Next chapter. Finally a long one :D Hope you like it. and I expect at least three reviews before I post the next chapter!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own HOLES or HUNGER GAMES, if you can find the quote ;)

Sugar is sweet

Rules of Survival

I have to walk for quite a while before I reach the others. Yet again I find them all staring at me. "What'd she do to you?" Zigzag asks. He looks kinda psychotic with his huge blue eyes and blond hair that's always on end. I shrug "Nothin'" More staring. "Oh, come on!" X-Ray yells "That can't be it!" I jab my shovel into the ground. "Well, she told me not to mess up your little guy brains" I laugh at their confused faces.

For a while we dig in silence then X-Ray speaks up. "Sugars?" I grunt to show I'm listening. "You should be careful, you know" He sounds so damn serious that I don't even argue back, but he gives me an explanation anyway. "You know how our tent's mostly thieves? Well, there are other tents, not as nice as ours" He pauses to see if I'm listening "Some guys got here for what they did to girls" I laugh coldly. "And you think poor little Sugars can't defend herself? Seriously, I didn't survive six years on the streets by being sweet!" Zigzag shakes his head. "No, Sugars. He's right. Especially after what happened in the mess hall"

Magnet shakes his head "Especially, after you're on Mr. Sir's bad side, 'cause of that sauce!" He says quietly. "How'd you know that?" He shrugs "I know Savina Roja when I see it, Azucar" I'm so perplexed I don't even notice Magnet said Azucar, the Spanish word for sugar.

"He's right, Sugars! Mr. Sir won't help you if you're in trouble. And whatever happened at the Warden's, I doubt she'll just let you get away with it"

I can see their point of course, but I'm not gonna admit it. First rule of survival: Never show your weakness; your fear.

It's afternoon by the time I get back to tent D. I walk in, not caring if the guys are half naked, but I'm disappointed. In fact, I find it's empty except for Magnet who's asleep on his cot. Since he's breathing deeply and I'm boiling in my jumpsuit, I decide to change. I strip of my suit and my sweaty shirt. I am about to put on a fresh tank top when I hear an astonished gasp behind me.

I turn around to see Magnet's awake. "Whoa, chica! Guy in the tent!" I throw my shirt at him. "You were supposed to be asleep!" We both start laughing. When he catches his breath he says "You are hot, you know?"

For a moment I'm torn between beating him up and kissing him. But my mind settles on something less radical. So I sit down on his cot "How come that's the only thing guys ever tell me?" I ask. Magnet sits up, pulling me in-between his legs and up against his chest. "'Cause you are" He whispers in my ear. His hands are running up my sides towards my chest, but I slap them away. "I'm not gonna make it that easy for you!"

"Ya sure?" he asks, a sly grin spreading over his face. "Yah, pretty sure" I narrow my eyes at him suspiciously. "Well, then I guess I have no choice!" It's too late now. He starts tickling me. I try to hold my breath, but it only makes things worse. I burst out laughing and before I know it, I'm on my back, with Magnet hovering above me. He's sitting spray-legged on my lower stomach, his hands pinning my shoulders to the bed. Macho.

Just then the tent flap opens and X-Ray walks in on us "Whoa!" He calls out "None of that in my tent!" I glare at him. It's not his tent; it's not even his bed, it's Magnet's. "You're tent?" asks a voice behind X-Ray. Great. More company. And then "Whoa, what are you guys doing?" Honestly, if two people are lying on a bed, on top of each other; what'd you think they're doing? Eating pancakes? Squid's speaking, "Come on people. Not now" Magnet rolls his eyes at him "Squid if it was you, we all know what you'd be doing right now"

I laugh, there's no point in being annoyed with them anyway. "Yeah, we'd be shakin' the cots" I joke. "Careful chica! I'm still on top of you" Magnet says, tightening the grip with his legs, but letting go of my shoulders at the same time. I sit up and kiss him. "Not for long" I whisper. Armpit groans loudly. "Honestly, Magnet. How'd you get so lucky?" He's obviously annoyed at all the female attention his friend's getting.

