different We were going to Camp Shalom which was a sleepover camp Four weeks of unsupervised fun Well unsupervised by our own parents It wasn’t like they were going to throw us all together to run around on our own like wild animals or anything But still four weeks of sleeping in cabins arts and crafts and outdoor sports Yes please One Friday after school a couple of weeks before school was done for the year Frankie and I were lying on her bed doing homework We had about an hour before her mom got home and Frankie had to help with Shabbat dinner By lying on her bed doing homework I mean lying on her bed her scrolling through her iPad and me looking at YouTube videos of horses on my phone This late in the year teachers knew giving us serious homework was just bad form So Bea Frankie asked Yeah I didn’t look up from the screen 2 Joanne LEVY
We need to talk I uh I wasn’t supposed to tell you this but we’re best friends so I have to Her tone got my attention Tell me what It’s about this summer I instantly perked up Yeah it’s going to be awesome I hope we get to go on canoe trips like your brother did She cocked her head You sure spend a lot of time talking to Jeremy You’re not going to be chasing him all around at camp are you I felt my face heat up but gave her an exasper ated look No It’s research Frankie So we know what to expect when we go to camp Please She frowned for a second then shook her head and took a big deep breath So About that My stomach did a complete flop Something bad was coming Even my internal organs knew it I just stared at Frankie waiting for her to spill She looked down at her iPad and whispered something 3 The Sun Will Come Out
What I asked loudly so she would take the hint to speak up I’m not going I’m going to Circle M camp instead I was stunned into complete and absolute silence We always talked about going to Circle M she said quickly You know how much I love horses We both love horses I wanted to say but couldn’t My throat had closed up and my eyes began to fill with tears How could you I tried to say but my voice was gone All that came out was a squeak Either Frankie read my lips or knew what I was saying because we were best friends and best friends know what their best friends are trying to say even when they are only able to squeak We wanted to go to Circle M she said Together I said as I swiped away tears with the back of my hand Because best friends do everything 4 Joanne LEVY
together or not at all I couldn’t even imagine camp without her I couldn’t even imagine a week without her let alone a month without her A month alone at a camp where I didn’t know anyone She looked down at her iPad again Well it’s not my fault that your parents can’t afford it I really want to go You should be happy for me that I can I stared at her I couldn’t believe she’d just said that to me Before she could say any more horrible things I ran out of her room and didn’t stop running until I got to my house four blocks away I managed to get inside the door before the water works really began I went to drop my backpack on the bench beside the door like I always did then realized I had left it at Frankie’s house That made me cry harder Mom came out of the kitchen She’d obviously 5 The Sun Will Come Out
