Flamingoes Forever? (Full House: Club Stephanie) - Softcover

Clark, Kathy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0671021591 ISBN 13: 9780671021597

Publisher: Simon Spotlight, 1999

Synopsis

When Stephanie and her friends compete in three challenging races against the other campers, she desperately wants her team to win the grand prize, but when Rene gets into trouble during the mountain bike competition, Stephanie must decide whether to save a fellow Flamingo or save the race. Original.

About this title

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter One

"I can't believe there's only one week left in our Super Summer Adventure!" Stephanie Tanner told her friend Darcy Powell. She picked up her backpack and tossed it on the bed in her hostel room.

"What's the matter, Steph?" Darcy's dark eyes twinkled. "Are you missing Tim already?"

Stephanie had gotten a crush on Tim Bennett the moment she met him at the beginning of the Summer Adventure three weeks ago. They were a couple now -- and Stephanie wanted to spend as much time with him as possible!

"Yes, I'll miss Tim," Stephanie admitted. She pushed her blond bangs out of her face. "But I'm also going to miss the great time we've been having on this trip. We've been camping, hiking, rafting -- we can't do that back in San Francisco."

"I know one thing I won't miss," her other friend, Allie Taylor, grumbled. She wrapped a scrunchie around her light brown hair. "I won't miss the Flamingoes."

The Flamingoes were a group of stuck-up girls from Stephanie's school back home. Back when she was in sixth grade, Stephanie was invited to join the exclusive group. She turned them down -- and the Flamingoes had never forgiven her. Stephanie -- and her friends Darcy, Allie, Kayla Norris, and Anna Rice thought they would be leaving the Flamingoes behind on their fabulous summer adventure trip -- but then it turned out the Flamingoes had signed up, too!

"You can say that again," Anna said. "Especially now that Rene has arrived." Rene Salter was the Flamingo leader. She was in Europe for the first three weeks of Super Summer Adventure -- but just arrived on the bus that morning!

"Pink alert," Kayla warned. She looked out the doorway of their hostel room. "Look who's coming."

"Hello, girls." Rene posed in the doorway of their room, wearing tight pink shorts and a pink headband to match. Pink was the Flamingoes' absolutely favorite color. "Lovely day we're having, isn't it?" she chirped.

"It was a lot lovelier before we saw you," Anna pointed out.

"Charming as always, I see," Rene shot back. "Listen, girls, I just want to put you on notice. Up until now my friends have been pretty nice to you this summer. Almost totally friendly. But if you do anything to cross me, you'll have an all-out war on your hands. Got it?" Without waiting for an answer, Rene flounced off down the hall.

"'Pretty nice,' huh," Darcy grumbled. "The Flamingoes idea of 'pretty nice' is to puncture our raft so we almost drown and to give us the wrong map so we get lost in the wilderness. I'd like to know what Rene's idea of 'mean' is. Tossing us in a pool of hungry piranhas, maybe."

"Oh, never mind her." Stephanie laughed. "We're all together again -- let's just have a good time." She beamed at Allie. Just that morning Stephanie thought Allie was leaving the trip. Allie wasn't much of an athlete, and the Super Summer Adventure had been really difficult and strenuous. But Allie had changed her mind about going -- and Stephanie was thrilled.

"Hi, folks." Counselor Gail Prescott stuck her head in the doorway. As usual, her long brown hair was pulled tightly back into a ponytail. "I'd like to welcome you back to the group, Allie." She gave Allie a big smile. "Are you all ready to go?" she asked. "The van will be leaving in thirty minutes."

"What's our next adventure?" Stephanie asked Gail.

"It's a surprise," Gail answered. "I'll explain it all tonight. Right now, start packing." She went down the hall to notify the next group of campers.

Stephanie looked at her friends, noticing how much they'd all changed, over the last few weeks.

They all seemed stronger somehow. Even delicate Allie appeared more muscular. And though they used sunblock, they were all lightly tanned. Anna had even more freckles on her face than usual. Even Darcy's already-brown skin had deepened in color. They looked like the healthy campers they'd become this summer.

Kayla's long blond braid swung forward as she put on a beaded choker she'd bought in town. "Dave says we'll be heading for southern Utah," she said, reporting her chat with another of the counselors.

