Chapter 25:
I sat on the soft red sofa in Sabrina's mansion, by Natalie, Julia and Lanna. Everyone else sat somewhere else or stood.
"At least it's not as cramped as Maribelle's shop." I said.
"What does Sabrina want anyway?" Lanna wondered out loud.
"It's probably another vacation." Natalie sighed.
"Come on, It'll be fun!" Julia said.
Sabrina danced into the room. "Ahem." She said politely.
Everyone looked at her.
"When Denny and Lanna made a little vacation on the beach during the summer, I've been thinking…"
"This better be good." Vaughn scoffed.
"…We could go hiking up on the mountain." She ignored Vaughn.
I heard exited mummers along the crowd.
"Like our last vacation, the adults will take care of everything while we are gone."
"Are you going, Chelsea? It sounds like fun!" Julia said.
"I guess I could." I shrugged. Maribelle better take care of my crops this time.
"Rules!" Sabrina said over the crowd.
"Rule 1; you may not go off the mountain once we are on it."
"Rule 2; if any of you disappoint Sabrina you will pay!" Regis suddenly came into the room.
"He'll probably drink our blood if any of the guys even look at her." Denny joked in a whisper.
"R-Rule 3; we will be camping outside so bring a tent and cooking gear."
"No problem" Pierre said proudly.
"Rule 4; Have fun and be nice!" Sabrina said happily.
We all got up and walked outside, some stayed in and talked. Including Vaughn who went to Sabrina as soon as it was over.
"I can't believe we're starting vacation right when Fall starts." I said.
"Well I wouldn't want to have a vacation every year like festival's." Julia said.
"Oh, well. I've never been hiking before. It might be fun."
I went home and packed everything. Clothes, brush, shoes, water.
I wasn't extremely exited about hiking, I don't know why. I knew there was a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach…
I waited for Julia at the bridge to the forest. Mark was already standing next to me. I assume she had chores to do.
"I guess your not that exited, huh." Mark said.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well you used to live in the city, so I guess your not used to hiking."
"You lived in the city too, Mark."
"Yeah, but I still hiked."
"I guess so." I sighed.
Finally, Julia came running toward us with a small backpack.
"Sorry I'm late." She said.
"That's everything you need?" I pointed at her bag.
"Yeah, I go hiking all the time, I don't need that much." She shrugged.
When we walked across the bridge, everyone was in a small clearing, making sure they have everything. Pierre had a backpack the size of me, clattering with pots and pans, and Denny looked like he just shoved everything in, no matter what it was.
"Okay…" Sabrina pulled out a map. "We should hike halfway across the forest, then set up camp…"
Vaughn was helping her. "What's this? Some kind of road."
"Oh, I don't know. It doesn't look like it leads to anything."
Julia suddenly pulled me toward a log so we could sit down and talk. "How exiting! I haven't hiked in a while. I barley even go to the forest anymore." She laughed.
"What road do you think they were talking about?" I asked.
Mark shrugged. "I don't know. Sabrina wants everything to be a surprise, so she won't show anyone the map besides Vaughn." Mark scoffed at his name.
"Okay, everyone! Time to hike!" Sabrina said cheerfully.
"Right!" Most everyone said in unison.
I threw my bag over my shoulder and followed Denny and Pierre. Natalie, Julia, and Mark were beside me.
"Hey Natalie, what's with you and Pierre?" I asked.
Pierre straightened up, obviously wanting to know.
"You can't tell anyone." She said.
"I promise." I said, shooing off Mark and Julia. They walked off a few feet.
"Okay. At our last vacation, Denny made a rule of no sneaking. You remember that, don't you?"
I tried to remember. "Yeah. What about it?"
"I couldn't get any sleep no matter how hard I tried. I heard noises—It sounded like something was stabbing knives into the wood floor."
Pierre turned to stone.
"Yeah?" My eyes widened.
"Guess what? Pierre was climbing his way up to break the fourth rule." She crossed her arms.
"What happened after that?"
"Well, he curled up in front of me. It took him a while to realize I was awake. He was holding a fork and spoon. Who does that?"
"Well Pierre is a gourmet." I noted.
"Exactly. I felt like he was going to chop me up and put me in one of his ridiculous stew's." She scoffed.
Pierre looked like his world came crashing down.
"Natalie, your so cold…" I said, glancing at Pierre.
"But…" She started.
I looked at her.
"Pierre is a really nice person. He knows how to cook, too. How many guys can do that? I know I should forgive him. It just feels like he wants to push me away." She said, her face falling.
"I-I don't!" Pierre suddenly turned around.
Natalie widened her eyes. "Pierre?"
"I uh…" He blushed and looked away.
"O-Oh! What's that Mark? Okay I'll be right there!" I said.
