OMG. thats all i can say is omg. well, i can also say THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FRO REVIEWING! YOU ALLLLLLLLLLL GET HUGS! I LOVED READING THEM ALL! they made me smile :-) please continue to read. and. review.

but yeah, this chapter starts to look more like the book. muhwahahahaha

read on.

"It's December starting today,"

I heard Zigzag's voice, thought he wasn't talking to me. I think he was talking to the whole tent, or maybe he was talking to himself. I could never tell.

I sat up in bed and watched the boys get up and get dressed. December, eh? It didn't feel like December. Hell, it felt like the hottest July in ages. I sighed as I sat up in my bed, glancing around with half closed, tired eyes. Or maybe I was glaring. Either way, I hoped I wasn't approachable. I was in one of those moods where no matter what was said to me I would just scream and call the person a faggot.

I got up to get dressed, shooting death glares at anyone in my way.

"What's with Hex?" asked Stanley to someone from behind me. I whipped around to face him.

"You're lucky I'm not going to hit you," I said. I knew that line was overused. I was pretty sure every single girls-being-tougher-than-the-boys-and-showing-them-up-yada-yada-yada movie used that line. But whatever. I was also pretty sure these boys hadn't seen a movie, a real movie, in a long time, and they really couldn't notice the worn-out script usage.

Stanley nodded wearily before backing up. I smiled. "Thank you," I said. He just nodded again, and walked out of the tent. I followed, as did the rest of the group, toward Mr. Sir to begin our lovely, fun-filled day.

He handed us each a Styrofoam bowl filled with stale cereal and sour milk. I took a few bites before dumping it in a near by hole. I wasn't hungry.

"Hey, if you weren't going to eat that, I would have!" I heard Squid say. I looked over at him, smiling jokingly at me. I scowled. Even Squid couldn't get me in a good mood right now.

My eyes were still half-closed. I was extremely tired; I only got four hours last night of actual sleep. I yawned and continued walking toward our digging sight. Same old, same old.

"Hex! Watch out!" I slowly turned my head toward the voice until I felt the ground disappear before me and I felt myself falling. I landed on my back with a satisfying thud.

"Ow," I said, though it didn't really hurt. I found myself starting to laugh. I just walked into a hole! Isn't that the funniest thing you've ever heard in your life? I began choking on my giggles as I looked up at the boys surrounding the top of the hole.

"I fell in" I said, grinning.

"Oh, God, she hit her head hard if she's laughing like that," Said Armpit, looking at me with concern. I stopped my hysterics and looked at him.

"I'm fine. I just fell in," I giggled and stood up, dusting my butt off before climbing out of the hole. It took me a minute or three to convince the boys I had not bruised my sanity, and we continued to our digging spot. I was in a much lighter mood. I didn't know what it was about falling into holes, but I was suddenly elated. I guess the boys were relieved also, since they weren't in danger of being hit with a shovel during a raging fit of anger.

For once, I was in a good mood.

"Like I said, major mood swings," grumbled Magnet.

I just shook my head, trying to keep my mood in one piece. So it's December first, eh? I thought. That means I've been here for...thirty three days? I bit my lip. Wow.

I continued on my rhythm. I had gotten increasable better at digging. My skin grew accustomed to the heat, and I actually grew muscles. Good, tough ones, too. I was so proud.

I subconsciously knew my high wouldn't last long. I knew sooner or later Squid would pop into mind, and I would be depressed all over again. Maybe I can block him out.

Arg. Too late.

I thought about Squid leaving. Never coming back. I mean, he was here several months before me. That means I'd be digging for several months alone, plus the fact that we'd be lost in society. Even after camp, I wouldn't see him again. I wiped away sweat forming on my forehead and picked up my canteen to take a drink.

It did not feel like December.

I glanced around me. The hot sweaty bodies, the dull brown hues, the dust. The holes. It reminded me of September. September was a depressing month. Not because of school, but because everything died. The leaves, the plants, the spirit. Everything seemed broken and hollow as it roamed the vast emptiness that September had to offer, waiting for October to roam around, and life to continue on its sucky way. I made a face.

At least September was cold.

I looked at my hole. Almost done. I looked at the remaining campers. Well, actually camper. Stanley dumped a pile of dirt on is pile and sighed.

"If only if only," he hummed so soft I wasn't sure if I heard him.

"Stanley. Doesn't this remind you of September?" I asked, gesturing to the scenery with my arm. He looked out at it, then at me, then back out at it.

