Short Story - Amelie, Michelle and Gracie - Day Three

Well yesterday was ... eventful. I haven't seen Michelle since our little altercation so I don't know what's going to happen about the film. Even though I do feel bad about what I said to her, I almost feel worse about Gracie. She keeps saying it was her fault and that she caused the argument, even though I've been trying to reassure her that she's done nothing wrong. Oh, why does everything involving Michelle always have to end in tears?

I'm heading over to the hall to get breakfast, but I'm trying to take as long as possible to get there because Michelle is on my table and I know it's going to be really awkward. "Amelie, wait for me!" I
turn around to see Gracie running towards me. "Hi! I thought you had already gone." I shout as I wait for her to catch up.
"No, I've been putting it off, but when I saw you going I thought I would come too because it might be easier if we go in together."
"Good idea." I say, just as we reach the entrance.
"Brace yourself!" Gracie gives me an anxious smile and we step into the hall. Silence falls and everyone turns to face us. I feel physically sick and want to turn out of the door, run back to my dorm and never come out. Until a voice behind me booms, "What are you staring at?" I spin around come eye to eye with the terrifying-looking camp leader. Only she doesn't look terrifying any more. Somebody has managed to shave off her eyebrows whilst she was asleep and now her face looks ridiculous. In one swift move, she has gone from having the bushiest eyebrows in the UK to none at all.  I can't believe it and, in my shock, I burst out laughing. Immediately, I slap my hand across my mouth because I certainly don't want to witness the wrath of Ms Varrelbass. I think I get away with it because she steps around me and marches down the aisle in between all of the gaping girls, towards the teachers' table at the back. I would feel sorry for her if she hadn't yelled at me the first time I came to camp for not making my bed properly.

I am so relieved that we weren't the ones everyone was staring at that I completely forget about Michelle and go to sit down at our table as normal. It all comes flooding back as I look up and catch her eye though. Without saying a word, she slides a folded piece of paper across the table towards me and then gets up to leave. "What's this?" I call after her, but she doesn't respond and hurries out of the hall. I give Gracie a questioning look, but she just shrugs her shoulders, so I open it up and, in Michelle's unmistakably neat handwriting, are the words "We need to talk. Meet me by the lake at 11am." Turning to Gracie, I say, "She should have just talked to us now, I don't know why we have to go to a special meeting place. This is stupid."
"Maybe she didn't want everyone else to hear." Gracie suggests.
"It's always got to be about her, hasn't it?" I say, tutting.
"Girls!" One of the camp leaders shouts. "Breakfast ends early today, finish eating and make sure you're out in ten minutes." I hurry to grab some food and wolf it down, before clearing my plate and hurrying away. I think I've seen enough of Ms Varrelbass for one day.

Now that breakfast has finished early, we have two hours until we are supposed to meet Michelle. "Let's go and see if she's in her dorm, we can just talk to her there." I propose to Gracie, but she doesn't seem too keen. "I don't think that's a very good idea, what if she gets all angry like last time?"
"Gracie, you can't let Michelle scare you. We don't even know what she's got to say yet, it could be a good thing."
"I doubt that very much, but if you really want to go, then I'll come too as long as I don't have to say anything. Can you promise to stand up for me?"
"Of course I will!" I smile. "Come on, just trust me with this."
"Okay, go on then." I give Gracie a hug, then turn her round to face the direction of Michelle's dorm. I can't believe I'm about to do this.

"Michelle, are you in there?" I call as I knock on the door. There's no answer, but I can hear somebody in the room. "I've come to talk. I know you said later, but breakfast closed early and we didn't want to wait for two hours." Still no answer. I'm on the verge of just opening the door myself,
until I hear someone sneeze in the room. It's definitely Michelle. "Your cover's blown Michelle, I heard you sneeze. We can have the conversation through the door if you want, but then everyone outside would be able to hear it. Just come out, this is petty." I wait quietly, listening for signs of movement inside the room and after what seems like an eternity, the door opens a crack and her freckled face pokes its way out. "I'll talk to you in a minute," she says, and I can hear the defeat in her voice, "just let me finish putting on my make-up." I chuckle to myself; only Michelle would bother with make-up at an all-girls camp where most activities were outside. "Fine." I sigh. "But at least let us wait inside the room." Relenting, she opens the door wider and walks over to a pocket mirror which has been balanced on one of the bunk beds. Next to it is a whole row of bottles which are all pristine, yet I know they have been well used. It is certainly awkward, to say the least, but I am glad we are talking now. I hate having to ignore people. "So what did you want to tell us?" I say, when she has finally finished smearing stuff on her face. "I have a proposition." She fishes around under her mattress, pulls out a laptop and brings it over to me and Gracie who are perched on one of the lower bunks. Opening the lid she shows us a movie editing programme, "I have added the clips you took to the film. I'm, well, I'm ... sorry" she winces with the effort it takes to apologise, "and I thought if we could both decide on how a little bit of the film should look, then everyone will be happy. This is your bit, so I did what you wanted with the music and everything. I hope you like it." She hits the space bar and plays our part of the film. Admittedly, it is only twenty seconds long, but I can tell she has really tried. "Thank you so much," I give her a hug, "I really appreciate this." Turning to Gracie, I give her a chance to thank Michelle, but she just smiles.