Raven Donavan liked to paint her fingernails in different colors. She streaked her long dark hair with multiple shades of red, gold, and blue. Being different was her claim to fame, and she loved being the center of attention.

"Do you know what we forgot to do?" she asked, smacking her forehead.

"Now what," Kelly groaned.

"There's something we forgot to do with all the damn drama."

"Watch your language, Raven," Kelly warned. "Mrs. Dunn might hear you."

Raven took another bite of her breakfast before answering. "We forgot the damn gifts!" she said around a mouthful of egg. "How could we forget the damn gifts?"

"Gross," Layla cried. "Chew your food and swallow before you talk. That's disgusting."

Raven swallowed hard, then took a bite of bacon. Chewing slowly, she grinned at Layla. Then she opened her mouth.

Layla got up quickly from the picnic table. "Ugh, I think I'm gonna throw up." She stomped away, almost running into McKenna. “Sorry, Kenny,” Layla mumbled as she passed her by.

McKenna had just left her tent, her eyes still half-closed, when Layla almost plowed into her. She felt groggy. Her movements were slow. Even though it was late when she went back to the campsite, she had a hard time falling asleep. She couldn't stop thinking about the guy from the beach and the strange way he just seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"No breakfast?" Kelly asked.

"Not hungry," she answered. "But I could use some coffee, I guess."

"I'll get it for you," Raven said.

After she had left the table, McKenna turned to Kelly. "I had the strangest thing happen to me last night."

"Really? Do tell, girlfriend."

"Don't tell the others."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. Just please don't. Pinky swear."

Kelly wrapped her pinky finger around McKenna's and swore herself to secrecy.

"I met someone."

Kelly's eyes grew wide. "What? How did that happen? We all went to bed."

McKenna shrugged. "I couldn't sleep so I went to the beach. I met him there."

"What’s his name?” Kelly asked, her eyes lit up. “Is he camping here? Does he live close by?"

"I don't know, I don't know, and I don't know."

"How could you not know?” Kelly demanded. “I'd be asking him a million questions!"

McKenna laughed. "I know you would. But I didn’t actually meet him-meet him."

“What does that mean?” Kelly leaned her elbows on the picnic table and rested her chin in her hands.

McKenna toyed with a lock of her red hair. “It means what it means. He appeared out of nowhere and scared me half to death.”

"Is he cute?" Kelly moved closer to McKenna and lowered her voice.

McKenna grinned. "Very."

"Tell me!"

"There's not much else to tell. But we'll talk later." McKenna nodded her head toward a returning Raven.

"Do you realize that we forgot the damn gifts, McKenna?" Raven approached the table.

"I give up," Kelly moaned. "Yes, we forgot the damn gifts. McKenna, did you know we forgot the damn gifts? Raven, you need to get Layla back here so Kenny can open her damn gifts."

McKenna glanced from Kelly to Raven. "What's that all about?"

"It’s not important," Kelly sighed. “I'll get the gifts. Raven, you get Layla back here. And don't show her any more food."  She saw McKenna looking at her strangely. "It’s nothing," she said.

Once they had all finally gathered around McKenna at the picnic table, Kelly handed a large gaily wrapped package to McKenna.

"Wow, nice and big," McKenna shook the package.

"Why do you have to do that?" Kelly protested. "You're gonna end up breaking something."

"Oh, sorry," McKenna apologized. “Bad habit.” She tore open the wrapping paper and eyed the gift inside. "A makeup kit?"

"Yep," Kelly answered. "You never wear any."

"Me next!" Raven shouted, handing her present to McKenna.

She almost shook the box, then glanced at Kelly and smiled. "Oops."

"Don't you dare," Kelly warned.

McKenna laughed and tore open the box. It was a curling iron. "What are you ladies trying to tell me, hmm?"

"Here," Layla set her present in front of McKenna.

"No shaking," she whispered as she opened it. "What the hell?" It looked like a pair of underwear.

"You'll understand better once you open this." Layla set another box in front of her.

"A bra and underwear?" she asked, puzzled.

"It's a bikini, dummy. Wear it with pride."

"I don't wear bikinis," McKenna snorted. "I don't even swim."

"You will. You camp here every weekend in the summer with your folks. It's time you start enjoying it."

"Well, thank you so much for the presents. I appreciate them. I don't know how to wear makeup, but I'll try. And I'm pretty sure I can use a curling iron."

"You have us to help you." Raven grinned. "We're gonna do you up good."

"Oh, brother," McKenna groaned.

"Shall we get started?" Kelly asked.

"What, now?"

"Sure, now," Kelly answered. "No time like the present, they say, whoever they are."

McKenna rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I thought you guys wanted to spend the day swimming."

"Only if you wear the bikini," Raven beamed. "We'll do makeup and hair later."

"I can't win here," she said, grabbing the bikini. She started to rise from the table when her eyes glanced up and saw him. He was standing at the edge of the trees, and he waved when he saw her looking at him.

"There he is again," she whispered to herself.

"There who is again?" Raven asked.

"I have to go. I'll be right back, I promise. Then we'll go swim."

She left them and strolled toward the clearing in the woods.

"What's she talking about, Kelly?"

"I don't know."

"I don't see anybody. Do you?"

Kelly strained her eyes in the sunlight. The trees were full of shadows that moved with the breeze, playing tricks on the eyes. She was pretty sure that someone was there. She just couldn't see him.

***

He stood over six feet. A gust of wind whipped around him, whisking the blond hair about his face, and he used one hand to brush it away. He shaded his eyes against the brightness of the sun, and when McKenna approached, she noticed how blue they were. He smiled at her, his lips the shape of Cupids Bow.

"Hi," he offered an outstretched hand. "I'm Dane."

"What?"

