early-morning fog.
Today Anne Abadi is feeling much better, so we have a full crew and we get out on time. I arrive at the pool a full ten minutes early, as expected. In the water, four canoes once again float together side by side. I wonder what more there is to learn about canoeing. Almost as though she’s read my mind, Devi says, “Now that you know the basics, the most important thing is for you all to practice. And that’s what we’ll be doing today.”
We’re split into three-girl teams and given a series of challenges. The team that rows to the opposite end of the pool, switches positions without capsizing, turns, rows to the center, then stands up to tip the canoe, rights it again, and rows back in the best time, wins. Devi and Emmanuelle hold up their stopwatches to indicate they will be timing the event.
My team can’t stop giggling during the capsizing part, but everyone is shouting and laughing on all the teams, and we come in second. I have even more fun than I did on Saturday.
And actually being in the water is so amazing! To be surrounded by the flowing coolness — to float, weightless! It’s something I worried I would never experience again, but here I am.
During the capsize part, I take a minute to duck below the surface. A world of water — clean, beautiful water. The lost world of water! It isn’t a dream; it’s Country Manor.
Heading back to lunch with Sara, one of the girls from my canoe, I meet Rosie, her tall tennis friend, and the gymnast with the long black ponytail. I don’t know what to expect. Will Rosie snub me now that she’s with her sporty friends?
“Hey.” Rosie greets me with a smile. “Look what we did all morning.” She and her two friends each hold up a jumble of rope tied in a bunch of different ways.
I think they must have been in some arts-and-crafts macramé class. “Nice,” I say uneasily. “What are they?”
The three of them laugh at my confusion, but not in a mean way. “They’re knots,” Rosie explains.
“Every kind of knot known to humankind,” adds the tall girl.
Rosie introduces me. The tennis girl is Mary Jensen and the ponytailed girl is Chui-lian Lee. “You can call me Chewy,” she says. “Everyone does.”
“This is Louisa, my one cool roommate I was telling you about,” Rosie adds.
I introduce them to Sara, feeling flattered and happy at Rosie’s description of me. But I also feel like I should stick up for Evelyn and Maddie. When the other girls head back to their rooms and it’s just me and Rosie, I tell her, “Evelyn and Maddie are great. You just have to get to know them.”
“You know, for twins, you and Maddie aren’t that much alike. But she must be okay, I guess,” Rosie allows. “Still, you have to admit that Evelyn is a kook.”
“She let you wear her night-vision goggles,” I remind her.
“True. She means well, I guess. But she’s still living on a totally different planet.”
Chapter 9
I walk to lunch with Rosie, and we meet Mary and Chewy on the way. Their stories about knot-tying class are hilarious. I can’t stop laughing when Chewy tells how she tied her fingers up while trying to lash two branches together.
When we walk into the cafeteria, I realize I have a problem. “Come on over and sit with us,” Mary invites me. But Evelyn and Maddie are already sitting together. Evelyn sees me and waves.
“I should really sit with Evelyn and Maddie,” I say.
“Why?” Rosie asks. “You don’t have to.”
“Can we invite them to join us?” I ask.
Rosie, Chewy, and Mary look at one another, their expressions reluctant.
“They’re really nice,” I press.
“Okay. Ask them,” Rosie relents.
I hurry to where Evelyn and Maddie are sitting. They have their heads together. When I get closer, I realize they have a map unfolded on their laps between them. “Hey, guys,” I greet them. “Want to sit with Rosie and two of her friends?”
They look up from the map and stare at me as if I’d just
Today Anne Abadi is feeling much better, so we have a full crew and we get out on time. I arrive at the pool a full ten minutes early, as expected. In the water, four canoes once again float together side by side. I wonder what more there is to learn about canoeing. Almost as though she’s read my mind, Devi says, “Now that you know the basics, the most important thing is for you all to practice. And that’s what we’ll be doing today.”
We’re split into three-girl teams and given a series of challenges. The team that rows to the opposite end of the pool, switches positions without capsizing, turns, rows to the center, then stands up to tip the canoe, rights it again, and rows back in the best time, wins. Devi and Emmanuelle hold up their stopwatches to indicate they will be timing the event.
My team can’t stop giggling during the capsizing part, but everyone is shouting and laughing on all the teams, and we come in second. I have even more fun than I did on Saturday.
And actually being in the water is so amazing! To be surrounded by the flowing coolness — to float, weightless! It’s something I worried I would never experience again, but here I am.
During the capsize part, I take a minute to duck below the surface. A world of water — clean, beautiful water. The lost world of water! It isn’t a dream; it’s Country Manor.
Heading back to lunch with Sara, one of the girls from my canoe, I meet Rosie, her tall tennis friend, and the gymnast with the long black ponytail. I don’t know what to expect. Will Rosie snub me now that she’s with her sporty friends?
“Hey.” Rosie greets me with a smile. “Look what we did all morning.” She and her two friends each hold up a jumble of rope tied in a bunch of different ways.
I think they must have been in some arts-and-crafts macramé class. “Nice,” I say uneasily. “What are they?”
The three of them laugh at my confusion, but not in a mean way. “They’re knots,” Rosie explains.
“Every kind of knot known to humankind,” adds the tall girl.
Rosie introduces me. The tennis girl is Mary Jensen and the ponytailed girl is Chui-lian Lee. “You can call me Chewy,” she says. “Everyone does.”
“This is Louisa, my one cool roommate I was telling you about,” Rosie adds.
I introduce them to Sara, feeling flattered and happy at Rosie’s description of me. But I also feel like I should stick up for Evelyn and Maddie. When the other girls head back to their rooms and it’s just me and Rosie, I tell her, “Evelyn and Maddie are great. You just have to get to know them.”
“You know, for twins, you and Maddie aren’t that much alike. But she must be okay, I guess,” Rosie allows. “Still, you have to admit that Evelyn is a kook.”
“She let you wear her night-vision goggles,” I remind her.
“True. She means well, I guess. But she’s still living on a totally different planet.”
Chapter 9
I walk to lunch with Rosie, and we meet Mary and Chewy on the way. Their stories about knot-tying class are hilarious. I can’t stop laughing when Chewy tells how she tied her fingers up while trying to lash two branches together.
When we walk into the cafeteria, I realize I have a problem. “Come on over and sit with us,” Mary invites me. But Evelyn and Maddie are already sitting together. Evelyn sees me and waves.
“I should really sit with Evelyn and Maddie,” I say.
“Why?” Rosie asks. “You don’t have to.”
“Can we invite them to join us?” I ask.
Rosie, Chewy, and Mary look at one another, their expressions reluctant.
“They’re really nice,” I press.
“Okay. Ask them,” Rosie relents.
I hurry to where Evelyn and Maddie are sitting. They have their heads together. When I get closer, I realize they have a map unfolded on their laps between them. “Hey, guys,” I greet them. “Want to sit with Rosie and two of her friends?”
They look up from the map and stare at me as if I’d just