⌚ 6:00 AM ON THE DOT

When that horn - El has given up with using expletives on the ancient thing; it's not worth the trouble - thrusts El out of her not-so-deep slumber, she feels despicably tired. Not that it's a new feeling or anything, but she usually wakes up kind of groggy but still ready to take the day by the neck and wring it out for what it's worth, even if it's before seven in the morning.

Though today, she wakes up to see Grace in a powdery pink bikini, just about to pull a magenta kimono around her amazing figure. Her make up isn't as heavy today, just a bit tweaking with her eyebrows and that lipgloss. El recalls it tasting of strawberries - she almost hits herself for even thinking about it. Grace perches rose-tinted sunglasses (El isn't even surprised at this point) atop her blonde head and heads out, Jimmy Choo flipflops smacking the hardwood floors.

The door shuts with a silent click.

El, determined to shake herself off that tiredness, springs out from under the covers and into the shower. Everything she does is at the back of her mind, mechanical. Shampoo. Conditioner. Soap. Rinse. Dry. Then she gets out of the bathroom, towel around her, hair dripping.

Muted music booms from outside. El raises an eyebrow, puzzled, and peers out the window to find the lakeside adorned with streamers and balloons and tables lined with all sorts of food and picnic blankets lying around and large, ancient speakers booming out said music. Taylor Swift. The work of Finnegan, no less.

Suddenly, guilt creeps at the pit of her stomach. The Annual Ashwood Lake Party Extravaganza is today. Obviously, the lakeside didn't decorate itself. The counselors were meant to do that. And well, El's a counselor. She didn't do any of that.

A few choice words escape from her mouth at the thought. She thinks, here goes her chances to receive any extra credit, how could she fucking forget about The Annual Ashwood Lake Party Extravaganza, why didn't anyone wake her up? Grace should have -

Grace.

Of course she wouldn't have woken El up. Grace hates El's guts. What more than a little sabotage to quench her thirst for revenge?

So that explains why she's in that swimsuit that accentuates the curves of her -

Stop. El shuts her eyes, once, twice, to snap out of it. Yes, Grace is an attractive human being, and clouds are made of vapor. What else is new? (What's new is that El is finally noticing that in another light.)

Another problem arises soon enough. What in the earth would El wear? She obviously has the option of the swimsuit Grace loaned her, but that isn't exactly a good one, considering she and Grace aren't on good terms at all. She has the swimsuit she brought. Bright orange with little dolphins. Yeah, right. El considers just stealing another one of Grace's swimsuits, one the blonde might have forgotten about. She already knows, however, that's stupid because Grace is totally the kind of person who'd keep track of every bikini she owns.

So El wrings her hair dry, puts on a large tee shirt, steps into her crusty flipflops, and runs through the forest to get to Cabin 4.

Mari opens the door, grinning widely. "Hey, El! Not that I mind or anything, but what are you doing here?"

Knowing Mari cares deeply about this kind of thing, El says gravely, "Fashion emergency."

Mari nods knowingly, sympathetically, and ushers El in. Sky is sat on her bed as she squints at a compact mirror propped on her knee. She's adjusting a flower crown adorned with tiny lilacs perched atop her head.

"I love that color," El says, referencing the lilacs.

Sky beams and it lights up the entire room, even if that sounds cheesy. Sky really has that air about her. If Grace is pretty much an older version of Brittany, the same can be said about Sky and Laura. El can't help but smile back.

"Thanks, darlin'," Sky says, a touch of her southern twang leaking in as she smirks.

"Fashion emergency," Mari mutters. She tugs at the hem of the nondescript shirt El has on. "Understatement of the fucking year."

El can only shrug.

"Alright, we're fixing this, stat," Mari declares.

Suddenly, El is in front of the vanity at the corner of the cabin, facing away from the mirror and getting blown in the face by a hairdryer. Through the hot air, El examines the cabin. Much different from hers and Grace's, Cabin 4 is more simplistic, with only random pictures tacked to the walls serving as decoration. Three twin-sized beds are lined up against the longest wall, with trunks at the foot of each.

