Chapter Text
“Okay honey,” Bronwyn Rojas says as she puts her hands on her daughter Ellen’s shoulders. “You’ve got everything you need right?”
Ellen nods.
“Toothbrush?”
Ellen nods again.
“All your clothes? Shampoo? Hair brush? Retainers?”
Ellen nods again, four times, and wiggles a little in her mother’s grip. Twelve year old Ellen Rojas has never spent more than a week out of her mother’s sights, and this two month camp is testing both of them.
Bronwyn looks like she’s about to cry. “Are you sure you don’t want me to look over your things one more time?”
Ellen sighs and considers the best way to tell her mother it is time for her to leave. Thankfully she doesn’t have to. A slender woman with dark hair and expressive amber eyes practically materializes in front of Ellen and Bronwyn. Maeve Santos.
Maeve, with her messy bun, face full of freckles, tattered Hodges Camp t-shirt, and denim shorts, looks absolutely nothing like her older sister Bronwyn. Until further examination. They carry themselves the same way, like they belong anywhere they happen to be, and their smiles are the same. It’s hard to tell since Bronwyn’s face is all lines and hardness, and Maeve’s is soft and open. But the smiles, well, they’re identical.
“Hey Bron,” Maeve says. She pulls her sister into a hug, taking care not to wrinkle Bronwyn’s suit. Bronwyn pats her sister’s back, her way of saying “okay enough hugging”. Maeve pulls away with a grin, and swings Ellen up into her arms. Maeve - and her husband Luis - don’t have any kids, so all their attention is directed to Ellen and their nephews on Luis’s side. But mostly Ellen. Ellen hugs her back with all her might.
“Hi Aunt Maeve,” Ellen says.
“Hey Ellen, ready for some fun!”
Ellen giggles and looks around the camp over her aunt’s shoulder. It’s a large camp, with seven cabins for campers: three for girls on one side of the path and three for boys on the other. The seventh can be seen peeking over the trees where the forest meets the large lake (Lake Hodges, where Aunt Maeve got the name for the camp). There’s a large center cabin, fittingly named the Big Cabin meals are served, the counselors congregate during off times, and one room is used as a games room, where Ellen knows air hockey tables and pool tables and foosball tables have been set up. Farther along the path is the arts and crafts cabin, then the nurse’s cabin. The grand finale before the dock and boat house is a large amphitheatre, where plays and concerts are held.
Ellen’s never really seen the camp, not really, but she’s heard enough about it from her Aunt Maeve - the founder/head - to feel as if she’s greeting an old friend, the musky smells and bird chirps as familiar to Ellen as the brick buildings and sound of honking cars in New Haven is.
“More than ready,” Ellen assures her aunt. Maeve grins at her.
“That’s my girl - whoa be careful!”
The last warning isn’t for Ellen, but for the person who swings Ellen high up into the air out of her aunt’s arms. She doesn’t even have to look to know it’s Uncle Luis. Ellen turns the moment she’s on solid ground to give her uncle a hug. Bronwyn often compares Luis to a puppy: energetic, over joyous, and incredibly good at snuggling. She’s not wrong.
“Hey Bronwyn,” Luis says, hugging his sister in law. He doesn’t mind her suit. Bronwyn hugs him back for a moment before readjusting her jacket and looking around helplessly.
“Are we sure this is a good idea? Maybe Ellen’s too young.”
“Mom, you said I could come when I turned twelve,” Ellen protests, trying very hard not to stomp her foot. It wouldn’t be proving her point.
“I know but-” Bronwyn waves her arms around.
“We’re here, don't forget,” Maeve says.
“No offence Maeve but you left Ellen in a parking lot.”
Maeve’s smile becomes a little strained. “That was ten years ago.”
“Still!”
Maeve sighs. “Cooper and Kris are here. Who’s more responsible than Cooper and Kris?”
This seems to calm Ellen’s mom. “Okay, okay, you’re right. That’s true. Alright then, Ellen darling, I think it’s time for me to go.”
