I know she's in pain, yet I can't help but stare at her. She looks like she's just calmly sleeping, dreaming about who knows what.
And, even though I don't want to acknowledge this certain category of thoughts, I can't help admire her. How pretty s...
With a loud sputter, the truck starts moving. The pink-haired girl begins recording all of us again. I don't do well on cameras so just stay quiet and smile, avoiding everyone's eyes.
I'm just socially awkward, you can't blame me.
She rotates her phone to the dark-skinned boy and asks him how he got here. He awkwardly replies, saying that he beat a video game to be here, and that his name is Darius Bowman.
He must be really good to win that to get here. I think to myself. I'm just imagining how hard and long it would take. Now I kind of feel guilty for Uncle Masrani just getting me an invitation like it's nothing when other kids would have to persevere.
"I'm sorry—" the Texan girl suddenly interrupts, both my thoughts and Darius talking. "But I can't believe you're really Brooklyn! I'm Sammy Gutierrez, total Brooklander. She shakes Brooklyn's hand eagerly and makes finger guns. "Pow, pow!"
"Er, what's a Brooklander?" asks Darius with a face full of confusion.
"Oh it's what my followers call themselves." Brooklyn casually explains.
"There's like 27 million of us!" exclaims Sammy
The athletic girl comments with a slightly sarcastic voice, "Yeah she's famous. That's why she's the only one who gets to keep her phone."
I still don't know who she is, so I'm dubbing her as 'Track Star'. Thanks for the nickname, Dave.
"Hold on, rich and famous?" Kenji says, a dawning smirk on his face. He's definitely up to no good. "Oh meant to be." He grabs Brooklyn's phone and snaps a picture of them both. Kenji even puckers his lips and I flinch, putting my head in my hands in second-hand embarrassment.
'Barfy' shoots me a curious look.
Then he pukes more out of the edge of the truck. I don't want to be rude, so I don't move further, but I do shift in my seat uncomfortably.
I really want to help him (Not just so that I won't feel squeamish, haha, where did you get that idea?), but I don't know how.
Suddenly the tires screech and we stop. Dave and Roxie get out of the car and look for the animal that went past the front of our car.
Everyone watches them, except for 'Barfy'. He stays inside, firmly sitting and shutting his eyes close tight.
Scanning the greenery with squinted eyes, I hear the leaves rustle
"Uhh guys..? Guys? Guys!" Darius worries.
"AAH!" We all yelp
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A Compy jumps out and leaps onto Darius. Everyone yells. 'Barfy' leaps out of the car in surprise and fright.
Dave and Roxie abruptly capture the Compy with a cat carrier and a towel.
