Chapter 4 fun and Games
Kendrix came out of her cabin after washing up and headed to the dining hall with no trouble. She even opened the Dorr and headed for the line before anything happened. This time it was for the better. Leo stood just behind the actual line as if waiting for her.
"Leo?"
"Hey brains." He grinned and motioned her ahead of him in line.
"Leo you were here first."
"So?" He asked.
"Leo." She grinned and he pulled her into place in the line. Knowing that there was no use in arguing she stayed and listened to him tell her a funny little story about the latest monster attack in Angel Grove.
"It was like there was this big alien wolf thing that stepped on a car."
"Leo that's terrible."
"Yeah I know the red and pink rangers had to take him on."
"I bet you'd make a great Power ranger." Kendrix said and Leo seemed to think deeply.
"But then I couldn't be Leonardo." He said and she giggled.
"You're crazy."
"Yep that's me the crazy turtle."
"Ok what'll it be?" The cook demanded. Both moved through the line then Kendrix started towards an empty table. Leo was beside her, reaching it first and after sitting his trey down he pulled out her seat.
"Leo what are you doing? They'll all think..."
"So what do we care what they think? We're the only ones that matter anyway." He said and his green eyes had gone as dark as the leaves out on the trees. She knew that he was dead serious and felt herself nodding slowly, he was so right. Then he was smiling.
"So you gonna go to the carnival tonight?" He asked and she sighed.
"I think we have to."
"Cool that means I'll have someone to hang with."
"Leo..." She began and he just looked at her and she saw that smirk. "I'm not good at games."
"Well then you'll just have to learn." He said and as they ate he told her about one of the carnivals he'd gone to back home. Kendrix who'd never really thought about it was fascinated by the idea of so many games and activities some not even requiring skills. She thought only fleetingly of her books but it was so brief that she then forgot all about it. It was amazing how Leo could pull her in like this.
***
After dinner Kendrix ran back to her cabin and was brushing her teeth when Misty, one of the other girls in the cabin took the sink beside hers.
"Saw you sitting with Corbett."
"Uhh huh." Kendrix said through mouthful of toothpaste.
"He's totally cute." Misty said looking at Kendrix pointedly. Kendrix just shrugged.
"He's nice."
"Sure."
"What do you mean sure?" Kendrix asked frowning slightly after spitting the last of her toothpaste out.
"I'm just saying that guys are only nice when they want something in return."
"Like what?"
"Well, I'd let you find out on your own but your nice so, just don't let him go to around too much with you." Misty said and Kendrix felt a little more than confused, what was Misty talking about and why was she even talking to her? She knew better than to trust the red head. She'd always had it in for her. She was probably the one who glued the pages of her book together last night. St...
Just then Misty left her alone in the bathroom with her thoughts and Kendrix tried in vain to sort them out.
***
Leo was waiting outside the cabin for Kendrix but even after the activity call she didn't come out. One of the other girls from her cabin did though and came up to him.
"Kendrix isn't feeling very well, she's not coming to the carnie but I am. Want to come with me?" She asked and Leo's eyes narrowed. What was going on? This girl was one of the ones that gave Kendrix trouble behind her back. No something was quite right at all.
"Sorry I have to go get something from my cabin." Leo said and ran off before Misty could say a word to stop him.
***
Kendrix sat on her bed after all of the girls had gone and still she didn't exactly know what Misty had been talking about. She just knew it had to be bad, but she couldn't see Leo doing anything bad. He was so nice and... She jumped when she heard a muted curse.
On her feet she ran for the washroom. There she could only stair at what she saw.
"So you gonna help me up or just stare?" Leo asked from where he lay on the ground the screen having fallen forgotten to the floor beside him.
"Leo what are you doing?" She asked running to him forgetting about Misty as she went.
"You didn't come out."
"I um..." She had him on his feet and was checking for injuries.
"So you're not sick then." He said once she'd finished her administrations.
"Sick? Kendrix asked puzzled. "No, I'm fine."
"I thought so, Leo said moving into the bunk room to lean against the back wall hidden by her bed. "So why didn't you come out?"
