Before it Began

by ViralsInASouffleNut

Title will probably change. The Virals find a book called VIRALS by Kathy Reichs before the whole dog tag thing. What would happen if they were warned of what happened first? Sorry for the bad summary, just read the first chapter and tell me what you think :) Oh, and, alas, I do not own Virals. So sad, so sad.

10. Chapter 9

Sorry for not updating... stuff happened and I thought I had already updated this... sorry X999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999 an infinite amount. I'd promise chapters because I'm holed up for spring break, but I have troubles keeping promises... Anyways. Chappie nine! We're getting somewhere! And now we get to meet her the horrors upon horrors... Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Whitney Rose Dubois! This is gonna be a fun chappie. Tory's POV 'cause I miss writing her.

Disclaimer: I do not own Virals. Nein. Kaput. I don't know what 'kaput' means, but it sounds cool, so nein kaput it is.

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"Are we reading today?" Jason was overly eager today, practically panting. I could just imagine him with a wagging tail. Sometimes I wondered if he was supposed to be a dog but something went wrong and he turned out human. But that brings a whole new argument into view that I would rather ignore.

I nodded. "You missed two chapters, though."

Jason pouted. "Not cool enough to join your gang?"

"Too cool to join our gang. We only accept the best rejects."

"Fill me in?"

"Basically, there was a ridiculously ugly dude with 'close set eyes and a bulbouse nose.'"

"Close set eyes and a bulbous nose." Jason raised an eyebrow. I lifted my palms.

"What can I say? It's a good description."

He shrugged. "Actually, that sounds a bit like Mr. Claybourne." He laughed. "That would certainly be interesting."

I laughed along with him, not quite sure what he was talking about. Mr. Claybourne as in Chance? No, he didn't have 'close set eyes' nor a 'bulbouse nose.' The image made me laugh- that was the complete opposite of him. Perhaps the senior Mr. Claybrourne? I didn't see any other option... "So this mystery guy is talking to Karsten about getting us banned from the island, and to talk to him about business and agreements and failure to show progress. A lot of foreshadowing."

Jason bobbed his head. "Fascinating. And?"

"That's it."

"For both chapters?"

"Oh, right. Chapter eight Hi was an idiot and threw a gumball at a monkey on Loggerhead."

"He threw a gumball at a monkey." Jason, incredulous.

I nodded. "A true idiot."

We were just stepping outside, when Hi came up. "Talkin' 'bout me?"

I grin. "Only good things."

Hi rolled his eyes. "Did you include the way I fought off those monkeys with only my bare fists?"

I snorted. "Aye aye, Cap'n."

"Ooh, are we doing pirate talk?" Hi clapped his hands like a giddy four year old. "Yay!"

Jason rolled his eyes.

"Yo-ho-ho matey." Hi said.

"Yo-ho-ho matey to ye too." Jason replied.

I hurried to prevent them from actually starting a mock sword fight.

"So, Hi, you wanna explain to Jason what happened?"

Hi shrugged. "YES SIR!" He smacked himself in an attempt to salute. Jason and I broke out into peals of laughter.

"Don't mock me." Hi mumbled.

"YES SIR!" I shot my arm out and hit him in the forehead. Laughter broke out yet again on all sides, including Hi.

"Okay, really now," I started, after the laughter had died down. "What Jason missed."

"Chapter eight," Jason supplied.

"Right. Um... That was the one I read, right?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Hi." Exasperated.

"Basically, Tory and I got into a monkey fight, and I had to absorb, like, twelve hard, dead on punches from the enemy before getting them down. The monkeys-"

"Monkey." I corrected in a snort, amused.

"The monkey's were rabid, frothing up at the mouth and everything. And they were all tooth and claw, tearing up my skin like crazy. Blood was everywhere, and it ended with me in the trees, and they were so creamed. They ran backwards with their tail between their legs, and then-"

I took this as a good time to interrupt. "Basically, we got lost. Shelton and Ben went to look for the path, Hi and I stayed in the clearing. Hi was an idiot-"

"hey!"

"It's true, don't deny it."

"There's nothing to deny." Hi sniffed.

I ignored him. "threw a gumball. Y-7, this monkey, was mad, and attacked back." I winced. Note to self- do not get in a monkey fight in the future. "It threw a dog tag, and-"

Jason held up a hand. "Wait. Slow down. It was throwing... a dog tag?"

I nodded. "Mhm. Metal. We haven't identified it yet, but-"

"Wait again. You found it in real life too?"