If Maeve is hurt that Bronwyn trusts Cooper and Kris Becker-Clay more than her own sister, she doesn’t show it. She looks over Bronwyn’s shoulder as if looking for something. “Okay Bron you’ve got a plane to catch right?”
“Right, right okay.” Bronwyn reaches forward and pulls Ellen out of Luis’s arms, squeezing her tight. “Be good okay, sweetheart?”
“Okay. I will.” Ellen hugs her mother back until Maeve gently disentangles them. With a last kiss on Maeve’s cheek and on Ellen’s forehead, Bronwyn heads back over to her car, pulling away with a wave for the family she knows is watching.
“Well Ellen darling, excited for camp?” Maeve asks as she takes Ellen’s hand, picking up her oversized duffle with the other hand, which she expertly tosses to her husband. He catches it. Ellen loves watching her aunt and uncle work together, since it’s always been her and her mother. Ellen’s never seen two adults who just fit.
The trio don’t get far before a motorcycle comes roaring up the drive. They all turn to see what’s happening as a girl expertly jumps off the back of the motorcycle. She’s wearing white shorts and a black leather motorcycle jacket that matches the jacket of the man on the motorcycle. The girl pulls off her helmet to reveal long black hair.
Maeve grins. “You two stay here, I’ll be right back.” Maeve scurries away to the biker before Luis and Ellen can follow.
“What’s happening Uncle Luis?” Ellen asks, sliding her hand into her uncle’s hand.
“No clue kiddo,” Luis answers, but based on the look on his face, he does indeed know.
They watch as Maeve talks to the man on the motorcycle. Ellen’s too far away to see who he is, and before she can get a closer look he’s waving at the girl and backing down the path to the main road. Maeve and the girl are standing together. They watch the motorcycle until it’s out of sight. Maeve takes the girl’s hand, and the way she’s looking at her sends a flash of white hot jealousy through Ellen. That’s the way Maeve looks at her.
Maeve smiles when they approach Luis and Ellen. “Ali, this is my husband Luis.”
“Hey Ali,” Luis says.
“And this is my niece Ellen Rojas. Ellen, this is Ali Macauley.”
What a stupid name Ellen almost says. Instead she just grunts. She’s not quite sure why, but she doesn’t like this girl in her Guinness band t-shirt and tattered shorts and red flip flops that - ugh - look a lot like Ellen’s. Ali’s glaring right back at Ellen. Clearly, she doesn’t like her either.
“Wow, you guys look nearly identical,” Luis says as he looks between his niece and the newcomer with her oversized backpack.
“No we don’t,” Ali says dryly.
“Oh I agree,” Ellen says. “I would never wear a shirt advertising that tacky band.”
“Ellen,” Maeve says in her warning voice.
“At least I don’t dress like the next queen of England.”
Ellen huffs and looks down at her pressed skirt and matching jacket. Her mother picked it for her.
“Oh you wish you were the queen of En-”
“Okay how about cabin assignments!” Maeve says brightly. Ali looks up at Maeve like she’s the queen, and Ellen’s ready to sock her in the nose.
Maeve looks down at her clipboard as if she can sense Ellen’s thoughts. “You’re both in cabin one. Fun!”
“No it’s not,” Ali mumbles.
Maeve ignores her and takes her hand instead. “Okay, let’s get you to your cabin.” Maeve takes Ellen’s hand after tucking her clipboard under her arm, and kisses her husband’s cheek before setting off, chatting about the camp as she goes.
“You’ve met Luis of course, he’s a chef in New York and he’s in charge of cooking and also outdoor activities like hikes and stuff like that. And our head of arts and crafts is Addy Prentiss, she’s a teacher and she and her wife Keely live in London, where Keely is a fashion designer or something like that I never understand. Cooper Becker-Clay - you probably know him from the Padres - he’s in charge of sports. His husband Kris is our onsite medic.” Maeve pauses to push open the cabin door. “And Knox Myers does all the theatre and music stuff - he’s a Broadway director. Phoebe Myers, his wife, is our counselor. Need anything, go to her.”