"You were waiting for me?" She asked a little surprised.
"Yes." He said crossing his arms in a thoughtful gesture.
"Why?" She asked sitting down on the edge of her bed.
"Because Carney's even as corny as this one are better with more than one person." He told her with a shrug.
"Oh," She couldn't believe he'd said that, Leo? Was Misty wrong after all?
"Want to tell me why you weren't going to come?" He asked pushing off of the wall to plop down beside her.
"Not really it's probably silly." She shrugged.
"Come on Brains," he said ruffling her golden curls. "I'm the king of silly. What happened?" He prompted.
"Misty just…" She looked away.
"I should have known she had something to do with it." Leo glared at the floor, and he had, he'd felt it when she'd tried to get him to go with her. Anger raced through him, why did so many of the kids have so much trouble with them being friends?
"Leo?"
"What did she say to you?" Leo asked quietly but there was something almost dangerous in the question.
"It doesn't matter I know she was just…" To Kendrix's surprise Leo took her hand.
"Please tell me." He asked again and in those green eyes she found her mind opening and the words coming. She told him the whole story and then was surprised when his eyes lit with an unholy light.
"Leo?"
"Hmmm?"
"What are you thinking?"
"Oh nothing." He said quietly as he looked back down at the hand he still held.
"Come on, I told you."
"Well, sometimes vengeance is better than feeling bad about things like this." He said and she then understood the meaning behind that light, it was that of pay back.
"Leo what are you talking about if you do anything to her you'll get thrown to of camp…" she looked down then too seeing the hands still joined on the coverlet between them.
"You'd miss me." He said and he looked up surprised.
"What?"
That's it, you'd miss me." He grinned and she blushed.
"Leo your being silly." She told him taking on her brainy tone, as he liked to call it.
"No, you do like me." He teased then got up. "This means that revenge can wait, we're going to the carnie."
"But Leo…"
"No buts, come on brains it's time to have a little fun."
And they did, for the next hour and a half they played corny games, winning cheap little prizes. Leo doing most of the winning while Kendrix just tried. She had to ignore scathing looks from Misty but when she was with Leo they didn't seem so bad. He had always been able to make things better. Funny, she had only known him a couple of days and it seemed like she'd always known him.
"Come on," Leo dragged her over to a counselor dressed like a fortune teller.
The girl nodded Kendrix into the seat and she sat down. Then she took the little girl's hand.
"Ahhh," The gypsy began running her fingers over Kendrix's palm. "I see a dance, and you, with a very handsome boy, your enjoying yourself and so is your date." The fortune teller said and Kendrix just stared, she knew enough to know this was a crock, science was the true belief not some dumb counselor dressed up in a silly costume. Still she wished it could be true, not that any boy would like her like that. She was lucky that Leo even liked her as a friend let alone more.
Then it was Leo's turn. Kendrix found herself drawn to another booth set up by one of the counselors who was an art major at the nearby college. She watched the young man drawing a dragon on one child's cheek and wondered if it hurt the feel of a pen on your face like that.
"You know what you need?" Leo asked as he joined her.
"Hmmm?" She asked still watching.
"A cat." With that he pulled her arm so they were in line and ready to go.
With in minutes Kendrix was in the artist's seat while Jo, the art major drew a pink bobcat on her cheek.
It really didn't hurt; it just tickled a little as the pen made the marks that formed what would one day be her symbol.
When she was done she told Leo that he needed one too and he sat down and let a red lion be drawn on his forehead.
By the end of the night the pair had all but forgot about the Misty incident. They went to the cantina and ate popsicles and drank sodas while talking about what they wanted to do tomorrow. For once Kendrix took an active part in the conversation saying that she wasn't sure what she'd like to do but that she might try crafts of the nature hike.
"Hmmm, hey why don't we do this, I'll teach you sports and you can teach me about science on one of your hikes."
"Ok," she grinned and thus set the tone for the next weeks.
TBC
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Well, what do you think? Any suggestions on what should happen next?
I'd like at least five reviews if you guys want me to continue this one.