The thought hit me like a rouge Frisbee. OhmyGod. I could go and find it! This would be the ultimate test! If I could find that dog tag, I would have proof that this book was doing the impossible. Telling the future! I was so jazzed, I forgot that I was in school.

"Yes!" I hollered, arms lifted into a V.

Jason and Hi stared.

"So... what drugs are you on?" Hi asked slowly.

I danced a circle. "None! I figured it out! If we could find that dog tag, we could find out if all this was true, and-"

"Tory."

I ignored him. "We could prove it, and-"

"Tory!"

"Shut up, Hi, I'm-"

"Tory! Think! This takes place two months in the future! We have no chance of recalling it! And even then, we have no idea where Y-7 found the dog tag! We'd have to wait until she threw it at us, which would be so far in the future that..."

"Oh." I dropped my arms. Right. My spirits dropped like a broken bag filled with slush. "Oh."

"Yeah, oh." Hi said.

"Sorry." I glanced around me. People were staring. My cheeks burned. "Well, I must've looked like a fool."

Hi nodded. "Yes, yes you did."

Jason raised his eyebrows. "I am very confused. What're you talking about?"

I squeezed my eyes shut. "Doesn't matter." I said quickly. "Just me being an idiot." Before he could asked further questions, I continued my summary of the chapter. "Y-7 threw a dog tag at us-"

"What's a dog tag?"

"WW1? Identification tags?"

Jason 'ahhed.'

"So we ducked, Y-7 left, Ben and Shelton found the path, I took to tag and was going to identify it."

Jason nodded. "Fascinating."

"Do I detect sarcasm?" I asked.

"Yes." Hi, deadpan.

"No, really. That is fascinating. I wish I hadn't missed it."

"Well, suck up, 'cause we're not going back." Hi said.

"Right..." Jason drawled.

"No, really. I think Ben's reading today."

Jason groaned. "Does he have to?" He whined like a three year old.

"Hey!" I said. "Ben has a great story-telling voice!"

Jason and Hi raised their eyebrows in unison.

I blushed beet red. "What?"

"Great story-telling voice?"

"It's true!" I defended.

"Uh-huh." Jason, skeptical.

Hi ran ahead, no doubt to tell Ben I was desperately and completely in love with him. Sigh.

"So there's that. I should probably go save Ben now..." I raced after Hi, Jason quick on my heels.

When we got there, Hi was already munching on a sandwich. Ben was staring skeptically at me. Shelton was grinning madly. "So I hear of long, dramatic sobbing confessions?"

I face-palmed.

"Dear God no." I glared at Hi. "What happened?"

"Weeeeell..."

I groaned, then, beet red, turned to Ben. "I have not broken out into a 'long, dramatic, sobbing confession' and I am not about to break into a 'long, dramatic, sobbing confession' so you can relax."

A moment.

Awk-ward si-lence.

"So is there a reason you would be breaking out into a... what was it? 'long, dramatic, sobbing confession'?" Ben asked.

"Uh..."

"She said..." Hi started, grin wide.

I slapped a hand over his mouth in fear of what might come out. "You have a good story-telling voice." I said.

A beat. Then Ben raised an eyebrow, leaning back against a tree. "I have a good story-telling voice." He repeated flatly.

If possible, my face went even more red. "So it would appear."

Ben shrugged. "'cause that's what every dude wants to hear." Another beat. "But, thanks."

I rolled my eyes, than slid to the ground with a thud, face still beat red.

"So. Who's reading?" Shelton asked at last.

"Ben, 'cause of his good story-telling voice." Hi said.

Ben sighed. "You're never going to get over that, are you."

"Sorry," I said. "But it's true."

Ben turned to me. "Thanks. Thanks a lot."

I made a face at him. I must seem like such a child to him. Huh. Then again, in comparison to Hi...

"So where's the book?" Ben asked, holding out a hand.

"Huh?" I snapped to attention. "Oh. Yeah. Right." I fished around in my bag for the book. "Aha!" I announced. "Here is your prize for the... uh..."

"Book..." Shelton struggled.

"For..." I bit my lip.

"Stuff!" Hi declared.

"Uh... huh." Ben said, gingerly taking the book. "Right." Sometimes I wondered if he was the only sane one of us.

At home, disaster lurked.

Terror.

Horror.

"We've got terror and horror already! Yay!" Hi exclaimed.

Jason's eyebrows shot upwards. "Do all her chappies start like this?"

"It's a wonderful start to a chapter! More authors should do that." I said defensively.

Jason held up his hands. "It wasn't supposed to be an insult. It's a great chapter start, I"m just asking."

