Kayla tries to sort out fact from fiction in Rumors —but sometimes it’s hard to know which of her friends she can really trust! Readers will be delighted with the latest additions to this anthology series of summer camp–based coming-of-age stories. Katy Grant was born and grew up in Tennessee, and spent five summers at a girls' camp in North Carolina, first as a camper and then as a counselor. She now lives in the Phoenix metropolitan area with her husband and sons, where she teaches college and university classes in writing and children's literature. Sunday, June 15 At least this was only temporary. I was stuck here at this summer camp for four weeks, and then we would move to the new house. I could put up with just about anything for four weeks. It could be worse. I could have a horrible earache right now. It could be raining. I could be stuck at math camp instead of just plain old summer camp. A math camp where they only served lima beans for dinner every day. So this was better than being stuck at math camp with an earache while eating lima beans in the middle of a rainstorm. That cheered me up just a little bit. As I looked around, I realized I was the only person standing still while all around me, everyone was moving. Climbing up and down the big hill in front of us. Waving to someone in the crowd. Asking questions or giving directions. Carrying suitcases, pillows, sleeping bags. A car pulled up, and even before it came to a stop, a girl with long brown hair threw open the back door and jumped out. Two other girls ran up and hugged her. “What cabin are you in? Which counselor did we get?” At least some people were happy to be here. A long line of cars was slowly creeping up the gravel road, and I watched scenes like this over and over. Sometimes the girl in the car got out slowly and looked around. No one ran up to her car and screamed and hugged her, so I could tell she was a new girl, like me. Her parents would stand there for a few seconds looking confused, until one of the counselors in the green shirts would say hello and give them instructions about what to do and where to go. It reminded me of the time our family was in New York City on vacation, and we went to Grand Central Station and watched all the people coming and going in the big lobby. But this was North Carolina, not New York. And we weren’t in the city anymore, that was for sure. I couldn’t believe all the nature I was seeing for the first time. Mama and Daddy put Samantha and me on the plane this morning, and as we were coming in for the landing, all I could see were green mountains, trees, and rivers everywhere. Nearby the camp director and a big group of counselors were busy welcoming parents and girls. A counselor in a green shirt noticed I was by myself and walked up to me. “Hey! Can I help you find anything?” “Oh, no thanks. I told my little sister to meet me here after she moved into her cabin.” We were standing under shade trees in front of the dining hall. Behind us was a wooden footbridge across a stream, and hidden behind some trees was a little cabin that looked like it came right out of pioneer times, with a couple of rocking chairs on the porch and flowered curtains hanging in the open windows. She glanced at the wooden name tag I was wearing around my neck. “Well, Kayla, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Libby. If you have any questions, just let me or one of the other counselors know, okay?” “Thanks. Actually … is there a piano somewhere that I could practice on a little sometimes?” “Oh, yeah. There’s a piano in each of the lodges. You can go in there any time during free time and practice.” “Thanks! Nice to meet you, Libby,” I said. She walked off to talk to some other people. Then I noticed Samantha far away at the top of the hill, and when she saw me waving, she started running in my direction. The dozens of beaded braids in her hair were all bouncing as she ran. I’d worn my hair like that when I was younger, but I’d gotten a short haircut for the summer. Three other girls were running with Samantha. By the time they got to me, they were all out of breath. “This place is so cool!” Samantha announced. I couldn’t keep from smiling. “You like it?” “I don’t like it. I love it! And these are my friends. We’re all in the same cabin. Junior Cabin Two. Gracie, Mary Claire, and Alyssa—meet my sister Kayla. She’s twelve. That makes her a Middler.” We’d just found out that there were three different age groups here at Pine Haven. Alyssa, the one with big teeth and long, dark hair hanging in her eyes, looked me up and down. “Huh. You look older than twelve.” “Well, I’ll be thirteen in September,” I told her. “Did you get your sheets unpacked and your bed made?” I asked Samantha. She nodded. “I picked out a top bunk. And I thought there weren’t any bathrooms, but there are. Only they’re not inside the cabins. There’s this other building with faucets on one side and bathroom stalls on the