Kate
Kelly has a couple of brief mentions in Stealing Parker. She attends the
same church as Parker Shelton. Kate has a huge crush on Will Whitfield. Parker
and Will are camp counselors with Kate. Jordan Woods also makes an important
appearance.
"Sometimes
you need to make your own trail."
Kate
Kelly, 18, is a recent high school graduate. She is going to be a camp counselor
at Cumberland Creek Camp for the summer although she feels like she has no
business being one. She only signed up to be working with her best friend,
Emily Mansfield. That was before Emily found out that she was pregnant and her
parents kicked her out of the house when they found out that she had had an
abortion. Now it is too late for Kate to look for another job to make some
money before college starts. She is having a difficult time dealing with her
role in supporting her friend's decision to end her pregnancy. She feels as if
she has committed a sin and Emily doesn't understand that. She hasn't spoken to
her friend in weeks.
On
her first day at the camp, Kate notices a beautiful boy starring at her. He is
carrying his clothes in a laundry basket and has a guitar case. He looks
familiar but Kate cannot place him. During the group introductions, he tells
everyone that his name is Matt and he keeps looking at Kate. Afterwards, she
goes to her car to check her messages but her phone doesn't have a strong
signal. Sitting in the driver's seat while sketching, Kate begins to question
once again who she is without Emily, without soccer; she tore her ACL in the
fall and without her relationship with God, which she felt she lost by helping
Emily. She prays for a sign that she might be forgiven and can eventually
forgive herself. Just then, something hits her car window and Kate hits her head
in surprise. Getting out of her car, she sees Matt picking up his basketball.
He apologizes and asks if she is alright. Fine, Kate says and Matt comments
that she looks familiar. He asks if she has ever been to the camp as a camper.
Suddenly, they recognize one another and begin to catch up. Turns out Matt gave
Kate her one and only kiss when she was eleven years old.
The
counselors spend the next couple of days getting ready for the campers. Kate
and Parker have words when all of the counselors decide to share a cabin
together, boys and girls. Kate believes it would be a sin to sleep in the same
cabin as the boys and she has sinned enough already. Parker is tired of being
judged by others. Alone in her cabin for the night, Kate cries herself to sleep
over the loss of her only friend and how alone she is. She has done everything
the church has told her to do. She is a good girl but somehow she doesn't fit
in. Will has a talk with Kate to let her know how hurt Parker was when her
mother left and everyone at their church turned on her. Kate didn't know. Over
the next several days, she tries to apologize to her. Parker is not quick to
accept Kate. Matt does try to get her to do things and seems to be flirting
with her. Another counselor, Andrea, is trying to get Matt's attention. Kate
overhears her tell her friend Carlie that she fell for him and wishes she knew
how to work things out with him. Carlie tells her that she was a good friend
when he needed one. Carlie tells Kate when she catches her eavesdropping to
mind her own business. Kate takes a walk and sees the boys playing basketball.
Matt makes a score and waves at Kate as she walks by. She waves back and
wonders what exactly Andrea was talking about and what Matt meant when he told
her earlier that she had saved him all of those years ago.
Soon
the youth campers arrive and Kate has her unexpected highs and lows as the
first week progresses. At the talent show, she sees how kind Matt is with some
of the kids and she decides then and there that she wants Matt. When the camp
director calls her in for a meeting, she reprimands her for having difficulties
getting her campers' dinner on time and being late getting the talent show
started. As she is leaving, Kate asks her who told her about her problems.
Andrea had heard from Matt she is told. Leaving, Kate is devastated to hear
Matt sold her out.
Does
Kate find the forgiveness she is seeking? Can she trust people again? Will Kate
be able to repair her friendship with Emily? Does Matt feel the same about Kate
as she does him or is Matt interested in Andrea instead? How did Kate save Matt
the first time they met? Will Kate rethink her "judgmental" attitude
towards others? Can Kate and Parker find friendship?
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