"Yeah, it kind of does," he smiled. "So... sad and depressing,"

"Very,"

We continued digging, until after a while, we finished around the same time. I climbed out, as did he, and we walked back to camp together. We didn't say much. What was there to say? Not much.

"Magnet was right," Stanley whispered after a while. "You have some major mood swings,"

I sighed. "It's just this September weather,"

Stanley grinned. "I can't wait for October,"

"Me too!"

We laughed all the way to the bank. I mean the showers. But trust me, if there was a bank around I would have laughed all the way to it, because—call me crazy—I want money more than I do a four minute shower. But a showers good, too. Don't get me wrong. It gets dirt off. And dirt was what I had a lot of at the moment.

And so I hopped in my non-bank shower stall and began my familiar ritual of cleansing myself, and when I was finished, I began the familiar ritual of walking to the wreck room, and opening the door, and going to the pool table.

Wasn't I an unpredictable stud muffin?

I leaned against the pool table, watching the game out of the corner of my eye but mostly watched the activity in the Wreck room. It was quiet, quieter than usual. Of course, most of the guys were looking in my direction, but, unlike most days, they didn't say anything at all. Just stared.

What? Did I have some big stain on my shirt? I looked down, and besides the usual dirt and grime, I looked fairly decent. I looked back up, raised my eyebrow at them. As if that was going to get me an explanation.

Then again, why was I complaining? I liked the quiet. I shrugged and turned toward the game, which, of course, Squid was winning.

"Do you guys know why it's so quiet?" I asked softy. Hey, I was not going to be loud in a situation like this.

Stanley shrugged from the couch. "Like you said. September."

"September," I repeated, before grabbing a cue stick and awaiting my turn.

"But its December," Zigzag corrected.

"Yeah, well, it feels like September," I muttered as I took my shot.

"September's cold, dog," X-Ray told me, rolling his eyes.

"I know. Sounds wonderful right?" I laughed as I sunk my last ball and aimed for the eight ball. X-Ray watched nervously as it rolled slowly over to the corner pocket, and sighed as it fell in. I smirked, shoved the stick aside and leaned back on the couch. I noticed Zero and Caveman over on the other side, whispering and writing stuff on paper and Zero spelling words for him. Okay...

"Hey, Hex, wanna play me?" asked Squid as he grabbed the stick from X-Ray and racked the balls up. I shrugged. I wasn't in the best mood at the moment.

"Nah, I'm kind of worn out. I'll play ya later, okay?" I promised as I trudged for the tent. I looked around warily. The camp seemed deserted, until I heard foot steps behind me, but I didn't take notice. I was super tired. I didn't want to turn around to acknowledge the person, let alone start a conversation.

I pushed past the flap and fell on my cot, watching the door incase the footsteps belonged to a D-Tenter and they were following me back. And as if on cue, the flap pushed open.

But it wasn't a D-Tenter.

I gulped. It was Nick.

He literally had fire in his eyes as he made a grab for me. I yelped and dodged away, just barley missing his grasp.

"What's the matter, babe? Scared of little ol' me?" he grinned. I gulped and backed into a corner. Not my best move, now I was trapped. Nick crept closer to me, smirking and reaching for my shirt. I smacked his hand away.

"Go away," I said meekly.

"I like my babies fiery. Why don't you make more of an attempt than that?" he reached down toward my pants. I kicked him, but he only jumped away.

"Stop," I hissed.

"No. You know what you want," He leaned in, only inches from my face. I reached up my hand to punch him, but he grabbed my wrist, and then grabbed my other as I tried to pull away. He pushed me down.

"Get ready for the ride of your life," he murmured.

I shut my eyes tight, just wanting it to end as soon as possible. If I tried to get away, he just dug his nails into my wrist, cutting of my circulation.

But the weight suddenly lifted off of me. I opened my eyes to see Squid, holding Nick by the shirt and punching him were I punched him earlier, making Nick howl in agonizing pain. Squid shoved him into a cot, pressing his neck into the wood and his hands on his throat, nearly strangling him.

"Stay. Away. From. Her." He said so lowly that I had to strain to hear him. Nick face was beginning to go pale as he weakly nodded. Squid shoved him down, punched im a few more times before looking at me.

"Are you okay?"

Was I okay? Hell yeah I was okay! I looked at Nick, crawling for the door as fast as he could, then I leaned up to Squid, pressing my lips to his and letting them linger there for a minute. Squid pressed my head closer to him with is hand, and normally I would have pulled away, but hey, we're talking about Squid here. I was not about to pull away.

