A poke at my side jolts me to attention. I turn to see Syd pushing a note in my direction. Her eyes are fixed forward as if she’s listening intently to Counsellor Kai.
“We’re doing more than just acting,” Kai tells the room. “We are embodying a scene. A moment of passion, glory, destitution, betrayal, even love.”
I quietly take the note from Syd’s hand.
The note reads, Is Kai going to lecture us all day? Or are we actually going to get to do something?
I fight down a smile. She’s right. I thought acting would be fun, like stage fighting was. Too bad it seems to be mostly listening to Kai talk on and on. I want to scribble a message back to Syd. But even though I finally remembered to bring a notebook to a class, I forgot to bring something to write with. Ams is sitting on my left and I tap their knee, miming the need for a pen.
Once I’ve got something to write with, I draw a picture of Counsellor Kai. I add a big speech bubble that says blah blah blah ACTING blah!
On cue, Counsellor Kai shouts, “That’s what makes the difference between putting on an act and acting!”
I giggle and push the note toward Syd. She giggles too and flips the note over to Ams, who smirks a little and pulls out a second small pencil. How many do they carry around, I wonder. They quickly write something and send it in my direction.
lol says the note. I shoot Ams a look, knowing they didn’t actually laugh out loud. Then I notice there’s more, lower down on the page. You two get a chance to practise the waltz?
I wince. I’ve barely practised since we made this whole plan. It’s not totally my fault. The last week of camp has been so jam packed, it’s been almost impossible for us to get any alone time. And whenever I’m not around Ams, all the notes just fall out of my head. Now the show is tomorrow and I’m not ready. Maybe they’d be better off doing it without me after all.
Syd looks at me out of the corner of her eye. I nod, fold up the paper once more and lean over to pass it back. Just before I do, I freeze. Kai is looking right in my direction. I hold my breath.
“What, no takers?” Kai asks. “We only need three players. I can take one of the roles, if I must.”
I exhale. Kai’s just looking for volunteers to do a scene. It’s not something I’m even slightly interested in. Once it seems like the coast is clear, I slide the note along the ground toward Syd. She picks it up like it’s no big deal. Her eyes sparkle as she reads it and scribbles a response. She passes it back to me and I unfold the paper as quietly as I can.
Let’s all skip the show! It’s the perfect time to sneak out of camp.
I read over her note a few times. Why would we want to sneak out of camp? I look at Syd but she doesn’t turn back. She seems bored as Kai tries a few more times to gather volunteers. It seems no one in the room wants to get up there. They probably all have the showcase on the brain. Ams told me that all the campers in the acting stream are off rehearsing their bits, leaving the rest of us part-timers to the over-enthusiastic instruction of Counsellor Kai.
I lean toward Ams. I fold up the paper into a small square and flick it with my thumb, trying to make it flip like Syd can. It goes a bit too far, smacking into the back of a camper ahead of me. He flinches but Ams is able to grab the note before he turns around. Reading Syd’s message, Ams scrunches up their face. They seem as confused as I am.
“Okay, let’s try something different!” Kai speaks with just a touch of desperation. “I’m going to have you all split up into small groups.” Everyone starts to stand up and the counsellor has to shout to be heard. “I’ll number you off! One, two, three, one, two, three . . .” Syd ignores the numbering process and puts one arm around me and another around Ams. The three of us head over to a corner.
“Were you listening?” I ask Ams. “What are we supposed to do?”
Ams doesn’t answer, instead turning to Syd. “You want to skip the showcase?”
Syd shrugs. “The lyrics don’t really fit right anyway. Plus, it’s the perfect cover for us to take off.”
Kai is going around, checking on everyone and giving them instructions. “We should probably figure out what we’re doing here,” I say. But Syd and Ams don’t seem like they’re listening.
“Why would we go anywhere?” Ams asks. It’s clear they are annoyed. “Where would we even go?”
“On tour!” Syd grins. “You, me and Jassie! We can take this show on the road!”
“Be serious.” Ams puts a hand on their hip.
“I am serious!” Syd smacks her hands together, making me jump. “It’s gonna be the last day. If we don’t go then, we won’t have a chance.”
Ams shakes their head. “But, why?”
I feel my stomach twisting up with nerves. I hope it just looks like we’re rehearsing a scene.
Syd huffs, “If we want to be together for real, we have to leave before our parents come pick us up.”
“Wait, what?” I turn back to our huddle. “I can’t skip on pickup. How would I get home?”
“She doesn’t want us to go home,” Ams tells me. They give Syd an accusatory stare.
“Obviously!” Syd snaps. “Face it — none of us want to go back home.” Syd softens her voice a touch and leans in. “Ams, do you really want to be stuck with your parents who want you to be somebody you’re not?” She turns to me. “Jassie, you know your folks don’t get you like we do. They just want to fix you, make you ordinary. But we know you’re so much more than that!”
I blink at Syd. My throat suddenly feels dry. “But, Syd, we’re teenagers. We can’t just . . .”
“What are you even talking about?” Ams jumps in.
“I’m talking about us!” Syd’s voice breaks. “We’re in love. If we want to stay together, we have to leave before they can get us apart.”
I’m a little in shock. Did Syd just say she loves us? That we love her back? I try to find my words. “Syd, we don’t have to —”
Ams interrupts me again. “You’re being ridiculous, Syd.” They shake their head in frustration. “We’re sixteen. This is a summer fling. We’re not going to ditch our whole lives and run away together.”
I’m about to agree. But then I pause and turn to Ams. “Wait, what do you mean, a fling?”
Ams takes a step back, their voice dropping. “Let’s just be glad for what we’ve had and then let it be over.”
“What?” Syd shouts. “Did this whole thing mean nothing to you?!”
I look over my shoulder. Several of the campers are looking in our direction. “Guys, we should probably —”
“That’s not what I said.” Ams hair falls over their face. “You’re not listening to me. Let’s just drop it.”
“Oh, my god!” Syd throws her hands up. “You’re impossible!” She storms out and slams the door behind her.
Now the whole room is looking at us, even Counsellor Kai. Silent, Ams leaves, too, heading in the opposite direction, away from Syd.
I stand there, shocked.
Kai comes to my side. “It’s all right, Jasbina. Acting brings out some big emotions. Lots of folks get caught up in a scene.”
I sigh and duck out from the counsellor’s misplaced comfort. The rest of the campers give me judgmental looks as I gather up my things and head out, too. I’m sure that the whole camp will soon hear about what just happened to our little trio.