Camp Idol

Episode 12

"What's gone?" Kole asked again.

"Someone took it," Tanner ignored his question. "Okay, who's been borrowing my stuff without asking?"

"Hey, don't look at us," Axel threw his hands in the air.

"Ugh," Tanner groaned. "NICKY!"

"What's going on?" Cori saw Nicky step out of the bathroom and join him on the landing.

"Have you been taking my stuff again without asking?" Tanner eyed him accusingly.

"No, but obviously you've been taking mine," Nicky laughed, tugging at the denim jacket Tanner was wearing.

"Whatever," Tanner shrugged him off and went on. "So you didn't take my necklace?"

"What necklace?" Nicky looked at him.

"The one with the silver arrow," Tanner said impatiently.

"Haven't seen it," said Nicky. "Are you sure you packed it?"

"Yes," Tanner rolled his eyes. "It was on my dresser and now it's gone. You really didn't borrow it?"

"No," Nicky promised.

"Well, somebody did," said Tanner, suddenly turning to the railing and glaring down into the kitchen.

Cori felt a lump immediately form in her stomach as all of Miracle 10 stared at her.

"I- I didn't take it!" she breathed.

"So it's just a coincidence that as soon as you show up, it goes missing?" Tanner narrowed his eyes.

"Why would I take it?" Cori frowned as everyone continued to watch her.

"Oh, I don't know. Because you like me?" said Tanner arrogantly. "And it's worth five grand."

"Tanner! I would never steal from you!" Cori looked around pleadingly. "From any of you! Besides, where would I put it? It's not like I have anything here but my clothes! What do you think, I hid it in my shorts?"

"Sounds like you've really thought this out," Tanner gritted his teeth.

"Now come on, Tanner," Nicky tried to help, but Tanner spun around and disappeared into his room, returning moments later with Cori's pair of shorts.

"It's not here," he frowned, turning out the pockets.

"That's because I didn't take it!" Cori exclaimed.

"Then where is it?" Tanner glared from the balcony.

"It's got to be in your room," cried Cori, racing up the steps and into Tanner's room. "I saw it on your dresser the other night. I'm sure it's still there somewhere."

Cori frantically fumbled through the bottles on the desk as the rest of Miracle 10 piled into the room. Playing back the moment she had last seen Tanner's necklace in her head, she feverishly scanned the area.

"I put it right here," she thought, recalling the moment she had almost tried it on. "Where is it?" Cori panicked, not seeing the pendant anywhere. "Where is it?" she desperately picked up Tanner's cologne bottles again, hoping fiercely that she had just overlooked it. However, to her greatest dismay, there was still no necklace to be found.

"I don't understand," Cori said breathlessly, glancing back at the guys. "It was right here."

For the most part, they were still gazing at her, curiously unsure, but Tanner's look was one of pure anger. He crossed his arms, completely unconvinced.

"Really!" Cori sweated and turned back to the dresser to look again, but just then, another memory came popping into her mind. "Oh, yeah!" she called with relief. "When the lights went out the other night, I accidentally bumped into some of this stuff," she blushed slightly. "It must have gotten knocked onto the floor."

"See, Tan? That's probably what happened," said Nicky. "Did you check under the dresser?"

Before Cori knew it, Nicky had kneeled onto the floor and was peering under the desk. Cori bent down to help, but after a minute of their scanning the flooring, nothing more than an earring and a dust bunny was found.

"Let me guess," Tanner leaned against the wall when they had both stood back up. "Not there?" 

Nicky piteously shook his head.

"It's got to be here somewhere," Cori frowned anxiously.

"Whatever," said Tanner. "Enjoy your souvenir. Obviously my shirt wasn't enough, but whatever," he finished, storming out of the bedroom.

Cori watched as the others, one by one, cast her stunned, disappointed looks, before following him out, making her wish she wasn't still wearing Tanner's tee. Sure, Tanner had been cruel to her before, but this was a new level of cruel even for him. Cori turned to Nicky, who had remained in the room, but to her further hopelessness, even Nicky U, the one who had always been kind to her, was frowning.

"I didn't take it," she sniffed and left the room, unable to handle anymore hurt expressions from her favorite band.

However, when she stepped into the hall, she stopped short, hearing voices speaking about her from the kitchen. Both curious and dreadful, Cori crouched down behind the railing to listen once again.

"So she's been lying all along?" Kole picked up the bag of cookies from the floor.

"Yeah, did she really come because she knew we were here?" JM frowned.

"Well, she did have that magazine," Axel pointed out.

"Great," Kole grimaced. "Who knows what else she might try to steal. Do you think she has a secret camera too?"

"She better not!" Axel looked appalled.

"Don't worry," Tanner scoffed. "The pictures are probably all of me anyways."

"Hey!" Axel shoved Tanner slightly.

"This is a really serious problem, guys," Kole went on, popping a cookie into his mouth.

"Yeah, we're stuck on an island with a crazy stalker," said Tanner.

"And Kole's obviously been hiding a stash of cookies," added Axel, yanking the bag from Kole.

"Hey, at least she's leaving tomorrow," JM patted Tanner on the shoulder.

"Tomorrow isn't soon enough," Tanner sighed.

"Well, so much for Tanner and I being really, really good," Cori thought, rushing down the stairs, past the boys, and out the door.