Glow (Glimmer and Glow #2)(79)
“There’s more. Next photo,” Brooke said through a tight mouth.
Alice took another long look at the first before moving to the next, however. The photo was of an iron goat perched on a stone pedestal—obviously Camp Wildwood’s legendary Bang. The area behind it was dark and empty. It was clearly the dead of night. Around Bang’s neck was tied the Red Team’s iconic flag. The goat was wearing sunglasses that Alice immediately recognized as Judith’s knock-off Cartiers. Beneath it, three hands held up in the V for victory sign: one large, light brown, clearly masculine, another feminine, paler with long manicured nails, the last small and delicate. Alice suspected she knew to whom all the hands belonged.
Alice swiped her finger on the screen. Her grin widened. This was priceless. Now the common area around Bang was filled with people. The photo showed Noble D, Jill Sanchez, and Judith surrounded by several other teenagers and adults, most of them wearing sweatpants, shorts, T-shirts, and pajamas. They were strangers to Alice. This must be the Camp Wildwood staff and kids. D and Judith appeared to be passing around pizza boxes, Jill handing out cans of soda. The girl’s mouth was open as though she was talking, and she was grinning.
Jill? Talking to strangers with what looked like genuine enthusiasm?
The caption underneath the photo read: How to make trouble and friends at once, Camp Durand–style.
Alice barked with laughter, unable to stop herself despite the fact that she knew Brooke would find her pleasure annoying.
“They gave the kids at Camp Wildwood a pizza party?” she blurted out incredulously.
“After they snuck into camp unnoticed and took their pictures of the goat, proving they could have stolen it if they wanted to,” Brooke said, grabbing her phone back abruptly. She looked mutinous as she met Alice’s stare. “I know you must have set them up to it. It could have easily had the opposite effect, you know. All the managers could have been as pissed as Kehoe is. How did you know they wouldn’t be?”
“I didn’t for sure,” Alice said, shrugging. “The kids wanted the adventure and the challenge, and I thought they should have it. They are supposed to be here to have fun, you know. I just wanted to make sure they did as respectfully and safely as possible.” She nodded at the phone in Brooke’s clutching hand. “They came up with all the other brilliant ideas.”
“Brilliant,” Brooke spat. Alice’s spine straightened, until she noticed that despite Brooke’s bitchiness, tears pooled in her eyes and her lower lip trembled. Alice’s acidic retort evaporated on her tongue.
“What’s wrong?” Alice wondered, confounded by the other woman’s show of vulnerability. Brooke was always in control and smug in her superior knowledge and position. Alice had been intimidated by her from the first moment she laid eyes on her. To see Brooke on the verge of tears shook her a little. “It’s not a big deal, Brooke. They’re just kids, having a good time.”
“It is a big deal,” Brooke corrected in a hushed, but harsh tone. “I can’t win when it comes to you. I can’t beat you because I can’t figure out why everyone is so determined to act like you’re special when you’re really just a grubby, smart-mouthed, low-class—”
“Whoa,” Alice interrupted angrily. She pointed at the other woman in a menacing gesture. “Stop right there.”
Brooke inhaled shakily. A tear skipped down her cheek. “No matter what I do, I can’t beat you. If I don’t make it as a Durand manager, it’ll all be because of you.”
Alice gaped at her in disbelief. “Because of me. That’s ridiculous. First off, there’s no reason you shouldn’t make the cut. Everyone knows you’re a top runner. But if you didn’t make manager, it’d be because you’re more worried about yourself than you are your kids.”
Brooke’s expression broke. Several more tears fell down her cheek. “That’s not true,” she exclaimed shakily. “Do you really think that? I care about my team. A lot.”
Alice stared, seeing the other woman’s genuine dismay at the idea that someone thought she was selfish when it came to her team. She exhaled sharply, resisting a strong urge to roll her eyes. Suddenly feeling awkward, she turned back to pour her coffee. Jeez, she hadn’t even had a single sip of coffee yet, and she had to deal with not just a regular Brooke, but an anguished Brooke. God help her.
“I don’t really think it,” Alice mumbled grudgingly, ripping the paper on a sugar packet and pouring it into her steaming coffee. “I’ve watched you. You’re really good with them. They like you. My student team leader, Judith—you know, the one in the Bang pictures—thinks you’re brilliant, the perfect example of feminine leadership. Compassionate. Strong. Put together. Always unruffled,” Alice said, scowling. It was a truth she’d sworn she’d never confess to anyone, let alone to Brooke, of all people. But it was a fact. During the first week of camp, when Judith and Alice had been grinding against each other at every turn, Judith had made a few pointed remarks within Alice’s hearing about Brooke’s superior pedigree and education in comparison to Alice’s. Now that she knew Judith better, she didn’t think the girl had been doing it solely to annoy her because she knew Brooke was Alice’s nemesis, either. Judith really did respect Brooke.
When Brooke didn’t speak after Alice had ripped open her fourth sugar packet—she didn’t even take sugar in her coffee—she glanced sideways warily. Her eyes sprang wide in alarm.