Another weekend has come around. The amber June air is humid and stagnant, with no wind blowing through the bright green trees. The hot air is a little dusty as well, the golden afternoon light reflecting off it. It was almost like breathing honey.
We haven't even hit the core of summer yet.
I look up from my desk to glance outside, thinking about the last few weeks. The activities were fun, at least. I had nothing planned for tonight, so I was probably going to stay at my cabin and write my book. The writing was slow going, however- I felt like I had no inspiration whatsoever.
I groan and slump forward onto my elbows, staring off into space. I can see the dust particles in the air. My fan rotates and whirrs in the background. The noise fills the space, and leaves me feeling a little bored.
Kiba and Emiko were probably out riding again. They had really hit it off, and I was glad for her. I just wish I could hit it off as well with a certain someone.
Speaking of Lee, everything seemed fine, for now. Our relationship hadn't gone anywhere near the border of 'friendship' and 'romance' since that time in Iruka's medical cabin. I groan and kick my legs childishly. It was because the Great Wall of Sakura stood directly on that line, and was refusing to budge. Since the race, she hadn't stopped acting cold toward me.
It wasn't fair. She was the one who made snide comments about my weight and Emiko was the one who started the whole thing.
I sit up and pinch my belly a little. I wasn't exactly thin, but I wasn't... Overweight. The tags on my clothing claim 'plus size.' My mom calls me healthy and beautiful.
If only a certain bushy-brow could see that.
Hell, if only I could see that.
"NANA!" The door suddenly bangs open and Emiko darts in, waving her phone around. I jump at the sudden disruption of my brooding.
"What?!" I exclaim, startled and a little annoyed. She grins and climbs onto my bed. My nose wrinkles a little- she probably still had horse gunk all over, and she was still wearing her shoes.
"Please get off my bed."
"Shut up and listen!" Emiko laughs good-naturedly. "Naruto invited everyone to tonight's karaoke activity! It sounds like it's gonna be a ton of fun, even Kei is going!"
She wriggles her eyebrows suggestively, and I suddenly see her intention.
"Oh. OH." A smile spreads across my face, and I shut my laptop. "Looks like I'm going to karaoke tonight."
I would have gone even if Lee weren't going, I told myself, but having him there WAS a major bonus. I can't tell if I'm lying or not. At this point in the day, boredom, brooding, and writer's block had put my brain through a meat grinder, so I didn't really care. I was just ready to finally have some fun today.
"Hey, let me help you pick out an outfit!" Emiko rolls onto her back, and I snort. Even if she picked out the cutest dress in the world, it wouldn't make a difference, I think bitterly, but smile for Emi anyway.
"You're so cliche."
"You love me."
"Get off my bed."
She finally rolls off, and sniffs her clothes. I can smell the hay and sweaty leather from my desk. "Ew."
"Yeah." I stand and head toward the bathroom. "I get the tub if you want the shower."
"Sounds good. I don't want to soak in horse residue anyway." She starts stripping off her riding gear and tossing it on the floor. I start filling the bath up with steaming water, and toss in a few chamomile tea bags I nabbed from the mess hall. I needed to relax and smell good, and this accomplished both at once. It was rumored tea baths helped tighten skin too. Maybe I wouldn't be so jiggly if I soaked long enough.
Emiko steps into the shower and turns it on, yelping at the cold as it hit her body. I can only see her outline through the frosted glass.
"Why do you do that?" I tease. "Just wait outside until it's warm."
"Waiting is for suckers!" She calls, starting to wash her hair. I can't help but chuckle as I strip down, and step into the water. The heat zings from my toes all the way up my legs, and I sigh in pleasure as I sink into the water.
"Thaaaat's nice."
"That's what she said."
"Shut up." I laugh despite myself, and dip my hair in the water. For a moment, I forget Sakura's voice and I forget laps around the obstacle course.
The rest of the bath is pretty quiet, beside the occasional 'toss me the soap!' Steam fills the room, and the smell relaxes me. I let it fog up the windows into my memories. No need to think about pinkzilla. No need to worry about my weight. No need at all...
"What songs do you think you'll sing?" Emiko asks as the water shuts off. She steps from shower stall, and I contemplate the question as she dries off.
"Haven't thought about it." I decide. "Guess I'll see what songs they have."
"Yeah, me too." She starts to comb her blonde hair out. The heat and steam from the tub is starting to get me dizzy, so I stand up and yank a towel from the nearby rack. Emiko stares at me as I step from the tub, and then glances at her own pear shaped figure.
"God, your boobs are huge."
"Shut up!"
The little red skirt and striped tank top Emiko picked out was quickly completed with a cute necklace, black knee socks and my old high tops. I also had a flower clip in my hair- I thought it looked gaudy, but she had insisted.
"You gave me the power, so I'm using it." She had said.
Now we were heading to the mess hall, painted in a beautiful late afternoon glow. She herself had opted for high waist shorts and a crop top. To me, she could wear a pillowcase and still make it work. Her legs and hips were so beautifully curved, and her short stature made her just as cute as a button.
I rub the extra flab on my hip and thigh, quietly loathing its existence.
Hinata and Kei were with us, and were chatting quietly as they trailed in our shadows. The forest was quiet; the crickets hadn't come out yet, and the birds had settled down for the day. It was tranquil. Late afternoon was one of my favorite times for this reason. Our shadows stretched even longer by time we reached the mess hall, where everyone was grouped. A young man who couldn't have been much older than us was unlocking the door.
