You Call This a Gift?
CHAPTER 11: Annalisia

“Okay, Anna, are you ready to go? Did you get all your stuff? Charger, wallet, pillows, blankets, headphones?” my mom asked.

I looked around my room gazing at the pictures and posters on my walls and all the things I was leaving behind. I looked down at the drawer that housed the yearbook I was trying to hide from my mind. I grabbed all my things and made my way to the door calling out, “Yeah, Mom, I’ve got everything.” My mom stood waiting at the door. I was unsure how to say goodbye. I knew it wasn’t forever… But it sure felt like it. Leaving my school, my hometown, and my friends. I grabbed Marina in a hug, kissed her on the cheek, and said my goodbyes.

Then, I walked over to my mom’s Toyota Camry, which was a spacious car. “And lots of trunk room,” I thought as I placed my bags in. I gazed down the street at all the familiar houses before climbing into the front seat and buckling in. Mom started to pull out of the driveway and I waved out the window and shot a sign language of “I love you” to Marina. I watched our house and my sister disappear in the distance. I focused my view out the front window daydreaming the whole ride. Daydreaming about Davis, school, my powers.

I woke to my mom’s elbow nudging me.

“Sweetie, we’re here,” she said smiling. It was about a two-hour drive I calculated in my head. My mom continued driving down the lane to the camp. I glanced up at the big “CAMP DELTRY” sign that hung across the road. I noticed groups of people making their way out the lane in bathing suits. “Probably going to the lake at the end,” I thought. I looked around at them frantically hoping to see Kenna somewhere. I worriedly asked my mom when Kenna would arrive. I didn’t want to be here alone.

“If she’s not here already, she will be very soon, darling.” My mom assured me. We pulled in to the parking space of the counselors’ building and shut off the car. “Ok, sweetie, we need to replace a counselor and get you all situated,” my mom stated as she hopped out of the car. I climbed out slowly and followed behind her with my head hanging low like a lost puppy.

We were greeted by Jeremy, the camp’s lead counselor. “Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome to camp!” he joyously rang out.

“Camp Del-try,” I said pronouncing it incorrectly.

He giggled replying, “Common mistake, sweetie, it’s not “try”; it’s “tree,” Del-tree, spelled Deltry.”

I gave him the fakest smile I’d ever given and said, “My bad.”

I gazed around at the stupid camp I was now stuck at. There was a big dining hall in the middle. To the left was the counselors’ building and to the right was the gym.

“Well, if you just follow me I’ll show you the way to your cabin” he said while holding the same smug smile.

“I would like to be in a cabin with my friend Kenna, if possible,” I pleaded.

“I’m sorry, dear, but it seems here Miss Kenna is in Cabin F and you are in Cabin M,” he replied.

I stared at the ground sadly as we continued on the path to my cabin. I watched as other campers made their way past us in excitement I asked myself why they would be so happy to be here.

“Here we are,” he said as we approached a large cherrywood cabin.

“This is my cabin?” I asked. I had expected it to be some little crappy back of the woods cabin.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied. He then added in, “You have three cabin mates: Karen, Lorraine, and Sable.”

I looked at the door wondering what it was like inside.

“Well, why don’t you go in and meet the girls and get your stuff inside? Your mother and I will go fill out your remaining paperwork and we will meet you at the dining hall for lunch,” he said.

I watched as my mom and Jeremy disappeared. I bit my lip in anticipation as I made my way up the porch stairs. I came to the door hand up ready to knock. I stopped myself remembering this was now my home and I had no need to knock. I turned the handle slowly the metal knob was hot from the sun. I let my eyes enter before my body glancing into the first area you could see…The living room. It was a decently sized room. The softest carpet I’d ever felt and it had one of those big “L” shaped leather couches with a gorgeous glass coffee table in front of it. There were dark wood side tables on each side of the couch. I looked over smiling at the 42-inch flat screen TV that was mounted on the wall opposite the couch. To the right of the living room was the joint kitchen and dining room. It was of average size. It consisted of a roundtable that housed five chairs, a refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, sink, lots of counter space, and a few cabinets.

I continued to the other side of the living room which was a long hallway. There were three doors. I opened the first door on the left and saw two beds evenly spaced apart from each other, a nightstand near each. There was a tall light wood five drawer dresser at the end of each bed. This room had already been taken by two people I could tell by the luggage and blankets all over the beds. I closed the door and opened the next door on the right. I looked in at the beautiful bathroom I had just discovered. It had all the basic bathroom appliances, and the shower was huge with glass doors and a towel holder under the handle. Beside the shower was a huge bathtub that in my mind would be considered a hot tub. There were two sinks with a big mirror that covered most of that wall. I backed out of the bathroom closing the door behind me and opened the final door on the left. It was another bedroom identical to the one earlier. I looked in at the empty bed. “I guess this is my room then,” I said unsurely. I dropped my bags on the bed and brought my other things to the room.

