Chapter 10
"Leo are you sure you're ok?" Kendrix asked while they sat munching on chips and drinking soda. He'd not wanted to talk about the afternoon's adventure at dinner, in case a counselor happened by. Whatever had happened Leo didn't want Kendrix in trouble and by Tony's absence at dinner their would be trouble. Now though there were no counselors within earshot so...
"Yeah, nothing bruised but my pride." He made a face which made Kendrix smile. "What about you." She'd seemed fine, better than fine in fact. She'd actually been glowing. That was yet another indication that something had really happened.
"I'm great. I took care of Tony myself." She said but didn't elaborate. What was she keeping from him? His curiosity was growing with every minute.
"So tell me what you did." He said after a few more minutes of silence.
"Leo I just climbed a tree." She shrugged easily and bit into another sourcream and onion chip.
"Come on I know his type, he'd have gone right after you." Leo told her matter-of-factly. Oh yes he knew that type, there had been plenty of kids like that back home. Mike had once upon a time thrashed a few of them.
A sudden fealing of home sickness hit Leo and he swallowed some of his drink to wash away the saulty taste of the tears. It wouldn't do either of them any good to fall apart. Maybe he'd write him a letter and tomorrow he'd give it to his parents.
"When he's mad he's mad. Now what happened." He said and sat back to wait for her to fess up.
"Fine." She sighed knowing Leo enough to know he'd not give up on this, not until he got what he wanted. "He followed me up the tree."
"He..." Leo frowned, how could she have gotten herself into that kind of a mess. The possibilities had his stomach churning. She must have seen because she quickly went on.
"Followed me." She said and his eyes narrowed, it had been planned?
"And he forgot that he's not as little as I am."
"You tricked him into falling." Leo laughed at that.
"Guilty." Kendrix giggled, as much from what she'd done as his admiring tone.
"Not bad for a beginner."
"Well, it did keep them all from pounding you." She told him remembering the knowledge of what those creeps could do to Leo if something was not done.
"And he wouldn't have hurt you?" He asked a brow raised in surprise.
"A little, the thing is I have this white knight who keeps saving me." She smiled and he reached over and touched her hand. He wanted to say something, to tel her the truth, if saving her made her smile he'd do it anytime but he'd look dumb. After all he was a guy, not some fairytale prince.
"Well, you know if you keep this up you might not need him. That was really a smart thing to do."
"That's why you call me brains, remember?"
"And she's cocky too." Leo teased.
"I have a good teacher." She joked right back.
"Well I am the best." He smirked.
As the banter faded they lapsed into silence and Kendrix thought about tomorrow, it would not be like today, she'd be on her own. Leo's parents would come and he'd play in the camper/parent softball game. Not that she could play anyway. In that sense it was good her mother had to work.
Kendrix's mind drifted back to the letter she'd gotten the day before. She'd found it on her bed. She'd put it away and then only early this morning she read it.
Now, she thought about the hike she'd go on. At least other kids were in the same boat.
Misty was going on the hike. both of her parents were over in eastern Europe they she was on her own. She knew too she should be worried but Kendrix felt too tired just then.
Leo watched the sadness creep into the blonde's soft eyes and sighed. He had known this morning something was up but she'd not seemed inclined to talk about it and then she'd been playing and had seemed ok but now...
" You know, if you turn that upside down you'll be smiling." Leo's words brought Kendrix back from her world of dismal thoughts and she found him gazing over at her, his jade eyes unreadable. She wondered what he was talking about until he started.
"this real shy man was in the hospital for some tests, the last left his stomach kind of upset. After he'd thought he had to go a few times and didn't go, he decided one was just that, not real." Leo began and Kendrix frowned, hat was he doing now? Then it hit her, the man had a belly ache and…
"Ought oh…"
"Yeah, he had diarrhea all over his bed." Leo said grinning wickedly at the horrified giggles escaping Kendrix as she listened. That was much better.
"ooo…" It was funny, Leo got all into whatever he was doing from playing kick ball to telling dirty jokes. This one though was funny on it's own.
"that's not the worst of it." He smirked. "he jumped out of bed, balled up the sheets, and threw them out the hospital window."
Kendrix could see the whole thing in her mind and nerly feel off her chair at the wayit would look. She did feel bad for the man in the hospital. She hated to hear about people sick. though.
"Just then this drunk guy was walking by the hospital and the sheets landed on him. He started swinging his arms trying to get his attacker off him," Leo made the frantic gestures. "And ended up with the soiled sheets in a heap at his feet." he said and Kendrix couldn't wait for the punch line.
"So then the drunk dude stood there, a little dizzy, staring down at the sheets, a hospital security guard walked up and asked him what happened. The guy said "I think I just beat the crap out of a ghost.""
"Leo your terrible.' She gasped out trhough the giggles and he smiled. man she was pretty when she laughed. it was also much better than htat sad and kind of lost look.
"Hi guys, how's it going?" Misty asked plopping down beside
Kendrix. The blonde tried not to make a face and realized Leo
was watching her.
"Fine, how are you?" He asked solemnly.
"Ok, a little tired but ok."
"Good so are you ready for tomorrow?" She asked that of Leo who
shrugged. "I am I just found out my mom's back and coming."
that hit Kendrix like a bullet to the gut. She lokked at the
last of her drink and suddenly didn't feel like drinking it.
Leo saw her sadness returning and wanted to kick something.
He'd finally got her to smile again and the dumb red head had
to go to work again.
"Listen, I was thinking about the dance, maybe you should wear
pink, it's a good color for you."
"That's right you 2 are going to the dance." Misty managed a nice smile but she knew they'd never make it together, not to the dance. She would not let the worm win.
"Listen I think I'm going to go head over to the office, to see if you got any maill." Leo said knowing Kendrix wanted out of there. he did too. Misty was so transparent. She was still trying to win that stupid bet. Well, she wouldn't, he'd not let her. No, she and the others had already caused enough trouble.
TBC