Free Camp Confidential 03 - Grace's Twist by Melissa J. Morgan

me, I know how bad it is to keep secrets from your friends. Don’t you feel better now?”
    “Yeah,” Grace said honestly. “I really do. But I don’t think it’s so simple. I’m not just behind on one book—now I’m behind on two ! There’s no way I’m going to make it to WetWorld.”

    Dear Grace,
    It took a lot of convincing, but I finally managed to get your father to give you one last chance. You know neither of us want you to be unhappy, sweetheart. We know how important it is to feel “normal,” and we know how important the camp play is to you. But you made a deal at the start of the summer, and you haven’t stuck to it. And reading is very important, honey. You’re too smart to sell yourself short by failing a class that you should be able to pass. So Dad and I propose that you take a little quiz. Finish your first book by Sunday, and we’ll e-mail you a list of questions about it. If you answer them ALL correctly, you can try out for the play on Wednesday . . . and go on the field trip on Thursday. We know you can do it, Grace. You’re a very smart girl when you put your mind to something. It’s up to you. Love,
    Mom
    P.S. and Love, Dad too!

    Grace’s heart beat faster as she read the e-mail from her parents later that night. Kathleen had pulled her away before dessert to tell her that she had a message. Grace had been half expecting them to order her to pack her bags and come home, but instead, her mom was being nice about it. Grace felt a little pang of guilt. She knew her parents weren’t trying to be mean by telling her she had to skip WetWorld. She hadn’t given them any other choice. She hit Reply and typed in her own message:
    Dear Mom (and Dad),
    Thank you! Thank you! You’re the best parents in the world! I know it’s my last chance, and I’m not going to do anything else between now and Monday except read my book. Love,
    Grace

    She hit Send, closed out of her e-mail account, and headed out of the office, skipping down the few steps leading to the main trail. Maybe she could go to WetWorld after all. And best of all, maybe she could try out for the play!
    But she still had to finish that whole long book first, and she only had three days to do it. Grace’s steps slowed as she thought about The Call of the Wild . She knew her parents were being super nice to her and really giving her a second chance. But so far she hadn’t even been able to deal with having homework over the summer.
    How was she supposed to handle such an important quiz?

chapter EIGHT

    Grace was awake and reading before the bugle the next morning. She didn’t want to be, but now that there was a chance she could audition for the play, she knew she had to do her absolute best to finish the book.
    She read through breakfast. She read on the walk to the mess hall and back, with Natalie and Alyssa holding her arms, steering her down the path. After Candace offered to take over her chores so Grace could finish the book, she read while everyone else was working. But soon enough it was time for their first free choice. Grace reluctantly put down her book. She was almost to chapter five.
    “Ready for arts and crafts?” Julie asked, giving Grace’s ponytail an affectionate tug.
    “Not really,” Grace admitted. “I feel like if I put my book down even for an hour, I won’t be able to finish it on time.”
    “Are you liking it any better?” Julie asked.
    Grace thought about it. She’d been so busy trying to speed-read the book that she hadn’t paid much attention to what she thought about the story. “I guess I am,” she said, surprised. “Everyone is being so mean to the poor dog, I want to know how he triumphs at the end.”
    Julie grinned. “That’s what I like to hear. Reading is supposed to be fun, you know.”
    “It would be more fun if I could act it out,” Grace joked. “Although I don’t know how I’d play a dog.”
    “I’ll tell you what, my little actress,” Julie said. “I’ll let you