I relaxed. "Oh."

"It get's better," Ben said with a wicked grin.

"An evil psychopath with a machete trying to take over the world, 'cept I'm there and being all badass and kicking butt?" Hi suggested, giddy with excitement.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Even better." Ben's grin grew.

Ooh, a mass murder?" Said Hi, oblivious to our stares."

"Even better." Ben's grin grew. "Mass murder of Tory's brain cells."

I groaned. Everybody else guffawed.

"Whitney." I moaned, face in hands.

"Who's Whitney?" Jason asked.

"You'll find out soon." Shelton said, smirking, Oh dear...

Her.

"Is that how you always refer to her? Just... Her?" Jason asked.

"Yep." Hi said. "She deserves no other name."

"Seems pleasant." Jason snorted. "How's she gonna kill Tory's brain cells?"

"You'll see." Said Shelton.

The conversation was always the same.

"So you meet her often..." Jason mused.

"Far too." I mumbled.

Bombast.

"Bombast..." Jason muttered.

"Stop thinking aloud, would you? It's annoying." Ben snapped. I sighed mentally. Of course, the sorta-kinda-maybe peace couldn't last.

Then reproach.

I could see Jason about to say something, the snap his mouth shut with a glare to Ben.

Followed by thoughtlessness. Always draped in tones as syrupy as molasses.

"So it's basically a ditz head." Jason said.

I groaned. "Yeah."

And she was off and running.

"Why, Tory, look at you!

Hi and Shelton were shaking with silent laughter. They knew exactly what was happening.

You're getting to be so lovely! Angel eyes!"

Ben had joined in the silent laughter. A slow smile was spreading across Jason's face.

Laugh at my misery, would you.

Oh God.

"That bad, huh." Jason said, smile turning to grin.

"Don't laugh at me." I muttered.

"But, dear thing, why not wear a sundress?

"A sundress?!" Jason cackled. "Oh my God, I can so not see you there. I'm sorry, I just can't."

"Bad imagination." I muttered, not sure if he was insulting or complimenting me.

Girl as pretty as you shouldn't slum around in T-shirts and shorts."

"Yes I should! Yes I should!" I slammed my fist into my palm.

"On this one, I have to agree, actually. You wearing a sundress would just be odd." Ben looked at me quizzically. "I mean, how would you get on Seewee?"

"Like a normal person?" Jason sneered.

Ben, thankfully, ignored him. "How would you drag us along on your ridiculous ideas? For that matter, how would you do anything you usually do if you were wearing a sundress?"

Jason turned to me. "You'd look hot, I'll give it that."

Ben, Shelton, and Hi glared at him.

"What?" He said threw a mouthful of pizza. "It's true!"

I snorted. "Lesson of the day: These are my replacement for the older brothers I never had. Stupid, annoying, and extremely protective. Get used to it."

Hi snorted. "Yeah. 'cept for Ben, 'cause he's got a good story-telling voice."

I groaned. "Get over it, would you?"

Shelton and Hi snickered. "Nope."

I glanced over at Ben, but was surprised to see that he was intently reading the book. He was at least two chapters ahead. "Uh... can we go back to reading?" I asked at last.

Ben's head shot up. "Huh?" He paused. "Oh. Yeah. Sorry."

"No problemo."

Stop.

"I cannot wait to take you for a proper haircut."

"NO!" Hi shrieked.

All four eyes turned to him. "What?" I said.

"Your hair! You can't get a haircut!"

I raised my eyebrows. "Why...?"

"Because your hair is hilarious."

"Gee. Thanks." I said dryly. "I appreciate it."

My girl Da'Nae will know exactly what to do with that tangle.

Kill me. Kill me now.

"Bad Tory. Baaad Tory." Hi scolded.

"Shut up. You would understand if you were in my place." I said.

"Plus, you sound like a dying sheep." Shelton added.

Dinner plans had taken a dreadful turn.

"Understatement of the century." I muttered.

Kit's "lady friend" had been added to the guest list. I was not consulted, perhaps because my feelings of the issue of Whitney are clear.

"The issue of Whitney?" Jason raised his eyebrows.

"Worse." I said.

I stared full bore at Kit. He kept his eyes on his plate.

"Thanks for nothing, jerk." I muttered.

"I feel bad for your Dad." Jason said.

Ben snorted. "You shouldn't."

He didn't give us time to ponder why.

Thanks for the heads up, jerk.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Whitney Rose Dubois.

"Dubois? As in the Whitney Dubois?" Jason said.

