Free How to (Almost) Ruin Your Summer by Taryn Souders

right, Nathan?” I winked.
    Nathan nodded. “You know it!”
    Sebastian furrowed his brow. “So there’s no pie or cake?”
    â€œNope.”
    â€œHow you say…bummer?”
    â€œYep, it’s a bummer.” I pushed my chair back and grabbed my cup. “I’m going to get more soda. Anybody else want some?”
    Pogo handed me her cup. It was bouncing up and down with the rhythm of her leg.
    Nathan looked from Pogo to me. “You know that’s like giving a Mountain Dew to a squirrel, right?”
    Pogo looked at him. “What do you mean?”
    Nathan shook his head. “Never mind.”
    Friday, June 18
    9:01 p.m.
    I’m so nervous. Tomorrow we pick our electives. I HAVE to get cake decorating!!
    Pogo, Nathn , and Sebastian all want science. Sebastian is getting confused with the English language (again). Pogo loves his accent—it is pretty cool.
    I broke my hairbrush today just trying to brush my hair—I hate humidity. I had to spend the extra money Mom and Dad sent me to buy a replacement brush—I wanted candy bars.
    Pogo tried to cheer me up by telling me her dad once told her there’s a verse somewhere in the Bible where a man compliments his true love by telling her she has hair like a flock of goats! What kind of compliment is that?!?! My hair looks more like a flock of goats ran through it. Still…it made me laugh.
    Anna is still running around doing whatever Victoria tells her to. Yesterday, she even put toothpaste on Victoria’s toothbrush so it’d be ready for her when she got out of the shower.
    Victoria calls Director Mudwimple “Mudpuddle”—not to her face of course! Ha-ha! She’ll never win the Distinction of Recognized Kindness award if Director Mudwimple hears that.
    Charlotte complained to Mindy that Marcie’s snoring is keeping her up at night. For me, it’s the crackling plastic bag Mr. Snuffles is in—but I still want him near me.
    I’ll just die if I don’t get my elective.
    Good night.

Saturday, June 19
    Make a Mess in the Mess Hall
    I had a plan to make sure my name got on the cake decorating list. I figured my best bet that morning was to sit with my friends at a table near the front doors of the mess hall, skip eating breakfast, and be ready to move fast.
    So while Nathan, Sebastian, and Pogo ate their eggs and pancakes, I sipped on OJ and waited for Director Mudwimple to tell us what to do. I wouldn’t have been able to eat even if I had wanted to with my stomach churning the way it was.
    The anticipation of sign-ups obviously didn’t have much of an effect on Nathan’s and Sebastian’s appetites. They were having a contest to see who could cram the most food into their mouths in a single bite. Pogo jittered in her chair, cheering on Sebastian as he finished off his last three strips of bacon.
    â€œThat was a piece of pie.”
    Nathan shook his head. “Dude, the saying is a ‘piece of cake.’”
    â€œDoes type of pastry really matter?” Sebastian asked.
    Pogo laughed at them and then turned to me. “Do you feel okay? You aren’t eating.”
    â€œI’m fine. I’m just nervous about choosing our electives. Remember Mindy said cake decorating fills up fast.”
    â€œDon’t worry—I’m sure we’ll both get what we want.” She harpooned a piece of pancake onto her fork.
    Nathan slapped Sebastian a high five as he folded an entire pancake in his mouth.
    I shuddered. “Why do guys think that’s an accomplishment?”
    â€œWana-pla-tahtoh-n-barritos-witus?” Nathan mumbled.
    â€œI can’t understand you when you talk with your mouth full of food.” I wrinkled my nose in disgust. “Plus, it’s gross.”
    Nathan swallowed the pancake and washed it down with a tall glass of milk. “I said, ‘Do you want to play Tacos and Burritos with us?’”
    I looked at