"Thanks, Sasori!" Naruto chirrups, and the redhead gives an uninterested grunt.
"Just don't break too much stuff." He says- his voice is surprisingly deep, and gives away his age. Another college age counselor, no doubt.
Everyone floods into the mess hall, chattering excitedly. Sasuke and Shikamaru, a kid with lazy eyes and a messy man bun, drag the karaoke machine out of the maintenance closet and start getting it set up, while Naruto grins at us all. He looks like he's up to no good, and heads over to the serving bar.
"Hey! I have a surprise for everyone, dattebayo!" He calls, and suddenly lifts a huge cardboard box of beer. Some of the people in the crowd groan, and others look excited. My chest suddenly swells with nervous butterflies.
"Oh, come on, Naruto." Sakura snaps at him. "You stole beer again?"
Again?!
"Well yeah! It's been a tradition two years running- drunk karaoke!" He grins.
"Sorry, Naruto, but the last time was... An unpleasant experience, to say the least." Neji, a brunette boy with his hair in a ponytail, says.
"That's not fair!" Naruto frowns. "This'll be our last summer camp, 'ttbayo! Shouldn't we all participate? One last hurrah?"
Some of the skeptical members of the group glance among themselves. Finally, Lee puts his hand up.
"I am usually fervently against underage drinking, but I think that Naruto is right. Besides, some of us are of drinking age." He smiles.
"It's not the underage part that worries us, Lee!" Kiba laughs a little, and the group chuckles. I can't help but wonder what had gone down last time to cause them to all be so hesitant.
Emiko raises her hand. "I'll stay!" She grins. "It sounds like a ton of fun!"
"Me too!" Tenten, the mouse eared girl from the race, smiles as well. I give in and raise my hand in agreement. One by one, everyone decides to stay, even Sasuke and Kei. This was our last summer vacation- why not start it off with a party? Naruto grins and grabs the karaoke book and the bottle opener from the counter.
"Who's first?!"
The world is shifting and swirling a little around the edges. My head is swimming like it's just done a spectacular dive into a pool of alcohol. I've only had two beers. This is ridiculous, I can't be this much of a lightweight...
Everyone has grouped off, with a few loose threads scattered around the mess hall. Hinata and Neji are asleep on the floor. Alcohol tolerance must not run in the family. Naruto and Sasuke are singing a duet on a makeshift stage of veggie crates and plywood planks. I can't make out any of the words. The girls are gossiping drunkly in the corner, except for Kei, who is arguing with Shino about butterflies. I would turn my head to try and find where everyone else is, but I feel like if I did, my brain would pivot in my skull like a ballerina and never stop.
Out of the corner of my bleary eye, I recognize Emiko's crop top pattern, and turn slowly to see what she's doing.
She and Kiba were tangled up on the couch, arms around one another. His lips are pressed to hers messily, and her fingers are grasping his shirt so tightly it might rip. He tangles his fingers into her hair and pulls her head back to kiss her neck. I can't help but think she'll have hickies tomorrow.
Someone taps my shoulder roughly, and look backwards up at them. Bushy eyebrows and a black bowl cut. It's Lee. His cheeks are pink and his eyelids heavy. He looks cuter than normal.
"Hey pretty lady. Wasshu lookin at?!" He slurs. I blink a few times, slowly- he must have been an even lighter weight than I was, because he was /smashed./
"Lookin at a fine piece of ass!" I hear my lips trip over my consonants and can't believe what I'm saying. It's like I had no control whatsoever, and my grip on reality was slowly starting to go.
"Where?" He looks around, and I laugh. It's a bubbly, unfocused sound, like someone dropping a bell.
"Right here." I poke his stomach- and his lightning fast reflexes catch my wrist and pull me against his chest. His breath smells like beer, but even that can't deter his good smell. Goooooood smell. I slump against his shoulder and inhale deeply, cooing.
Being drunk was weird.
"Gosh, it is... So hot." He lets me go and struggles to get his shirt off. I stare shamelessly as he wriggles, letting the scene imprint on my retina.
"I'll say."
He wrenches it off his torso, and starts on his pants. They manage to become unbuckled, unzipped, and dropped to his knees before he stumbles backward and trips, landing on top of a passed out Shikamaru.
I laugh again, and decide that it looks fun, flopping on top of him.
"Ugh... You are... Very heavy." He groans, and suddenly some very bad feelings flood into my body.
I sit up, feeling anxious and nauseous and really pissed off. My skin is so hot that anything touching me might burn. I'm surprised my clothes haven't singed off.
"Well, I am SOOOO sorry I'm not little miss 115!" I yell at him, and then whip around to point at Sakura. "170 is beeeeeeyutiful!" I shout, and stumble towards her with outstretched arms. "I'll...! Snap you like a twig!"
Kei grabs my arm.
"Twigs..." She pauses, then turns to Shino. "And STICKBUGS-"
I wrench out of her grip and fall back on my backside. The resounding thud is heavy and sends a sharp pain up my spine. I glance at the floorboards- one had cracked where I landed.
That was too much.
The emotions I've been harboring in secret bubble to the surface, hot and runny and disgusting like the snot dribbling from my nose. I start to cry, unabashedly. My incoherent babbling is muffled as familiar arms wrap around me and lips press to my ear. Lee mumbles something directly into my brain over and over, like a mantra, before I drift off. It echoes in my canals like music. I won't remember the tune in the morning.
"You are beautiful."