Ellen knows all of this, since the people Aunt Maeve is talking about have been in Ellen’s life since she was a baby, so this is clearly for Ali. This annoys Ellen more, since she wanted to tell Aunt Maeve about the boy she thought she was in love with who turned out to not be in love with her. Aunt Maeve is the kind of aunt who understands about confusing things like the heart.
“Okay girls. Looks like you’re the first in here. Pick a bunk.”
“Top,” Ali says right as Ellen says the same thing. Both girls look at each other in surprise and scramble for the ladder.
“Whoa, whoa, girls slow down!” Maeve calls as both girls try to climb up the ladder at the same time. Ali beats Ellen, who’s slowed by the skirt. Ali’s long hair gets in her way, so Ellen uses that chance to climb up the side of the ladder like she does on the fire escape of her building. She’s nearly at the top when she feels hands clamp around her waist and pull her off.
“Aunt Maeve!” Ellen protests as she’s placed on solid ground. She watches as Maeve pulls Ali off the ladder too.
“Don’t ‘Aunt Maeve’ me. Honestly what’s gotten into you two?”
“It’s her fault,” Ali says stubbornly, pointing at Ellen.
“She’s the one who cheated!”
“How did I cheat Ellen?”
“You’re not wearing a skirt.”
Ali scoffs.
“Both of you two stop it right now. Ali, you take that bunk -”
“Hey!” Ellen protests as Ali does a little happy hop.
“And Ellen, you take the one on the other wall.”
Ellen is in shock. Aunt Maeve has never ever chosen someone over her. Not even the time her cousin Matias wanted the last ice cream at his own birthday party and Maeve talked circles around him until he was so confused he forgot about the dessert.
“Fine,” Ellen sighs as she crosses the wooden cabin to the bunk identical to the one Ali is triumphantly perched on.
“Good. Now let’s hope you two get along better in the morning.”
Unfortunately, that does not happen.
The next morning, Ellen enters the Big Cabin with Aunt Maeve and Uncle Luis’s latest foster child, named Nick. Ellen and Nick get along fabulously, something that pleases her aunt and uncle to no end. Ali stalks in after her. Ellen noticed last night that Ali prefers to be alone. She refused to join in on the game of go fish their cabin mates were playing, and she ignored all talk about the cute boys at the camp and past crushes.
“I’m telling you Nick, she’s so stuck up. Like she’s too good for us or something,” Ellen says, continuing her conversation even though Ali is right behind her.
“Maybe she’s just shy,” Nick says. Even though he has no blood relation to any of Ellen’s family members he still looks vaguely like Luis with his good looks and deep brown eyes.
Ellen scoffs. “She wasn’t shy when she stole my aunt.”
“Maeve isn’t stolen.”
“Right,” Ellen says skeptically as she hands Nick a tray. They’re entering the food line, and she graciously lets Nick before her. She ends up next to Ali, who’s glaring at Ellen. “Good morning sunshine,'' Ellen says pleasantly.
Ali glares harder as she takes a tray from the pile.
“Not a morning person huh?” Ellen asks.
“Say another word and I’ll knock your teeth out,” Ali threatens.
“Scary,” Ellen says dryly as they head down the line. She hesitates in front of the last pancake, weighing the pros and cons of grabbing it when Ali speaks up.
“Are you gonna stand there or are you gonna grab that?” She’s already reaching for the pancake in question.
“I was going to grab it,” Ellen lies, stabbing it with a fork as Ali does the same thing. They engage in a sort of food based tug-of-war. “Let go!”
“You let go!”
“I saw it first!”
“You were just mouth breathing on it!”
They both tug hard, and the pancakes crumble into two pieces. The momentum sends them flying. Ali crashes to the floor and Ellen stumbles back into Nick, who steadies her.
“What kind of loser can’t keep their balance?” Ellen asks.
“Ellen, stop,” Luis says emerging from the kitchen. He’s looking half amused and half annoyed. “Ali, you okay?”
“Fine,” Ali snaps. “But your niece is annoying.”
Luis ignores her, and Nick gently tugs Ellen away.
Ellen sulks all the way to the crafts barn, where Addy Prentiss in all her pink haired glory is perched on a table in a pair of faded denim overalls. She hops off the table when the group arrives.