"Can you believe this will be our last challenge?" Darcy asked.

"I wonder what it's going to be," Anna remarked, slipping some silver bangles onto her arm.

"I have a feeling they've saved the best for last," Stephanie replied. She pulled her clothing from a drawer and stuffed it in her backpack. "I'm psyched!"

By five that afternoon their group of about forty campers arrived at the national park in Utah. Stephanie peered out the van windows in awe. Look at these mountains, she marveled to herself. The sky is bigger and bluer here than anywhere else we've been.

Peering through the dense trees, she saw something sparkling. A lake.

A lake and mountains, Stephanie thought. What kind of adventure involves both? She couldn't wait to find out!

It took a few hours for the campers to set up the campsite and cook the evening meal. After supper Stephanie and her friends went back to their two-person tents to clean up.

Another camper, Roberta, came running up. "Hey, guys, the counselors want us around the campfire," she reported. "I think this is the big moment. They're going to tell us what's happening next."

Stephanie grabbed a flashlight and tier sweatshirt and followed Roberta. "Come on," she called to her friends.

Darcy was right behind her. "I'm dying to hear what they have to say," she exclaimed.

"So am I," Stephanie agreed.

The counselors had prepared a roaring campfire inside a stone-ringed circle. Other campers were already gathered around it. Stephanie and her friends settled down on a big log. Across the campfire sat the Flamingoes, their faces barely visible in the flickering light.

Stephanie scanned the area for Tim -- and spotted him nearby. He raised his hand to wave to her. Even in the firelight he looked handsome, with his blond hair and athletic build. Stephanie smiled and waved back.

"Hurry and settle down!" Dave instructed them. He stood by the fire along with Gail and another counselor with tight blond curls named Molly. "We have a lot to talk about," he added.

A murmur of excitement ran through the group.

"Okay, here's the scoop," Gail began. "Our next event will be a triathlon competition. We're calling it the Super Teen Triathlon."

Great title, Stephanie thought. But I'm not sure if I'm exactly a super teen!

"The event will consist of windsurfing, horseback riding, and mountain biking," Gail continued.

At the mention of mountain biking, Darcy shot Stephanie a happy look. Stephanie signaled back with a thumbs-up. She and Darcy both loved to bike and they were good at it. Stephanie wasn't as sure about windsurfing and horseback riding, though. She'd tried them both several times, but she wasn't exactly an expert.

"Don't worry, you'll get plenty of instruction," Molly reassured the campers. "If you're inexperienced at any of these sports, we'll show you the ropes."

"Now, wait until you hear this," Gail cut in. "The winners of the Super Teen Triathlon win get to take a ride in a hot air balloon!"

"Cool!" Darcy gasped. Stephanie clutched Allie's arm in excitement. She'd never been up in a hot air balloon, but it would be great to try it!

"Will we compete individually, or are we going to be divided into teams?" Tim called out.

"You'll all be on five-person teams," Dave explained. "So choose your teams now, get a good night's rest, and we'll see you all in the morning."

Stephanie didn't have to think about who her teammates would be. They were all sitting beside her. Without a word she and her friends draped their arms around one another.

"Can you imagine us all in a balloon?" Allie cried.

"You -- in a balloon!" Rene hooted from across the campfire. Stephanie could see Cynthia Hanson, Jenny Lyons, Darah Judson, and Mikki Dior close ranks around Rene. Together they glared at Stephanie and her friends. "Those girls actually think they can win this," Rene said in a voice meant to be overheard.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Stephanie said loudly. She got up and led the way back to their tents.

"Those Flamingoes are such a pain," Darcy growled when the group was out of hearing distance.

"Sometimes I think their only aim in life is to bug us."

"Just like mosquitoes." Stephanie bit her lip.

"You know -- if they beat us at this triathlon, they'll never let us forget it."

Allie nodded. "You can say that again."

"We'd never live it down," Kayla agreed.

So you know what that means, guys," Stephanie went on. A steely determination rose up within her.

"We've got to win -- any way we can!"

Copyright © and ™ 1999 by Warner Bros.

About this edition

• Publisher: Simon Spotlight
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0671021591
• ISBN 13: 9780671021597
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 144