Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies as they belong to Disney, I don't own Redwing, as it belongs to the Girl Scouts. I own the arrangement of the events and the inclusion of the boys into the camp setting. The poem around the middle somewhere belongs to Christine, who stupidly sent it to Artemis one day while Arty and I were chatting on the phone. Yeah. Silly camper. ^_^ I don't own American Pie either… I'm not sure who does. Oh, and the song at the end belongs to the author of the fanfiction The Left Shoe Show, which would only make sense to anyone who was ever a Girl Scout or otherwise engrossed in complete randomness. Yeah. And I own me. I own all of my possessions in here too, if that makes any difference. No? Enh… anyway.
Chapter 13: Apple Pie and Innocent Ears
Tuesday Afternoon
The Haven, which was used as a staff house, was packed with people after lunch. With so many extra bodies around camp, a lot of the staff had time off. Even some of the barn staff had time off, because there were only two barn groups in camp this session. It was one of the hottest days so far that summer. The fans were running, and everybody was wishing that they had air conditioning.
Gryffin, Kristan and Blink were all stuffed onto a couch. Snipeshooter came over and promptly stretched himself out over the three of them. Gryffin thought momentarily of rolling him straight off of her lap and onto the floor, but the coffee table was in the way, and she didn't really want to hurt him. Someone had put in a movie… *gasp* and it wasn't one that they had seen twenty times that summer yet. 'Oh, that was because the movie was just brought to camp,' Gryffin realized as the opening credits for American Pie 2 came on. It wasn't one of her favorite movies. Sometimes it actually sickened her, but for now she was too lazy to get up and leave. Luthien, Specs, and Dutchy sat on the next couch. Taylor leaned against their couch. Christine and Eeyore sat on the last couch, sprawled out over each other comfortably. Mush was in the kitchen area, having been put to work by the Laurel Oaks staff to help clean up their cookout. Crutchy and Bumlet were there too, but the extra boys in the kitchen were more of a nuisance than a help.
"The staff house is rather empty for the time of day," Gryffin commented as the movie played on.
"Yeah, I don't know why. The barn staff even has the afternoon off," Kristan replied. The staff shrugged it off, not really caring that the staff house didn't hold more people. It was quite hot enough as it was.
"I want to be like him when I grow up!" Les exclaimed randomly.
"Like who? I didn't see anyone different," Itey asked him
"That guy, right there," Les said again. (Les points to himself on screen)
"He don't even have a name in the movie. Why would you want to be like him?"
"Because. He's not bad looking, and he can dance, and he's got a beer in one hand and a girl on the other. That's what I want to be." Les was completely beaming. The room exchanged a few confused glances, then burst out laughing. The movie continued, with only general conversation interruptions. Nothing very interesting happened at all.
*Insert American Pie boy standing naked on the roof, having just glued his hand to his penis*
"Awe, that's sick! Yet it's also unbelievably funny," Gryffin laughed. The boys in the room had placed their hands on or near their crotches, their faces twisted in sympathetic pain. Les laughed from the floor. Gryffin wasn't even sure that he really understood what was going on, but she wasn't about to inquire the 10 year old about his knowledge of sex. Luthien, on the other hand, had her head down, her face held a light pink tinge. Gryffin wasn't the only one who noticed.
"What's wrong, Lu?" Specs asked, seemingly genuinely concerned. She pulled away from him. Well, as far away as one can get when squished on one of those couches that were made for two people when one was sitting with two other people. She mumbled something incoherently. It was a well known fact among the staff that Luthien was rather quiet. It was also well known that her parents had brought her up strictly, in a more old fashioned manner than most of us are brought up today. It was known that Luthien was one of those children who had never missed a day of church in their lives. Eeyore was the first to put these pieces together.
"Luthien!" she practically yelled. "Oh my God honey, I'm so sorry! Look what you guys have done with your stupid movie. Don't let our baby staff hear that trash!"
"What are ya talkin' about?" Blink asked. "You're the one that put the movie in!" Eeyore stuck her finger in her mouth innocently before she sat down next to Luthien, kicking Itey off of the couch. Every time a swear word was said, or something that would be socially considered inappropriate in the movie, Eeyore covered Luthien's ears or eyes. This procedure went on for a while, quickly becoming annoying as all hell. Every time a faintly interesting part of the movie came on, a big hassle was made to protect Luthien's virgin ears. It completely ruined the effect of the movie. Eventually, Gryffin couldn't take it anymore.
