Disclaimer: Newsies belongs to Disney. Redwing belongs to Girl Scouts. I belong to myself, and my friends belong to themselves as well. The events here are purely fictional, and the ideas belong to me, along with a bit of help from my insane friends and Guido, the rabid plot raccoon.
Chapter 16: The Corruption of Baby Staff
Wednesday Morning
When Kid Blink woke up again, he went over to Gryffin's tent to walk to breakfast with her. She had already left though, and taken the campers to the flag field. They went through flag, which was done by a pool unit. You could tell, because the campers were wearing life jackets and playing with pool noodles as they put up the flag. He caught up with her on the way to over to the dining hall.
"You'se still mad at me?"
Gryffin kept walking, and did not answer him.
"I'll take dat as a yes. Wouldja eat breakfast wit' me? We can talk dis ovah." Gryffin looked at him coldly. It was incredibly hard for her to do, as she wanted to pull him into the pack out room and start kissing him again, but somehow she managed. She must have been spending too much time around Racetrack.
"No, I'm afraid not, Mr. Blink. I am eating breakfast with Eeyore."
Kid Blink stopped in his tracks and watched Gryffin continue walking up the ramp and into the dining hall. Today, she did not teach grace with Artemis. She walked straight inside and chose a table that had a camper she was sure she did not know as the hopper. Race, who was apparently acting as hopper councilor, raised his eyebrow. Gryffin turned resolutely and stared at the far side of the dining hall. With the looks she was giving the wall, Race was surprised that the paint hadn't started to peel off yet. Whatever she was mad about, Race was glad that he wasn't on the receiving end of it.
A few moments later, the rest of the staff began filing in to claim their seats. Luthien released Eeyore's arm as the older girl took her place as foot of Gryffin's table. Eeyore was smirking wildly. Even with her attempt to act mad, she couldn't help but ask Eeyore what she was missing, but she did so in one of those 'I hate life' voices that tells everyone you don't really want to play silly little kid games.
"What are you smiling about? Did you turn Spot straight last night?"
Eeyore's smirk didn't waver. This had to be good.
"Nope. Luthien just asked me to do her a favor."
"Like what? Leave her alone so that she can grow up and not treat her like a kindergartener when she's watching movies?"
"No," Eeyore said, getting up and moving closer to Gryffin so that the camper wouldn't hear. "Luthien asked me to teach her how to seduce a boy."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Eeyore sat in her tent later that day with Luthien and Gryffin. Gryffin had seen Kid Blink go into the staff house, but since she did not want to talk to him right now, she followed Luthien and Eeyore to Christy to spend her hour of time off before she had to go to the pool. Gryffin sat on one of the many beds that had been jammed into Eeyore's tent. The six beds that usually occupied a camper tent… wait… there were only usually four beds in a tent. There weren't that many girl staff members in Christy. Something was wrong with this picture.
"Eeyore-child?"
"Yes, Gryff-dear?"
"Why are there six beds in your tent?"
"Because six people sleep in my tent."
"Eeyore-child? Who all sleeps in your tent?"
"Me, Luthien, Moose, Sailor Moon, Racetrack and Spot sleep here. Why?"
Gryffin put her head in one of her hands, rolling her eyes. "Never mind. I'd really rather not know."
Eeyore shrugged and went back to her business with Luthien.
"Okay, what you have to remember is what he likes. Every boy is different, and they'll all respond differently to different things." Luthien nodded. Eeyore continued. "First, you'll kiss him on the lips before you move on to anything else. Now, there are several ways in which you can do this…"
Gryffin dropped her head onto whoever's bed she was sitting on. This was ridiculous. Luthien needed seduction lessons from Eeyore like Happy needed to go on another power trip. (Gryffin thought that Happy went on power trips a bit too often) The scent of the blankets comforted her for some reason, but Gryffin didn't know why. She was slowly falling asleep.
"Eeyore? Wake me up when you go to the pool. I have to be there at ten with my kids."
"Sure thing."
It was the last thing Gryffin heard before she fell into a refreshing, if light, sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"You know what? I tink you'se bettah stop doin' dat, or else you're gonna be mad at every Newsie in da camp if ya keep fallin' asleep in alla deir beds. Especially if yas treat 'em like ya did Blink."
Gryffin pulled her eyes open. Racetrack's head swam above her face.
"Shaddup Race," she said as she buried her face into the sweet smelling pillow once again.
