****
Everyone returned home crashing on their beds curled up in their blankets. They came up with a plan. The perfect lie which had to be airtight.
If even one parent smelled a hint of suspicion, the whole Mirage Island trip would be dead before it started.
Jayden opened his laptop on the treehouse floor Saturday morning, the others crowded around. "We're making this look official, we need fake camp Flyers, emails, texts, hope this works."
Zoe leaned over. "And phone calls, My mom will believe it if she hears a friendly teacher voice."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Are you volunteering to be that teacher voice?"
Zoe smirked. "Nope, of course not, That's Jayden's job."
Jayden grinned. "Don't worry, I've been prank calling telemarketers since I was ten, This will be easy."
---
They worked in shifts.
Step one: The flyer.
Ash sketched a cheerful camp logo, a sunrise over pine trees, with "Inter-School Adventure Camp" written in bold blue letters. They filled the page with stock photos of kids kayaking and roasting marshmallows, and typed up fake details about "team-building activities" and "collaboration with partner schools."
Zoe handled the wording. She made it sound just boring enough that no parent would want to tag along.
Step two: The email.
Jayden created a fake email account that looked like it belonged to one of their real teachers, even adding the school's crest as the profile picture. He sent out personalized messages to each parent:
> "We're excited to inform you that your child has been selected to attend the Inter-School Adventure Camp, running from Friday to Sunday next week…"
They added lines about "limited parent attendance due to safety protocols" and "no cell service at camp."
Step three: The text message.
Mira typed those out herself, making them short and rushed, like the teachers were swamped with preparations:
> "Reminder: Camp permission slips due tomorrow, Packing list: sleeping bag, warm clothes, flashlight, sturdy shoes, blankets, notebooks, camera, ."
She sent them from an online texting service that let her spoof a local number.
Step four: The phone call.
That night, Jayden put on his best "responsible adult" voice and called each house, reading from a script they'd written.
"This is Mr. Daniels from Willow Creek High, Just confirming your child's attendance at the Inter-School Adventure Camp next weekend.... Uh Yes, they'll be traveling with students from other schools... Yes, staff will supervise at all times...Yes, it's perfectly safe."
---
Still, they knew some parents would hesitate. That's where the emotional push came in.
Mira started with her mom.
"I know things have been… rough," she said carefully, "but this might be the last time I get to do something like this with my friends before high school gets crazy."
Her mom frowned. "You'll see your friends all summer."
"Not like this," Mira said, letting her voice wobble just enough. "It's… I don't know. We've been through a lot together. I just want to end the year on a good note, remember those nuns might not like let see them.. please mom..."
Her mom hesitated, then sighed. "Alright. But you call me the moment you get there."
---
Zoe played a different angle.
"You're always telling me I need to be more social," she told her mom. "This is literally that. And you trust the school, right?"
Her mom nodded slowly. "I do…"
"Then trust me. Please. It will definitely mean a lot."
By the end of the conversation, Zoe's mom had not only agreed. she even offered to buy Zoe new hiking boots for the trip.
---
Leo went for guilt.
"You remember when you said I don't try enough?" he asked his dad. "Well… this is me trying stepping out of my comfort zone, teamwork, sports, all that stuff you're always on about."
His dad's mouth tightened, but he nodded. "Alright. Don't make me regret it."
Leo smiled through clenched teeth. "Promise."
---
Ash didn't have to fake much.
His foster parents were so relieved to see him "enthusiastic" about something that they didn't even question it. "We're proud of you," his foster mom said, hugging him. He felt a stab of guilt, but it didn't change his decision.
---
Jayden went last.
"This is the kind of stuff I'll remember when I'm old," he told his parents. "Not homework or chores but about being with my friends before we all split up."
His mom looked at him for a long time, and for a second he thought she was going to say no. But then she smiled faintly. "Fine...But take pictures. Lots of them."
---
The next day, on his way to meet the others, Jayden rounded a corner and nearly collided with someone.
"Oh...sorry..." he started, and then froze.
It was Lisa. Lisa with the perfect hair, perfect laugh, and the habit of never noticing him.
She smiled. "Hey, Jayden."
"Uh...hi..." He stammered so badly he sounded like a dial up modem. His ears and cheeks burned, and in his panic to get away before he said something stupid, he bolted down the hall.
He didn't notice the folded Mirage Island flyers slip from his pocket and land on the floor behind him.
What's this?.. Lisa picked one flyer leaving one behind
---
The group gathered in the school's cheerleading hall, the one room no one ever used between games.
"Well?" Mira asked.
"All green lights," Zoe said, grinning.
"My dad bought me energy bars," Leo added. "Ironic, considering…"
Ash just nodded.
"Then it's official," Jayden said.
They stood in a circle, hands joined. Zoe counted them in. "One… two… three..."
"MIRAGE ISLAND, HERE WE COME!" they shouted together, jumping in unison.
---
Unknown to them, Windy the most notoriously rude girl in school stood just outside the doorway with her cheer squad. She'd heard every word.
She stooped, snatched up the fallen flyer from the hallway, and smirked.
"Girls," she said, "get your bags ready. We're joining them."
The other cheerleaders exchanged curious looks.
Windy twirled the flyer in her fingers. "And if they don't want us to? Well… I think I just found something worth blackmailing them over."
She laughed, already planning her moves.
---
Far out at sea, Mirage Island shifted again.
The tide whispered against its black sand.
And if the island had a heart, it would have been beating faster.
---