“Honey, please come downstairs!” yelled my mother from the kitchen, “It’s time to go.” We were already running fifteen minutes late, and Dad wasn’t even home yet.
“Coming, Mom!” I yelled back.
My family and I were attending Moms’ friend’s party. I guess that my Dad was rushing home from work; he spends so much time there. I ran to the front door, knowing my Mom was probably already pulling out her hair.
“Samantha, what took you soon long? I called you down here a year ago-”.
“Actually Mom, it was ten minutes ago,” I said chuckling.
“Well, you know what I mean,” Mom said impatiently, “Look, I see your father pulling into the driveway. Come on!”
She grabbed my arm and we ran toward the car. Bystanders must have thought that we were having some sort of medical emergency. Sometimes, I feel like the only sane one.
I quietly slipped into the backseat, as Mom sternly spoke to Dad.
After their talk, they entered the car. But before we left Dad nonchalantly said, “Sam, what are you wearing?”
“What?” I replied. I looked down at my outfit and saw nothing wrong with it. My jeans may have a hole or two at the side but I like to wear it that way. Mom turns to look at me. She shook her head before saying, “Sweetie, I said wear a skirt not jeans. We were in such a hurry I didn’t notice. Oh, what will everyone say?” I quickly look out the window, trying to ignore her.
We arrived at the party and talked to some of Mom’s friends and their children. But they don’t talk to me, because I’m not like most eleven year olds. Everyone in town knows my family as the workaholics with a lonely daughter. So people usually stay away. After the party that seemed to drone on, my parents’ tells me I’m going to summer camp.
“Wow, really? That’s great. Thank you!” I said animated.
“Samantha, we’re so glad you’re excited. You’re leaving tomorrow, and sweetie try to make some friends,” Mom said lovingly.
“Sure Mom, good night.”
When I got to camp I saw tons of kids. They already seemed to know each other so I stood close to a tree. The first few days were really boring and I felt even lonelier. Although I was surrounded by kids my age I wasn’t enjoying myself. I heard people making fun of me and then I really wanted to go home. Everywhere I went, I felt lonely.
On the fourth day, I decided to take a walk. I looked around and saw that there were many trees; they were really plush and green. I heard birds chirping so I looked up, and I saw blue jays. There was also a sparkling lake that seemed to just go on. As I was getting lost in my surroundings, I felt a presence near me.
“Hey,” said a girl about my age, “I’m Macy. What’s your name?”
“I’m Samantha, but you can call me Sam,” I replied. She was wearing a bright summer sundress and had bouncy black hair. She seemed nice enough.
“So where are you from?” Macy asked. We talked for the rest of the day and found that we were much alike. Macy and I became fast friends. A few days later we went swimming in the glistening lake.
“Look,” Macy said, “The lily pads float in the water!”
“Yeah, but where are the frogs?”
“Hmm… we should make our own frogs,” Macy suggested enthusiastically.
“What do you mean?” I asked her.
I seriously thought she had lost her mind. We did have a lot in common but I found her imagination to be a lot more vivid that mine.
“You know, like an imaginary world,” she explained, “A place where only you and I can see.”
As fun as that sounded, I felt that my imagination wasn’t good enough for that. But I didn’t want burst her bubble.
“Macy, that’s a really cool idea.” But unlike my parents she seemed to see through my facade.
“Samantha, haven’t you ever wanted to go somewhere that you could be happy? Where you could be anyone? I’ve always been the lonely girl with the parents that worked too much. In my imagination I can be anything.”
What she said sounded just like my predicament. We were alike in more ways than I could count. “Okay, Macy. I’m in! Let’s go imagine a world where butterflies glow,” I said merrily.
“That’s the spirit!” We jumped into the lake.
The next day we exchanged ideas and that’s when Maciantha was born. We figured going with a name that had both of our names, was a good idea. We were the only ones who could see it. Macy and I spotted magical frogs that could talk, and boats that sailed in the sky. Every night we would bring a candle and stand over a patch of singing dandelions, while we would whisper our secret anthem. I’m sure the other campers thought we were crazy, but it didn’t matter. I had loads of fun. Each day I felt a little less lonely.
On the last day of camp, Macy and I locked up our land.
“We should do this again next year,” I said to Macy. Then I saw my Dad pull up to the camp.
“Yeah, I had a blast!” Macy replied. I guess I grew an imagination this summer.
“Sammy, how was camp?” Dad asked while ruffling my bright red hair.
“Maciantha was so much fun! I want to come back next year,” I said.
“What?” Dad said looking confused, “I thought it was called Camp Sunshine.”
“It is,” I replied knowingly. I laughed because he would never know. It was all in my imagination, and Macy taught me that with a great imagination you could never be lonely.