counselor's room," Charlie said, not sure if she should threaten to pull Heathcliff into this fully.
The girl just gazed at Charlie. "Huh, you must be Charlie then," she said. "I wasn't told you'd be so short."
Charlie didn't like the tone the girl used but couldn't fault her for remark on Charlie's height. There were times when others thought she was younger than she was based on that alone. "Yeah, I'm Charlie," she replied, not wanting to touch the 'short' subject and hoping it wouldn't continue. She had the feeling that if she did, it would definitely become a common topic.
"Well, come in then," the girl said, stepping aside so Charlie could enter.
Charlie did so and looked around. She saw three other girls, all older, the youngest Charlie thought was closer to 16. "I'm Shirley," the girl told Charlie as Charlie continued to look around. "That's, Roberta," Shirley pointed to a Hispanic girl around 17. Roberta had black hair, dark brown eyes, looked like she might be an athlete, and stood around five foot nine, as she rummaged around in her bags on the top bunk of the bunk she'd chosen. "That's Cassie," Shirley pointed to a girl with platinum blonde hair, crystal blue eyes, looked to be 16, and Charlie approximated her height to be about five foot six. "And that's Lily," Shirley pointed to a girl who looked as out of place as Charlie felt. Lily had red-brown hair, bright green eyes, prominent freckles, looked around five foot four, and looked about almost 17.
"Nice to meet all of you," Charlie said politely.
The response Charlie got was less than promising, given the most she got from the other girls was a glance at her before returning to what each had been doing first. Roberta looked like she was either sorting her stuff on her bunk or searching for something in it, Cassie was reading, and Lily was writing something on a notepad.
"Don't let them get you down," Shirley said, putting her hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Take what bunk you want, but you could hold off on that until the other counselors get here."
"Why would I hold off?" Charlie asked.
"You're definitely the youngest we have in regards to counselors and some might prefer a certain bunk over others, so it's your call. Wait to get what the others don't want or take a chance that you might get grief over taking a bunk one of the others wanted," Shirley remarked.
"I'll take my chances," Charlie said, not caring if she stepped on any toes with her choice of bunk. Though, she did know most tended to prefer the bottom bunk if they did prefer one over the other, so Charlie took the top bunk of one of the two remaining ones.
As she put her bags in place on her bunk, she started to get her swimsuit and towel out of them. Her swimsuit was a one-piece aqua green. When she had her swimsuit in hand, she started to go where she'd seen the toilets were.
As she started to go there, Shirley called out to her, "Why not change here? I mean, we're all girls here."
"No offense, but I don't like changing around others. Even for gym I go into the toilet stalls," Charlie replied.
"Makes me wonder what you've got under there," Shirley remarked, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
Charlie rolled her eyes. "Wonder what you will," Charlie replied. "I'm going to do what I will."
Shirley laughed. "You're something else, short stuff."
Charlie couldn't help but wonder if she'd just been given a nickname that will define here while she's here at camp. She hoped not but couldn't be sure. It was still too early.
After Charlie had changed into her swimsuit, she brought her clothing back to put in her bag and got her towel. As she entered, she saw Shirley in a light tan bikini with her towel in hand.
"Thought I'd join you," she said as Charlie started to leave with her towel, falling in step next to Charlie, making her stride slower to keep Charlie from falling behind.
Charlie didn't really know what to say, she didn't have any reason why Shirley couldn't join her nor did she have the authority to stop her. So, she merely nodded and didn't say anything.
The swimming pool wasn't very big as far as swimming pools went. It was at least twenty feet long and around fifteen feet wide. What appalled Charlie was the fact that it was already starting to get crowded. She had been hoping that she'd at least be able to swim a lap or two before there were too many people to do so, but now she just had to resign herself to relaxing in the water, if she could do that with how many people she could see already going to the pool, in addition to how many were already there. Some were jumping in and playing around.
"What do you plan on doing at the pool?" Shirley asked, breaking the silence that had accompanied both of them up to that point from when they started walking together.