Ann Martin - Mary Anne And Camp

And then my dad, Mr. Neat and Organized, said something I never thought I'd hear him say. "Loosen up a little," he told me. "Enjoy yourself. I know you love Sharon, but I think you might feel even closer to her if you let yourself have some fun. And try to talk to her. Don't let your feelings pile up like, like dirty dishes."

I burst out laughing. "You've got a promise!"

"Hey, guys," Sharon stuck her head into my bedroom. "What about that video?"

Jessi and Mal had biked by that afternoon while we were at the airport and left a copy of the Camp BSC .Circus Video.

"Come on, Dad," I said, jumping up. "We're about to show you a truly excellent video. Academy Award stuff at least. But if you don't think so," I looked at Sharon, "well, we can show you how to express yourself with popcorn!"

Laughing, we went to join Dawn.

"A quiet time for the BSC," said Kristy, sitting in her director's chair in Claudia's room. We were passing around junk food and talking. Logan wasn't there — he was playing baseball at the park — but the rest of the Camp BSC counselors were sitting around the room,

eating junk food and waiting for the phone to ring. It was almost six and, so far, we had taken only two calls.

"Lots of kids are away at overnight camp," said Jessi. "The Braddocks, Natalie."

"The Giannellis have gone on vacation," I said. "But when they get back, the kids are going to be doing stuff at the community center. Mrs. Giannelli called to tell me that Alicia is looking forward to it. She wants to know if will be like the circus she was in this summer."

"Speaking of circuses, Karen and Hannie and Nancy are already working on their circus act for next summer," Kristy said. "And Hannie and Linny are taking tumbling classes at the community center because they think they can use it in the next Camp BSC circus!"

"So I guess we're a real circus camp after all," Claudia said.

"Well, I'm glad the BSC has hit a lull. My family is about to do its summer vacation trip to the shore," announced Shannon. "So I won't be here next week or the week after."

"The beach." Dawn looked envious.

"I'd love to go to the beach, too," Mal said. "Even if I do get sunburned. But I think we're going on a camping trip." She wrinkled her nose. There was a moment of silence as we imagined the havoc the Pikes could wreak on a camping trip.

Claudia cleared her throat. "Uh, good luck, Mal."

Mal grinned.

"What about you?" Jessi teased me. "You and Logan. Any big summer plans, once you are off your crutches?"

I thought for a moment. Then I shook my head. "I'm going to take it easy," I said. "Hang out with my family. Enjoy having my dad home again." I looked around the room. "That's what summer's for, you know. Sometimes, the best vacation of all is just learning to loosen up!"