"You said you didn't know my name. I'm Dane." He reached out and touched her hair. "You’re so beautiful."

She pushed his hand away. "Stop it!"

"You're very special. You must know that."

"I know you're a nutcase," she said crossly.

He laughed good-naturedly. "I'm not a nutcase. What can I do to convince you I'm not?"

"Well, for starters, you can go away and leave me alone."

He studied her quietly until she grew uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

"What are you doing?" she finally asked.

"Not until you tell me your name."

"What are you talking about?

"You told me to go away. I'll go away after you tell me your name."

“No.” She shoved her hands in the pockets of her khaki shorts. “You don’t need to know my name.”

“Please tell me. I promise I won’t bother you anymore if you tell me.”

At first, she hesitated, then she gave in. "My name's McKenna, okay?” She pressed her lips tightly together as if she were sorry she told him. “Now, will you go away?"

"McKenna. What a beautiful name." He slowly pronounced her name, letting it drift off his tongue, his eyes half-closed.

"My friends call me Kenny."

"Kenny?" He shook his head. "Why would they do that? I would never insult you like that."

"Insult me?" she echoed.

"Your name is so beautiful, so unusual. You should never shorten it to a boy's name. A name describes a person, gives that person a personality, a purpose in life. If you don't mind, I will always call you McKenna."

Always?

"Well," he smiled. "now that we know each other, would you walk with me for a while?"

"No, I can't," she insisted even though she felt her reserve slipping away. It was those eyes and the way they looked at her. 
"I just deserted my friends for you."

"Oh." He sounded disappointed.

"I have to get back. Everyone is waiting for me. Now that you know my name, you can go back to wherever you came from."

"Can I ask you a question?" 

"Oh, for Pete's sake, now what?" 

"Do we know each other?"

“No, I think I would remember you.”

"I hope that's a good thing.” He smiled, showing white teeth.

“Not necessarily,” she replied. She wanted to be mean, but it wasn’t in her DNA.

“But I feel like I already know you."

"Does that line still work?” she asked. “It’s so old.”

"It is?" he asked. "But it's not a line. It's the truth."

"And why should I believe that?" Why was she still talking to him?

"Well," Dane laughed. “I try not to lie. Lies always seem to come back and haunt you."

“Look,” McKenna blew out her cheeks, finally tired of the conversation. He had promised to go away, yet he was still here, still talking to her. “I don't know you. I've already asked you to leave me alone. I don't want to have to tell my family that some boy is bothering me. It wouldn't be good for you. Now, if you will just leave me alone so that I can be with my friends, that will make me very happy."

Dane cocked his head, his blue eyes studying her. “Is that what you want, McKenna?”

She nodded. “That’s what I want.”

He looked away for a moment. Then he looked back at her and nodded his head. “If that’s what you want.”

***

"Kenna, where've you been, honey?" Her father placed an arm across her shoulders and led her away from the camp, away from the glaring eyes of her mother.

"I just went for a walk, Dad," she said, so relieved that her father had not seen her with Dane.

"You left your friends to go for a walk? Is there anything you want to tell me? You can, you know."

"I know I can, Dad," she sighed. "But I don't think I'm ready to share this just yet."

"I see."

"Not sure you do."

"You might be surprised, Kenna.” Her father chuckled under his breath. “I'm not that old."

McKenna laughed. "I'm not saying you are."

"Will you share with me when you feel you can?" he asked gently.

"Yes, I will," she promised.

"Pinky swear?" He lifted his hand to her, his pinky finger extended.

"Pinky swear." She wrapped her pinky finger around his.

"I love you, Kenna," he said sadly.

"I love you too, Dad. Don't look so sad."

"I can't help it, kiddo. My baby is growing up. Now, I guess I'll deal with your mother. You can join your friends."

"Thanks, Dad," she smiled. "Really."

He gave her a half-hearted smile and turned back toward her mother.  McKenna could see the anger on her mother's face, even from a distance, and decided to take her father's advice and find her friends.

They were on the beach, already soaking wet from swimming.

"Are you in much trouble?" Kelly asked.

"Not with my Dad. But with my mother,” she shrugged. “who knows. I haven't felt her wrath yet."

"We tried to find you before they realized you were gone," Kelly said. "But we didn't know where you went. You left so suddenly."

"It's okay," she assured her friend. "I don't want you guys on the bad side of my mother."

"So, where did you go?" Layla's voice was just a bit too loud, and McKenna grimaced.

"Did you tell them?" she asked Kelly.

Kelly shook her head. "Not my place."

"Well, are you going to tell us?" Raven questioned, flipping her long coal-black hair from her shoulders. “Or do we have to drag it out of you?”

"It's no big deal," McKenna rubbed her forehead vigorously. Her head ached, and her eyes were dry. She felt exhausted. "I met someone last night on the beach."

"You did?" Layla shrieked. “Tell us everything!” Her large green eyes were flashing with excitement.

"Pipe down," Kelly whispered harshly. "You want the entire camp to know?"

Layla covered her mouth with both hands, her face flaming red.

"Yes, I met a guy,” McKenna confirmed. “I couldn't sleep, so I walked to the beach.” She turned to Kelly. “His name is Dane."

"Is he cute?" Layla asked in a loud whisper.

McKenna nodded despite her headache. "More than," she answered. "He's tall and has blonde hair and very blue eyes. And, oh my God, he's so polite! He doesn't talk at all like the guys we know in school, Kel. He's very articulate."

"Huh?" Raven asked. "What does that mean?"

Kelly laughed. "Now I know why you're flunking English, Raven. It means well-spoken or eloquent. Do you know what that means?"

"Whatever," Raven stood. "I'm going swimming. Our day is wasting away, and it's our last one. Anyone want to join?"

"I will," Layla rose and followed Raven into the water.

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