Kota's POV
"When is this team building, bonding stuff going to end so we can go hang out with Sang again." Nathan asks me.
I can tell he's anxious about all the other guys she hangs out with. We've known them since elementary school, but never really became friends. Nathan's worried Sang will want to spend time with them over us. He really likes her--well Victor and I do too.
"We won't get anymore free time tonight. Once this is over we have to go to sleep." I inform Nathan.
Nathan shakes his head and Victor just sighs. I can tell Victor is thinking and wants to say something and he finally does once he looks up from the ground.
"I was thinking about asking Princess out on a date."
I'm dismayed by the announcement, especially after what we all agreed on. I can't even get any words out; I just start counting to calm my nerves
one...two...three If Victor dates Sang then I can't date her. four...five...six We all promised. seven...eight...nine. What has changed? ten...eleven...twelve...
I'm glad Nathan asks what I'm thinking since I'm too busy counting.
"Dude, what the fuck? We all agreed she's off limits!"
Victor's jaw tightens as he glares at Nathan, "You took her to the back to school dance."
"Yeah, that was before we agreed and she danced with all of you. It's not like I hogged her all night. That doesn't even count as a date, we were practically sharing her!"
thirty five...thirty six...thirty seven
"Don't talk about her like she's some sort of toy." Victor snaps back. "Besides, other guys are starting ask her out. Wouldn't you rather it be one of us?"
fifty...fifty one...fifty two...I would rather it be me..fifty four...fifty five
"I would rather it be me!" Nathan voices my thoughts.
"Well, Sang can decide who she wants to go out with." Victor retorts.
Sixty. "Guys, lets just calm down" I urge them, "This arguing and jealousy is the exact thing we were trying to avoid with the agreement. We can either keep it the way it is and deal with seeing her go out with those other guys or we can forget the agreement and deal with her going out with one of us and rejecting the others."
I wait for my friends to absorb the information. It only takes ten seconds for them to come to a conclusion.
Nathan's head pops up, "I say forget the agreement and risk rejection."
"I agree." Victor states with finality, "At least this way we have a shot. If we stick to the agreement we still don't date her anyways."
I was afraid they'd say that. I personally would rather keep the agreement. I'm too scared Sang only thinks of me as a friend. She would definitely like Nathan and Victor more over me. I should have claimed her from the beginning. I was the first to meet her.
"Okay, it's settled. Agreement is off, every man for himself. And if something doesn't go your way no jealousy." I look pointedly at Nathan.
"Jeez, man don't look at me like that. I can't help how I feel sometimes."
We all laugh at that. Nathan can get extremely jealous over things. Not like a crazy obsessed stalker, but just a little to passionate about the things he wants and it has caused some rifts in our friendship when we were younger. We've always been able to pick up the pieces-- I only hope if Nathan's jealousy rears it's ugly head we can do the same now. But...we've never fought over a girl before so it could be a different story. Nathan better control himself.
"Hey new friend Kota" Luke cheerfully says as he sits next to me. I guess that's my nickname or something. It's the fourth time he's called me that. Luke gives a nod at Nathan and Victor.
Victor's curiosity gets the best of him and asks what we've been wondering since we got back to our campsite, "So, what's up with your brother?"
All four of us turn to watch North approach the site yet again with another arm full of firewood. This is his twenty second trip. Yes, I counted.
"Oh, that. He just gets like that when he's mad or upset. Usually he takes apart his cars, but since the only thing here is a bus I guess he's resorted to chopping wood."
"Are you sure he should be around an ax?" I ask. North looks like a possessed animal the way he's stomping through the campsite dropping the wood heavily on the ground.
"No worries, guys. Silas is with him. He'll make sure he doesn't chop a toe off." Luke grins.
"Why is he mad?" I ask, but don't get an answer as the sound of clapping interrupts us.
CLAP CLAP CLAP
We all turn at the sound and see Dr. Green and Mr. Blackbourne approaching.
"Okay guys, your group is up for some bonding time!" Dr. Green tells us enthusiastically. None of us react.
Gabriel walks over from where he's been sketching in a notebook. Silas and North sit down on the same log as Jay and Rocky. I almost didn't notice Wil sitting with us too. I had never seen him around school, but I can imagine it's because he's so quiet.
This bonding stuff is kind of silly actually. We all already have our circle of friends it's not like when we get back to school I'm going to go sit at the 'jock table' with Rocky and his teammates. Although North and Silas sat with us at lunch on Friday.
Why were they sitting with us? I don't even know them.
Sang.
Perfect! More guys trying to get Sang's attention. Now not only do I need to compete with my friends, but also compete with some of the most popular guys in school. The odds of me getting a chance with Sang are low if that many guys are chasing her.
Mr. Blackbourne starts passing around an open bag of mini candy's and tells us to take as many as we want. I take one. I'm not really a big fan of candy.
I notice Luke took two hand fulls! How is he going to eat all that?
Once we are done grabbing candy Mr. Blackbourne explains, "Before we begin I want to get to know everyone here. We will go in a circle and you are to tell us one fact about yourself for every piece of candy you took from the bag."
"Oy! Luke you sure you have that many interesting facts about you?" We all laugh as Luke's mischievous eyes go wide in shock. He then begins attempting to put as much candy in his mouth before it gets to his turn.
We start the 'get to know you game' and I tune out whatever Rocky is bragging about. Instead I take the time to look at my surroundings. Luke is about halfway done with his candy, Nathan is falling asleep. Jay is staring straight at me. What is that about? Never one to be intimidated I glare back at him. He takes the challenge and continues until he's forced to look away when it's his turn.
