Mr. Sir's Daughter: The Only Girl At Camp Green Lake (Holes fanfic)

Chapter 3

"What did I tell you, boy? Don't speak unless you're spoken to," he scolded him. "And that's Miss Ashley to you."

D-tent laughed.

"He only said what everyone was thinking," Squid joked quietly.

Apparently, he hadn't been quiet enough, because Mr. Sir now had him by the neck of his jumpsuit.

"What's that about my daughter, boy?" he asked, not taking his eyes off of him. He spat a mouthful of sunflower seed shells into the hole not far from where they were standing. "Think she's purdy?"

Squid was lost. If he said yes, Mr. Sir would think he was being a pervert, but if he said no, it would come across as an insult. Miss Ashley put her hands in her pockets and walked toward them. She peered at Squid, who glanced at her.

"Ya'll better not say no now," she said smiling.

"Quiet, Ashley," Mr. Sir shouted. "Don't encourage him!"

His daughter laughed. Squid tried his best to come up with an answer that wouldn't get him into too much trouble.

"Well, Miss Ashley's very beautiful, Sir," he stuttered. "But, uh, with all due respect, I'm not interested."

Miss Ashley nodded, satisfied by what she heard.

"Hell if you are," Mr. Sir warned him. He let go of his collar and watched him stammer back to his hole. Squid shoved Twitch on the way, as he thought it was his fault for mentioning Miss Ashley's beauty in the first place. As Mr. Sir walked back to the truck, he gently slapped his daughter on the back of the head, but she just laughed again. "Encouraging him," he tutted. "Ya like him or something? Well, encourage him all you want. Ain't nothing happening between you two."

Back at their holes, the boys chuckled when they heard Mr. Sir lecturing Miss Ashley.

"Guess she's gotta obey him too, huh," said X-ray.

"I told you," Squid said. "She's a kid, just like us."

The boys had to give him that.

"She seems to have a little crush on you, Squidly. 'Ya'll better not say no now'," Zigzag repeated. He laughed to himself.

"Yeah, too bad you're not allowed to touch her," Armpit put in. "You heard the man."

Squid shook his head as he carried on digging, knowing fully well that Armpit was right.

That night, the boys lay on their cots. Caveman was writing a letter to his mother, just like he had promised to. Zigzag lay on his back holding an old TV guide in front of his face - his lifeline. Everyone at Camp Green Lake had a lifeline. It was something they brought with them to remind them of home. Zigzag had his TV guide, Caveman had a photograph of his parents, Armpit had a catcher's mitt and Squid had a toy octopus. The cuddly marine animal was what had earned Squid his nickname.

Miss Ashley walked across the compound from her father's office and into D-tent.

"Laundry time," she announced when she got inside.

The boys knew the drill. They began to undress, although a couple of them were only half covered already; Squid and Zigzag liked to lounge around with their shirts off. Miss Ashley let her eyes wonder around, glancing at each one. She did this so as not to stare at any certain boy. She didn't have to do all the cleaning in the camp, like she had when she was younger, but it was still her job to do everyone's laundry every three days. She waited patiently for the boys to take their clothes off, holding a basket out for them to throw their things into. When they were done, she went to exit, but turned back, furrowing her eyebrows. She had caught a glimpse of Squid's back.

"Damn, that's a nasty scar," she blurted. "Does it hurt, sweetheart?"

Squid sat down in only his boxer shorts, at which Miss Ashley didn't even bat an eye.

"A little, but I'm fine," he replied.

Zigzag looked at the counsellor with a confused expression. "Excuse me, Miss Ashley, if you don't mind me asking, why is your dad so overprotective of you when we're fully clothed, but he lets you come in here alone and watch us undressing?"

The others broke out into hysterics. Miss Ashley even smiled a bit herself. X-ray reached over and playfully hit his friend.

"Why would you even ask that, Zig?" he questioned him, sniggering.

Zigzag put his hands up. "I mean, she's in here by herself and he knows we're all naked by the time she leaves."

He made a fair point. Miss Ashley tapped her forehead, thinking. "That's a good question, Zigzag. I wish I knew how to answer it." Her reply sent the boys into even more laughter. She smiled at them. "Goodnight, boys."

As she opened the flap door to walk out, the boys hollered behind her,

"Goodnight, Miss Ashley."