I wondered where my cabinmates were. The whole place was empty. I then remembered the groups of girls going down to the lake. I found my way back outside the cabin and mapped out in my head the way to the dining hall. I put my headphones in and started jogging there. I was listening to my new favorite song, “Mr. Lonely” by Akon. I started singing along while still jogging. “I’m so lonely, Mr. Lonely, I’ve got nobody, for my own…” I mumbled along. Suddenly, I bumped into a very beautiful, very tall, gorgeous specimen of a man. I started apologizing hectically, “I am so, so, so, so, so sorry! I should have been looking where I was going! I’m so sorry,” I repeated a few times.

“Chill, chill, it’s all good; I’d let a sweet cupcake like you bump into me any day,” he said cockily running off with a wink.

I grabbed my face in embarrassment. “Sweet cupcake?” I repeated to myself. “So now I’m a cupcake?” I mocked.

I made my way into the dining hall and glanced around at the crowds of parents and teenagers that were stationed around the tables. I looked around hoping to see my mother. The second I saw her and Jeremy, standing to the back, left corner near the drink station, I felt someone grab me in a hug from behind.

“You’re here!” I heard chipping in my ear. I slowly swung around anticipating who I was going to see. My eyes met Kenna’s as I sighed in relief and grabbed her in a hug.

“Thank goodness you’re here. I have been looking everywhere for you. When did you arrive?” I asked eagerly.

As we started making our way through the crowds towards my mom, Kenna answered, “I got here about an hour ago. I was unpacking and then some of the girls from the cabin near mine took me to show me around.”

“When did you get here?” she added in.

“About thirty minutes ago,” I answered as we approached my mother.

My mother smiled at us and hugged Kenna. “Well, sweetie, it’s time for me to go. All your paperwork is signed and filled out. You know where your cabin is and how to get here and to the gym. If you need anything else, Jeremy has assured me he will be right there,” she stated.

Jeremy smiled and nodded in agreement. He then excused himself and disappeared into the crowd to help other people.

I stared at my mother with my famous puppy eyes. “So, this is it then?” I asked. “Time for you to leave and ditch me with all these freaks?” I added in.

“Oh, Anna darling, stop being so dramatic. It’s just camp with your best friend. You will get to learn about your abilities and the abilities of others,” she said annoyed.

“Yay, how exciting to be a freak,” I groaned. My mother pulled me into a hug said she loved me and to behave and made her way out of the dining hall. I looked past Kenna watching as I saw the hunk I had bumped into earlier going into the kitchen. His golden brown tightly waved hair moved in the wind created by the force of his built body gliding through the doors. His eyes were a dreamy cognac shade. When I looked at him, I was reminded of Dave Franco.

“Anna, hello? Are we going to replace somewhere to sit and eat, I’m getting hungry?” Kenna asked, snapping me back to reality.

I shook my head. “Yeah, let’s go,” I said.

We found an empty table and starting eating. We peered up to see a girl approaching us. She was gifted with beauty. She had a perfect tan and her red hair was pulled up in a French braid except for a piece that dangled to the side of her face. Her face was filled with the perfect number of freckles. Her entrancing electric blue eyes met mine when she lifted her gold-rimmed sunglasses to the top of her head. She was wearing a blue romper that was covered in daisies and she had on a pair of black wedges. She made her way to the seat opposite mine and introduced herself while plopping down into the available chair.

“Hiya, I’m Sable! I think we share a cabin,” she said while maintaining her perfect smile.

“Hi! Yeah, I think they said I shared a cabin with a certain Sable. Nice to meet you,” I said in reply. “So, it’s you, Karen, and Lorraine, right?” I asked unsurely.

“Oh! No one told you?” she asked.

I just shook my head in confusion.

“Well, Karen ended up not being able to attend this summer. Now we have a new cabin mate. I think her name is Kenna?” she said unsure of herself.

Kenna who had been slumped in her seat perked up and smiled. “I’m Kenna!” she chimed in happily. “Anna and I are from the same school. We’re best friends,” she said while wrapping me in a hug.

“Great! Well, then you guys just have to meet Lorraine,” she said trying to maintain her smile.

“So, what’s the deal with this Lorraine girl? Have you met her?” I questioned Sable.

“Well, she’s over there,” Sable said while pointing her out.

I stared at Lorraine. She was tall, blonde, and beautiful. She looked exactly like the Barbie doll I played with when I was eight. I looked back at Sage. “Okay, so, do you know anything about her?” I asked.