"Guys, I have to get out of her for a bit. It's too hot." She used the excuse to get out of the room, and it worked rather well because it was stiflingly warm in the Haven.
"Alright Gryff. What do you want to do then?" Kristan asked.
"I don't know. I just need to get out of this heat."
"Why don't we go swimming?" Taylor offered from her place on the ground.
"Alright. I wasn't meaning that everyone had to get up and go with me, but if you all want…" Gryffin let her voice trail off as she headed out of the room. Almost everyone else quickly got up and did the same.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Fifteen minutes later the majority of the staff of Camp Redwing showed up completely unannounced at the pool. Lucky for them, they had the next hour to swim before any campers were expected at the pool. The barn staff members were already there, taking full advantage of their precious time off. For some reason, Wow's son, Dave was also there. He seemed to take advantage of the camp's surroundings whenever he had nothing better to do at home. Dave was about 5'4" tall, with curly brown dyed blonde hair and brown eyes. He was extremely skinny and rather pale, from being inside most of the summer. In summers past, Dave had worked at camp as a Kitchen Staff member. For some reason he hadn't reapplied this year. Snitch and Artemis were both sitting in the chairs. Harmony and Jem were sitting near the slide as well. Thankfully, Vash was nowhere in sight.
Christine and Mush were among the last to arrive, walking slowly up from Sunny Banks. Christine turned the corner and let out a very high pitched squeal. She her cheeks turned from peach to burning red in less than a second. Dave smiled and walked toward her. She promptly stood behind Mush, who looked completely and utterly confused.
"Hi Christine," Dave said in a singsong voice that told everyone he was just playing with her for the sheer enjoyment of seeing her struggle. Ever since Christine had been a camper, she had had a crush on Dave. Her new relationship with Mush had driven that from her mind, but Dave had known for a long time that she had liked him. For Dave, dating was just a game to be played. You make a move, I'll make a move, and then we'll end the game one way or another. It was that simple to his mind. He would never, ever conceive that there was more to a relationship than that.
"Hi Dave," Christine said, happily concealed from his gaze behind Mush's body. Mush looked up at the other staff members for help. He really had no clue what was going on. Gryffin met his eyes, but didn't know how to say the things that Christine was going through in her mind at the moment. Dave took a step closer to her. He noticed something on the ground. Christine had dropped the piece of paper an instant before. He picked it up, and started laughing hysterically. It was hardly a moment later when he started reading out loud.
"Dave's so hot...
He's so cool...
I wish
that he went to my school...
I want to be his girlfriend...
Io the very end...
And even if he already has one...
Then he can dump her coz im way more fun...
He has a nice sister...
He has a nice mom...
I don't no his dad...
But I'm sure he's the bomb!...
He looks so fine...
He is so sweet...
He has fly clothes...
And hard shoes on his feet...
And when we get married...
I'll say I do...
To the sweet awesome guy...
That I've never seen wear blue...
D is for dark...
A is for ass...
V is for violin...
E is for elephants that have big mass"
Christine turned bright red. Dave looked up and smirked. She grabbed Mush's shoulder, pushing her head into his back. Dave started to look around Mush, but Mush stopped him.
"I don't think that she wants to talk ta you'se right now," Mush said, putting a hand on Dave's shoulder. The smaller boy shook it off.
"I'm talking to Christine, not to you. I don't even know you, muscle boy."
"Name's Mush. Nice ta meet yas." Mush smiled and extended a hand. Dave scowled.
"I'm Dave. It's a pleasure." Dave grabbed the other boy's hand and squeezed for hardly an instant before going back to torturing Christine.
"Don't let him lie to you, Mush!" Kristan called from the picnic table by the pool where she sat taking off her shoes. "His name's not Dave, it's Furby!" The staff erupted into a fit of giggles. Dave's scowl deepened visibly. He took a few steps away from Mush and Christine.
Gryffin bit her lip, wondering how Dave was going to take out his anger. Then she decided that she didn't really care at the moment, because he was being such a jerk. He hated the name Furby, though he had picked it for himself at one point in time. The rest of the staff would never let him live it down.