"Fer one, I ain't nevah listened ta anyone who tole me ta shaddup. For two, you'se gotta get up an' go ta da pool. It's ten ta ten."
Gryffin sat up, very un-gracefully, and tried to untangle the blankets from her limbs. It wasn't working well.
"You knows I'm right."
"Yeah, you're right. There's a clock right there, I do have to get up."
"Not about dat, dummy," Race replied, making a face. Gryffin sighed and gave up on the blankets, letting them fall. "You knows I'm right about Blink. Dis wasn't his fault."
"He shouldn't have let me stay there Race. Do you know how bad this looks?"
"Yeah. And do you know how many people know about it who care? I tink dere's about nine people in da whole camp dat know about it."
Gryffin counted off names in her head… Gryffin, Blink, Kristan, Snipeshooter, Snoddy, Skittery… these people were all there. If Race knew, then that meant that Spot probably knew. Jack knows anything that goes on with his boys, and Gryffin had told Artemis herself earlier. That made ten in the camp, but none of the boys knew that she had told Artemis, so Race was right. None of these people thought anything of her sleeping in the same bed with Blink.
"Do you'se even have a good reason ta be mad wit 'im?"
"I hate you, Race." Race laughed.
"I knows ya do. Lotsa people do. Dat's not what I asked ya dough. Why's you mad at Blink?"
Gryffin closed her eyes and swallowed, clearing her throat. She had never voiced this to anyone, and she couldn't believe that she was going to tell some smart mouthed Italian newsboy from New York City something that she had never brought up with her friends. Well, there's a first time for everything.
"Race, it's not that I don't like him. It's not even that I'm mad at him. Because neither of those are true. I like Blink more than any guy I've ever met before. I love to sit and talk with him, and I love to watch him perform and I love the way he kisses. It's just…" she sighed again. "It's just that every time I get something that I really really like or something that I have always really really wanted, something happens and it has to be taken away. And do you know what? It hurts like hell every time that thing is taken away. Something will go wrong eventually and I'll have to give him up anyhow. It's a lot easier to give him up now, on my own terms, than to have him taken later on somebody else's."
Race sat down and put an arm around Gryffin's shoulders. For the second time in one day, Gryffin's eyes burned with tears. This time though, she was angry at them, and she tried to hold them back. The water welled up in her eyes while Race tried to comfort her. What was happening? Gryffin never got this emotional, and she hated being vulnerable. She hated that people could hurt her. This was sad, because the people that could hurt her also happened to be the most precious people in the world to her. Two tears streaked down her cheeks. Race wiped them away and lifted her head.
"You'se gonna be okay? Or do I need ta go ta da pool for yas, an' you can stay 'ere an' sleep?"
Gryffin stood up. "I'll be fine, Race. Thank you." She hugged the boy and headed out of the tent.
"Gryff?" Race called from the entrance. "You'se can come talk ta me any time, you knows dat, right?"
Gryffin nodded and headed off down the path to the pool, wondering how a gay guy who just met her could know her so well.
Artemis wasn't on rotation until the second half-hour that Trails End would be at the pool. Gryffin sighed and sat down on the concrete. It wasn't sunny at all, so there was no point in trying to get a bit of a tan. The clouds overhead were light and wispy, but a constant breeze guaranteed that they would not be there for long.
"Hey Gryff," Luthien said, sitting down next to her.
"Hia Luth. So how did your lesson go? I missed most of it."
"Good," Luthien said, nodding. "I think I'm going to try some of it later this afternoon." Gryffin smiled and shook her head.
"Whatever makes you happy. You know, we have a knack for corrupting our baby staff. They never go back home half as naive as they came." Luthien shrugged.
"We all have to grow up sometime. I'm ready for that time to be now." Gryffin smiled at the thought of cute, sweet, innocent little Luthien cornering Specs in the Trading Post. Oh, what she'd pay to see that.
"MADDIE! CASSIE!" Gryffin yelled at the same time Snitch blew his whistle. The campers had deliberately jumped into the pool in exactly the right place to soak the staff. The girls giggled as they popped back above water. It was the perfect end to a sucky morning.