Second rule of survival (This one only applies in Camp Green Lake): Kiss Magnet. Or else you'll go as crazy as these guys.

We spend the rest of the evening in our tent. I would prefer going to the wreck room to play pool but for some reason the guys all want to stay. It's not until everyone's gone to bed, that it occurs to me that they wanted to prevent me from going. I take my time to think about this for a moment.

It is actually kinda sweet of them, but at the same time it annoys me. Honestly, what do they think? That I got into detention camp for looking pretty? Yet again I fall asleep shaking my head about my tent mates.

The next morning comes far too early. We pick up our breakfast (today tortilla with honey) and head over to the library. To my surprise, Mr. Sir is standing next to the door, handing out the shovels. His lips are blistered and burnt and he seems to have trouble speaking. He deserved it! That's the first thought that comes to my mind. Then it occurs to me that I really have some serious anger issues.

As I move up the line, I see that it's actually a lot worse than just blistered lips. Mr. Sir's whole mouth seems to be burned raw. His eyes are red and swollen – which makes them look even smaller than they actually are – and I get the feeling the sauce burnt a hole into his tongue. I gulp. Maybe this whole thing was a bit too much. But I quickly banish any feeling of guilt from my mind, because:

Third rule of Survival: Never ever feel guilty!

When it's my turn to get a shovel, Mr. Sir gives a somewhat crooked grin. It probably hurts him like crazy to move his mouth. "I got something special for ya, Girl Scout" He turns around to get the 'something special'. Somehow the thought sends a jolt of panic through me, what if it's a rattle snake or worse, a yellow spotted lizard? But then I guess, he wouldn't have been able to get one of those without getting killed.

When Mr. Sir comes back, I see that it's not a deadly reptile after all. It's a shovel; an extra long shovel. My first impulse is to take the shovel and smash it into Mr. Sir's head. But I restrain myself. No point in making things worse than they are already.

Out on the lake I channel my fury into my work, that way no one gets hurt. The shovel's at least 5'6" which makes it two inches taller than I am and almost impossible to handle, but I grid my teeth and keep going. I'm not gonna give Mr. Sir the satisfaction of seeing me give up.

By the time the water truck comes I feel like I'm about to die though and I'm not even half done. I stand in line behind Magnet, before Zero. My water bottle must have been empty for almost two hours and my throat's bone dry. When it's my turn to get it refilled though, Mr. Sir gives an evil smile. Oh oh, this can't me good. "You thirsty Girl Scout? D' you want water?" He asks. "Yes, please" My voice sounds rough and raspy due to the lack of water.

Mr. Sir opens the faucet but doesn't put my bottle underneath the stream of water. For half a second or so I stare at the cool fluid splashing into the sand, before I throw myself to the ground, holding my mouth to the faucet.

Rule number four: Don't waste no water if you have to dig holes in the desert all day.

I get about two gulps of water before he turns it off. "Take your bottle Girl Scout. And get back to work!"

As the others start to leave, I get more and more angry. My mind keeps playing different scenarios for Mr. Sir's death. Bitten by a yellow spotted lizard, died of thirst out in the desert… It all ends up slow and painful.

When Magnet's ready, he walks over to my hole. "D' you want some help?" He asks. "No!" I snap back a bit too viciously. In my mind Mr. Sir is about to get stabbed by one of the attempted-murder guys from tent A.

Magnet retreats. "Keep calm, chica. Just trying to help" Immediately I'm sorry for being so unfriendly. "I'm sorry, Imán!" I use the Spanish word, hoping it'll help. "it's just…" I trail off, not knowing how to explain. "No worries, Azucar. Try to get back before dusk" He gives me a reassuring wink and leaves. Just then it occurs to me that I could live a hundred-and-twenty-two times and not deserve that guy. I get back to digging.

Fifth rule of survival: You take the rap for what your own crap.