Camp Confidential 09 - Best (Boy)friend Ever by Melissa J. Morgan Page A

back in fifteen,” Sophie answered.
    Priya raced back over to her bed, grabbed her wallet—to make her lie believable—and bolted before anyone could ask to go with her. She decided not to wait for the elevator. Life and death , her feet pounded out as she charged down the seven flights of stairs. Life and death . She flung open the door to the lobby and raced out. She spotted Jordan in front of the elevators.
    Is he going to be able to tell something is different with me? The thought slipped in between all the worry about Jordan. Is he going to know I got my period?
    Doesn’t matter. Life and death , she told herself. “What?” she exclaimed as she raced over to him.
    “I told Brynn I liked her dress,” Jordan said. His voice sounded flat and dull.
    “So?” Priya frowned. “How is that life and death?” She’d run down here ready to give him CPR or something.
    “She wasn’t wearing a dress,” Jordan answered.
    Oh, no! He was right! Brynn had been wearing pants and this shirt with big, full, lacy sleeves. “Well, okay, that was a mistake. But still not life or death, right?”
    “I’ve hardly ever talked to her before. I’ve said ‘hi.’ And that was the first thing that came out of my mouth today.” Jordan gave a low moan. “I sounded like a complete freak.”
    “She probably just thought it was funny,” Priya said. She felt wetness drip into her pad, and she shifted her weight.
    “I don’t want her to think I’m funny. Not like that,” Jordan shot back.
    “Well, what about the play reviews you read? Did you try out something from one of those?” Priya asked, reminding herself to stay in Jordan’s-best-friend mode, even though all she wanted to do was go upstairs and scarf down some more M&Ms.
    Jordan gave a longer moan. “Yeah. Thanks for reminding me. I memorized this thing from Variety , and at intermission I told it to Brynn. Turns out she’d read the review. She knew that’s what where I got it. So she thought I was this big fake who couldn’t even come up with a thought of my own. She’s never going to want to have anything to do with me now. ’Cause I’m a freak and a fake. And funny in the really bad way.”
    “You don’t know that.” Priya gave him one of their shoulder knocks. He didn’t even smile.
    “I do know that,” Jordan insisted. “The counselors took the group to a food court after the play. I was already at a table with a couple of other people and Brynn was heading right toward me. Right toward me. And she veered. She veered , Priya.”
    The way he said “veered” made it sound like Brynn had grabbed a steak knife and stuck it in his heart. Repeatedly.
    “I need some more help from you.” Jordan started to pace. “You’ve got to help me turn this around with Brynn,” he said as he passed her.
    Priya started to get that sick feeling in her stomach again. It had to be from her period. It had been hours since the flight simulator. And she hadn’t even taken the elevator. “How am I supposed to do that?” she asked.
    Jordan stopped pacing right in front of her. He looked directly into her face, his mossy green eyes intense. “Can’t you just . . . just tell her what a great guy I am? You know me better than anybody. Just explain that I’m not really a jerk. And then see if she’ll go to that Potomac cruise with me. I heard a couple other guys already asked girls.”
    “I’ll try.” Priya’s stomach gave a hard twist as she spoke the words.

    “Your sofa needs a little more padding.” Brynn patted the edge of the bathtub where she and Priya sat side by side.
    “I know. I just wanted to be able to talk to you without anyone listening,” Priya explained. The chill of the porcelain soaked through the thin material of her shorts.
    “Oh, goody. Secrets.” Brynn clapped her hands. “About who?”
    “About you, I guess. You and Jordan.” Priya wished she’d bought some of her own Midol. These stomach cramps were killing her all of a