Karen stood up and brushed the sand off the seat of her shorts.
She could hear kids laughing and yelling and decided it was time to get back to her cabin.
She had to stay at camp. There was no choice. Mom and Dad had dropped her off at noon and they wouldn't be back to pick her up until next Sunday.
Karen trudged up the hill to her cabin.
As she walked in, Mrs. Higgins was introducing the girls to each other. Karen stepped quietly in through the door and stood behind Mrs. Higgins.
"Alicia, Mary and Susan, you know each other from last year. This is Sarah and Heather; they came here together this year. Now, wait, I'm missing someone."
Mrs. Higgins looked at the list of names on the clipboard she was holding.
"Karen Mitchell is our other cabin mate. Now, where is she?"
The girl named Alicia pointed to her and Karen stepped out from behind Mrs. Higgins.
"Karen, there you are. I was just introducing your cabin mates."
The five girls stood with their arms folded across their chests and stared at Karen.
They were all older and taller than Karen.
When Karen had first arrived, while she was putting her clothes away in the cabin, she had overheard the girl named Sarah tell everyone that she and Heather were thirteen years old.
"Girls, if you wash up now, we'll go on up to the lodge for dinner." said Mrs. Higgins.
The girls crowded into the small bathroom, giggling and trying to share the two sinks.
Karen waited until they were finished before she moved toward the door.
Heather bumped into her as she squeezed through the door.
"Oh, sorry. You're so little I didn't see you," she said to Karen.