I nodded. "Why?"

Jason laughed. "Oh, this is great. This is just great. I can't believe it."

"What?" Shelton asked.

"Whitney Dubois, part of the cotillion commity, or something like that. She is the biggest barbie there is. Watch out, Tory, she's going to be kicking you into it before you know what's happening."

"Nah. I'm not even allowed, I'm only fourteen, remember?"

You watch. Whitney can get anybody to do anything. Impressive for an airhead."

I shook my head. "Nope. So not happening."

Jason just smirked.

"Have you thought about what I said last time, sugar."

"Sugar..." Jason said thoughtfully.

"Hello, Sugar." Hi said. "Ha. Ha. Ha. Sugar! Hi Sugar! Hello Sugar-Tory! Sugar-Tory! Hihihihihi! I'm gonna call you Sugar from now on."

I smacked him. "Don't you dare." I growled.

"I dare." He grinned.

"What?" I leaned back. "Don't say Ruth's never called you sugar before. I've heard her."

Jason cackled. "That's a nice way of putting it."

"Yeah. You'll all become my... my Mom." I stated.

Silence.

"O...kay." Shelton said at last.

"Yeah." Hi said.

"Awk...ward."

Ben started reading. Thankfully. And I repeat- the only sane one.

Whitney feigned nonchalance. Failed.

"Of course she did." I muttered.

"Yes, Whitney, I did." I tried to be diplomatic. "I don't think it's me."

Shelton shook his head. "No, no. No. No. No. You're doing it all wrong! She's not going to pick up on that!"

I raised my eyebrows. "Why not?"

"Because she just won't. It's not going to work! With Whitney, you practically need to punch her before she does anything!"

"Uh-huh. Let's see how Kit goes with that, shall we?"

"Not you?"

"See?"

"No."

Mascara-laden lashes fluttered. Bleached hair swished. "Not you!" A manicured hand fluttered to jacked up boobs.

"How does one 'flutter' their hands?" Hi asked.

I demonstrated. It seemed more like I was having a seizure. "No... I can't do it. But when Whitney is being dramatic, she manages to just... quiver her hand. And it's rather strange."

"You look like you're dying." Ben noted.

"Right. Thanks, Ben." I said dryly.

"It's true," He defended.

"It is." Said Hi.

"Mhm." Shelton agreed. Jason said nothing.

"But of course it's you!"

"This woman really doesn't know anything," Jason said, amazed. I'm not sure why- if he knew Whitney, why be so stunned by her antics?

Saucer eyes conveyed total lack of understanding.

Swing and a miss. How to put this delicately?

"Not gonna work," Shelton said. "I told you, you have to punch her to get her to do anything. Haven't you learned that by now?"

"Yeah, of course, let's punch my Dad's girlfriend, see how that goes. Kit's not a total weakling, y'know."

Shelton shrugged. "You know what I meant."

"What you meant wouldn't go too well with Kit either."

"Whatever."

"The whole idea is ridiculous. Stupid."

"Atta girl." Shelton approved.

Hi chortled. "Brilliant. Just brilliant."

"Thanks, Hi." I said dryly.

"You've got guts," Said Shelton.

"I know." I said.

"And modesty too."

"I know."

There. Oprah would be proud.

"She would be, she would be." Hi coughed into his hand. "Ahem, ahem. You go girl! Speakin' yo thoughts! Doin' as yo think right! Be'in y'own person! You rule! You do as you like, you do girl! Aye-aye-aye-" I'm not even sure who he was trying to imitate, but it most certainly was not Oprah.

"Shut. Up." I growled through gritted teeth. People were full out staring now. Great. Just great. An audience. And Jason's presence here didn't exactly help.

"Tory!" Kit said. "That's enough."

"Oh, of course, Kit, the super dad, would come to the rescue." Hi rolled his eyes. "So creative."

"Hey!" I said.

"Hey yourself, the point stands. I was hoping that Whitney would finally get her heart crushed." Shelton added.

"Nah," Said Ben. "She would've just said she didn't understand. She's too stupid to get hints, even when they're being blatantly screamed at her."

I resisted the impulse to sigh theatrically.

"Don't resist!" Hi declared. "Be proud! Be strong! Stay above them all! And above all, sigh as much as you want, be theatrical as much as you BE YOURSELF!" He stood on the bench and thumped his chest. I buried my face in my hands. Oh dear Lord. This was not good. I could have kissed Ben when he cut Hi off.

