Hit the Beach by Laura Dower Read Free Book Online Page A

else.”
    “Great, Dad. Your saying that is like the kiss of death.”
    Stephanie snickered. “Try not to be so encouraging, Jeff,” she teased.
    Madison grabbed her backpack and popped out of the car first. Stephanie followed, and Dad parked the car.
    Once inside, Madison found herself face to face with a wall of turtle shells and petrified fish. She looked up to see stuffed birds, mangrove branches, and other objects hanging from the ceiling. It was as if nature had just exploded by the front door—but in a good way. Off on both sides, other kids waited for the camp directors to come out and lead them into the auditorium.
    Stephanie and Dad hung around for a few minutes, long enough to know that they didn’t really need to be there. Madison would be able to handle the rest on her own.
    She gave both Dad and Stephanie quick pecks on the cheek, so as not to appear too clingy. Madison wanted to make the right first impression. Hanging on to Dad’s arm pleading, “Don’t go,” wouldn’t have gone over very well in any crowd, but especially this one.
    “I know you’ll love it,” Dad said for the tenth time since they’d left home that morning.
    Madison nodded and literally nudged him toward the door. Stephanie followed. And then Madison was alone—or, at least, on her own.
    This is exactly why I have never ever gone to camp before, Madison thought.
    She knew two weeks wasn’t a very long time, but right now Madison imagined it as an eternity.
    “Are you here for Camp Sunshine?” a woman with a mop of gray hair and gold-framed glasses asked Madison.
    Madison nodded. “Yes, yes. Am I in the right place?” she asked nervously.
    “Absolutely. Stay put. We’ll be ’round soon to get you.”
    Madison stayed put. She browsed through some books on a bookshelf with titles like Aquatic Journey and The Life of the Tortoise . On one wall was a huge map of the area. Trees, bodies of water, and buildings were clearly marked. Madison noticed one small lake (was it big enough to be classified as a lake or was it more like a pond?) called Madison Bog. She smiled broadly at that discovery. She was afraid to be here, and yet she’d been here all along—at least in one form or another. Even if it was a bog .
    “Nice shirt,” a young boy said. Madison glanced down at her tee and the words Happy Camper .
    The boy pushed back a thick strand of his blond hair and grinned. “Seriously, I like it. It’s cool to watch turtles lay eggs. Doncha think?”
    Madison nodded. “Yeah,” she said. “That’s just what I was thinking.”
    “So, who are you? I mean, what’s your name?”
    “Madison. But most of my friends call me Maddie.”
    “I like Madison better,” the boy said. “It sounds smarter. By the way, I’m Will, and that’s short for William. Most of my friends call me crazy.”
    “Nice to meet you, Crazy,” Madison said with a smile.
    “I’m in eighth grade. How about you?”
    “Seventh,” Madison replied. Then she asked, “Are you from Florida?”
    “Nah, I’m a New Yorker,” Will said.
    “I live in New York, too.”
    “Really? I live on the Upper West Side. Where do you live?”
    Madison gave him a vacant stare. She realized he was talking about New York City when of course she was talking about Far Hills.
    “Oh, no, I don’t live right in the city. I mean, I live in …”
    “The burbs , right?” Will said with disdain.
    Madison couldn’t tell whether Will was being serious or whether he was teasing. And if he were teasing, what gave him the nerve? She looked away, embarrassed.
    But Will didn’t notice. He was already facing in the opposite direction, talking to another camper.
    Madison turned around herself and nearly knocked over another girl.
    “Hi, I’m from Cleveland,” the girl said, practically thrusting her hand into Madison’s for a shake. “Ann’s my name. Science is my game. Ha-ha. Well, you know. I’m one of those science geeks who can’t get enough science.”
    She had