"Furby?" Race asked. "What kind of a name is dat? You'se ain't got enough hair on ya ta call ya Hairy, let alone Furry." Dave didn't reply. He just scowled.
"I'm going to Mary," he said, as he stepped into his shoes and flung his towel over his shoulder. The girls watched him stalk off, completely mad for no real reason. That was how Dave was though. He constantly acted like a girl on PMS.
"CANNONBALL!" Jack yelled as he raced through the gate and into the deep end. He broke the tension around the water, and the rest of the staff soon joined him.
"I'm going down the slide!" Gryffin yelled, as she pulled herself out of the pool.
"Slide?" Blink asked.
"Yeah, ya know that big crème colored thing over there with the water gushing down it?"
"Oh, cool! Come on guys!" Kid Blink, Mush, Race, Jack, Christine, Kristan, Angel, Storm, Snipe and Boots all headed toward the slide as well. For some reason, no campers were at the pool at the moment, so the staff could have some fun and play around.
Gryffin slid down first. She sat up half way down, and let herself go slow enough so that she stopped a few inches from the end. She turned sideways in the slide and let the water gush over her. Blink stood waiting for her to move.
"Come on Gryff! Get outta da way!" Kid yelled.
"Oh move!" Kristan said, pushing him aside. She sped down the slide, and plowed directly into Gryffin's side.
"I wanna try!" Snipe yelled as he jumped head first onto the slide.
"OUCH!" Kristan yelled from the bottom. "Get your head out of my side, stupid!"
"Move your side and I'll be able to get my head out of it," Snipe growled, spitting out water. Gryffin held onto the slick plastic of the slide, trying not to fall off the edge. She kept getting closer to falling off.
"Okay then, if tha's da game." Blink swung off of the metal bar like an expert and rounded the bend. He slowed down before he hit the others though and turned to sit like the rest of them, with their feet on one side of the slide and their backs on the other.
"None a you'se knocked dat goirl off a da end yet?" Race asked from the top. "Get outta me way, I'se gotta try dis."
Race flung himself full force down the slide, feet first as you were supposed to. Even though the water was starting to back up already, he flew into Blink's side. Kid Blink lost his balance and fell onto Kristan over Snipe's feet. Gryffin started to slip off the edge, but she knew one thing…she wasn't going over by herself. Gryffin grabbed onto Kristan's leg. Kristan grabbed Blink's shoulder over Snipe and Race got on his knees and pushed all four of them off the edge of the slide into the water.
"Awe, that's it!" Kristan yelled. She swam to the edge and went back up the stairs to try again. "You're dead, Race!"
"Bring it on, gorily!"
The game continued for a while, until the staff had all successfully stayed on the slide. Then, with nobody else to slam into them, the game ended. They played volleyball for a while. It was really not much of anything but a big splashing tournament by the end of the game. Taylor had gotten Itey in a headlock and dunked him until he screamed mercy. Ten minutes later, he did the same thing to her, only Snitch blew his whistle and jumped on top of him from the guard's chair in the deep end.
"I got an idea," Taylor said later, after the game had been given up. "Why don't we go and get a watermelon from the kitchen? They're fun to play with in the pool."
"Okay!" Kristan said. "I'll go help get one from the kitchen. Snipe, Les… come with me." Kristan jumped out of the pool.
"Gryff! Come here!" Angel called from the deep end. Most of the barn staff were gathered around one place where the rope connected to the wall. "Get on."
"On what?" Gryffin asked.
"On my shoulders."
"Are you kidding? You can't hold me."
"Yeah I can. Just get on, this is fun." Angel pulled at Gryffin's arm. She looked at the scene laid out in front of her, but let Angel pull her to the rope anyhow.
"Alright, but what are you doing, Angel?"
"You're going to ride on my shoulders, and I'm going to walk across the bottom of the pool. It feels real cool." Gryffin looked at the shorter girl skeptically, but accepted.
"Alright." Angel ducked below the water and Gryffin put her legs over the other girl's shoulders. Angel stood up, amazingly, and held Gryffin clear of the water.
"Ready?"
"Sure."
It was a wonderful experience, riding on someone else's shoulders. It wasn't often that one got to do such things after one was above the age of five. Angel walked down the slope of the pool into the deeper water. Gryffin's head stayed above the whole time. When Angel got to the far side of the pool, Gryffin pulled herself onto the concrete, giggling.