"Squid? Is she okay—" I heard someone enter the tent. "Holy shit..." I glanced over and saw X-Ray standing there along with D-Tent. As much as I didn't want to, I turned my head away at looked at them.

"Surprise,"

I saw several emotions play across each of their faces. Anger. Surprise. Disbelief. Jealousy. More anger. Oh yes, a lot of anger. Mainly from X-Ray.

Finally, after several moments of silence, Magnet finally spoke up.

"X, I'm guessing she's okay,"

I glanced over and saw Squid smiling, but just barely. He was mostly beet red. I guessed I was too.

"So..." Armpit said, after sitting on the cot. "You liked Squid all along?"

I blushed even more—if that was possible—and nodded. "Yeah,"

X-Ray took a big sigh, as if to calm himself down and punched Squid's arm. "Hey, Squidly's got himself a girlfriend now, eh?" I could hear the envy seeping into his voice.

Girlfriend? Was I his girlfriend?

Hey, I am not complaining.

"I guess I do," Squid mumbled as he awkwardly put his arm around my shoulder, but I knew we were both thinking the same thing.

It was not to last.

I guessed the boys got used to the idea of Squid and me. I was surprised. I guess they did love Squid, if they didn't bother him about it.

Well, not too much anyway.

But the rest of the camp was another story.

Once the word spread, everyone poked fun at Squid and made even more obnoxious catcalls to me. I did my best to ignore them, but it was pretty hard. Especially when they were up in your face.

For once, I was glad to be out digging the next day, but then I noticed something that made me mad. Zero began digging Stanley's hole a little while after lunch. That wasn't fair.

The other boys noticed too and called out things about Zero being a slave and how Stanley should get a whip. I just growled and eyed them enviously. That was so... mean. Mean to us and especially to Zero. I climbed out of my hole and walked over.

"What's going on?" I questioned, my hand finding it's away to my hip. Zero didn't say anything as Stanley explained.

"I'm teaching Hector to read,"

Hector? Who's Hector...? I glanced over at Zero. Oh...

"Its sort of a deal we made," he continued.

"A good deal for you,"

He sighed. "It was his idea, not mine,"

"Right. Well, when you're done being unfair to the rest of us, just tell Zero—I mean Hector that I can teach him to read. Without working him to the bone." I muttered as I stalked off back to my hole. I heard Zero and Stanley whisper to each other, but I didn't care. I was still peeved.

"What did you say?" Asked X-Ray when I returned.

I grabbed my shovel. "I invited him for coffee and muffins after we dug. What did you think I said to him, you retard?" I growled as I jabbed my shovel into the dirt, but then felt bad. "Sorry for snapping. It just bothers me," I glanced up angrily as Zero continued to dig. And to think I actually liked Stanley. But he was enforcing slavery. Even if it was Zero's idea, he should have actually let him go through with it!

So the rest of us finished after Zero and Stanley left the compound, but I was almost done anyways. I climbed out of my hole and headed for the camp. Stanley was going to get a piece of my mind.

"Hex!" Called Squid. I turned around to face him. Finally, someone who I liked!

"Hey, Squidly," I grinned. He grinned back.

"Walk with me back,"

I eyed him. "Like I was just going to leave you here,"

"You never know" We began heading for the camp, Squid a lot closer than he would have been otherwise. Our hands brushed several times before he finally intertwined our fingers and gripped tightly. I bit my lip, trying to hold back from smiling to widely.

"So what do you think of Zero digging Stanley's hole?" I asked.

"It's screwed up. He should dig his own hole, the sissy,"

"That's what I told him. Sort of. I mainly told him it was unfair to the rest of us,"

"That's the understatement of the year," Squid shook his head.

"Well I'm not as violent or rude as you'd like me to be," I rolled my eyes and smiled up at him.

"Ah, well, that's one of your perks."

"Lovely,"

We got to the camp and I took my shower, talking to Squid the whole time. Mostly about Stanley and how sooner or later he would get beat up. Mainly by Squid, but I would sure as hell be helping.

And so to carry out our little plan, we first had to find Stanley. He was all alone in the tent. Perfect, no witnesses.

"Yo Caveman," Said Squid, anger leaking into his voice. Stanley looked up from writing something. He knew what was coming. I could smell his fear.

Whoa. Was I all of a sudden some sort of major man-eating predator who terrorized on unjust juvies?