“Alright guys, I thought we could start with bracelets today,” Addy says with her slight British accent, winking at Ellen, who glows. “So, find a table y’all, and let’s see what bracelets you come up with!”
Addy circles the room, and Ellen chooses a table with Cosette Myers, Nick, and - ugh - Ali. Ali pointedly ignores her, and Ellen choses to do the same, chatting with Cosette about the last musical her father Knox took her to. Ellen reaches for a bead at the same time as Ali, and their hands collide.
“Can you move?” Ali asks.
“You move!” Ellen protests.
“I just want a bead.”
“Then wait.”
“Why don’t you wait, princess?”
“Because I was first.”
Both girls glare at each other for a moment before reaching for the beads again, knocking into the container and sending the beads flying over the table and floor. Cosette and Nick jump back. Addy choses this moment to approach this table.
“Are you two kidding me?” she asks, irritated.
“It's Ellen's fault!”
“It was not Aunt Addy, it was Ali!”
Addy looks between the identical looking girls and huffs. “Pick them up.”
“What?” Ellen asks.
“El, you heard me.”
Ellen glares halfheartedly at Ali as she sinks to the floor to pick up the scattered pea sized beads.
Cosette and Nick slide to the floor to help as Ali starts on her side of the table.
“She’s a monster,” Ellen hisses. Cosette and Nick exchange glances.
Twenty minutes later, the girls find themselves near the lake, lined up next to Cooper Becker-Clay, who’s teaching the finer details of the ever important sport of wiffle ball.
“Okay guys,” he says, pulling off his baseball hat and running his hand through his sandy hair. “I need some volunteers please.” His blue eyes roves the crowd of excitable preteens and lands on Ellen and Ali, who are both glaring at each other while pretending the other person doesn’t exist.
“Ellen. Ali. What about you two?”
Ellen shrugs, and Ali scoffs. “You’re choosing the person who wears skirts?”
“But she’s… not wearing a skirt,” Cooper says, looking a little confused. It’s true, Ellen is wearing a camp shirt tucked into a pair of shorts.
“Ignore her, she’s being weird,” Ellen says, stepping forward. Ali glares. Cooper shakes his head as if straightening out his thoughts.
“Okay. Ali, take the bat and stand on the base. Just like that, yeah. And Ellen, come here. Okay guys pay attention. Ellen’s going to put her left foot forward since that’s her non-dominant side, and she’ll pull her right arm back and yeah - no Ellen wait!”
Ellen, after being raised with both Uncle Luis and Uncle Cooper, knows exactly how to aim a perfect fastball. And, being her mother’s daughter, she’s able to figure out how to compensate for the lighter ball - flicking her wrist just so - until her pitch is perfectly aimed straight for Ali’s nose. Ali, who isn’t expecting this, doesn’t swing and instead stands still as the ball comes flying towards her nose with a sickening crack.
And, being Addy’s goddaughter, Ellen knows how to act too. “Oh my gosh Ali I’m so sorry,” she cries, sounding incredibly believable as she sprints after Cooper towards Ali, who’s got her hand pressed against her nose. “Uncle Cooper, really, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to.”
Cooper looks between Ali, Ellen, and the other campers who look gleeful - they were expecting to make friendship bracelets and sing weird songs at camp, not see the greatest feud of their adolescent lives.
“It’s fine El. Take Ali to Uncle Kris okay?”
“Okay, oh my gosh I feel so bad.”
Cooper, of course, being both not an idiot and the father of triplet girls, knows Ellen isn’t sorry in the slightest, but he lets her lead Ali to Kris’s med cabin.
Once at the cabin, Ellen considers leaving Ali when Kris calls her in.
“Hey Uncle Kris,” Ellen says as Kris lifts Ali onto a bed in the cabin lined with beds. Kris raises one perfectly arched eyebrow, his green eyes roving over Ellen’s face.
“Hello Ellen. How are we today, girls?”
Kris takes one look between the girl he’s known since she was born and the identical looking girl on the bed and knows exactly what happened.
“Fine,” Ellen says.
Ali mumbles something, and Kris pulls her hand from her nose. He touches it gently.