"That was fun!"
"I told you."
Luna was next in line to go across the pool. Jack was going to be her ride.
"I don't want you," she said, pushing him out of the way. Luna put her arm around Storm. "I want mini me to take me over there."
"Yeah, well you'se got me ta take you."
"Fine," Luna said, exasperated. She climbed onto Cowboy's shoulders. "Watch my knee though, alright?" Jack nodded. They started across the pool. Luna started riding Jack as she would any other horse, only she made every move extremely exaggerated.
"WOO HOO! Ride dat Cowboy!!" She whipped a pretend hat around her head. Jack lifted her down back into the water. Luna's mischievous eyes glinted. "Okay Jack, my turn."
"What?"
"You got to give me a ride, now I want to give you a ride. Get on."
"I ain't ridin' on da shoulders a no goirl. It ain't right."
"Let me rephrase that. I'm going to give you a ride weather you like it or not. Now get on my shoulders before I have to hurt you."
Jack crossed his arms. They had wandered back toward the shallow end of the pool where they could both stand again.
"I'se ain't gonna do it."
Luna leapt at Jack, her arms and legs wrapped around his chest. He was completely not suspecting that she was going to jump him, so he lost his balance rather quickly. As they fell through the water to the bottom of the pool, Jack grabbed a hold of Luna's shoulders and turned her to look at him. He kissed her full on the mouth, and then kicked off hard for the surface before Luna could say anything else.
"EEP!" Gryffin squealed, as someone grabbed her sides from behind. It was Kid Blink, unsurprisingly. She smacked him as he sat down next to her.
"Sos, what you'se doin?" he asked. He had even worn his eye patch into the pool. His hair dripped down around his face and he looked really, really good.
"Nothin' much," she answered, smirking slightly.
"Really? Dat sounds interestin'. Headline news right dere. Extra! Extra! Gryffin sits doin' nottin' for the foirst time in her life!" She playfully slapped him again.
"And what would you have me do?" she asked.
"I dunno, somethin' like dis?" Blink leaned in and stole a kiss. Gryffin pushed him away quickly. He looked at her, hurt. "What?"
"There's kinda something that we never really mentioned to you guys…" Blink looked curiously, as Gryffin avoided his gaze. "See, there's this rule at camp about dating staff members… its not really allowed. So if we're going to do this, we can't do it here…"
"Oh." Kid Blink still looked a little hurt, but at least it made more sense to him now. Just then, Kristan, Snipeshooter and Les returned from the kitchen with a very large watermelon.
"Wat's dat for?" Race asked as they set it down on the concrete.
"This," Kristan answered, opening a can of Crisco, "Is for a game." Taylor came over and helped Kristan cover the watermelon in the grease.
"You take this here watermelon," Taylor said. "And you put this here greasy gunk all over it. Then you throw it in the pool and see who can get a hold of it long enough to get it out of the pool. The person who gets it out, wins."
"Awe, that's a great game to play," a voice said from the gate. Gryffin looked up to see Gabby, the sports and games director, standing there. She held a box of freeze pops under one arm. They weren't those little ones that you could eat in a matter of seconds… they were the ones that were nearly two inches thick and a foot and a half long. "You know, I played that game once at a Fourth of July party at my sister's house. The kids were all there and we were greasing up the watermelon, and then my Uncle Paul dropped the watermelon while he was throwing it in the pool and it splattered on the concrete. So of course all of the kids were upset, and me and my sister Sharon had to go buy another one. Well, we finally got it into the pool and the kids were having a blast with it. Sharon tried to get me to go in and get it, but you know, I didn't have my bathing suit with me, and I didn't have any other clothes so I didn't want to go in. Do you know what I hate? I can't stand to have wet underwear. That's why I didn't want to get in the pool in the first place. Do you know how you go to an amusement park and they have water rides, and you get all wet and then you have to walk around all day in your wet underwear? I'm telling you, I can't stand to do that. So do any of you want some freeze pops? I have this whole box here, and the girls didn't finish them so there's a bunch extra. I heard all of you over here, and I thought you'd like to have some of them. Most of them are green and orange and purple. For some reason, the kids just don't like those colors. I don't know. Purple was always my favorite but you know kids these days. My daughter, the older one, she likes the purple ones too, but my younger daughter won't touch them. She only eats the blue and pink ones. Oh well you know more for me."
