Chapter Four

Michaela showered around the back of the Warden's cabin; it consisted of a few outdoor showers on a porch, with a wooden fence separating them all. Well, it wasn't exactly a warm power shower, but it will do. She put in the tokens that Mr Sir had given them along with their clothes and canteen yesterday and quickly washed with her soap and shampoo; she finished, dried herself and re-changed into her clean clothes. Her soaking wet hair was tied up in a ponytail.

Emerging from behind the Warden's cabin she bumped into Becky, who was still filthy and sweaty. "Oh hey Becky."

"Hi Michaela," she replied, smiling. "Are you going into the Rec Room now?"

"Sure am."

"I'll join you once I've showered," Becky said. "Magnet's nice, isn't he?"

Michaela smiled and raised her eyebrows at that random comment. "I don't know, is he?"

"He said he's going to teach me Spanish later," Becky said, in a sort of shy way.

"I bet he did," Michaela said quietly, still smiling.

"What?"

"Nothing," Michaela said quickly. "Well, I'll meet you in there then. You realise we'll be the only girls right?"

"I just tried talking to the other girls, when I went to grab my things," Becky said, holding up her towel, clean clothes and toiletries. "But I didn't get much of a response. We can't be like them while we're here."

"Agreed."

"Anyway, I will meet you in there...I can't wait to sit down," Becky admitted, stretching her stiff muscles.

"And to brush up on your Spanish?" Michaela joked, smiling wider at her friend's blush.

Well, that was interesting. Becky and X-Ray were, in a weird way, attracted to each other but for some reason they found each other a threat. But then Becky does seem to have a little crush on Magnet and is embracing it.

Ignoring the slightly embarrassed looks of the boys who were showering, Michaela entered the Rec Room and spotted D Tent at the back of the room. Ignoring even more looks she wandered over to them.

"Hey."

They greeted her back from their game of pool. It seemed to be X-Ray, Armpit and Squid against Zigzag and Magnet. Zero and Barfbag were nowhere to be seen.

"Can I play?" Michaela asked.

"Sure, we can use another player on their team," said X-Ray, nodding over to Zigzag and Magnet.

"Thanks," she said, grabbing a cue stick.

"I think we should start this game again," said Squid, who was leaning on his stick and chewing on a tooth pick. "Seems only fair."

"Because we were kicking all your asses?" Zigzag asked.

"You were not!"

The game started, and Michaela took her first shot, to which X-Ray said "Not bad," in an admiring voice. Becky then entered and Michaela noticed the slight stare from Magnet as she approached them; he likes her too!

"Hey Magnet," she said, standing by them at the pool table. "Are you still up for teaching me some Spanish?"

X-Ray glared at the two of them; and he is definitely jealous. "Sure chica," Magnet replied, grinning at her enthusiasm.

Michaela shared a look with Zigzag before he said, "Bros before hoes, man."

Magnet shrugged and handed his cue stick. "Sorry guys," he said, grinning again. "A pretty lady requires my attention."

Becky bit her lip and tried to conceal her smile whilst everybody else laughed, with the exception of X-Ray, who said, "Damn it Zig, hurry up, it's your turn."

Michaela however felt eyes on her, and when she looked up Squid turned away quickly. Michaela stared for a few seconds at his dark hair, his eyes and his smile as Armpit said something to him; he gave her butterflies just looking at him.

A while later it was Michaela's turn again. Becky, on the sofa behind them, tried to repeat the funny words that Magnet produced, making him erupt into giggles. He certainly had a unique laugh which, in turn, caused those playing pool to turn and look at them.

"Take it somewhere else, lovebirds," X-Ray demanded. Becky glared at him, and Magnet, thinking his 'leader' was joking, just winked.

Squid however watched as the ball rolled into the pocket. "Who taught you how to play pool?" he asked Michaela.

"My dad...before he left, that is," she answered, laughing in a humourless way.

"My dad left too," Squid said quietly, so only Michaela could hear him. They stared at each other for a few seconds in understanding.

Then the bell rang for dinner before X-Ray could find an excuse to fall out with Becky and Magnet. "And we emerge victorious!" Zigzag said dramatically as they began to file out of the Rec Room, giving Michaela a pat on the back.

"Nah," Squid said casually. "I call that game disbanded."

"Such sore losers," Zigzag muttered as they entered the Mess Hall.

"So do you want to sit with us today?" Squid asked as they queued up for food.

Michaela looked over to the girls' table, and they looked as miserable as ever. She definitely wouldn't get a decent conversation out of them. "Sure, I'd love too." She looked over at Becky, who nodded in response.

After being served the bubbling stew, which looked alive, she sat next to Squid on D Tent's table. Barfbag and Zero finally joined them too. "Do we get served food out of can every day?" she grumbled, poking it with her fork.

"Yep," Squid replied, digging into his own.

"So, ladies, what did you get done for?" X-Ray asked.