"Where's Louise?" El asks, referring to the owner of the third bed. She winces as Mari pins a section of her unruly hair back.

It may seem odd that three of them had to share the cabin, but it's the biggest one and no way would old-fashioned Lionel let a female counselor sleep within the same vicinity of a male. El almost rolls her eyes at the thought.

"Lou is finishing setting up for the party with Grace, I think." Mari's words are barely understandable with the amount of bobby pins between her teeth.

"With Grace?" El ignores the sinking feeling in her chest that really shouldn't be there.

"With Grace," Sky says slyly, approaching the two wielding a tube of cherry lipgloss.

As much as El would never admit out loud,she likes being pampered. She likes the feeling of sticky goop being painted on her lips. She likes having people fuss over which color matches her skin tone better - mint green or sea green. She likes having her hair out of her face but having the feeling of the curls against her neck. She likes feeling pretty, even if it's just temporary.

When Mari, with Sky's help of course, is done, she lets El survey herself in the mirror of the vanity.

"I don't even get why we need to wear swimsuits," El says under her breath.

"It's a lake party and you need to look hot," Mari says briskly.

"There's kids there."

"Exactly," Mari snaps. "But what do you think?"

El takes a good look and finally looks at the figure in the mirror squarely. The sea green swimsuit peeking from under the button down Sky loaned her does look better on her than the mint green bikini. The front of her hair is pinned back in an intricate braid that El would never dream of accomplishing. Much different from that time Grace did her up (much more simple, much less Grace).

She actually doesn't look like a mess. Not like the usual El. She favors the El in the mirror.

"It's great," El says, her lips quirking up despite themselves. "Thanks."

"For saving your life," Mari adds. "You're welcome."

⌚ 12:08 PM

The Annual Ashwood Lake Party Extravaganza is a nonspecific day that depends on when Lionel wants it, when everyone, campers and counselors alike, put aside their gender-related differences (that shouldn't even be a big deal anyway) for a tension-free day filled with music, food, swimming and lake-related shenanigans.

El is pretty sure she just saw Brittany and Zac heading into a shed. Gross.

She doesn't try to linger on it too much, instead focusing on how infuriatingly cute the two people beside her are being. El would be lying if she said she isn't the least bit jealous of what they've got between them. Maybe sprinkle in something about how she was stupid not to have seen it before, and there's the truth.

"Sorry, lonely sexually deprived lady over here," El says lightly.

Louise gets off Will's lap - finally. It's not like she even notices she was on there in the first place. El finds that both adorable and irritating. "That's your own fault," Louise jokes.

Will smirks at the both of them, cracking his knuckles - preparing for a backrub, most likely. That seems to be all he's good for, El concludes bitterly (not really, but still). Smirking and backrubs. And being the sweetest guy El has met. Maybe that, too. "It's getting boring, honestly," he says. "Just apologize to Grace already."

El's breath hitches slightly. "A-apologize?"

She doesn't dare look at the two smug faces to her right. The lake is awfully blue today, isn't it? The counselors did a great job of decorating the pier as well. And there's Finn upon S.S. Taylor, gliding atop the glassy surface of the lake. He's rowing while standing and screeching "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, it's amore!" to Grace, who seems to be enjoying herself.

"He's right," Louise tells El.

"Thanks, Lou." The way Will says "Lou" catches El off-guard. Unlike the way it falls off Grace's tongue, degrading and teasing, the way Will's lips form the syllable resembles the way El would savor the taste of milk chocolate...she's tasted it so many times but it's still a new sensation every time she does. Will gives Louise the smallest of smiles and El catches something in his gaze that she can't quite pinpoint.

Louise continues, "You really kind of blew it with her."

"I don't appreciate you two dictating how my love life is supposed to go," El mumbles.