Race dropped the Popsicle that he was holding onto the pool deck. The Newsies who had never met Gabby before stared at her blankly; amazed that one person could say so many words without stopping to breathe. There was a reason that she got her name. Taylor and Gryffin were putting the finishing touches on the watermelon. Kristan was whispering something behind Luna's back to Angel. Angel suddenly had a very devilish look on her face. She leaned over and whispered to Boots and Storm. Gryffin watched as they got up from their seats slowly. Angel walked up to Gabby and draped her arm around the older lady's shoulders.
"Oh hi Angel."
"Hi Gabby."
"What flavor do you want of these? I think you're a girl that likes the green." Angel smiled at Gabby, and waved to the other standing people behind her.
"No, actually I like the pink ones. Do you know why the pink ones are my favorite?"
"Why?"
"Because they taste like WATERMELON!" As Angel screamed the last word, Boots, Storm and Kristan grabbed one of Gabby's limbs and they all jumped into the pool with a giant splash that soaked the deck. Gabby came up, sputtering for breath. The other four staff members in the pool laughed as they helped her to the sides.
"Oh, now you got my underwear wet!"
"Guess we don't have to throw this in the pool now," Taylor said. She picked up the watermelon and smashed it on the ground. The dripping staff members pulled pieces apart and spat the watermelon seeds out onto no sock island.
"I ate a watermelon,
And all the seeds fell out,
And when they hit the ground,
They all began to shout:
YOU ATE MY MOMMA!"
Gryffin finished her song and collapsed into a fit of giggles that only Artemis could understand.
"Where did you learn that song Gryff?" Kristan asked.
"Oh, off of this wonderful web-site called fanfiction.net. Some Girl Scout from another part of the country put it up there."
"Dat's a good song," Race said between a mouthful of juicy fruit.
"Yeah, sing it again," Blink added.
"I ate a watermelon,
And all the seeds fell out,
And when they hit the ground,
They all began to shout,"
Everyone shouts: "YOU (YOU'SE) ATE MY (ME) MOMMA!"
End Thirteen
A/N: Okaies, ^_^ Hope you liked. R&R!! And Christine, I'm sorry!! Oh, and Arty I'm sorry too, that this took so long to get up. I thought I'd have it up before you got back from your Physics class, but one of my roommates either fell asleep with the internet in her room or she's not here and it's locked in her room. I did my best hon!! Luv yas all! Gryffin
Shoutouts!
CHRISTINE: You get the special capital letter typed name and the first slot because, man, I liked your review! ^_^ You totally solved a major problem that I've been having with a *hem* certain someone, and now it makes life easier. Several of the things you said are actually already taking place in chapters you have yet to see or are in the planning stages in that twisted little head of mine. Yeah, so thanks for the suggestions! I like new ideas to work off of too! I LOVE YOU CHRISTINE! ^_^ okay, I'm back to normal now… ^_^
ARTEMIS-CHAN: w00t! You get the use of your full name! And it is in Capitals, just because I love your review as well, though I am more used to your totally awesome reviews so you come second. (sry, but that's the way it works, because I know you'll keep reading and not be mad at me anyhow) ^_^ I 3 u!! Alright… moving on.
Kristan: I am deeply insulted by your review. So you know… it sucked! Once again, moving on… Oh, PS to Kristan… could you save me some of those *hem* lessons that T-Chan is giving you… esp. anything that is written down, I have a wonderful idea for them. ^_^ If you guys never wrote anything down, you'll have to let me interview you on it sometime Saturday. *devilish smirk*
Maddie: Ah, sorry I made you feel bad! Spot's fine, and all's well that ends well, no? And I know, I'm a dork and I spend waaayyy too much time at camp. We all do! ^_^
Cassie: yeah, I like random songs in my stories. They're fun. Okayz, then… lata!
Moon: Sometimes, I don't know how you follow this story, not having been at camp. If there's ever anything that you don't understand or you think is supposed to be funny but really isn't then please let me know so that I can fix it for the general public. ^_^ thanx for reading!!
Luthien: Yeah, I keep fixing those and then forgetting to update the versions on FF.net… hehe. Thanks for reading hon, glad you like it. You get to be in this chapter, and I have a special plan for you… MWAHH