Chapter 4

After the girls got their stuff and put them on the bus they were set to go. At first Safiya and Lavender sat together, but during the three hour bus ride, things began to change. The boys were all sitting at the back while the girls sat in the front. Larry noticed the gender segregation and called Alan up to the front of the bus.

"Yeah Larry?" Squid asked his Uncle, not knowing what he wanted.

"I want you and the boys to talk to the girls." He stated, his eyes still focused on the road.

"But their girls."

"You make it sound like they have a disease."

"That's not what I meant. Maybe they want to talk about girls stuff."

"Well you'll all be together for awhile hiking. This is a perfect opportunity for you all to get to know each other." Squid pondered this statement for a few seconds. "Actually Alan, go sit back down. I know what I'm gonna do." Squid listened to his Uncle and went to sit beside X-ray again.

"What'd he want?" X-ray asked.

'Nothing."

Behind X-ray and Squid, Twitch sat staring at Lavender who was talking with her cousin. His thoughts were completely focused on her and nothing else. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to sit beside her but he was too shy. He was afraid of being rejected by her.

"Just go." Caveman urged him. Twitch shook his head. At that moment Safiya stood up from her seat and sat in the seat directly across from Twitch.

"Hey Brian. Hey Stanley." She said. Caveman replied back but Twitch still stared at Lavender. Safiya followed his eyes over to her and back to him.

"Aw someone's got a crush." She mocked in a childish voice. Twitch started blushing.

'Why don't you just go talk to her? She ain't gonna hurt ya." He shook his head.

"He's kind of chicken shit." Caveman admitted.

"I see. Well they are being boring up their so I decided to come over here and see what's up." Caveman shrugged.

"Nothing is really going on." He said.

"Hey Caveman, pass me some candy." Armpit demanded for behind him.

"I told ya Pit, I ate it all." He said.

"What's with the nicknames?' Safiya asked.

"What do you mean?" Magnet asked who was sitting with Armpit.

'Well what's all your nicknames?" she asked, rephrasing her question.

"Well I'm Caveman. Brian is Twitch. That's Armpit and Magnet. Alan is Squid and Rex is X-ray. Hector is Zero and Ricky is Zig-Zag."

"Ok I get it now." Safiya said, smiling. Safiya turned around to see Shu standing in the isle beside her. "Hey Shu."

"Hi. Can I sit with you?" she asked.

"Sure." She got out of the seat and let Shu slide in.

"How old are you Shu?" Magnet asked.

"16. I move from China last year. My English not good." She said.

"Aw she's so adorable. Such a cutie." Magnet mocked. Shu giggled.

"Typical Shu. Saying your English ain't good. God girl, you've been here for 7 months and we all can understand you."

"Really?" Shu said, squealing. "It's only because you help me learn English. Thank you." Shu reached over and hugged Safiya, who hugged her in return.

"Your welcome."

From the front, Larry started yelling. "Kids I think we all should play a game."

"What kind of game?" X-ray asked. "I don't wanna be playing some game for kids half my age."

"No, it's not like that Rex. It's just to let you guys get to know each other more. How about Safiya starts? Say four things about yourself."

"Well my name's Safiya Rain Jordan, I'm 17, my cousin is Lavender and I'm a expert hiker."

"Then I'm gonna tag onto you like a pin girl cause I can't hike or nothing." Armpit complained.

"Don't worry Armpit. You'll be ok. Stick with me and not the guys, and you'll be fine."

"I was going to do that anyway."

"Shu go next."

"Ok. I am Shu Cheng, I am 16 and from China. And I love Pooh." The boys looked at her, dumbfounded.

"Poo? You like poo?" Zig-Zag questioned.

'Idiot. She likes Pooh bear not crap." Squid said.

"Anyways moving on."

"Well I'm Raquel Molina. I'm 17, Spanish and people say I'm very blunt."

"Raquel, that's a understatement. You are not blunt. You are extremely blunt." Christine said.

"I am not. I just tell it how it is. And if you continue to sit on your leg like that, you'll feel like pins and needles." Christine sighed.

"See what I mean?" The boys chuckled and Safiya shook her head.

"My name is Lavender, I'm 15, I love my cousin and Australia."

"Aw really Lavvie, you don't have to say that. Your only saying it cause it's true right?" Safiya mocked.

"Yes."

"I thought so."

"Well I'm Christine Krkljus, I'm 16, Yugoslavian and"

"She's an obsessive boy freak." Raquel finished. Christine gasped.

"I am not."

They started arguing for awhile on who was right and wrong.

"Guys hold up. It's pointless to argue. And besides your disturbing the nature. Listen to those birds chirping, smell the fresh air." Everyone stopped to take a breather.

'It smells like gas to me." Zig-Zag said after a moment of silence.

"I should slap you across the face Zig." Squid said. "Why you always saying stupid things and such man?"

"But really, it smells like gas."

"Just quit while your ahead ok Zig?" Safiya said. "Don't argue with Squid or I'll leave you in the wilderness where bears will come and eat you alive." Zig-Zag cowered in the corner of the chair, sliping under the seat.

"I think you might actually do that."

"Dude, I'm joking."

"I'm not so sure anymore."

"Well kids, amazingly we're here already. Didn't take as long as I thought." Larry said. All the kids looked outside. They saw trees and bushes, shrubs and lots of green. There was also a cabin.

"Come on, let's get our things."