Ha. I wish.

Instead of roaring and diving for his flesh, I calmly stepped up to him. "You should probably stop digging half holes," I told him icily. "If the Warden doesn't get you, we will."

Stanley looked up at us wide eyes, but he didn't do anything to show he understood. Squid angrily stepped up to him.

"Got it?"

Stanley still didn't say anything. Squid reached out, but I stopped him. "Don't," I hissed. So he just glared and I pulled him outside. The dinner bell was ringing. This early? Oh well. I didn't know about Squid, but I was not in the mood to go attempt to poison myself.

"Let's go play pool," I suggested coolly.

"Hey, I can only play pool so long before I start to go crazy. How about we go for a walk instead?"

Unexpected, but not unwelcome. I nodded eagerly and we began walking, mostly out toward the wide expanse of lake. Squid grabbed my hand again, and I felt my spirits soar. Stanley and Zero were long gone out of my brain.

"Stars sure are pretty out here," he said. It wasn't even twilight yet, but since there were no city lights, the stars began shining brilliantly. I grinned.

"That's one great thing about Green Lake," I sighed dreamily as we walked further out.

"You know what another thing good about this place is?"

"What?" I asked, still gazing up at the stars.

"You." He turned my face toward his and kissed me softly.

The next few days continued in the same manner as before, except Zero continued to dig Stanley's hole for him, which was incredibly lame. I dug quietly and resentfully, as the others yelled at him most of the time, until lunch arrived and Zigzag headed for Stanley's hole, holding a cookie.

They began to pester him and jeer at him. Zigzag said something about Stanley letting dig his hole for him for his cookie. I just rolled my eyes as the other boys laughed.

I looked down, ignoring it until I heard a gasp and a choke. I looked up to see the boys pushing each other. Mr. Pendanski walked over to them.

"Nothing Mom," I heard X-Ray say. "We were just messing around."

I was the farthest away from the commotion. I strained to hear more.

"I saw what was going on. Go ahead, Stanley. Teach the bully a lesson," said Mr. Pendanski. I saw Stanley stare at him in horror and Zigzag smirk.

"Teach me a lesson, Caveman!" He teased, pushing Stanley back. Squid laughed. I scowled at him and got out of my hole.

Stanley made a pathetic attempt to hit Zigzag, which lead to Zigzag tackling him and rolling in the dust, a flurry of punches to his face and neck.

But then Zero jumped onto Zigzag, wrapping his arm around his long, thin neck, causing Zigzag to make gagging noises.

"Enough!" shouted Mr. Pendanski.

Zero continued to choke him, so Armpit grabbed his torso and yanked him off of the tall boy. They went sprawling in opposite directions.

Mr. Pendanski fired his gun into the air. I jumped at the sudden noise.

In less than two minutes, the councilors and the Warden were surrounding the digging site as the boys explained.

"My blood just... boiled," Said Zigzag, rubbing his neck. "It just bothered me to watch Caveman sit around while all of us dig in the hot sun. My blood boiled."

The Warden glared at him. "Excuse me?" she asked softly.

"Zero's been digging a part of Caveman's hole everyday," Squid stepped in. I shook my head, smiling slightly. Haha, Stanley! Sucks for you!

"Is this true?" She stepped over to Stanley, who was all battered up.

"I'm teaching him to read," He protested. "Doesn't that build character more than digging holes?"

"That's his character, now where's yours?"

Stanley shrugged one shoulder.

"No digging other peoples' holes, from now on. And no more reading lessons." She glared at Stanley.

"Why can't I teach him to read without him digging my hole?"

"Because it causes trouble," Mr. Pendanski jumped in. "Zero's too stupid to learn anything. The stress is what made his blood boil, not the hot sun"

Zero said nothing.

"We know you mean well, Stanley, but you might as well teach a shovel to read. It's got more brains than Zero. Hey, Zero, what does D-I-G spell?"

Zero took the shovel, stared at it, then whacked across Mr. Pendanski's face. His eyes rolled back in his head and he crumpled to the ground. Then Zero began running. We all just watched in shock as his body turned into a little speck and then disappeared.

"Go Zero!" shouted Stanley at him. "Go! Run!"

The Warden glared at him angrily. "I still expect eight holes,"

We all looked at Stanley. He was on his own now. We continued to dig, not saying another word for the rest of the day. For once, we finished before he did.

Serves him right, the bastard.

heh heh heh... u like? review and tell me!