Julia's P.O.V
We go in different directions after listening to a few songs. I head to the food stall to put the tray of sandwiches away. On my way back to my tent, I bump into Tamia and Kylie.
"You called us losers, remember?" Kylie said taking a few steps closer to me.
"You don't respect us, do you?" Tamia added, also taking a few steps closer to me.
"I'm not here to fight. I just came to earn money and have fun with my campers." I said, trying to walk past them.
Tamia grabs me by my hair and pushes me to the ground. I slowly stand up and wipe the dust off me.
"You will pay for disrespecting us." she said, pulling me by my arm in the direction of the lake. "Today, you will drink that water." she added.
"Tamia, let me go." I said quietly.
"No, we won't." Kylie said, and they pushed my into the water, made sure that I don't get out.
I won't cry, I refuse to.
I remember when I was 4 years old, and my mom put me in ice cold water for an hour. It was freezing cold, and I cried, begged her to take me out. She refused. Looked at me and laughed. She punished me just because I didn't clean the house properly.
Tamia and Kylie threw mud and leaves into my face. I tried to fight back, but I couldn't, it's two against one.
"Help!" I said over and over.
My voice grew weary. I stopped, stopped screaming, stopped fighting and they left me in the cold lake. Left me feeling cold.
I step out of the lake, body shivering, feet trembling.
Aaron runs over to me and asked, "what happened? Are you okay?"
I don't respond. He takes off his sweater and puts it over my shoulders.
"I heard you screaming. What happened? Who did this to you?" he asked me. His voice sounds so genuine, full of concern.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." I said to him, taking off his sweater and walking past him.
"You will be fine, yes. But right now, you are not fine." he said, walking behind me and putting the sweater on my shoulders again. "Let me help you. Look at you, you're even shivering."
"Just... There's nothing you can do Aaron." I said, eyes watery.
"Just let me take you to my tent. You helped me with my wound, so let me help you." he pleaded.
I don't respond, so he takes that as a 'yes'. He puts his arm around my shoulders and walks me over to his tent.
"You're going to have to change into something before you catch a cold. I'll go get your pyjamas for you." he offered.
He leaves his tents and heads over to mine. He comes back moments later and hands me my pyjamas.
"I'll be outside, so change quickly." he said.
I wipe my face and feet with a cloth and change into my pyjamas. I apply some lotion on the visible parts of my body and wear my other sweater.
"You done?" he asked.
"Yes, you can come in." I said to him, hanging my wet clothes on his line.
He walks inside and sits next to me.
"I didn't mean what I said to you the other day. You aren't a nuisance. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have raised my voice at you." he apologized.
"Why didn't you want to teach him how to play basketball?" I asked him.
"I took out my anger on him." he said, and took a long pause. "I love basketball, but I also hate it. My dad is the one that wants me to play, that's all he cares about. He makes sure that I go to every practice, and he wants me to focus on basketball only. That's frustrates me, and I took it out on the boy. I was wrong, I know." he explained.
"What matters is that you apologized, and you made it up to him." I smiled, placing my hand on his shoulder.
"So, do you forgive me?" he asked with a slight grin.
"I forgave you a long time ago, and besides I didn't take the nuisance part to the chest." I lied with a grin. "What are you doing here Aaron?" I asked after a moment of silence.
"It's my tent." he said in a 'duh' tone.
"I mean here at camp. I mean, you don't need the money, so why are you here?"
"Service points. I'm going to College next year and coach said I need to do volunteer work to boost my chances of getting in." he said.
"Oh." I uttered, not knowing what to say.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. "I mean, it's not like you also need money. Your dad is a multi billionaire, you're the richest kid in school." he continued.
"My dad is rich, not me." I uttered. "I actually did come here for the money." I chuckled. "I want the money to go and watch one of Shakespeare's plays, The Taming of the Shrew."
"Isn't it that thing that we're reading in literature?" he asked.
"Glad that you're paying attention in class." I smiled.
"You really are a nerd." he sighed.
"I was starting to get worried about you, because you haven't called me nerd since we got here." I laughed.
"Full of jokes, I see." he laughed back.
"That's the only thing that keeps you alive in a world like this." I said, the smile on my face fading away.
I've been hurt so many times in my life. Sometimes I wonder what I did wrong. Or maybe it's because what I didn't do, or who I am not.
Sandra, Kevin, Brookes, Maria, Britney, and now we have Tamia and Kylie.
"You okay?" he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah, I'm good." I said, giving him a reassuring grin. "I have to go."
I stand up and realise that his sleeping bag is soaking wet.
"You can have my tent. I'll sleep on top of my clothes." I said to him. "Let me go fetch them."
"No. It's fine, you don't have to. I'll be fine." he said, giving me a reassuring grin.
"But..." I said, but he cut me off.
"No buts, go to sleep."
"Why are you being nice to me?" I asked before leaving.
"Goodnight nerd." he smiled, putting his clothes on the floor.
I walk out of his tent and head to mine to get some sleep.
***
The next day.
"Did you enjoy the lake water last night?" Kylie asked me.
"Let's get going." I said to the campers, ignoring her.
"Next time, you'll know that you're supposed to respect us." she laughed.
I give Aaron a call to let him know that the campers and I have left the woods with the rest of the crew. He tells me that he'll meet us there.
We sing all kinds of songs along the way and play some games, and we also share a few jokes.
The journey was quite quick. We head to the campers' room and we start with today's activity: painting.
I look through their paintings and they all look amazing. My phone vibrates in my pocket, so I take it out to see what it is. A message from Aaron.
Aaron: Mr Woodlock wants to see us regarding the cabin issue. Come to the reception.
Finally, no more half naked Tamia and Kylie. No more 'you sound like a dying cat'. It's about time.
Me: I'm on my way.
"I'll be right back, I have to go somewhere. Just continue painting." I said to them, and they reply with smiles.
I walk to the reception and find Aaron standing next to Mr Woodlock.
"Thank you for coming." Mr Woodlock said to me. "Ms Garner, you will have to go sleep in the Pomegranate Cabin from today onwards." he said.
"Is it fumigated?" I asked.
"No, we couldn't get someone or any company to do it. So you will have to bear with the cockroaches... Thank you for understanding." he smiled and left.
Thank you for understanding? Great, now I have to sleep in a cabin that has cockroaches.
I leave the reception and head to the Apple Cabin to pack my belongings. Before I could go out the door, Aaron stopped me.
"You don't have to leave. I mean, I don't want you to leave." he said.
He doesn't want me to leave?
"You said I'm getting on your nerves. You also said I sound like a dying cat, so why do you want me to stay?" I asked.
"Because I know that I wouldn't want to sleep in a cabin filled with cockroaches. So stay." he smiled.
"Thank-" I said but he cut me off with his hand and leaves the cabin.
No cockroaches for me.
~~~
I think there's some good boy in Aaron :)
What do y'all think?
Continue reading, voting, sharing and following! Love and appreciate you all
<3