"But you admit it's your love life," Louise drawls.

El rolls her eyes. "Fuck you."

Will, fortunately, senses the tensions rising so in an attempt to bring them down again, he asks, "Why didn't I see you helping out with the decorations, El?" It's supposed to be an innocent question, but El takes it as a harsh accusation.

"Someone didn't wake me up," she says coldly, gaze still fixated on Grace.

"Why am I not surprised?" Louise says.

"I'm not either." Just disappointed.

"Just disappointed, then?" Will asks.

El's jaw drops. Did he read her mind or something. She can't lie to Will, then. "I guess," she replies, barely parting her lips.

At this Louise grins so widely her face almost splits open. "You're in too deep, Elizabeth. I love it."

El rolls her eyes. "Tell me," she says, "how did you and Grace break up?" Real slick, El.

To El's own surprise, Louise doesn't seem fazed one bit - it's Will who turns red and gets all sweaty. El gives him a good suspicious eyebrow raise, but he keeps his mouth shut.

"I realized it wasn't really my kind of thing." Louise shrugs. "I liked the idea of being with a girl. But actually being with a girl? Not so much."

"Even if that girl is Grace?"

"Oh, El, to be young and in love!" Louise sings, pinching El's cheek generously.

"Don't I know it," Will mutters. Then he and El share a knowing glance. She knows, all of a sudden, why he's getting hot and bothered. And now, it's El who's smirking.

"I'm hungry," she says slowly. "I think I'll leave you two alone to get some food. You want anything?"

"Your suffering," Will retorts. El just snickers.

"A doughnut would be great," the turquoise-haired girl says.

With one last wink at Will, El heads over to one of the many tables piled with food - this one in particular has rows upon rows of doughnuts and cupcakes and croissants. She tries to reach for a glazed doughnut, but she fails as her entire chest swells up with laughter and she just explodes right there, nearly knocking the table over.

"Should I be worried?" Fuck.

"May I help you, Isaac?" She has to raise her voice slightly, since there's a pair of speakers just a few feet from them, currently booming out some One Direction song that El feels she should know. That one that goes on about how a girl doesn't know how she's beautiful and she only needs everyone else's approval to see it?

"I think you're the one who needs help, Elizabeth," he says, twirling a finger by his temple.

"It's been twenty four days, dude, when will you realize I go by El?"

"Never."

"Figures."

"You're looking hot, by the way."

"Thanks. Not that I needed the confirmation, but thanks. Are you going to degrade me for having boobs like the last time?"

"But I'm a changed man, Elizabeth!"

"El."

Isaac grunts. "So, El - happy? - what was so funny?" he throws an arm around El, hand lingering closely to her chest. She turns slightly so his hand rests on her shoulder. He doesn't seem to want to move it; that's a relief.

El raises a confused eyebrow.

"You were laughing your ass off awhile ago."

"Oh, yeah. Your cabinmate," she jerks her head towards where Will and Louise are currently deep in conversation, "he likes Louise, doesn't he?"

"God, how fucking dense are you?" Isaac chuckles. "He's almost as obvious as Grace. Even Louise sees it."

"At least I'm ignorant about the unimportant things."

"Grace talked to me about...that."

El snags a red velvet cupcake and sinks her teeth into it. "Whar?"

"The, uh, being...ignorant."

That's step three of their plan. Again, Grace didn't consult her about it. (Not like El was expecting her to.) El swallows. "Did she?"

"Yeah." Isaac rubs at his nape, his grip on El's shoulder tightening slightly. "I'm sorry."

The chunk of red velvet cupcake halfway down El's throat gets lodged in there and it takes her a bit to get it down - the whole time involving tears and coughing and Isaac slapping her on the back. "Please tell me I'm dreaming," El gasps.

Isaac sticks his middle finger up, but he has a mischievous grin that takes the bite out of it. "Fuck you."

"No thanks."

"Christ."

