Ashton woke up with a start. He'd had a dream...but about what, he couldn't place. All he could remember was a bright red light, and loud music...Chisato...and the others were there too. Ashton shrugged it off and rubbed his eyes. He was in his tent...how? The last thing he remembered was drinking...oh, I must've drunk too much, he thought.
He sat up, and then realized he wasn't on his mat. In fact, the entire tent was bare. Every piece of clothing and all of their luggage was arranged neatly outside of the tent door. He wondered about it briefly, but almost immediately heard the sound of Chisato's deep breathing outside the tent. He put on a pair of pants then walked around to the source of the noise.
Chisato was lying on her side on the hill. Her face held evidence of crying, no matter what she'd done to hide it. Ashton laid next to her and looked into her eyes. The were wide, full of...fear? Anger? He couldn't tell.
"Chisato, what's wrong?"
She didn't respond. Her eyes looked full of shock.
"Chis?"
Her eyes began to tear again. "You don't remember last night. You didn't hear, witness the betrayal...I haven't slept...Ashton..."
Ashton looked confused. "What do you mean?
She sighed and launched into last nights events. Ashton, at the least, was amix between confused and angry.
"It's bad enough she spied on us...she told everyone..."
"She was drunk, and so was everyone else, but she gathered that information for a reason. What? To blackmail us, make fun of us, drive us apart? But she was drank, and told it off too early..."
"You should've told her that we saw them too."
"She'd passed out by then."
"Then let's go tell her now."
Chisato pondered that a moment. "Yes...maybe we should. Besides, we only heard them; she waited to spy, didn't she..."
Ashton, now angry, added, "While she waited there in the rain, she was declaring war.
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Celine groggily cracked an egg and slowly dropped it into a glass. She reached for another egg to crack, but when she attempted to open the shell, she overshot the edge of the table and it went flying into the bushes. She seemed unfazed as she reached for another egg.
"You know, 'line, we have ready made breakfasts. You don't have to cook, seeing as you have such a hellish hangover," Chris said, sitting nearby.
"Talk softer, Chris...I had six beers last night, you topped at two. Did you even get drunk?"
"No, but I had a nice buzz..." He trailed off as he saw Claude and Rena walk up, slowly.
"Is there...any coffee made, Celine?" Claude asked, slowly.
"Three pots, darling. They're right over there."
Chris pulled Rena aside.
"Rena, do you remember anything from last night?"
"No...not really. Not really...why?"
"Just curious", Chris replied, walking away. At that moment, Ashton and Chisato came into view, walking down the hill near them, slowly. They all grabbed a ready-made meal and sat around the fire. It was quiet, as many of them had hangovers, except for Chisato and Chris; and Chris wasn't saying a word.
After they were all finished, they all either slept around the fire or read books they'd brought. Chisato, though, was wide awake and was glaring at Rena, who had her nose in a book. Rena noticed the glare and looked up.
"Something wrong?"
"Do you remember something from last night?"
"No, I was fairly smashed. Why?
"You were spying on us, Rena, spying on me and Ashton in the rain. Just waiting for us to do something...you knew we would, yet you spied anyways. Spied on two adults whose business was not your own."
Rena sat her book down and looked squarely at Chisato, coldly. "Yes, I did; I knew it. You'd hurt him."
Chisato's eyes flickered with rage. "I would never hurt him? But you know who would? Supposed friends who spy on him in his most private moments!"
Rena ignored the comment. "He was so shy, so lovable...he's seemed distant lately, on this trip...all because of you. I knew it was a bad idea, you tainted him."
Chisato was appalled. "Who are you to decide was Ashton is, or what he should be, or what he does, or who he sees?"
"I just know you're not right for him."
The words hit Chisato like arrows, and she was too enraged to even make a comeback. She stood in fury and stomped off. Just before she was out of sight, she turned and yelled, "You're not the only spy, you know. You and Claude, we saw it. But ours...ours was an accident. Spying isn't what friends DO!" She then turned again and ran down the hill.
"You aren't my mother."
Rena turned to see Ashton standing behind her.
"Ashton..."
"You betrayed me...Rena. Why?"
"You were spying on me and Claude?"
"Don't change the subject-"
"But I am, Ashton. You betrayed me too, Ashton, and this isn't something I expected out of you. Chisato maybe, but not-"
"Shut up, Rena."
She fell silent. He continued. "I'm sorry that we 'spied' on you, but we only heard your sounds. It was unintentional. I...I don't want to talk right now." He walked off in the direction of his tent.
"Go then, you sneak! Go to her! Get corrupted some more!" Rena yelled after him. She jumped up and took off towards her tent. Claude sighed, stood up, and followed her. Chris and Celine, who had been sitting and sharing a book from across the fire, simply stared after them, dumbfounded.
"Yep, Chris", Celine whispered, "We're certainly out of the loop."
~