As I hear him start I look over at North and instead of candy in his hand he has a slip of paper. He finishes reading it then fold it up and slips it back in his pocket. I wonder if that's his Assassin game paper. I've already assassinated twelve people, I'm determined to win this game. I focus back to the activity we're doing, Jay's listing the last couple interesting facts. Something about him being a twin, he wants to join the JROTC program and that he just completed a specialized technology summer program at MIT offered to high school students who excel in academics.
Wow. I thought he only played football.
It's North's turn and he is once again reading that note! Now I'm really curious as to what it says. He puts it away as Mr. Blackbourne calls on him.
"Mr. Taylor. It's your turn."
He doesn't respond, nor start to list interesting facts about himself.
"North how many candies do you have?" Dr. Green asks breaking the uncomfortable silence.
He grunts then opens his hands to show no candy, "I don't like sweets. There free fact since I didn't even take candy."
"You could have taken some just to participate in the game." Dr. Green explains.
We are met with silence once again from North.
"Mr. Taylor," Mr. Blackbourne tries to get his attention, "Would you like to tell us what has you so upset?"
Silence. I count to nineteen seconds before Luke jumps in and answers for his brother.
"The love of his life is mad at him!!"
I notice Dr. Green and Mr. Blackbourne share a look. They probably didn't expect to deal with this sort of thing when they signed up to chaperone.
"Shut the fuck up baby brother. You don't know what you're talking about"
"Oh so you do talk?" Luke sarcastically states then turns to the rest of us, "By the way I'm the older brother."
When he turns back to his brother he tells him, "And yes, I do know. You've been reading her note over and over again. It's going to fall apart if you keep folding it like that!! Just talk to her, man."
Is he talking about Sang? I knew she was mad earlier, but she was upset with all of us and we apologized. She was really just frustrated and sad more than mad.
"She doesn't want to talk to me, Lucian. I told you that."
"Think what you want, but I'm telling you you're wrong."
North just grunts and goes back to giving us the silent treatment. I'm not sure if that's for his own benefit or he's trying to make some sort of point.
We wrap up the introduction game and start with trust exercises like falling and praying your partner will catch you. Luke, Nathan and Gabriel didn't take the exercise seriously and decided to let their partners fall.
They were cracking up. Me, Victor and North weren't. My reaction was to punch Nathan in the arm. Victor just rubbed his butt and laughed it off. North on the other hand, was already wound up from the demons floating around in his brain he just snapped.
One second he's on the ground-- the next he's on the ground with Luke below him. They're grappling and punching. Rolling all over the dusty campgrounds. North lands a punch to his brothers gut and it sends him close to the burning camp fire. The tips of his blonde locks almost getting burned.
Luke finally catches up to what is happening and gets a few good hits in to North's ribs. He's able to take over and land a punch to his jaw. The fight seems to be going on forever, but it only lasts the forty seconds I counted.
"ENOUGH!!" Mr. Blackbourne yells in a firm command.
Like magic both brothers stop. Dr. Green hauls Luke off of North while Silas picks up his friend.
As Dr. Green starts to tend to their wounds, Mr. Blackbourne feels it's time for a lecture.
"I am appalled at the behavior displayed today. I imagined this group would fare far better than the others we've coached earlier, but unfortunately we were wrong. I expected more from you, all of you. Trust is something you earn. How are your friends going to trust you now that you've let them fall?"
"It was just a joke." Luke timidly offers.
Mr. Blackbourne raises one eyebrow as he addresses Luke "A joke? To let your friends fall like that when they are putting their entire trust in you? What would you call the brawl you just had Mr. Taylor?"
"Self defense? He started it." Luke says. I hear Nathan snicker behind me and I hope Mr. Blackbourne didn't hear.
"Is this amusing to you Mr. Griffin?" Of course he heard.
"No, sir."
"I should think not. Instead of continuing the team building exercises we'll have to change course. Mr. Taylors, Mr. Coleman, and Mr. Griffin you will run the mile long trail behind you, followed by one hundred each of jumping jacks, push ups then sit ups. You must complete it together. It should only take one hour, but I can tell you won't be able to achieve that. So it will take as long as required. Understood?"
Nathan makes a face at this, "Why don't you just give us detention?"
"We're not at school Mr. Griffin."
"Now we're not at school?!?! So I can swear up a shit storm?" Gabriel asks.
Mr. Blackbourne just gives him a look and Gabriel mumbles about him being so f-ing confusing.
"As a reminder of what the activities were supposed to teach you, Mr. Lee and Mr. Morgan you will join them."
"Wait, Mr. Blackbourne. Kota and I were victims here. Why should we be punished?" Victor asks.
"It's not punishment. You will complete the hour alongside your friends so they are reminded of their faults and learn how to be a team. You will complete it together not one person left behind, not one person out of step. Maybe then you can start to build your trust again.
"I'll join you guys." Silas offers.
"A true friend Mr. Korba, I'm impressed."
We spend the next few hours completing Mr. Blackbourne's list of 'not punishment'. We had to start over multiples times because we didn't realize when Mr. Blackbourne said we had to complete it together he actually meant together. By the time we finally complete it correctly all of us are sweating, sore and tired. I thought I was in shape before, but now I know I'm lacking. I will never step out of line again if this is what I have to endure. Schools should really adopt this form of punishment. It's a lot more effective than detentions.
As we settle down to sleep in our tent Nathan asks me, "Was that punishment or training for the Hunger Games?" I give a small laugh because any other movement seriously hurts. I can't even imagine what tomorrow will bring.