"I forgive you," El says and her chest is significantly looser. "For being a major misogynistic, homophobic, fatphobic, racist, probably ableist, dick."

"You don't have to rub it in."

"Oh, but I do!" El pats his hand. "Just like you kept rubbing in that your dick is five inches short."

"Long. Five inches long," he says defensively.

"That's what I said."

⌚ 4:07 PM

Since Isaac has joined Will, Louise, and El, he's been a great help in teasing Will about his obvious infatuation with Louise. El has eaten way too many cupcakes - too many for her to open Sky's button up and show how bloated her tiny stomach has become. She's laughed way too hard at how red Will's face has gotten. She hasn't even thought about Grace for a few hours.

Okay, the last part was a lie. Especially now, with Grace sitting amongst her own cabin and singing along to the Nicki Minaj playing, El is kind of maybe probably finding her extremely attractive. Maybe. Kind of. Probably. God.

"Just apologize to her already!" Will screeches, determined to steer the conversation away from the time he and Louise had done the deed.

The deed being blatantly obvious. "Scream louder, will you?" El hisses. "I totally want everyone to know I have a huge flaming lesbian crush on Grace Victoria Upland!"

"She knows Grace's middle name," Louise says, stunned.

"Victoria. Damn." Isaac bites his lip.

Will looks the most smug. "Thank you for admitting that."

El's face is white-hot. "Great, and now you should admit you have a huge flaming painfully straight crush on Lou - "

In less than a fraction of a second, Will has El's lips in his palm. "Don't," he fumes into her ear.

El raises an eyebrow and draws her tongue out, swiping it across Will's palm in swift, wet motions. Will flinches away. "You're fucking gross," he says. "And it seems like you kiss very well."

"Duh. Grace wouldn't settle for any less." Louise winks.

Will shudders a bit in his place. Isaac whips his hand out and lets out a "whapoosh!" El tries not to laugh.

⌚ 9:46 PM

El liked feeling pretty, but she discovers she likes feeling comfortable even more. With her hair back in its birds' nest state, her lips free of gloss, and her torso in only a huge tee shirt, she feels great. Grace rests on top bunk, eyes shut, though she doesn't seem to be asleep.

El is settled in bed when her phone buzzes. The name on its screen stuns El. "DARTH VADER."

"Hello?" she says cautiously once she's held the phone to her ear. Suddenly, her bed doesn't seem as comfortable so she stand and starts pacing to and fro.

"El," comes her father's (the not real one) relieved voice. "Hi."

She stiffens immediately. El knows Grace is watching her and honestly, she kind of needs that right now. It isn't moral support, but it counts for something.

"How are you?" he asks. "What did you do today?"

Vulnerable tears start to form but she blinks them away defiantly. "I'm okay. Today was fun. We, uh, we had a party. I had," she gulps, "fun. It was nice."

"Good, good. Camp is going fine, then?"

You mean not counting the mortal-enemy-turned-friend-turned-attractive-maybe-crush? And the discovery that the man on the phone isn't actually her father? And the stress that comes with making sure she proves that her campers are better than their male counterparts? "Yeah, it's fine."

A rush of static down the line means her father (is it right to still call him that?) is sighing. "Great. I'm going to cut to the chase, El."

"M-hmm?" El's steps quicken just as her heartbeat does. She glances at Grace to find her eyes are open through a curtain of strawberry blonde hair.

"You found out about what happened between Lionel and your mom?"

"Yes."

"How's that going for ya?" he chuckles nervously. She really misses him.

"Not very good. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, I guess."

"That's fine. I think I'd be more worried if you didn't care at all." Another nervous chuckle.

El feels beads of sweat forming under where the phone is poised by her ear. "Right." She gulps. "Uh, dad, can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing." Her father coughs.

"Why'd you," El's throat closes up; it's as if she's being strangled, "cheat on - uh, cheat - ?"

"On your mom?"

