CHAPTER 4:
--Jackie--
So Zigzag was having some sort of melt down right before my eyes. It was almost scary to watch. His arms were rapped around his stomach and his head feel back as he laughed hysterically at nothing in particular.
"Hey Zig, you alright?" the boy from earlier asked. I recognized him as the one who had carried my bag when Zigzag so gently tossed me over his shoulder.
"Don't spook him," I scoffed, reliving my previous feelings toward the zigzaggy haired boy. He wiped his eyes and sat up straight after a while. Turning his face down to his hands he started fiddling his fingers and acting as if nothing had happened. Oooook then.
"Hey man forget those wack names Mom told you," said the black boy with the thick dust covered glasses. I had no idea who he was talking about when he said 'mom' though.
"My names X-Ray, this is Armpit," he pointed to the bigger black kid standing to his right. He nodded his greeting and I returned it.
"That's Squid over there," the boy who'd carried my bag raised his black eyebrows at me and swiveled the toothpick around in his mouth. Not a good sign.
"Magnet," the Hispanic boy with a shaved head smiled and waved at me from the third cot on the left.
"Caveman," the one Pendanski had called Stanley gave me a genuinely warm smile and I returned it. His brown hair sat messily at the top of his head and I couldn't help but think that he didn't look like much of a criminal.
"You met Zigzag," X-Ray laughed nodding at the unresponsive blonde boy. I rolled my eyes and didn't comment.
"And that's Zero over there," he jutted his chin to the very back of the tent. There a small boy was resting on a cot and not doing much else. Barely even blinking. I thought he looked adorable with his wild hair and caramel skin. Like a teddy bear.
"He don't talk to no one but Caveman though," Armpit said.
"Yea, that fools retarded or something," X-Ray said laughing. I was appalled!
"Maybe he's not retarded, maybe he just doesn't have anything to say to you losers!" I snapped. All eyes in the tent turned to me, even Zigzag and Zero's. Zero's looked shocked while Zigzag looked suspicious.
"You shouldn't pick on people you know nothing about," I said, sticking my nose in the air and walking over to Zero. I sat down on the edge of his cot and after a few seconds was joined by Caveman who flashed me a wide smile that I mirrored.
"Hi, Zero," I said kindly turning to the small boy, "I'm Jackie, nice to meet you." I stuck my hand out towards him and he took it hesitantly and shook it. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly in the ghost of a smile. When he released my hand I placed it in my lap and narrowed my eyes at him quizzically.
"You know, I bet your smarter then all these other guys and just choose not to speak to any of them. Kinda like that mouse from Tom and Jerry."
This time he really did smile and I laughed a little bit. Stanley watched us, beaming and rubbed his head for a second. I had a feeling I'd be spending a lot of time with Caveman and Zero during my stay. They seemed like the most decent ones in the whole tent.
A shrill bell rang, ruining the moment and making me jump badly. "What was that?" I asked turning to Caveman.
"Oh that's just the dinner bell," he said moving off the cot. I followed his example and then waited at the tent flap with him for Zero. The rest of D-Tent had already headed off to eat. As we left I walked between Zero and Caveman and felt safe instead of nervous for the first time today.
"Oh and don't worry," Caveman said when we were half way to the food hall, "you can have my cot." He blushed a bit as he finished and even more when I threw my arms around him.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are a gentlemen and a prince Stanley!"
He and Zero just laughed as I dance around them in circles till we reached the food hall.
--Zigzag--
No one had ever stood up to X-Ray before, and from the look on his face, no one but Jackie probably ever would again. He was scary furious and just kept mumbling about how he should've had a come back for her. Though I would never in a million years admit it, I was pretty impressed by what Jackie did. I guess I didn't really think Zero was stupid since I got quite a lot too, but I'd never thought about defending him. Despite myself I started thinking that Jackie might be a nearly decent person. Even if she was a spy for the CIA.
I glanced up and witnessed her dance into the food hall. She looked extremely happy about something and had Caveman and Zero trailing not far behind her. I didn't like how they had so easily warmed up to her. She had probably stuck probes inside their brains after we'd left the tent and was now controlling them. I took back my thoughts about her being decent.
"You almost fooled me didn't ya, you little spy?" I mumbled softly to myself. Squid glanced at me and then followed my eyes up to the intruder. She danced towards the food line ignoring the stares she was getting from the other campers. She definitely knows how to get attention.
