When Saturn Returns | Jerrie

Chapter 6

JADE

The rumble of Jade's stomach echoes against the rocky walls of the cave. She sighs and sits up to take a sip of water, hoping it will trick her stomach into thinking it is full. She and Mary got a couple of bites of rice and beans for dinner, but it wasn't enough to still their famish after the intense trial they had endured.

The trial was physically quite challenging, especially for Jade. She took on more than Mary because she is younger and fitter. She is proud of them for earning as many stars as they did though and she hopes that the others will appreciate their efforts.

They weren't told beforehand that they would be banished from camp so it was quite a surprise to them when they were. Not that she thinks they would've done anything differently had they known. They still would've tried to get as many stars as they could.

Now, Jade lies on her back on the hard rocks in the sleeping bag she was provided with and stares at the rocks above her. The cave only has one bed and she offered it to Mary, who needs it more than her. She will survive sleeping on the floor for a night, even though she already knows she will feel sore tomorrow. She hopes that it will only be one night and that they will be reunited with their campmates tomorrow. And Jade with her uncomfortable cot.

"Was that your stomach?" Mary's soft voice suddenly fills the silence.

"Yeah, sorry," Jade apologizes.

"Don't worry," Mary says. "I just wondered if it was your stomach or thunder."

Jade laughs at that. When she thinks about it, with the echo of the cave, it did sound a bit like thunder. "Nope, just my stomach," she says.

"There's some rice left if you want," Mary offers, but Jade declines. Yes, she's hungry, but she knows that another bite of rice will only make her feel worse. Hopefully, they'll get more food tomorrow. If only she can just fall asleep. But the rock under her sticks up into her back in an uncomfortable way and she surrenders herself to an extremely long and uncomfortable night.

To distract herself and pass the time she starts playing songs in her head. It has helped her fall asleep before, helps her keep her thoughts in check and not ruminate about anything and everything, slowly giving in to the dark abyss of sleep.

They were on a high from their performance. Adrenaline still rushing through their veins when they exited the stage after their encore.

"Oh, I love you girls," Perrie exclaimed as she pulled the other two girls in for a post-performance hug. As she let go of them, Jade could've sworn her hand lingered on her back a little longer than necessary. But she could have easily imagined it. Or maybe it was unintentional. Jade took a deep breath and told herself not to get her hopes up. It didn't mean anything.

She mentally shook herself out of it and followed the others to their dressing room. As soon as she entered, music started blasting from the little portable speaker Leigh-Anne always brought. Saweetie's music filled the room and Leigh-Anne started singing and dancing along as she started her post-performance routine.

Perrie had perched herself on one of the sofas with her nose already buried in her phone, probably texting Alex. It irritated Jade when she got like this. They weren't very clingy necessarily. Their relationship had been difficult lately because of their jobs. With both of them constantly travelling, they didn't get to see each other often, but when they were texting or on the phone with each other, it was like she was in another world.

Jade sighed and started her own post-performance routine, taking off her make-up before taking a quick shower and changing into more comfortable clothes.