I
Another field trip, the last one before college. The bus is noisy and hot as we ride through the bumping dirt road. Passing trees and picking up dirt in the back. As usual, I'm sat next to Scott, the only decent person to have an intellectual conversation with.
"I'm so glad I brought my Agricola! We're going to have the best time. Go easy on everyone though, Cosima." Scott smiled and elbowed my rib.
"Dude, your battle bitches just need to step up their game." It was true, every time we play I win, it was getting sort of boring now. Recently I've only joined in because deep down I enjoyed watching the other players get pouts and look pissed as I take the throne once again.
"Watch out!" a high-pitched voice yelled from the back. Then a pompom hits me right on the head. It didn't hurt but still, I knew exactly where it came from, I get up and turned towards the back of the bus. The cool kids. Everyone knew them, wanted to fuck them or be them. Of course, I look right at Kristal Goderitch, the fake blonde with pouty lips. The most popular girl in school and YouTube beauty guru. She blew a bubble with her gum and shrugged innocently. Just to have her best friend pop it. Delphine Cormier the exchange student from France.
"Sorry Cos, we'll be more careful next time." It was a genuine apology because the twinkle in her smile also reached her eyes. My frustration easily fizzled away.
"Oh, yeah don't worry about it." throwing it back, Delphine catches it.
"Merci beaucoup, Cosima." I smile, and can't get myself to look away. Her brown eyes looking right back, making me nervous, burning into me. Then she winks. I quickly sit back down and look straight out the window to hide my pink cheeks. My heart missing just one beat.
I never understood how those two got along, I had two classes with Delphine last semester: AP Biology and AP Chemistry. She is brilliant and so beautiful. We had to be partners once, we got 110%, with extra credit. It was nice, I think it was the only time I've been able to really be myself. Sure, Scott and I are friends but the connection between me and Delphine was one I've never felt before. By the end of the semester, we were almost finishing each other's sentences. After our project we just went back to how things were, we said hi if we crossed paths in the hallway, made small talk in class but she always sat at the front of the class and I liked the back. Without meaning too, every day, I find myself staring at her blonde curls and listening to her laugh at the class clown. Without fail, as if she could feel my stare she would look back and our eyes would meet for just a brief moment. Then I would have to pretend as if I'm staring at something behind her. I was starting to get good at pretending. When I could see her starting to turn I would quickly look up and bring my pen to my mouth as if I'm thinking or turn to the side and scratch my head. I was getting more and more ridiculous and clever at it.
Looking outside I could see the twinkle of a lake not far from the tree line, the bus started slowing down as we crossed a bridge with a creek running under it. Finally coming to a full stop, I noticed we stopped at a clearing, with cabins up the hill. As we were instructed we make our way off the bus and stretched.
"Gosh this feels good, I couldn't stand being sat down for much longer," I told Scott.
"I hear you, can't wait to find out where we are sleeping," he said.
Obviously, the girls are only meant to stay with girls and the boys with other boys and to make things worse we were assigned a bunk partner. It was an end of the year tradition so people that have never talked before can get to know each other and to unite the class, was how the teachers put it. But the cliques were always going to be there.
"Come on Cosima lets go get our bags," We walked together towards the crowd that formed by the side of the bus, everyone reaching in as soon as they saw their belongings. Spotting my red duffle bag I tried pulling it out of the pile but my stupid weak arm failed me, hoping no one saw me struggling, I looked around finding Sarah chucking and helped me without having to ask her.
"Thank dude," I said, we were really cool with each other since I've once traded a blunt for a bottle of whiskey she had. Ever since then we've just been friends I would occasionally tutor her.
"No problem Cosima, I stick to the tough stuff and you stick to the science yeah?" she laughed.
"Plus, I'm used to it, gotta help my brother Felix too," Sarah continued as she pulled another bag making it look easy and threw it at her brother. Felix caught it but made a horrified face.
"How dare you Sarah, you know I have my brushes and paints in here! I told you to be careful!" Sarah was quick to get next to him and harshly whispered,
"Sod off! You also know I have my contraband in there so keep your voice down!" She looked around to make sure no one heard, then she leaned closer to me, "Hey if you want some of what I have let me know and we'll meet in the woods." she smirked.
"I got some goodies of my own as well." I said, we just laughed and decided to walk together towards the canteen. It was noticeably the largest cabin here, long and tall. Other students were already taking up some room in the long picnic tables. We all searched for a seat but Felix spoke first,
"Right follow me," without a work Sarah, Scott and I followed. I knew exactly where we were heading.
"Hello, my little sea urchins!" Felix greeted his friends, it was Alison with her boyfriend Donnie, and her half-sister Helena for some odd reason she had a Ukrainian accent and I never really figured out why. Alison was the class president and Donnie was on the football team.
"Felix! Goodness sake, so happy you found us, we've been saving these spots for you," Allison emphasized at the empty spot and we sat down, she greeted us, but all we got out of Helena was a little grunt with a nod. The room started filling up with everyone, we all talked and laughed. The buzzing chatter in the room would become so loud that a teacher would stand up and clap, which would make everyone quiet down for a bit but then it would start all over again. Eventually, everyone was sat down and the principal stood up. Dr. Leekie, he had been CEO of the biotechnology group DYAD before he took this job of principal, which seemed odd to me. Why the heck would anyone do that, there was something suspicious about him. Especially that big balled head he had and his face looked there was barely any skin covering his skull, and don't even get me started on his teeth. The guy gave me the creeps.
