Page 30 of Disharmony

They giggle, but I’m not laughing as I march across the studio. I’m slim but tower over the three of them, and their smiles fade when they see the thunderous look on my face.

“Say it again,” I demand, placing my hands on my hips and wishing I had my pepper spray. “What did you say about my mom?”

Has something been leaked online about what happened, or do they have nothing better to do than trash talk peoples’ families? Either way, I can’t stand bullies.

“Nothing,” a girl replies innocently. “You must be hearing things.”

“The only thing I’m hearing is bullshit,” I snarl. “Does Camp Harmony teach lessons on how to be a bitch? If they do, you’ll be top of the fucking class.”

Desiree notices the confrontation and hurries over.

“What’s going on?” Desiree intervenes, looking between me and the others. Her lips purse into a narrow disapproving line. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” I say through gritted teeth.

The others smirk, thinking they’ve won.

Damn it, I shouldn’t have let them get a rise outta me. They want to push me until I snap. They don’t like outsiders and want me gone. No matter what they say, I have to try and keep my cool next time.

* * *

After dancing all morning, my limbs ache, but I’m starting to become more accustomed to the pace and Desiree’s expectations. It’s relentless, but the harder I push my body, the better I feel. Much like any exercise, the pain after is a satisfying way to know you’ve worked your ass off.

After heading back to the cabin for a quick shower before lunch, I head to the mess hall and my phone buzzes with a text from Cookie.

Cookie: Wanna eat together? Mess hall in 10 mins?

I’m already there but decide to wait for Cookie to arrive. After confronting the girl in dance class, I’m not going inside without reinforcements. I hang out by the side of the building and notice Claudia—one of the staff members who I met on my first day—struggling to carry a crate of cans back into the kitchen.

“Hey!” I call out. “Do you need a hand?”

She looks up in surprise. “You wanna help?”

“Sure,” I say, going to assist. “Two hands are better than one, right?”

Together we share the load and lug it through a door in the back of the building then down to a store cupboard. We pass through the huge kitchen where delicious smells waft from the pans cooking on the stoves.

Claudia wipes her hands on her apron when we’re done. She’s pretty with a curly brown bob and a warm smile. “Thanks for the help, Ash.”

“Anytime,” I say. “It’s the least I can do. You guys cook the best food.”

“Thanks.” She beams. “How are you settling in?”

“I’m finding my feet,” I say. “Just about.”

Well, if you don’t include getting dragged into a rivalry with a bitch who thinks she’s guaranteed a spot in the final show.

“If you ever need a snack, run back here,” Claudia replies with a cheeky wink. “I owe you one.”

“Hey boss.” A kid no older than twelve runs over to her. His smile disappears when he sees me. “Oh, I didn’t realize you were—”

“It’s fine,” Claudia reassures him. “Ash, this is my brother, Kelly. We both come here to work in the summer.”

I raise my eyebrows. “You’re the boss?”

“Sure am.” She grins proudly. “It’s my second year out of culinary school. People here may not know it, but I’m a pretty big deal.”

“They’re all too busy tripping over their own egos to notice what other people are doing, so I wouldn’t take it personally,” I say.

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