Chapter one:

I groan as I get into my car. Two of the most annoying guys in my class are walking up to me. This is the last day of our junior year and I have been able to avoid them all day.

I am just a plain girl, who made the mistake of showing some interest in one of the guys who graduated this year. That was years ago now, but they have made me regret it ever since. I also have a rather large secret; I am telepathic. Only my grandmother knows about that. I have always been able to read minds. I didn't find out the name of the condition until I was looking for a book in the library one day and came across a supernatural encyclopedia.

I just want to go home and start packing for the week ahead. I am going to confirmation camp with some kids from church.

"Hi Sookie, I haven't seen you all day. Where have you been hiding your hot self?" Jason leans against my hood. His crony, Hoyt stands at my window. 'You are so stupid; you don't even know that we are laughing behind your back.' Jason thinks. Hoyt's mind was lost in a fantasy of us in bed. The boy has been infatuated with me, since I started developing. He is just a coward, hiding behind Jason for years.

"Let me think, Jason. Oh yeah, you had your tongue down Crystal's throat most of the day. So, seeing as you were extremely busy doing that, I just stayed out of your way. See you in the fall." I roll up my window and start my car.

When I get home, I have another battle on my hands. My uncle, Dermot has decided that he does not like me going to camp. Too bad, I'll be gone before he even gets home tomorrow night. I am staying at my aunt's and we are leaving after church on Sunday for Zion.

I don't really care what the week entails; I can handle any religious stuff, if it means a week away from my family. It's not like I'll see most of these people again.

"We will be there in ten minutes. You can pick out your bed and unpack before we meet up with the rest of our group." My pastor tells me and the other girl that was traveling with us. The rest of our confirmation group was riding in the three other cars driven by the other chaperones.

We were going to a church camp in rural New Hampshire for a week, where we are going to meet up with two other groups from Pastor's home state of Rhode Island.

We unload our stuff and find out that we will be staying in the converted barn. I end up sharing a bunk room with four other girls. Three of which, are from R.I. I end up bonding with one girl, named Pam. We discuss life back in our respected hometowns, and then we walk out of the barn to investigate the campground.

We end up sitting down on log benches by the lake, when a group of kids walk up to us. They all look like they are our age. Three of the guys are good looking, especially the tall boy, named Eric. His hair is short in the back on longer on top. His eyes are ocean blue and he has a slim build but I could see through his tee that he has some muscle definition, similar to a swimmer's. I am not the only one drooling. Pam is making eyes at one of his friends. I don't even know why I look anymore, I never have a chance. The good looking ones are always taken. One of those girls has to be his girlfriend; a couple of them are mooning all over him. Turns out they are part of the other group that was with us. 'I think I am in love. Who is that? I hope I can convince her to get to know me.' One of the guys thinks. I am not focusing, so I don't know who.

They begin asking me to say certain things, apparently my accent is funny. They ask if they can walk us back to the barn. I shoo Pam to go with them. "I'm going to sit on the beach for a while." I walk down toward the sand and sit, looking at the water. As the sun sets, I realize that I still have the short denim vest on, when I shiver a little.

"Here you go." A deep voice says softly. I look over; I didn't realize that someone was with me. Eric is sitting next to me, looking at the lake also. He had draped his sweatshirt over my shoulders. When I stand and stretch, he gets up too.

"I could not leave you out here alone. You looked like you were sad about something." He moves a strand of my hair away from my face.

"Many things, but that is neither here or there. Thanks for waiting for me. I would have spoken to you if I had known someone was with me." I smile at him as we walk back through the woods.

A couple days later, during a break, we are all relaxing at the beach. I am reclining on my towel, when Eric, his twin brother Alcide and their friend Sam come by. Sam parks himself on my towel, after asking permission. Eric sits on Pam's and Alcide asks to sit on Amanda's. Eric keeps staring over at me. I turn down my Walkman, so I can hear the conversation without making it obvious. They are just talking about inane topics, so I go back to my radio.

Sam turns to me, taps me on the leg and asks to talk to me alone. I stand and walk after him. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is going down a familiar road. We walk down the path a ways, before Sam starts to speak.

"Look Sook, I rather not do this for him but," He starts. I raise my eyebrow. Just what I thought, these people don't know me from Adam, so I feel better about sticking up for myself.

"Sam, I swear if you are going to try and pull something over me by telling me that someone "Likes me" you can just stop now. I've heard enough over the years. I didn't come here to meet someone, but if it happens then fine, if that person has the guts to talk to me themselves. That being, if someone does like me at all. I fully understand that I am plain. There is no need to rub it in. I thought that you were a nice man; I am saddened to find out the reverse. Now please excuse me, I'm going to gather my stuff, change and maybe find some place to read until dinner." I cut him off. I turn around and stalk off to gather my stuff.

'She thinks she is plain? If I was not so attracted to Pam, I would go for her in a second. Hasn't she seen all the guys here just watching her every chance they get and drooling? Eric is head over heels for her and I might have just messed it up for him. Damn! He's going to kill me.'

Everyone turns to see my grab my towel and Walkman and march off in a huff, muttering about people who can't leave well enough alone. Sam tries to apologize to me when I pass him; I glare at him and stomp by as the tears well up in my eyes.

Pam catches up to me, when I need to stop for traffic. The tears are coming down now. "What the hell was that about, Sook? Wait… are you crying? What did that jerk say to you? I'm going to kill him." 'I was going to give him my number, but not now. He hurt my best friend. Poor Sookie, she doesn't need a shithead picking on her.'

I thank her for being a good friend. "It's just that shit happens to me all the time at home. The guys all pretend to like me and then they make me look like a fool for believing them. I get that I am not the prettiest girl out there, but I have found no one that wants to be with me. I've only had one boyfriend and that lasted all of three months, he didn't even kiss me." I crash back against our bunk.

She looks at me incredulously. "That does it! We are giving you a make-over for the dance. Then maybe you will see what others see. You are one of the prettiest girls at this camp." Pam cries out and jumps off the top. We use the rest of our free moments practicing dances and trying on a whole bunch of clothes. Amanda and the two of us pass clothes around the room.

Once we get our outfits planned out. Pam moves on to playing with my hair. "You have such great hair Sook; I'm having so much fun curling it." She squeals. When Pam has gotten done, my blonde hair is a mass of corkscrew curls; I have shadow enhancing my blue/grey eyes; my lips are painted a soft shining pink. I look different.

I look at my watch, the dance starts after Vespers. I am not changing into my dance clothes until then. So we head to Vespers. I can feel the stares and hear the whispers behind me.

"Pam, what are they muttering about?"

"That my dear would be you. No one recognizes you. Pam strikes again. Look out here comes Sam."

"Hi Pam, where's Sookie? It's our group's turn to serve. Her pastor wants her to serve the common cup. Plus, Eric's looking for her." I nod my head but don't say anything. Pam had told me to make him sweat. I walk away before he can ask my name. I sit on the bench/pew with Amanda and Arlene.

Pastor sees me and I nod when she mouths to me about the cup. When the time comes, I walk up and serve the wine. I notice that Sam and Eric join my line. I say my line to every person, a small smile on my lips.

At the end of the service, after the benediction, Pam and I beat feet back to the barn to change clothes and do our makeup.