Disclaimer: I don't own Holes, and never will!

The Inspection Of CGL

Chapter Twenty Two ll 'Tis Sad, 'Tis Drama

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Project Inspect Camp Green Lake - Journal

18th of August. (Day 28)

Mood: blah
Time: 1:01pm

Um. So right. I'm trying to write normally, which is hard, because I've spent - say, I don't know - three hours writing intellectual reports. My wording and grammar is just brilliant. Lalala. Oh, well I better go now. I'm having lunch in the Warden's cabin with the television. Potato salad, here I come!

Mood: content
Time: 2:30pm

Lunch was brilliant. Except for that sodding sausage; it went rolling onto the floor and got sauce all over the carpet. Aish. Must go type more for now.

Mood: accomplished
Time: 3:24pm

Finished! Almost, anyway. Only a few more to go, but they'll be easy. You know, if Zig is right, and the Warden does have secret cameras in clever hidey-holes, she'd have been gaping at the monitor, which would have beheld ME raving and jiving ungracefully to the music coming from my headphones. Oh, and I would also be screaming enthusiastically, "And I said, are you gonna be my girl? Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun! Big black boots, long brown hair, she's so sweet with her, get back stare!"

Can't spend all day typing essays, can I?

Mood: boredy bored
Time: 3:56pm

Have given up for the day. Going to the Wreck Room to check if D-tent-cabin has finished yet. See you for now.

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh.

Never knew spending time without Squid or the D-tent boys was so terribly... boring.

I slowly journeyed to the Wreck Room of Long Noses (hehe), and found a couple of the older, tougher and uglier boys from other tents already there, playing pool and yelling obscenities. (I love that word.) They glanced up briefly when I entered, but I ignored them and made a beeline for my favourite, stuffy couch.

Sighing, I plopped myself there and started counting how many times I heard a cuss word.

I was almost asleep (twenty-three words, and still counting!) when the Wreck Room door banged open and a group of laughing boys banged in a bangingful manner. I looked up hopefully, but was disappointed to see A-Tent Arseholes instead of my favourite D-tent Delinquents.

It probably isn't the best thing to doze off in the middle of a room full of criminal teenagers, but I'd grown accustomed to it. I mean, I haven't been harmed before (except for Mr. Flash-Happy, but let's forget about him) so yeah, it can't be that dangerous.

Still, I should have just gone back to my tent. That way, maybe I wouldn't have suddenly woke up to a bunch of A-tent dudes crowded around me.

"Hey, chick."

"How's it jumpin'?"

I stared at them for a moment and said testily, "Err... good?"

They smirked at me.

I fidgeted for a moment. I slid my notebook under the curve of my arm protectively and tried to figure out how long I would have to sit here and stare at their ugly faces before politely making my leave.

"So, chick - " (urgh, chick?), "How'd yer be in'erested in me?" demanded one of the boys.

I didn't say anything because I was trying to understand him, then I stared at him with an open mouth.

"In'erested in you?" I repeated, kinda mimicking his accent.

I couldn't resist.

"Sure."

"Sure?" I repeated suavely.

"Yup, sure."

"You sure you wouldn't be more interested in that sexy man over there?" I pointed at the same lanky Filo guy I had hid behind when we smashed Mr. Sir's office window with a tennis ball. Anyone remember?

Heads turned to his direction and Miztah Filo went a bit red. Whoa, maybe he is queer.

Queer in the homosexual way, I mean.

Yeah.

Um. MOVING ON!

"Nope."

"Why not?" I challenged, "Too tall for you? Too handsome for you? Too I-am-Filo-and-haha-you're-not for you? People have rights!"

"You know, I don't think you should be in'erested in a girl this stupid," one of smart-alec's friends remarked.

AHA, an escapay!

"Yeah, I'm not that bright," I said quickly, "If you're looking for bright, go on a date with a light bulb!"

I cracked up laughing at my brilliant joke, and didn't stop laughing for quite some time. Laughing Disorders, go figure.

"I don't care if she's stupid."

Dang.

"Dang what?"

Did I say that out loud?

"Dang blood circulation! So do you mind not holding onto my arm so tightly? You're cutting off the flow of blood that my heart pumps at an amazing rate." This said politely.

"Well," the blonde released my arm and grinned at me, "Wanna meet somewhere more private?"

"Definitely..." I got to my feet, "NOT!" Giggling that I had thwarted the Apple-Bums, I ran towards the Wreck Room door to escapay from Long Noses and crashed into another long-nosed fellow at the doorway.

Actually, I had no idea if he was long-nosed or not; I was too busy making sure the Apple-Bums weren't staring at my behind so I didn't see.

I looked up and saw PINOCCHIO!

...Squid, for you party-poopers.

"Whoa, where's the fire?" Pit, who was behind Pinocchio (hehehe) piped up.