"Thank you for the offer,

"DON'T GIVE IN!" Hi hollered.

but I'm just not into the whole 'deb' thing."

"Understatement of the century." Hi and I groaned at the same time. I shot up in my seat and stared at him. "Don't do that." Be both said.

Pause.

"Stop."

Pause.

"No, really, stop."

Pause.

"I said stop!"

Pause.

Pause.

Pause.

"Are you done yet?" I said.

"What the hell was that?" Hi said.

"I agree. What was that?" Jason asked. "Do you guys rehearse these things or something?"

I shook my head. "Dear God no."

"Are you sure?" Shelton asked.

"I do hope so," I said.

"That was freaky." Ben stated.

"No duh."

For a month, Whitney had worked to convince me to make my debut as a lady.

"No..." I moaned into my hands. The boys laughed, Jason louder than the rest.

"Told you so," He said.

"One month... I have one month until she starts... starts... starts... pulling shit on me." I groaned.

"Ooh..." Hi crowed. "Tory has a potty mouth!"

"Hypocrite." Ben said

"And proud." Hi shot back.

I had zero interest.

"Good, proper, modern girl." Hi nodded approval.

White dresses.

"You getting married any time soon?" Hi said.

Satin gloves.

"I'm serious about the marriage thing."

Being displayed like cattle.

"Or not." Shelton said.

No thanks. I'm just not that into you.

My mind raced to find a new topic. Blanked.

"What about the dog tag? You could tell Kit about what you were planning to do." Shelton suggested.

"Nah," I said. "That would prove that I was on LIRI."

"Is there a problem with that?" Jason asked.

"There shouldn't be." I glared at my shoes. "Whitney just has very... strong... issues on my... uh... 'rolling like pigs in the mud with boys.'" I cocked my head towards Hi, Ben, and Shelton. "A young lady shouldn't be cavorting with wild, unescorted boys." I mimicked her in my highest, squeakiest voice.

Hi and Shelton cackled, and even Ben managed to crack a chuckle. "Are you quoting?" Jason asked, a half smile ready to break into a grin.

I didn't need to answer. Four voices as one: "Yes."

"But sweet pea, you'll soon turn sixteen."

"Yeah. In three years." I growled.

"Technically two." Jason pointed out.

"Shut up."

Whitney trained her baby blues on Kit. This was clearly the most obvious thing in the world.

"Clearly." Shelton said.

"I'll meet society later."

Never.

"Nonsense!

"Perfect sense." I mumbled.

And Tory, darlin', I'm your lucky day!"

"Bull shit." I swore under my breath.

Looking pleased with herself, Whitney placed her hand on Kit's.

"Gross." Hi said.

Gross. "Now, we only have six months left in this season, but I happen to have considerable influence on the committee.

Jason cackled. "More than considerable. You'll be there by the end of the week."

You're a shoo-in to be selected." The woman positively beamed.

"Tory, Whitney's offering you a special opportunity." Kit, trying to smooth the waters.

"Tory, you need to change this topic. Fast. Kit-Dad-hero is coming in. Beware." Hi waggled his eyebrows.

"Working on it." I muttered.

"Work harder."

"Shut up."

"You shut up."

"You shut up."

"You shut up."

"I said it first."

"I said it second."

"Shut. Up."

"You shut up!"

"No-"

"You could use a little branching out.

Hi started to interrupt. Ben plowed through again.

These are the nicest families in Charleston.

"Thank you." Jason nodded.

"Why?" Me, confused.

"I'm in the cotillion." He explained.

Oh. Great. So, of course the tripod of skank would be there as well. Why did I not see that coming?

I felt a twinge of sympathy for the old man. This wasn't his idea, and he worried about my level of 'girl time.'

Nevertheless, I crushed the feeling like a bug.

"THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT!" Hi screamed. How many people thought we were dealing drugs back here?

Eating with Whitney only reminded me that Mom was gone forever.

It's a good thing that two months in the future me can deal with these things better.

She had no right to play at being my mother. Out of bounds.

"I got to school with those girls, Kit. They aren't that nice."

"Understatement of the century." Hi coughed.

"I thought we already had an understatement of the century?" I said.

Hi shrugged carelessly. "It gets changed regularly."

"Mhm," Shelton agreed.

"Are they really that-" Jason was cut off by four glares in his direction. "Right. Sorry, sorry. I'm nice, right?"

"No, not really." Ben said. What was with him?

"You're fine, Jason," I said. "But try to actually look at those girls, and tell me that they're nice." Thankfully, Ben kept reading before Jason would reply. I didn't want to know his response. As much as I hated to admit it, I relied on Jason. He was my sole protection from the evils of high school. Without him, I was dead meat.