“Well Miss Macauley, it’s not broken, just sore.” Kris looks over Ali’s face and notices a small cut, which he instantly starts cleaning.
“You know one of the wonderful things about camp is the ability to make new friends, right girls?” Kris asks, looking pointedly at Ellen.
“Yes sir,” Ellen says. Ali mumbles again.
“You know some friendships last a lifetime.”
“Yes sir.”
“It’s important to be open to new friendships too.”
“Yes sir.”
Kris laughs as he lifts Ali off the bed, her cut freshly bandaged and a wax wrapped caramel slipped into her hand. “Yes sir, yes sir. You’re not listening to a word I’m saying are you?”
“Yes sir,” Ellen repeats with a grin. Kris grins right back and hands her a caramel too.
“Okay, be good you two.”
“Yes sir!” Ali calls as she skips out of the cab. Kris shakes his head as he watches the girls go. He knows that’s not going to happen.
And it doesn’t. Their next class is theatre with Knox, where they’re putting on a production of the Wizard of Oz.
“Alright guys, I have the cast list for you.” Knox rattles off names and assignments: Cosette is the Wicked Witch of the East, and Nick is the Cowardly Lion. “Ellen Rojas and Ali Macauley, you guys are Munchkins.”
“How come I’m a Munchkin when I’m taller than Ellen?” Ali asks, her voice a little warped because of her swollen nose.
“Am not!” Ellen protests.
“Are too!”
Cosette and Nick roll their eyes at each other and Knox sighs.
“Girls, girls, you two are identical if you haven’t realized.”
Both girls stop their squabbling to stare at Knox. They look at each other, studying one another.
“No way,” Ali says.
“Agreed,” Ellen says.
“I’m way better looking than Ellen.”
“Excuse you! You look like you’re gonna sell drugs on the street in high school.”
Ali opens her mouth in shock as Knox startles and begins to reprimand Ellen. “Ellen Maeve Rojas you can not say things like tha-”
“TAKE THAT BACK!” Ali interrupts with a shout, lunging at Ellen. Ellen maintains her ground, and pushes back, aiming a punch at Ali’s already injured nose. Ali, being an inch taller in her Docs, gains the upper hand as she rolls on top of Ellen and is about to punch her nose when another person arrives in the amphitheater.
“Hey Knox I’ve got that box of props you wanted and Ali what in the world are you doing?”
Everyone turns to Maeve Santos carrying an old cardboard box under one arm. She’s in mom jeans and a Bayview High t-shirt today, a bandana covering her hair, and right now, she’s fuming.
“She called me a future drug dealer!” Ali points at Ellen. “I was defending myself!”
“She started it!” Ellen protests, pushing Ali off her and sitting up.
“No I didn’t, you started it!”
Maeve watches with pursed lips. Knox, having known Maeve for years, steps back. He knows an angry Maeve when he sees one.
“Both of you, come one, you’re moving to cabin seven.”
“Cabin seven?” Ellen repeats incredulously. “There are spiders and bugs and pests and stuff there!”
“And? You’re being a pest. Both of you. I’m disappointed in you. So you’re living together until you learn to get along.”
Her voice is calm, conversational almost, but her amber eyes are flashing dangerously. This is a Maeve you don’t cross.
Sadly, Ellen doesn’t always have common sense.
“My mom won’t like that,” she says.
“Your mother is a…” Maeve stops, taking a deep breath to compose herself, and for a moment, both Ellen and Ali are actually scared. Ellen’s heard about the Aunt Maeve of yesteryears, the one who pushed people away and lashed out when hurting or scared because she never knew how to accept love. Bronwyn says Maeve used to be different, and Ellen can see what she meant.
Ali and Ellen glance at each other, and they come to an understanding: they don’t need to talk to one another, or even acknowledge each other’s presence in Cabin Seven. But Maeve Santos should not be angered.
“We’ll get our stuff,” Ali mumbles for the both of them.
“Good,” Maeve says.
“Off to the isolation cabin?” Knox teases. Maeve turns her glare to him, and he steps back.
“Forget I said anything.”