Mark looked at me with a confused expression. "But I didn't—"
"Shh!" I said, smiling.
While we were walked through the forest, Mark found some kind of snake and put it down Denny's shirt, and Lanna tried to take it out while he was dancing around. Some birds attacked Mark while Julia and I were laughing our head off, and Vaughn got hit in the face with a branch.
We finally got to camp out somewhere by a cliff, everyone exhausted. Julia, Natalie and Lanna were the only one's that were fine.
All of the guys put up the girls' tents like gentlemen, and we all got to go outside to roast marshmallows. Vaughn's face was red in the shape of a branch and he had some kind of irritated aura around him the whole night, but no one picked on him about it because they were afraid he would use his lasso to hang them over the cliff, although Mark still had feathers in his hair.
Surprisingly, the boys got to sleep next to the girls this time. Mark smiled as he lay next to me.
"Mark, you better not try anything!" I said jokingly.
"I'll try." He joked back.
Julia tapped my shoulder. I turned around.
She was staring at me silently saying, No fair!
We have this girl code by just looking at each other.
I'm sorry! Maybe you could sleep next to him too…
I already know he doesn't want me to.
Come on don't be like that! Go sleep next to him!
No!
Yes!
If anyone asks, you made me!
I laughed. Good luck!
Thanks!
Hesitantly, she got up and lay beside Mark.
Mark
I felt my face get hot. Two girls beside me…
I heard Denny 'Psst!' me.
I looked up. You're so lucky! He stared at me.
We had this guy code just by looking at each other.
I know. But you have Lanna! You're just as lucky as I am.
Yeah I guess so—Wait, WHAT? What's that supposed to mean?
Nothing. You're dating a pop star, dude.
You are such a slut.
What? Don't call me a slut, playboy!
Ugh!
Chelsea
Mark and Denny were staring at each other for a while. I guess they had some kind of guy code. But anyway, I was happy for Julia. While Mark was staring at Denny, I gave her thumbs up. She smiled.
I noticed that Vaughn was sleeping by himself. I guess they made him due to the last vacation that screamed 'my fault.'
Sabrina was beside Lanna, Denny was in between Lanna and Natalie, who was beside Pierre, who was blushing and smiling to himself.
Elliot made a move and was lying by Julia. They talked and laughed.
I found out 3 things. One, Mark snores. Two, Natalie is a guy magnet. Three, Sabrina will do anything to get to Vaughn.
Here's what happened…
I woke up suddenly, guessing I had a nightmare. I looked down at Mark, and was barley in any blanket. His leg and both of his arms were over it.
He was snoring lightly, which I thought was kind of cute. Julia, beside him, was so wrapped up in her blanket she looked like she was in a cocoon so she could turn into a butterfly.
Natalie
I finally felt tired enough. Pierre was sleeping, of course. He looked like a kid. I felt my face get hot. I inched closer and closed my eyes. A few moments passed when someone wrapped their arms around my ribs. Figuring it was Pierre I blushed and smiled. But I also felt someone's torso on my back. I turned around.
Denny.
He was snoring lightly and smiling. Pierre suddenly said "Natalie~" In his sleep and hugged me.
I turned to stone. What to do…
Lanna opened her eyes at that exact moment and slammed her hand on Denny's shoulder.
Denny opened his eyes and stared at me with surprise. Lanna pulled him. Realizing what was happening he stared at me, silently mouthing, 'Help me!'
She dragged him into the darkness with fire in her eyes, Denny clawing at the floor of the tent.
Creeped out, I tried to go to sleep in Pierre's suffocating hug.
Chelsea
I shuddered and looked over at Sabrina. She was awake, and just staring at the roof of the tent.
I was getting bored of this, but suddenly she turned around toward Vaughn. I waited.
She scooted closer. My eyes widened in disbelief. The only reason she let people lay next to each other was because she could get close to Vaughn! I thought bitterly.
She scooted a few more inches toward him. Without thinking, I threw my arm and grabbed her ankle.
Before she could look down, I plopped my head on my pillow, closing my eyes.
Sabrina
I felt something grab my ankle. Scared, I looked down. It was Chelsea, moving in her sleep.
I tried to get her hand off, but it was no use. I gently tried to kick her off, but she was holding on to my wrist like she wanted to kill me.
Chelsea
I grinned mischievously. Sabrina isn't going anywhere.
That's when I fell asleep.
I woke up with a start holding my pillow; I sat up and looked for Sabrina in her own bed.
She was cuddled up against Vaughn' side, his arm around her. I practically ripped my pillow in half.
"Ouch. Sorry, Chelsea." Julia said, patting my shoulder.
Mark jolted up. "YOU'RE THE SLUT!"
Luckily, mostly everyone was outside. But, the one's who were inside asleep woke up.