Caught!

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"We better get back to the boat." I admit sadly after hours and hours of riding rides and eating junk food. Even I'm starting to feel a little green.

"Awww..." Garroth says. But he nods, and we all start towards the gate, finishing off cotton candy and things until I suddenly feel a big something bang into my shoulder, making me drop my lollipop. Zane brushes past me and Lucinda, then Garroth.

"Hey!" Garroth complains.

"Zane!" I yell, stomping my foot.

"Rude much?" Lucinda asks nastily.

"Sorry! I have to, uh... throw up! The, uh... cupcakes! I had last time." Zane says hurriedly, and my anger evaporates. Aaaaah, he wants to get back to Kawaii~Chan, I bet!

"But I thought you recovered." Lucinda says, confused.

"No time to explain! Gotta blow!" Zane sprints for the ship and a tiny giggle escapes my mouth before I slap my hands up. Luckily, nobody notices.

"Hold on, Zaane!" Ghost says dreamily. "I'll---"

"No!" Kim interrupts. "Not this time!"

"But---Zaaane..."

"This is my body too, and I'm in control right now!" Kim insists. "So take a chill pill, Ghost!"

Ghost moans.

"Wow. Good for you, Kim!" I cheer.

Kim laughs. "It doesn't last long... but, meh." She follows Lucinda, Garroth and I back to the boat. Garroth goes back to Lucinda and Kim's room to play a game, and I decide to visit the kitchen and see if they don't have some Nauzene for my still-green stomach. But when I get there, all I hear is arguing.

"---you've gotta get back to the room, now!" Zane's voice says hurriedly.

"But, but---" I hear Kawaii~Chan say.

Wait. Kawaii~Chan??

"If you're taken away, then you'll have to wait until the end of the summer to see your ship!" Zane says.

Ship? What? IS SHE SHIPPING ZANE~CHAN??

Oh, wait, no. Aarmau. Yeah.

"Huh?" Kawaii~Chan's voice says. "You care about that?"

"No, I don't care about Aphmau and Aaron! I mean---yeah, I care about Aphmau and Aaron, but not in that ship-y kind of way!" He heaves a sigh. "Look, what I'm trying to say is--- I care about the things you care about because I realize how important that is to you!"

"Really?!" Kawaii~Chan exclaims.

"YEAH! Now quick, go!" Zane's footsteps near me and I back up until I realize that footsteps are coming from behind me, too. I turn and see the Lycans behind me, sniffing the air.

I hurtle into the kitchen and Kawaii~Chan and Zane both yelp. "Quick! The Lycans are just over there!" I whisper, pointing. "Kawaii~Chan, you've gotta go now!"

"Hold on, I need to leave a note!" Kawaii~Chan puts a piece of paper next to a stack of pancakes and then ducks under the counter.

"We'll distract them---leave when they're not looking!" Zane orders, and I hear her squeak of agreement just as the Lycans come in, still sniffing.

"They're around here, somewhere..." Mr. Lycan sniffs the air.

"H-h-hey!" Zane says, running forward and dragging me with him. "Mr. and Mrs. Lycan, how are things?" He gives a fake, loud laugh.

Behind him, I smack myself in the forehead.

"Zane Ro'Meave..." Mr. Lycan looks behind Zane. "And Violet..."

"Hi."

"Where are the pancakes?"

"Huh?" Zane and I say.

"I smell them..." Mr. Lycan sniffs again. Ohhh, that's what they're smelling!

"Oh! Ummmm..." Zane says weakly. The Lycans try to get past. "OH, WAIT! LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!"

And he starts dancing.

Well, moving his shoulders around and bobbing his head. Does that count? It does for Zane, probably, who I didn't think would ever be caught dead dancing. 

"What is that?" Mr. Lycan asks, dumbfounded.

"I'm dancing!" Zane says airily.

"Um, not to be rude, but, what's so special about it?" Mr. Lycan asks. "You're just... shrugging your shoulders."

"Derek!" Mrs. Lycan scolds. She turns to Zane. "Sorry, he's rude when he's hungry."

Zane grumbles. "That's all right... Oh, well, look at that, I gotta go, uhhhhhhhh.... Do a thing! See ya later!" He barges through them. I cast a glance to see if Kawaii~Chan is gone. She is, so I turn back to them.

"Zane is weird." I say matter-of-factly. Then I wave merrily and dash after Zane.

We both sprint madly towards Zane's room, laughing our heads off. "I... can't believe... that worked!" I gasp when we slam the door to his room. Kawaii~Chan leaps off the bed, watching us nervously. Zane finally stops panting and straightens up, giving Kawaii~Chan the evil eye.

"That was really reckless of you, Kawaii~Chan." He finally says.

"I know, I'm sorry." She whimpers.

"You're not caught, so that's all that matters." I say. Then, when Zane doesn't agree, I kick his shin.

He sighs. "I suppose."

"Hey, Zane?" Kawaii~Chan asks. "Did you mean what you said? About caring about what was important to me?"

"Huh?" his gaze darts to me, but I just grin and Kawaii~Chan doesn't back down. "Well, I mean---yeah."

"That's really nice of you." Kawaii~Chan smiles. "I've never really known you to be nice."

I snicker.

"Hm. Well, maybe you weren't the only one who has been hiding something." Zane mutters. This time it's Kawaii~Chan's eyes that dart to me, and I suddenly feel like I'm intruding.

"I'm going to... stuff... bye!" I say, backing out.

Kawaii~Chan and Zane don't argue, so I close the door behind me and go back to my room. Sitting on my bed with my chin in my hands, hearing Melissa snore in her room, I think about what Zane said.

You weren't the only one who has been hiding something.

At the lodge, Zane broke a wall and showed a side of himself I hadn't known existed. He was nice. He acted like a brother. A real one. He revealed that he felt shadowed by Garroth... But now I wonder if anything has to do with me.

Have I been a good sister?

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