"Hey X, there she is," Squid said after Jackie reached the line with Caveman and Zero.
"What're Zero and Caveman doin with her?" Magnet asked aloud, leaning over the table.
"Man, Zero'll kiss the ass of anyone who's nice to him," Armpit said shaking his head.
"And Caveman?" Magnet said, watching her as she looked disgustedly at the food choices.
"She's probably usin mind control on him and now he's like her little slave for life," I said quickly. I could almost feel my eyes spark and then grow dim. They all shook their heads at me and decided to ignore my comment. Fine with me. Let them think I'm crazy. They'll be sorry when I'm the only one who can save them.
"Hey guys," Caveman said, as he reached the table with Jackie and Zero off to his left. She sat down between the two of them and started picking at her food. I watched her as if my life depended on it. Which it probably did. Every time she so much as twitched a finger my eyes widened and I leaned over a bit. I was practically leaning over Caveman when X-Ray stood up and reached towards Jackie's plate.
"I'm sure you wouldn't mind givin your bread to your new tent mate who worked out in the hot sun all day while you got a ride on a cool bus now would you?" he said, smiling as he reached for the bread on her plate. Bringing one hand up, she covered her bread and used the other hand to smack his away.
"Yea, actually I would," she said glaring up at him. Maybe it was just my paranoia, but I swear the whole hall went silent and turned to watch.
"What?!" X snapped angrily, standing up straight now. Jackie stood up too, her height pitiful compared to his but the look on her face just as scary. I was starting to enjoy this.
"I said I would mind," she repeated, "out of all this crap, the bread looks like the only edible thing. You've got your own damn bread so why don't you settle with it."
She sat back down and took a large bite into her bread, chewing it slowly while still glaring at X-Ray. Taking my eyes off her for the first time I saw that X-Ray looked like he would snap with rage at any moment. He stood glaring for a second before sitting down and giving her an evil smile.
"You're gonna regret that," he warned. Jackie rolled her eyes and pretended to shiver.
"Oh I'm so scared!" She laughed out loud and stood up with her plate. "Way to be a totally cliché loser," she scoffed and stomped away, tossing the rest of her dinner into the trash. She threw open the door and left without another glance back. Caveman and Zero stared after her before Zero shot up and followed her. Mind control.
"She'll be sorry…" X-Ray said to o one in particular. Even though he kept acting tough I knew he'd been thrown by Jackie's refusal and more than a little bit embarrassed. He looked so angry then. It was so funny to me. I started laughing again. All eyes turned to me like I was insane and X-Ray just kept glaring at his plate. My laughs echoed through-out the silent hall and bounced off all the walls till it grew louder and louder.
--Jackie--
"That stupid jerk!" I shrieked once I got inside the tent. I threw myself onto a random cot praying it wasn't X-Ray's. the lumpy pillow didn't do much for comfort so I started punching it in frustration. "I hate, hate, hate, HATE THIS PLACE!" I screamed at the wall before falling onto my side again. I brushed at my eyes and noticed the tears on my hands. I sometimes cried when I got angry and it was a huge pain in the ass. "Ugh!"
Someone tapped my shoulder and I shot up on the cot. I was about ready to punch anyone who messed with me. Luckily it turned out I wouldn't have to.
"Oh, it's you Zero," I mumbled, lowering my previously raised fist. He nodded mutely and then walked around the cot I lay on to the one next to it. He flopped onto his back with his hands behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. I tucked my hands under my head and watched him.
"Is X-Ray always such an ass?" I asked, sniffing. He nodded without hesitation and I smirked a bit before growing somber again. "How do you stand it?" He turned to face me and didn't answer. Just stared at me with an expressionless face. Finally I understood. He doesn't have to deal with it because he never says anything.
"Oh," was all I said. He turned back to the ceiling and I didn't say anything else. It was dark outside now and I'd had a long day. Stanley said I could have his cot, but he wasn't done with dinner yet and I wanted to give him a chance to change his mind. Not like I'd care. He deserved a cot just for being a genuinely good person. Same as Zero.
I kept my eyes open watching the little boy before they started to grow heavy. I yawned slightly and curled into a tighter ball. Before I knew it I had fallen into a restless sleep.
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Thanks for reading!
~monie
