Chapter 23: As Camping Comes to an End, So Does My Tolerance for Kitty
The rain was really heavy during the night, which only kept me awake the whole time. Not because I couldn't sleep with the sound of the pattering raindrops on the tarp covering the tent. I was just really worried about Paint. If it turned into a storm, he might freak out again.
So I was just staying awake to see if I got a phone call from someone back at the Birches' house to tell me Paint was acting out again. If I fell asleep, I might end up staying asleep during the phone call.
Sawyer, on the other hand, was able to fall back asleep after we got back into our tent.
Since I couldn't sleep at all and I was extremely bored just lying in the tent doing nothing, I decided to join the people sitting by the fire staying up all night. I didn't know many of the people there but some were in my class and we genuinely friendly people.
In fact, the only not so nice people in Ruralburgh that I knew were Kitty and Steph. Mainly Kitty. She just didn't know how to leave people alone.
Once I sat down on one of the logs under the gazebo, one girl who was in one of my classes, Jolene, said, "Jamie, glad you're able to join us. We're playing truth or truth."
I furrowed my eyebrows. "What's truth or truth?"
"It's basically truth or dare but without the dare," Jolene said. "We can't really do any dares right now considering it's pouring and some people are trying to sleep.
"Why isn't it just called truth?" I asked.
"Because that's a boring name," Jolene's friend, Clarice, said. "Yeah, the game does sound boring but we're a bunch of bored people trying to pass time until the morning. Wanna play?"
I was feeling a bit bored too so I agreed to playing the game. Things shouldn't get too bad since Kitty and Steph weren't here to play. They would probably just ask people they hate very personal and attacking questions.
Like what they did for Never Have I Ever.
"I'll ask you something," Jolene said. "So truth or truth?"
"Hmm... That's a tough choice," I said. "I think I'll go with... Truth. No, wait. Truth."
"Okay, let's see..." Jolene said. "What is your favourite thing about dating Sawyer?"
"Oh, that's easy," I said, wanting to give a not-so serious answer at first because I was a big pest at times. "It makes Kitty mad."
"Oh, come on, as funny as it is to see Kitty mad, I'm sure that's not your favourite thing about dating Sawyer," Jolene said.
"It's not," I said. "I was kidding. Sort of. It's definitely a plus but my favourite thing about dating Sawyer... It's definitely how big his heart is. He's the most kind and thoughtful and generous person ever."
I had seriously never met someone as sweet as Sawyer. Even when we were younger before I moved away, he was such a sweet kid. It was why I became best friends with him. I was always just so happy around him.
It was such a shame that dating him meant having to deal with a spiteful ex who couldn't get it in her mind that Sawyer would never date her again and that he wasn't property to anyone.
And speaking of that spiteful ex...
Kitty ended up getting out of her tent to join all of us under the gazebo. When she noticed that I was here, she scoffed. "Ugh, great, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"Well, if I remember, this camping trip is for anyone in their senior year of high school," I said. "And I am a senior in high school, so that's why I'm here."
"I meant why are you out here?" she asked. "Wouldn't you rather be all snuggly with your boyfriend?" She curled her bottom lip into a pout. "Unless there's some trouble in paradise, which wouldn't really be shocking."
I rolled my eyes. I didn't know why she thought my relationship with Sawyer wouldn't last. Then again, she probably only thought that because she still thought she had a chance with Sawyer when realistically, he would never give her another chance. He was very vocal about it.
"No, there isn't any trouble," I said. "I'm just bored because I couldn't fall asleep so I thought I'd hang out with these lovely people. Though with you here, I might go back in my tent and be all snuggly with my boyfriend."
I didn't go back to my tent, though. I liked being out here in the fresh air and I wasn't going to leave just because Kitty was here. But that didn't mean I was going to be nice to her.
Kitty sat down with everyone. "So what are we doing?"
"We're playing truth or truth," Jolene said. "You can't play."
"What? Why not?" Kitty asked.
"Because when we played Never Have I Ever with you, you decided to attack Jamie," Jolene said. "We're just trying to play a calm and peaceful game to pace time until the morning. We don't need you ruining the game for people."
"I won't," Kitty said. "I promise."
"Your promises don't mean anything," I said.
"Shut up, Jamie," Kitty said.
"Since me talking bothers you so much, no, I won't shut up."
"So mature."
"Says the one telling me to shut up."
Clarice sighed. "So much for a peaceful game."
"Sorry," I said. "I can get back to my tent if you all want."
"No, that won't be fair," Jolene said. "You can stay." She looked at Kitty. "And you can play under one condition. You're not allowed to ask Jamie any questions."
"What if he decides to ask me questions?" Kitty asked.
"I won't," I said. "Believe me. I have no interest learning anything about you. The less I know, the better."
The game actually was peaceful for a bit. But that was before the sun was starting to rise and Sawyer got out of his tent when he noticed I wasn't there. He wanted to join in on the game and that was when all hell broke loose.
Okay, not really, but things did get messy with Kitty trying to stir up some drama and be rude to Sawyer.
She thought that it was totally okay to ask Sawyer questions, despite being his ex and being very salty about Sawyer's new relationship.
"So, Sawyer," Kitty said. "Is it true that you fell off the horse during your last competition for attention."
She was such a vile human being. She was here when Sawyer went through all of the pain from losing that competition. She was here when Sawyer was hospitalized because of it. I wasn't here when all that happened but even I knew never to bring it up.
Sawyer and I weren't the only ones not too happy with Kitty's comment. "Wow," Jolene said. "You just don't know when to quit, do you?"
"Yeah, how vile can you be?" Clarice asked. "Just move on and stop trashing your ex and his new boyfriend."
"I'm done with this game," Sawyer said, getting up from his seat and walking back to our tent. I followed him, getting inside the tent with him. "I can't believe her. She saw what I was like after the accident. I'm still trying to move on from it and she just claims I did it for attention?"
"Someone's going to have to put her in her place," I said. "I know you don't really like drama but I think I can get her to stop acting like a brat."
"I don't care anymore," Sawyer said. "Seriously, just do whatever it takes to get her to stop. Please."
Oh, I will.
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someone needs to shovel kitty
also hi from whistler
i wasn't sure if i was going to update today because i'm still feeling anxious and i'm tired from the travelling but i did write some of this last night.
i still don't know if i'll update anything else here. i'm guessing i'll be able to but my anxiety is going to be bad here and it's hard to write when i can't concentrate.