“Well, she tends to hang out with the older people, the ones who have already been to camp and school a few times. The cool ones.” She sighed rolling her eyes.

Kenna chimed in, “If you ask me, she looks like a really nice girl!”

Sable and I, immediately, started laughing.

“I’ve heard she’s a capital B..I..T..C..,” Sable started to say. She stopped when she saw Lorraine peering right at them.

We all switched our eyes to Lorraine who began making her way towards us. She dropped her hot pink Gucci bag on the table and extended her hand to us to introduce herself.

“Hi, ladies, I’m Lorraine,” she said. She quickly added in, “You’re my cabin mates, I presume?”

I shook my head agreeing and said, “Hey, I’m Annalisia, this is Kenna and Sable.”

She smiled at all of us and spun around.

“See you guys at home,” we heard as she disappeared into the crowd.

We started walking down the trail to our cabin giggling and talking about boys. “It was so weird the way it happened though,” Kenna said laughing.

“Speaking of weird,” I interrupted. “While I was jogging to the dining hall earlier, I bumped into this dreamy guy. I don’t know who he was, but man was he cute. He then had the nerve to call me a sweet cupcake.”

Sable started laughing uncontrollably. “Oh my gosh, you met Jonah Reeds! That’s Lorraine’s brother. He’s not new. Jonah is almost eighteen,” she said still laughing.

I shook my head trying to convince them I wasn’t interested. “But who was I trying to convince here?” I wondered.

“I wouldn’t mess with him though. He’s trouble and he’s Lorraine’s brother, which will only start drama in our cabin, and I don’t know about you, but I would really like a drama-free summer,” pleaded Sable.

We made our way into the cabin and plopped on the couch. I looked at Sable. “Can I ask you a question?” I asked.

“Of course,” she replied.

“Well, I was just wondering. Why do we have a kitchen, if we eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the dining hall?” I asked confused.

“Oh, haha, well, on weekends, the kitchen staff isn’t here, so we eat here in the cabin,” she said.

Kenna interrupted with, “Did you guys see that cute boy with the red hair and freckles? He was wearing sunglasses and had a short sleeve band T-shirt on and a pair of ripped jeans.”

“I know him!” said Sable jumping in. “That’s Bradley Morrison; he’s a dream, ain’t he?” she added.

“Oh sorry! I didn’t know you liked him,” replied Kenna sadly.

“Oh! No, no, no, I have a boyfriend,” Sable added quickly.

“Oooh, so you have a boyfriend! Who’s he?” I asked with a wink and a giggle. “Magical or non-Magical?” I added.

“Yes, and yes, he’s magical, he goes here,” she said smiling. “His name is Thompson, and he is a capital D R E A M,” Sable added giggling.

“So, miss Anna, do you have a boyfriend?” she inquired.

I stared down at the floor depressed thinking about Davis. Thinking about his number that he left in my yearbook that I was unable to use. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes and a tickle in my throat. I fought back the tears so they wouldn’t see and replied simply, “No.”

Sable just smiled and nodded. We all gazed at the TV screen and stared off into the distance for a few moments.

Kenna jumped in with, “How about we play a game?”

“What kind of game?” I asked.

“How about getting to know each other by asking twenty questions?” she spurted out.

“Huh?” Sable and I added in confusion.

“Twenty questions, but we ask questions about each other to get to know each other better,” Kenna replied.

“We’re in,” Sable and I said in unison again.

We glanced at each other and all started laughing.

Kenna climbed back into her designated position on the couch and set a big plastic punch bowl full of popcorns onto the coffee table. I placed the bottle of soda and cups on the table and reclaimed my seat.

“Okay, let’s do this thing!” Kenna stated. “Anna first, then Sable, and then me,” she added quickly.

Sable looked at me eagerly.

“Sable, I’ll ask you. I already know Kenna like a book.” I laughed. “What’s your power?” I asked excited for an answer.

“Think of a number, color, and book,” Sable said.

“Uhm, okay, got it,” I replied. I had my lucky number eight, favorite color green, and a favorite book, One for the Money by Janet Evanovich in my mind. “Okay, what now?” I asked anticipating.

“Eight, green, One for the Money,” she stated without a doubt.

My jaw dropped open. “How did you do that?” I asked shocked.

“I’m a telepath, or more simply stated, I can read minds,” she said.

Kenna and I held eye contact for a moment.

“Guys, please I can hear your thoughts, remember! I’m not going to read your mind all the time, relax,” Sable pleaded.

“Okay, okay, Sable, your turn,” I said.

“Okay, same question for both of you. What are your powers?” she said.

I used my power to manipulate the popcorn bowl into my lap. Kenna and Sable both jumped up from the couch yelling out, “OMG, Awesome!”

