Table of Contents
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Copyright 2005by Grosset & Dunlap. All rights reserved. Published by Grosset & Dunlap, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 345Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. GROSSET & DUNLAP is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc..S.A.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Morgan, Melissa (Melissa J.)
Jennas dilemma / by Melissa J. Morgan.
p. cm.(Camp confidential; 2)
Summary: Eleven-year-old Jenna, contending with the separation of her
parents and the unwanted presence of her twin brother and older sister at
Camp Lakeview, is determined to make a name for herself by pulling the
ultimate prank.
eISBN : 978-1-436-27989-5
[1. CampsFiction. 2. FriendshipFiction. 3. Brothers and sistersFiction. 4.
Practical jokesFiction. 5. Family problemsFiction. 6. PennsylvaniaFiction.]
I. Title. II. Series.
PZ7.M82545Je 2005
[Fic]dc22
2004017190
http://us.penguingroup.com
chapter ONE
Dear Matt,
Hey, Big Bro! Hows everything at science school? Are you bored to death yet? Just kidding. IM sure youre having the bestest best time of your life, being that youre such a Monster science geek. Ha-ha.
Anyway, thanks for the letter and the Honk If You Love Cheese bumper sticker. Its perfect for My collection. I have over thirty now, and theyre all taped up to the wall above My bunk. All I need is a car to stick them on and Im all set. But seriously, I know youre worried
about me getting into trouble at camp this year, but I swear, so far Ive been really good. Well, sort of good. Almost totally good. Ive only pulled a couple of pranks, and they were way small. So dont worry. Mom and Dad wont be getting any freak-out phone calls from Dr. Steve. Like you said, I know they dont need that right now.
But you know, if those two didnt want to get any freak-out phone calls in their lives, maybe they should have thought of that before they had four kids, right? Ha-ha.
Okay, gotta go to lunch. Alex is blowing her top because Im holding up the bunk. Can you say control freak? (I Mean, shes one of My best friends, but come on. One of these days shes gonna give herself a way-early heart attack.) Anyway, I dont have Much to send in return for the bumper sticker, so Im enclosing this leaf from one of the Camp Lakeview trees to remind you of the actual fun summers you used to have here before you became Science Boy. (Kidding!)
Love,
Jenna
P.S. I love you, too! But dont let it go to your head.
Cupcakes for everyone! Jenna Bloom called out, placing the big, foil-lined box in the center of the creaky bunk floor. She had returned from lunch to find yet another care package from her mom, this one filled with chocolate-on-chocolate cakes, each covered in sprinkles. Her mother had even put in these cardboard divider things she had invented a couple of years ago so each cupcake had its own little compartment, and there was hardly any mess at all. (Except for some icing on the top of the box. Jennas mom was all about minimal mess.) As soon as Jenna set the box down, all her friends in bunk 3C dropped what they were doing and hit the floor in a circle.
You know, Ive been trying to get you guys to huddle up for ten minutes, and no one listens to me, Julie, the bunk counselor, said. Jenna could tell by her half-smile that she was only pretending to be annoyed as she stood over them. Are you telling me all I had to do was bribe you with sweets?
All you ever have to do is bribe us with sweets, Grace joked. She dropped the book she was reading and quickly wrapped her curly red hair back in a ponytail. We never get good desserts around here unless Jennas parents send them to us.
It was true. Jennas mom and dad had been responsible for most of the sugar highs in 3C this summer. Jenna was proud and happy that her parents were so popular with her friends.
I call the one with the most icing! Chelsea said, leaning over the box until her long blond hair fell forward and almost got stuck in one of the cakes.
Which one is that? Valerie asked.
I dont know yet, but its mine, Chelsea replied in her ever-bossy way.
Well, Im taking this one, Brynn announced, her voice booming. She grabbed a cupcake from the center and licked half the icing off the top. As soon as one was gone, everyone in the circle attacked, laughing and fake-whining over how small or big their choice was.
Sheesh. Its like theyve never seen a cupcake before, Jenna joked to Alex Kim, who was the only girl in the bunch not grabbing for the snacks. Dont you want one?
Nah, Alex said, shrugging one shoulder. Im still stuffed from lunch.
Jenna felt her face flush, and she looked away. Alex was the only person who never took her up on her offers of candy bars and cookies whenever her mom and dad sent packages. It was like she thought she was too good for the Blooms gifts. Jenna didnt get it. She and Alex had both been coming to camp at Lakeview for four yearsthe longest legacies in the bunkand they had always been good friends. They both knew more about Lakeview than anyone else, and together they felt kind of like the leaders of the bunk. But as close as they were, there were certain things about Alex that Jenna didnt understand. Like how she was sometimes so blunteven when what she said might hurt someones feelingsand she acted like that was the only way to be. And Jenna really didnt understand this whole turning-down-chocolate thing.
You sure? Jenna asked.
Yeah. Thanks, anyway, Alex said, smoothing her hand through her short, dark hair.
More for us, then, Jenna said, diving in. She grabbed a cupcake and sunk her teeth in, savoring the gooey sweetness. Her mom was the best baker in the world.
Your parents are so cool, Sarah said, taking a napkin from the box to wipe her mouth. She pushed her Boston Red Sox baseball cap up on her forehead a bit so Jenna could actually see her eyes. They send you, like, two packages a week!
Yeah! Like two packages! Its crazy! Candace put in as she licked some icing off her finger. Short and pale with cropped brown hair, Candace was one of those people who agreed with everything anyone else said. Her parents didnt believe in sweets and only sent her letters, so Candace spent most of her summer at camp eating as much sugar as possible and feeling ill half the time.
Youre so lucky, Jen, Natalie added with a grin. Her cupcake was neatly displayed on the floor in front of her, standing in the center of its wrapper. Clearly, Nat was trying to figure out the best way to dive in without ruining her new tank top. Natalies clothes were very important to her.
Yeah, really lucky , Jenna thought, her heart squeezing in her chest as she tried to smile. Double the care packages. Yee-ha . She didnt even want to think about the real reason she was getting so much mail this year, so she forced herself to ignore it.
You know, its really nice how you always share your goodies with the bunk, Julie said, reaching out and tousling Jennas curly brown hair.