El only whimpers in response. She's half-praying that Grace is still awake and listening, and half not.

"M-hmm, just a minute, Sandra." Her father's voice is softer, like he's covered the phone to muffle what he's said.

"Are you with someone else?" El whispers. Fuck, here are the tears, finally, making a comeback after a few days.

His voice is back to its original volume. "El, I - "

"Can you please just answer my question? Then I'll let you get back to Sandra." She's done with fighting this. If Lionel fucked her mother when she was El's age, fine. If her mother made a huge mistake and is paying for it now, fine. If her father is with a woman named Sandra, fine. So goddamn be it.

"I regret what I did - "

"What - who - you're doing."

He has the nerve to chuckle. He has the nerve to talk to his daughter when he's betraying his family at the exact moment. El purses her lips. Fine. It's not like she can do anything about it other than sulk in this stupid cabin with a maybe asleep girl laying on top bunk.

"Y-yeah. Well," her father says. "I'm really sorry. But can you blame me, El? I put how your mom and Lionel, you know. I let her send you to his summer camp. That was okay. I tried not to care. But your mom sent you there again, at the same age she got her life screwed over. You don't think I'd have gotten angry? I'd have done some things I shouldn't have?"

He's angry. El figures she should be too - and she was, she really was, but now...she can't find it in her to be anymore. She's over it. She is finally over it because she is an adult and she shouldn't be worrying about her parents when she doesn't even need them anymore. Maybe she should move out once she gets back home. Now that's an idea.

"Okay," she tells her father simply. "I don't really get it, but okay. I'm freeing you now. Go back to fucking Sandra."

"I wasn't - "

"I didn't mean it that way." El permits herself a chuckle that sounds scarily like her father's. "But if you say so, dad."

"I love you," he says.

"Right back atcha. Now, bye." El is itching to hang up, to rest.

"Bye. Say hi to dear Lionel for me."

"Tell Sandra to go easy on you."

"You're really my daughter, aren't you?"

"Not really." And El hangs up.

Her face is a weird mixture of emotions, she realizes, when she sets her phone back down on her bedside table. The floor creaks as she paces to and fro one last time. El's eyebrows are drawn together in confusion, her eyes are watering, her nose is wrinkled in disgust, but her her mouth is turned up into a smile.

This whole going-with-it thing is working out better for her than the lingering-on-it thing. Yeah, her father is a traitor slash dick slash two-timer. But she really does love him and she misses him and he's one of the few people who can make her happy - even if he can be too busy with work sometimes. Her mother is a pathetic puddle of tears right now, but she was...is one of the strongest people El knows. It's just a pain to think about the shape in which the Thropp household will be in when she gets back. To the real world.

El gets under her covers. The real world? It seems this camp has been the real world for weeks. It's been El's real world at least. College? Extra credit? Her future? El isn't ready to get back to that.

Maybe she should move out. At least then, she won't have to live in the wreckage that is her home. She's an adult. She doesn't need her parents anymore. She doesn't need to worry about any of that anymore.

She tugs the blanket tighter over herself, immediately regretting it when it gets hot under there.

Grace mumbles above her, words made incoherent by the veil of sleep. El shuts her eyes. For the first time in a long while, she falls asleep immediately.

_______________________________________

a/n: list form bc why not

• lol this took longer/was shorter/shittier than usual. like u see elisa being like "this chapter is shit lol" and ur like??????no???? but with me u all agree amirite
• how do u think abt el's dad???? and isaac turning over a new leaf kinda?? lots of forgiving in this chapter if i do say so myself B)
• thingy at the tippy top (ew) is a lil "art" i whipped up back when i first did this thing and yeah thats probs the most legendary quote you'll ever see
• even if i kept y'all waiting and this was subpar would u spare me a comment maybe? it would motivate me to write the next chapter :-) (spoiler alert: it's bound to b just as boring as this one) (probs even more boring oops)
• editing is my only savior at this point