"Fire? What fire?" I asked, my eyes widening, "DID MY TENT CATCH FIRE? IS IT BURNING?" I screamed murder and tried to sprint out, but Pinocchio was still holding onto me.

"It's not on fire."

OH!

Oh...

Oh.

"Did they do something to you?" Zig wanted to know, looking beadily at the A-tenters who were still smiling sinisterly from OUR couch.

"What the - ?" I looked and saw the whole of Group D crowded in the doorway, "How'd you all get here?"

"What did they do?" Squid exclaimed at the same time, glaring at the blond Apple-Bum especially.

"Nothing!" I replied a bit quickly, "I just need to go - and - um... pee!" And unscrew some light bulbs, I added in my head.

I thought I was home free until Squid and Magnet grabbed either of my arms and dragged me back, kicking and screaming.

"I swear, I'll be a good girl!" I wailed.

"Shut that trap for a moment." They dumped me on the much more hostile couch and started interrogating me.

"What they say to you?"

"Did they try anything stupid?"

"Were they bothering you?"

"What colour knickers are you wearing?"

All these I refused to answer, not until my lawyer arrived.

Dinner was same ol', same ol'. Eating races, further disgust at Armpit, table-talk, pickle-exchange, mixing food with water. Same ol', same ol'.

The Mess Hall was kinda quiet though, because the Warden woman was in here with us, looking at us critically. Except we didn't care, because I knew I had "authority" over her, and the boys knew that, and the Warden woman knew that, and good grief, even Charlie Brown knew that, so we acted naturally.

"What is that?" I wanted to know, pointing at a pile of sludge Squid had created.

He glared at me, "It's jelly."

"It's pickles and tomato sauce mixed with refried beans," I said slowly.

"Yeah," Squid said dismissively, "Strawberry jelly with a savoury yet pleasantly sour touch."

We all stared at him.

"Okay," Caveman broke the silence, "My turn."

We looked at his food creation.

"Merlin have mercy on us, is that the Eiffel Tower?"

"Good gravy, how'd you make it?"

Squid made a face while we all pondered over Caveman's sophisticated structure. After a couple of moments, I felt bad and told Squid his jelly did look sort of appetising. His face lit up like fairly lights.

"Want to try some?" he asked happily.

"Erm," curse me for being nice, "Maybe... later, like next... year."

"Oh, goody."

For some reason, I burst out laughing at that.

The Mess Hall was emptying and we were pretty much the only ones left. The WW was standing stock-still at the kitchen, staring wide-eyed at some of the leftover dinner in the Hawt Pawt.

X-Ray was whispering to Pit and Zig and Magnet, while Squid, Zero and Caveman got me to limbo, chanting, "How low can you go, how low can you go, how funky is your chicken, how funky is your chicken, how loose is your goose, how loose is your goose."

While I had my back half-twisted, I noticed X-Ray walking up to the Warden woman and talking to her.

Aha, this is the part where they yell, "SURPRISE!"

Y'know, for my birthday.

I never really did get a party.

Or even a cake.

A real, live, fluffy cake.

It seems less and less likely I'm going to get my surprise party, but I still have faith.

Squid glanced at Zig who nodded in this FBI-undercover-agent way, and Squid nodded back. He turned to me and blindfolded me, saying, "I'm going to spin you around for a while to distract you."

"Okay."

Wheee, I'm flying!

When I started feeling violently sick, I was about to yell stop when I realised that wouldn't help.

"Nada, nada, nada!"

"Whoa," I heard Magnet say, "Hey, stop spinning her - she's saying something in Spanish."

They took the blindfold off me and Squid held me by the shoulders.

"You were saying, chicka?"

"Nada."

Heh.

I looked around and realised that all the furniture in the Wreck Room had been pushed to the side, revealing a rather nice (but dusty) floorboard area, perfect for...

Dancing.

I felt like crying.

Where's my surprise party?

That was when I noticed a ratty, old-fashioned, chunky CD player on one of the end tables in the corner. The Warden woman grinned at me mysteriously as she quietly exited the Wreck Room.

"Hey!" I suddenly yelled, "You stole my CD collection!"

'Twas true. There was my stack of burnt CDs in their clear, colourful cases.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that," Magnet said sheepishly.

"What's happening?" I asked edgily.

"It's a little dance for us to enjoy," explained Zig, bouncing on the balls of his feet, "We're gonna have fun, fun, fun!"

My eyes went to X-Ray, who was standing by the CD player.

He grinned as he popped the CD into the player, "Enjoy," he said in a cocky yet smooth sort of way.

That boy never fails to amaze me.

Magnet and Zig cheered, Armpit mimed dancing with an invisible partner before grabbing a surprised Zero and swinging him around, and Caveman stood by Magnet and Zig, grinning.

Squid was looking around shyly.

I should probably be timid and blushing my butt off, but I could feel my Disco-Dancing-Spirit rising in me... oooh yeah, I had this jumping urge to start leaping around, boogy-ing.

"Stop it, man," Zero was laughing as Armpit twirled him around.