End Sixteen
A/N: Heh. I'm in a serious mood for the first time in my life, so the next few chapters will be more serious and angsty and romancy than humorous, but deal with me, because it will be better. Thank you all who read this story! It really gives me something to do, and something to put my talents into other than simply day dreaming in class like I usually do. ^_^ As you might notice from my other fanfictions, none of them have gotten much of a response from the readers, and this is the first time that I have gotten love from people I don't know. * sniff * I really do love you all! Thank you! Oh, and the next time that anyone reviews, could you please tell me in your review who your favorite Newsie is? Just because I am nebby and I'd like to know. ^_^ Lata Dayz!
Shoutouts!
Shot: YAY!! You're reviewer # 100! I have made you two things: one is a chocolate cake with chocolate icing and whipped cream and cherries that has the Newsie of your choice in it. I'm thinking that you're a Jack girl, but I'm probably wrong, because I'm not good at that type of thing. The other thing is a great big glomp from me the next (or in this case first) time I see you. ^_^ I'm glad that you like the story, but don't worry, Blink just has to redeem himself.
Artemis: First again, as per usual. You're not reviewer # 100, but you are right, you do rock and I love you anyway. ^_^ We will have to get together sometime again and chat about this? Those plot Guidos were awesome. I was having so much trouble sleeping Monday night, because I
couldn't go to sleep until I finished that chapter. And don't snicker! People will start to think too far ahead and they'll start guessing? * ahem * yeah. I can't believe that you've never had my campfire stew. You really have to come have it sometime? hey what are you doing this
weekend? ^_^ Yes, you must love the stars at camp, they're absolutely wonderful. I always thought that stars and the night were the most romantic things ever, and I always felt sad that I never had anyone to share their beauty with at camp, because there really aren't any boys there. *sniff*
PS: It is really fun to hit Snipeshooter, Arty.
Bella: I really meant to leave you a shout out last chapter, but I lost your review among the massive piles of crap that I have on my computer. I clicked on FF.net, but I didn't look at the chapters that far back for it, I only looked at chapter 14. I'm sorry honey!!
Okay, now to the real shoutout part. You went to Redwing? I have a few questions for you then. Artemis told me where you live, so I don't have to ask that. My grandmother used to live on Billy Drive, if you know where that is. It is up behind the North Bessemer Fire Hall. And what programs did you go to camp for? And how old are you now and how old were you when you went? That is totally freaking awesome that I found a reader from the area! Oh, and I LOVE new readers too. ^_^ You get a Shirtless!Mush shaped cookie just for reading! I'm glad you like the story, and enjoy the insanity, from a safe distance. ^_~
Maddie: I'm glad that you liked yourself in this chapter. I want you to be happy hon! It takes a lot to get me that mad. It doesn't happen often, and not ever at camp. I figured that Blink and I had to have relationship problems though, because what a Mary-Sue story this would be if we didn't. It already kind of is a Mary-Sue, but it has camp in it, so it's great anyhow. ^_^ Hey, did you ever notice that Kid Blink blows kisses at one point in the movie? Yeah, he does, and it?s freaking awesome! Trey Parker must have had so much freaking fun when he made the movie just because so much of it ended up on screen that wasn't supposed to. ^_^ I love him! Okay, enjoy the next installment of insanity!
Cassie: You are number 99? sucks to be you! J/k =D Yeah, he was just trying to be sweet, but still? I could be fired for that you know, and because I'm such a dork, Redwing means more to me than anything else in my real life. Keep readin'!
Nakaia: Yes, Brownies and Juniors are quite scary. I can't wait for you to catch up until this point. I thought it would be fun to have the campers with the Newsies? though I haven't written much of that yet. I think we'll have some fun in the afternoon coming up with letting the campers play with the boys. * devilish smirk * I hope you enjoy the story!
Storm: Yes, yes, I'm getting to the duct tape. I just don't know what I'm going to do with it yet. ^_^ But duct tape is always fun, and I'm sure that I can think of something. * devilish grin, again * You're reminding me of Jack Sparrow from Pirates? ?Yes, but WHY's the rum gone?? hehe I'm giddy and giggily right now. Luv ya Stormy!
Moon: I hope that your live calms down some sweety.
Kristan: I'm glad that you updated. I was going to have to actually start enforcing that threat. (not really, because you would never actually push me that far) It is really really fun to hit Snipeshooter. ^_~ He's such a cutie. You know you actually have more than thirty seven, right? Just so you know. Oh, I will have fun. ^_^ Believe me, I will. My poor characters! The things I make them do… You know what? You have hardly been talking to me lately, and I'm even sick of hearing about Nick. ^_~ Your poor mother. Luv ya hon!