"But I can help with that!" Whitney looked so eager it was painful.

Hi groaned. "The daftness of this woman terrifies me. It's not that you don't know how-" He studied me for a moment. "Wait. Do you?" He shook his head. "Not the point! You know how to be friends with them, you just don't bloody want to!"

I raised my water bottle to him. "Cheers."

"I know all the etiquette. I can teach you the dances. I'll find lovely dresses for you to wear." She leaned close. "I'll coach you the whole way."

I face palmed. "That is more terrifying than anything the tripod could possibly do." I said.

"Tripod...?" Jason asked.

Scramble. Change subject.

"Finally!" Hi declared. "That took you long enough."

"Kit, uh... how's the turtle?"

Hi snorted. "So much for avoiding Loggerhead."

He blinked. "The what? Oh! The turtle that took on a propeller. It's fine, just a scrape. Those shells are tough."

"See. Told you. He won't even ask how I know." I said.

"You never said that." Shelton pointed out.

I rolled my eyes. "See. Thought you. He won't even ask how I know."

Kit downed a forkful of Whitney's lasagna. Which, admittedly, was excellent.

"That is the one good thing about Whitney," Hi said. "She knows how to cook."

"Good southern food." Shelton said.

I growled at them all.

Grrr...

"Sea turtles are such beautiful creatures." I encouraged the current line of conversation. Kit took the bait.

"Yes. Boaters really must be more careful. But the pilot thought enough to bring the animal to us, so he's not a bad sort. Surgery took about an hour, and..."

"Has he figured out that Tory shouldn't know about the turtle yet?" Shelton asked.

"He won't!" I insisted.

He stopped.

"I take that as a yes."

"Shut up Shelton." I said.

"Haha. I know your dad better than you!" He said in a sing song voice.

"You've known him practically all your life. I've known he existed for about three months." I pointed out.

Shelton flicked a pea at me. "Whatever."

Pointed with his fork.

"I'm terrified. Kit with a fork." Hi said.

"You should be." I said.

"Wait. Who told you about the turtle?"

Shoot.

"Who told me?" I stammered.

"Oooh... Tory's in trouble!" Hi said gleefully.

"How did you find out about the injured sea turtle?" Kit spoke slowly, as though addressing a toddler.

"We sort of motored out to Loggerhead

"Sort of." Shelton said. "Just sort of."

this afternoon. Coop has been missing, and we wanted to figure out what's upsetting the pack, so-"

"We. You say we as though it was all of us." Shelton said.

"It was."

"No. You wanted to check on the wolf dogs. I just wanted to do something with y'all, and a hike seemed a good idea. Hi wanted to..."

"Won't you take me to Monkey Town!" Hi stood and broke out into the same dance move he had previously promised never to preform.

"Yeah. That."

"Don't try it again." I warned.

"Yes, Mother."

"I was saying, Hi wanted to see monkeys, and Ben just wanted to drive his baby."

"You make that sound so dirty." Ben pointed out.

"It was very dirty. My shoes are ruined." Shelton turned back to me. "Only you wanted to see the wolves."

"Wolfdogs," I corrected automatically. "But all of us went to Loggerhead."

"Can I go back to reading? We don't have that long until lunch ends." Ben interrupted. "Besides, it wasn't we in the first place, it was I. I just misread." He didn't wait for an answer.

"Stop. Who is 'we'?"

"Who else?" Jason said.

"Just me and the usual guys.

"Are there any unusual guys?" Hi asked.

I glared. "No. Of course not."

"You sure."

"Yes."

He put his hands up. "Just checkin'."

Hi, Ben, and Shelton."

"Why am I last?" Shelton whined.

"Because you're the shortest."

"But Ben is the tallest!"

"And I felt that Hi should be someplace out of the middle."

"But then he could be in the back! And I could be up front!"

"But where would be the order in that?"

"Well, I came first, then Ben, then Hi!" (A/N: Did KR ever establish who came to Morris first, or was it all of them already there? For now, pretend this was the order.)

A sharp tsk from Whitney. She had strong feelings about my being with boys unescorted.

"Puh-leeze." I said.

"Yeah, that's what you say." Ben said.

"I know."

A beat.

"You read ahead?!"

Another beat.

"What? No! But you just said... Oh."

Puh-leeze.

"I didn't see you," Kit said.

"We went straight to Dead Cat."

"Liar, liar, pants on fire."