"Hello, class of twenty-twelve!" Everyone cheered in excitement.
"Congrats on making it to the end. As you know this trip is to unify you as a group and to make lifelong friends. But you also can't forget to behave, there will be a curfew and you should always use the buddy system. Now a word from the Class President."
"Okay guys, that's my cue!" Alison got up and padded down her skirt.
"Break a leg honey." said Donnie as he clapped.
"Make me proud sestra!." said Helena.
Walking up she forcefully took the mic from Leekie and cleared her throat into it, the speakers cracked a bit as she took in a deep breath. Typical of her, she instantly looked professional and ready to give a speech with confidence. She had been Class President since 1st grade and always started as the lead in all the plays.
"You guys! How amazing is this! All this hard work and its almost over. Good luck to everyone with their College Applications. Let's worry about adult life later because for now, LET'S GET THIS POW WOW STARTED!" the room roared. When everyone calmed down she continued.
"Food will be served first, make an orderly queue, and once you're done eating please make your way outside where a few chaperones will be waiting with a box. You'll just have to draw a number out to find out which cabin you're getting. Remember to keep an open mind and NO TRADING."
Alison's voice was a bit too high pitched turning into a mumble as I zoned out. I started looking around the room, all these familiar faces will soon be long gone to live different lives. I applied to San Fran Uni and a couple others around the states. I've been waking up in a cold sweat a few nights before from the nightmare I wouldn't get accepted. How horrible would that be, I've worked so hard on every subject I've ever hard. Before I could get any deeper into my dark thoughts I feel a tingle on my back as my neck hairs stand up. Scared to look behind me I do it slowly, turning my head and shoulders I see her blonde curls, then her brown eyes. She's biting her lip looking right at me. We stare at each other, the way we always do but neither of us is looking away. I try to break my own tension by pushing my glasses up. Making it only worse as a faint smile is on her face. Every time I see into her eyes it's like she needs something and I've been dying to know what that is. What could be missing inside her that projected in her eyes? Delphine ran her hand through the front of her hair and pushed it back.
"Earth to Cosima... Hello, geek monkey! Oi!" Sarah snapped her fingers.
"What!" I turned back around.
"Scott has been saving a spot for you on the queue for lunch."
"Oh! Shit sorry, just daydreaming."
"Lay off the green, you're always spacing out. What about though?" She half asked half joked. Sighing, all I could do is shake my head. Looking back Delphine was gone and I starting to think I had made it all up.
We quickly ate and headed out. Nothing like fresh air to clear the mind. Scott was already planning the Agricola night, with all the class geeks in tow we made it to the drawing bowl, one of the chaperones asked for my name then I hurry up I grabbed a crunched up paper and showing it to the chaperone, she wrote something down and I walked away.
"Cosima! Wait up, or don't... I guess I'll see you later tonight!" Scott yelled.
"Yeah, yeah." I was tired, I love my friends and all but spending 24hrs with them might be a bit too much. I opened my paper up and looked at it.
Cabin 10
No! No! No! I've heard rumors of Cabin 10 from the previous upper class. Looking up the hill, I saw it, it was the ugliest one and the furthest one from all the rest. There were stories that they had found dead animals surrounding the cabin one night, another story was that there was a bloody palm print on the door with scratch marks. Now the spooky looking cabin was mine, it had black wooden logs compared to the newer brown ones, those even looked shiny. Mine had moss growing all on it, and the roof looked like it was going to cave in! This had to be some sort of bad joke between the teachers. I'm sure it had to be a health hazard as well! With all the bravery I could scrap up, I made my way up, the scratch marks on the door becoming visible. Could the stories be true? I struggled to open the door, it seemed to be stuck or something but when i did, it was the most sinister creak I've ever heard.
There was a bunk bed, 2 chests, and a little table. Walking in I found the light switch, which was a string hanging in the middle of the room, so I pulled it on. A sudden breeze makes me look behind just in time to see the door shut. Making the whole cabin shake.
"FUCK!" I yell and literally fly on the bottom bunk pushing myself to the back against the wall, holding my knees to my chest and hiding. Then there is a knock. The door handle began to twist. Then a hard knock followed. I feel like crying when suddenly the door is pushed open and a black shadow falls in.
"AAAAHH!" I scream. I had my eyes closed and covered with my hands not daring to see or move.
"Merde!" I know that voice, peeking I see Delphine dusting off her knees, they were scrapped.
"You scared me," I got up to help, the panic evaporating out of me, "are you okay?" I ask, helping her sit and take a look at her knees. She winced and I got a band-aid and alcohol swab out of my duffle bag.
"Oui, no big deal." She smiled.
"This might hurt," I warned as I was about to clean the wound, her knee jerked when I touched it and I pulled away but her hand stopped me as she held my shoulder.
"Sorry, please..." she nodded towards her cut. I begin more carefully this time and put the band-aid on her, careful not to touch her skin.
"Surprises me, I didn't know you were a doctor." Delphine teased.
"There's a lot you don't know about me, Cormier." I teased back.
"Well, I'm glad I finally have the opportunity to do so. Since this is my cabin." My heart dropped, she searched her coat pocket and pulled out a paper that had printed on it:
Cabin 10