Welcome, welcooome to Camp Siman Tov! Where each girl is a gem, where it’s ‘us’ and not ‘them,’ and it’s meeee I learn to love!”

Huvy looked up from her bed as Dini walked into the bunkhouse, singing loudly. The other girls following her joined in; Gabriella’s revised song had caught on like wildfire. Ever since she’d taught it to them this morning, they’d been singing nonstop.

“When we learn just to try, and to shoot for the sky, we all have the power to flyyyy!”

The girls pumped their fists into the air, just as they’d done at the shoot this afternoon. Only Huvy didn’t get up from her bed.

She hadn’t known what to make of this whole reshoot thing. Gabriella had come in that morning and told the girls they’d decided to redo the opening scene, with different words and choreography.

While some girls had grumbled at first, Huvy had thought it was a great idea. The opening scene had been so tacky. It was a relief, hearing the new words Gabriella taught them. Yeah, this way was much better.

But there’d been something strange in Gabriella’s expression, something hurried in her manner as she’d hastily walked them through their rehearsals and then rushed to the filming. It all seemed very odd… Until she’d overheard Connor ask Gabriella when Rina was expected back, and seen Gabriella glance at her watch and say in a low voice, “Not until nightfall, I’d imagine. But let’s get this done with as quickly as possible, just in case.”

And then Huvy had understood. This was being done behind her mother’s back.

The rest of the shoot had passed in a blur, as she’d gone through the motions, pasted a smile on her face, and then, as soon as it was over, quickly run back to her bunk. Blessedly alone, she’d flopped onto her bed, hiding her head under her pillow. There was so much to think about, but she didn’t want to think. She didn’t want to have to deal with where her thoughts would lead.

The blessed silence didn’t last too long. And now, with the rest of the girls prancing around and belting out the new song — the renegade version — Huvy’s lack of participation didn’t go unnoticed. After they’d finished their rendition, and collapsed into giggling heaps, Dini broke away from the group and walked over to Huvy’s bed.

Huvy looked at her warily. Dini rarely spoke to her, and Huvy just tried to stay out of the popular girl’s way. It was what she’d been doing all her life.

“Hey, whatsamatter?” Dini drawled. “Why’re you just lying there? Miss your mommy?”

Huvy’s heart beat faster. “No,” she mumbled.

“Come on, Dini, you know she never hangs out with the rest of us,” Malka said. “Thinks she’s too good for us, I bet, being the daughter of the producer.” She tossed her hair. “Some of us got in on our own talent, of course.”

(Excerpted from Family First, Issue 611)