No big deal." Here goes. "We did chat with Dr. Karsten for a few minutes."

"And?" Wary.

"Of course he's wary. That's his boss!" Shelton said.

"And what?"

Hi snorted. "Yeah. 'And what?' Brilliant."

We didn't do anything. He's all 'you kids cause trouble' and 'you're going to burn down the island because you're such idiots.' We just left base and went out to Dead Cat

"Dead cat?" Jason asked, confused.

"Mhm. The beach?" I said.

"No idea what you're talking about."

"A beach on Loggerhead? Best of the best?"

"Ah. On Loggerhead-"

"Where else?" Ben said. I ignored him.

"Yeah, you aren't allowed to go. But I just figured... Ah, nevermind."

That's it."

Hi chortled. "Mhm. Sure. You're real honest to your Pops, a true goody two shoes, Tory."

I rolled my eyes. "Close enough."

Close enough.

"Am I going to get an earful from Karsten?"

I flinched. Whoops. Hadn't thought that one through.

"No, Kit." Heavy mocking.

"Just a little angel, aren't you?" Hi cooed.

"You're not 'going to get an earful from Karsten.'"

I hope.

I hoped.

"Why would you want to play on that stinky old island?"

"Wonder how Kit's going to take that." Shelton said.

"Not well, I hope." I said.

"Doing a lot of hoping, lately. Probably shouldn't do that- not reliable, y'know?" Hi; I'm not even sure what his purpose is anymore.

Whitney's perfect little nose crinkled in disgust. Stopped. I actually saw the thought cross her mind.

"Impossible." Hi said.

"You know what I meant."

"It's impossible," Shelton defended.

"Fine, take his side." I huffed.

"I do, however, wonder what changed her mind." Jason said.

"Kit works there." Ben said. I could just hear the 'duh' in his words.

"Unless you're doing work like your daddy does."

"Aw... Your daddy does work." Hi cooed, voice a drippy, sickly sweet syrup. His voice changed back to dry sarcasm. "Because we are totally not doin' work out there. We found a bloody DOG TAG dudes!"

"Tory found it." Shelton said.

"I threw the gumball. I found it."

"Are you claiming your stupidity now?" Ben challenged.

"Yes." Hi said.

"Good."

Again, she turned to big blues

"Do you think that she wears contacts?" Jason asked abruptly.

"I wouldn't be surprised." I shrugged. "Plastic surgery isn't too far off either."

"I think a few of the girls here at Bolton have had plastic surgery," Shelton said. All eyes turned to him.

"What? It's true."

Jason nodded. "Yeah, actually it is. A lot more than you would think."

"So how do you know this?" Ben asked, skeptical.

"Psychic." Jason waggled his eyebrows.

on Kit. "Important work."

"Gag." I said.

"Like I said, I wanted to check on the wolfdogs. Coop's been missing lately, and the other three are agitated about something."

Whitney donned her long-suffering face.

"She has a long-suffering face? Whitney? She's had the best possible life! What on earth could she have that makes her suffer?" Shelton said.

"I would've thought you'd known," I smirked. "Me."

A parent confronted by childish obstinacy.

"She's a parent?" Hi, confused.

"So she likes to claim." I growled.

"Oh."

"I thought we were finished with the dog debate."

"The dog debate?"

I shrugged. "No idea. Future thing?"

Prim. "Your father has spoken."

A beat. Then it hit me. "Oh!"

"What?" Jason asked.

"The dog debate! I want a dog. Whitney does not. Kit does as Whitney says."

"Oh."

"Oh."

"Oh."

Okay, I may stab her.

"You'd probably get a trophy." Hi reconsidered. "At least a plaque."

I'd probably get a medal.

"You underestimate yourself," Hi said. "You deserve more."

"Why thank you."

"I wasn't asking to get a dog, Whitney." Kit had refused my repeated requests. I suspected Whitney was behind his opposition.

"Suspected? Just suspected?" I shouted at the book. "I know Whitney is behind his refusals!"

There were more than four pairs of eyes staring at me.

Whoops.

She detests pets.

"Understatement." I said.

"I was referring to the wolfdogs out on Loggerhead. The puppy is missing."

"I'm sure he'll turn up." Softer. Kit knew I wanted a dog more than anything on earth.

"Not even your-" Jason started. He snapped his mouth shut. "Never mind me." He mumbled.

"It's a big island."

"Lies." Hi said. "Loggerhead is tiny."

He's probably just nosing around by himself."