Sable turned to Kenna reminding her of the question. Kenna told her her power and explained that she couldn’t demonstrate because she was unable to turn time with others. “At least not yet maybe after some training I’ll be able to,” Kenna added.

We all sat back on the couch.

“Okay, Kenna, your turn,” I said.

“Okay, let’s see. Sable, have you had your first kiss yet?” She giggled obnoxiously.

Sable’s cheeks turned brighter than a tomato. “Yes, and it was with Thompson. We’ve been together for two years now,” she added assuring us.

“I had mine at eleven. It was on the bus. He was gross.” Kenna said laughing. Just then we heard the door slam shut. We all jumped, giggled, and looked towards the door.

Lorraine stood in front of the door Gucci bag still in hand.

“Hello,” she said promptly with an attitude. “We’ve only been here a few hours and you are already giggling and laughing like a bunch of twelve-year olds,” she added, attitude remaining.

We glanced at each other scrunching our eyes in disbelief. “It is ten o’clock at night I expect you all to go to bed soon,” she added. “I need my beauty sleep and I will NOT be disrupted by your childish giggling,” she snarked while beginning to make her way through the living room to the hall.

“Jeesh, who gets the pleasure of bunking with her?” I asked laughing.

The girls made eye contact, giggled, and looked back at me stating, “We kind of already claimed our beds before you got here and you already put all your things in Lorraine’s room.”

I held my head in disbelief. “This is not fair, I can’t believe I’m stuck with her,” I thought to myself.

“I’m sorry; I know it’s not fair,” Sable said.

I was confused for a moment and then made an annoyed face and looked up at her saying, “Sable, absolutely no mind-reading my thoughts ever.”

She looked down ashamed and saddened replying, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to, it’s a habit. Won’t happen again scouts honor.”

I sat on the couch alone. Kenna and Sable had made their way to bed. I looked around the room admiring all the paintings and photographs. I let out four yawns in a row and convinced myself to make my way to bed. I stood up and made my way to the hall. I opened the door to the girls’ room and saw them both sound asleep. I slowly closed the door making sure to do it quietly. I made my way to my room and opened the door as cautiously as possible trying not to wake the queen B. I looked at Lorraine who was lying flat on her back with her silk pink blanket pulled up to her chin. Her blonde hair was spilling off the side of the bed. She wore a sleeping mask that matched her blanket perfectly. I used the flashlight on my phone to replace some pajamas and put my luggage on the floor. I climbed into bed pulling the blanket over myself and sent a quick goodnight text to my mom before closing my eyes. Not a moment later, I was sound asleep.

I woke up to the sun streaming in my face. The door was ajar. I glanced over at Lorraine’s bed to replace it empty and perfectly made. I jumped up pulling my robe around myself. I started toward the bathroom to wash my face. I opened the door to see Kenna and Sable already in there doing their makeup.

“Good morning!” They giggled happily.

“Morning,” I said while closing the door and continuing down the hall. I grabbed a mug from the kitchen and filled it with coffee that I was so grateful to see someone had made. I walked out onto the porch and sat on the steps enjoying the breeze and looking at the view. I watched as groups of teens walked around enjoying the morning, some were jogging, some also sitting on their porches. I stared into my cup of coffee looking at the swirling of the milk as it was still self-mixing. The smell crawled through my nose and I felt an overwhelming warmth caressing my body.

“Hey there, cupcake,” I heard entering my ears. It replaced the warmth my body had been experiencing with the cold breeze of a blizzard storm. I dropped my cup spilling it all over my robe causing permanent stains.

“Can I help you?” I asked angrily while fighting the urge to cry caused by the blistering of the boiling coffee I had just poured on myself.

“Oh shit! I mean crap! I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry I just saw you and thought I’d apologize for yesterday,” he said apologetically. I looked up meeting my eyes with his ready to scream at him with everything in me. My body was, unfortunately, overtaken by the warmth of a hundred suns when gazing into his eyes. I looked farther into his vividly detailed cognac eyes. My mind wandered miles. His eyes seemed to let off a glow that intrigued me. The enjoyable warmth that was spreading through my body started to turn into a burning pain, which snapped me back to reality. I shook my head and focused my view on the puddle of coffee at my feet. I was interrupted with, “I don’t think I’ve had a chance to introduce myself. I’m Jonah.” He stretched his hand forward to shake mine. I took it mostly because my brain was still swirling in a pond of confusion.

“Sorry, I’m Annalisia,” I replied with hesitation.

“Pleasure to meet you, cupcake, and sorry about the coffee,” he said.

His body was radiating with heat it felt as if I was being sucked into a fire. He noticed my discomfort and left gracefully with a smile.