Squid looked straight at Michaela with great interest, so she replied first. "Er...a few things, I guess. Skipping school, stealing, that kinda' thing."

"You look way too pretty to be a juvenile," X-Ray said, winking at her. Michaela laughed slightly, feeling embarrassed; Squid frowned.

"What about you?" Magnet asked Becky.

"This and that," she muttered, sharing a pleading look with Michaela which asked her not to tell them about her one-off drug dealing.

"Come on girl, we don't hide anything from each other," X-Ray pressed.

"Nothing in particular...just stuff which all added up," Becky said, somewhat sternly. "I don't want to talk about it."

"We'll have counselling once a week," X-Ray told her. "You'll have to tell your sob story then. Am I right?" The boys murmured in response, agreeing with him; Michaela felt a pang in her gut on behalf of Becky and her ill mum.

"What about you guys?" Michaela asked quickly, to shift the focus. Becky shot her a grateful look.

"Well, I was caught selling bags of parsley and oregano to customers who thought it was marijuana in Lubbock," X-Ray said, grinning. "I made a ton of bucks before I was caught. I mean, really, it's not my fault what people think they're buying. I'm not a mind reader."

Michaela found herself laughing at the stupidity of the scheme. "What about you Armpit?"

"I got sent here 'cause of some stupid little fight in a cinema," he replied. "I was just minding my own business, making my way down a row of seats with a big bucket of popcorn. A couple of high school seniors tripped me and I split my popcorn all over them. They yelled at me, I yelled at them, and before I knew it they were at hospital and I was on my way here."

"Oh shit, really?"

"You don't mess with my man Armpit," X-Ray said with pride.

"You?" Michaela asked Squid, turning her head to look at him.

"Same as you, pretty much," he said quietly, looking right back at her. She nodded and they shared a sad smile.

"Zigzag thought it'd be cool to set a piece of Styrofoam on fire," said X-Ray, as Michaela looked at Zigzag in concern.

"Yeah, in my school yard...the flames may have gotten out of control," he grinned. "It was awesome."

Michaela laughed nervously before turning her attention to Magnet, who was starting his story. "I was caught stealing a puppy," Magnet said, grinning. "I love animals but they wanted a thousand bucks for just one puppy. So I would have made it out...if my pocket didn't start barking."

Michaela had to admit, she hadn't laughed so much in a while, sitting around this table with new friends. Friends. That's how they felt to her: true friends. Especially Squid, who was laughing too. Even Becky was smiling.

Barfbag and Zero had finished their dinner and had left one after the other, so Michaela couldn't find out their story.

Soon they had too left the Mess Hall, and Michaela began to return to her tent until she heard a commotion from inside. She looked at Ashley. "What the hell is going on?"

They quickly entered, and stumbled upon the smallest and shyest girl, Bryony. Surrounded by the other girls, she was clutching her crucifix necklace, kneeling on the floor and muttering something from the Bible. The only word Michaela caught was Hell.

"Christ, what is she doing?" she shrieked at the other girls.

"She does this once in a while," said Natalie, one of the British sisters.

"Well shouldn't we do something?" Michaela asked, exasperated.

"And what do you suggest?" Riley, the big girl, snapped.

"Don't talk to me like that," Michaela retorted crossly. "I just think—"

But then things took a turn for the unexpected. Bryony began to bang her head on anything hard she could find, screaming manically and bursting into tears.

"Oh my God..."

"Get her out of here now!"

Bryony was starting to scare them; she must really come from a God-fearing family. Michaela stumbled backwards out of the tent, her heart pumping furiously and she stumbled down the steps and into Squid, who luckily caught her with her arms. A few other boys were surrounding the tent too.

"Are you alright?" he asked in concern. "What the hell is goin' on in there?"

And he soon got his answer, for Riley dragged Bryony kicking and screaming out of their tent. A few of the counsellors took her from Riley's grip, and Michaela watched as she was taken to the Warden's cabin.

"What the hell was that about?" asked X-Ray from beside Michaela and Squid.

"I have no idea," Michaela replied honestly, stunned from what just happened. "She was just going crazy, reciting something from the Bible I think."

"Alright, show's over!" yelled Mr. Sir, who had ran out of his office. "Get back to your tents! Now!"

Squid still had his hands clutching her safely, so she bid him goodnight, and he reluctantly let her go. "Night Michaela," he whispered back.

Michaela, still feeling a bit shaken up, returned to her tent. But she soon smiled when she heard Squid say, "Shut up, Magnet!"

Author's Note:

Thank you for your reviews Im a half-blood, Faithful Recognition, trust brings pain, and GraveyardGirl666 :) also, a big thank you to I Heart Toothless for your private message! :) I hope you all enjoyed this update; let me know your thoughts!

Also, I'm not dis-respecting religion in anyway here...it's for a future plot line with Bryony and inspired by something I saw on TV :) I will also show the good side of religious people too, don't worry!