"No!" I exclaimed. "That makes no sense at all! Wolves develop close relationships, and they'll maintain lifelong bonds! They-"

Ben cut me short. I was surprised. "Did you want to read the rest?" He said quietly.

I flushed red. "Sorry."

"Did you want to read the rest?" He repeated.

"No. You read. Sorry."

"But it doesn't make sense. Wolves develop close relationships and maintain lifelong social bonds. They have a deep affection for kin, will even acrifice themselves for the pack."

"Committed." Jason noted.

"It's more than that, wolves-" I glanced at Ben. Shut up, Tory!

I grew more distressed just talking about it.

"I grow more distressed just hearing Ben talk about me talking about it." I said. It wasn't a lie.

"Wolves?" Whitney's eyes were saucers. "You're cavorting with wolves?" He head whipped to Kit. "That's ghastly! She'll be mauled. Or eaten!"

I stood, my face an angry bright red. "How dare she! Who the hell does she think she is? What does she know?! What the-" I was cut short by unwelcome visitors.

"Hi, Jason." I didn't even need to see the person to know who it was. Didn't even need to hear them for that matter. The strong floral scent of perfume was enough to alert me. Madison and company. The tripod of Skank. Joy.

"Hey, Maddy." Jason said.

"What're you doing over here?" The distaste in her voice was tangible.

"Yeah, how about you come over here with us." Courtney added.

"Why would you want to hang around them?" Ashley sneered. Fury started to boil.

"Hey. Tory is nice." Jason smiled, seemingly unaware of the growing tension. "Meet the gang. Hi. Shelton." He paused, then added. "Ben."

Four harsh glares in the tripods' direction.

"Maybe next time," Jason said. "We've been reading this book about..." He proceeded to tell them the details. I blocked out his voice. What was that for? This book was private, not for the whole of Bolton to read! It was about us not the rest of the world!

My angry thought stream was disturbed by Hi. "Sorry ladies, but we've not got so much time left and we'd like to finish this chapter." Hi layed it on thick with sappy, sticky, sugary syrup.

Shelton, Ben, and I stared at him, startled.

"And y'know, you're kinda disturbing us. And not to mention, you're blocking Ben's light. He can't read because you're..." Hi gestured at them. I snickered internally. 'Blocking his light?' Yeah... sure... Ben was under a tree on the opposite side of them. Their shadows came nowheres near him.

"Well, maybe it's just because he's got bad eyesight. Must be tiring to see such ugly... things all the time." Madison sneered. "Y'know. From having to look at you guys." She, ashley, and Courtney started giggling at their wit. I started to stand, rolling my hands into fists.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Jason said, standing in between us. I was startled to see that Hi and Shelton had stood as well. Ben was engrossed in the book. He hadn't even realized we had stood.

"Calm down, guys. Maddy was just joking, right?"

Madison's upper lip curled. "Uh..."

"See?" He said.

Ben's voice interrupted all of us. "Why don't you just go? Your eyesight might deteriorate. Y'know. From looking at us." All of us turned to look at Ben. He was still just sitting under the tree, book in lap. Strangely calm. Odd- usually Ben was the first to get pissed off and throw a punch. He was not one to sit around and make snide comments.

"And besides- you said it yourself. Why would you want to hang around us?"

Ben gazed at the three- no, four of them, Jason included, patiently waiting for their answer. Shelton and Hi seemed to be suffering from a sort of... I didn't know. They were struggling to decide whether to crack up laughing, or punch someone.

Finally, Madison moved. "Well? Are you coming or not? Obviously they don't want us around." She said to Jason.

Tough choice. If he stayed with us, the tripod would be furious. If he went with them, he would be shunned from us for... well, forever.

"I'll... I'll..."

---

And that's where I'll end today. I know, I know, they never finished reading the chapter, yada yada ya. Plus, it's only 6,000 words. But I can just make them read the last half of a page and another chapter in the next chapter. In the meanwhile, help me out. What should Jason do? Go with the tripod, or with Tory and her gang? Or, if you guys don't make a decision I can just make the bell ring or something and put this off to a later chapter and avoid conflict altogether. I'd appreciate it if you guys were realistic with this- don't make Ben punch Jason and claim his eternal love to Tory. And don't make Jason become a cold-hearted asshole all of the sudden. MAYBE later. Unless you can somehow manage to make that realistic and fitting towards the plot, in which case I'm (probably) all ears.

So what'd'ya say? The Virals, the Tripod, or the Bell?

Thanks for being patient, thanks for reading, thanks for existing, and thanks for reviewing *hint hint*

-VN