"Oho, no, little dude," Armpit said joyfully; he twirled Zero around again before letting him go, so he crashed into X-Ray, "CHANGE PARTNERS!" He then grabbed Magnet ("Hijo de a... man, are you all right?") and started to dance with him.

He looked around, still jiving around with a reluctant Magnet, "C'mon dudes, start dancin'! Lighten up!"

X-Ray looked affronted for a moment, then shrugged and smiled sheepishly as he grabbed Zero's hands ("Not you too!") and dancing silly-like with him.

Caveman and Zig were doing the macarena.

Squid glanced at me.

I couldn't take it no more.

"Come on!" I shouted gleefully, reaching out and grabbing his arm, "Let's dance!"

He looked all stiff and uncomfortable while I forced him to move. Then I sighed heavily, "Squid! Make it like we're having fun, at the very least, all right? Don't stand there like a statue, or I swear to jelly I will slap you!"

"Fine," he also sighed heavily, but then he smiled.

We jumped around, kicking up our heels and twirling around. The other D-tent boys were yammering around as they laughingly "attempted" to dance and Armpit constantly yelled, "CHANGE PARTNERS!"

Then we did the Hokey Pokey.

Whoot, I love the Hokey Pokey.

"You put your right hand in, your right hand out, your right hand in and you shake it all about! You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn around, that's what it's all about! OOOOOOOOH, the Hokey Pokey!"

Bwahahaha, it was so much fun! I couldn't stop giggling, especially at X-Ray. Squid was also laughing and kept making friendly jabs at the other guys' dancing.

It's times like these I'm definitely gonna miss.

After that, we did some line-dancing.

"Ow, you kicked me!"

"I can't hold on - your hand's all sweaty!"

"Kick left, not right."

"Ooh, the nutbush, de na na!"

"Moooooshi, moooooooshi!"

"Stop SAYING THAT!"

After one progressive hour of dancing, we all collapsed onto the ground, breathless and panting. Only Armpit seemed to be full of energy.

"Aw, c'mon, keep it comin'!" he complained to the rest of us.

"Pit, entertain us," Zig called.

"Yeah, break dance for us!"

Armpit looked at us oddly and I started clapping, "YAAAAAAAY, for the Pitmeister!"

"The Pitmeister?"

"Shut up, it sounds cool."

Armpit started break dancing for us, and it was MAD. We all hollered and cheered and screamed as he did all these amazing things like spinning on his head. No offence to him, but I always thought you had to be fit and thin to be able to break dance.

Just goes to show!

After all the excitement, X-Ray put in one of my own CDs.

"Aww, ain't this so sweet of a music?" Zig simpered.

"It makes me wanna so-o-oob," Magnet burst into hysterical fake tears and started crying into his hands.

I glared at them.

A very slow, sweet, sad song had come on. You know, those kinda songs that make you feel all lovey-dovey; the song you hear in movies where the destined-to-be boy and girl share their first and sacred dance?

Squid was smiling slightly as he listened.

Armpit looked around expectantly.

"What?" Caveman finally asked edgily.

"DANCE!" Armpit barked. He started dancing like a gypsy, making me snort in laughter. Zig joined him shortly after, dragging Magnet and X with him, who clung onto Caveman, who clung onto Zero.

Squid looked at me pointedly.

"What?" I asked him.

"Come on," he said, grinning like a fool. He held out his hand to me, "Let us dance, Princess. You were up for it before."

"Dude," I said helplessly, glancing over at the other members of D-tent who were waltzing around like lame excuses of ballroom partners.

"Come on."

"You are so cheesy," I said, trying to hide my smile as I got to my feet. Squid smirked, "It's called romance, 'lil girl."

"Whatever."

He wrapped his arms around my waist and I buried my face in his chest while I put my arms around his waist and slid them up so I was holding him by his back shoulders.

We moved in time with the music (which was pretty slow), and everything seemed to disperse. I couldn't hear Armpit shouting gleefully, or Zero laughing, or Magnet complaining. All that mattered was that I was holding onto Squid and he was holding onto me, and we swayed in a nice, peaceful silence.

You know, Squid's not a bad dancer.

Just like me to ruin the moment by thinking.

Hehe.

I felt really warm... and I know you generally feel warm when you're as close to someone as I am to Squid, but this felt like a different kind of warm... it was inside me. And I wished it would stay in me forever.

"So, you like, Princess?" he murmured into my ear.

I bit back a smile, "It's still cheesy."

I could feel him smile into my hair.

It feels nice to have people smile in your hair, did you know that?

When the song ended, I broke away from Squid who grinned at me, and the rest of D-tent who had stopped waltzing without our noticing broke into a hearty, cheery applause.

And I just had to grin back.

Somehow, I had the feeling I threw my arms around his neck, stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek shyly.

Somehow, I had the feeling he blushed a brilliant red while D-tent cheered louder still and Magnet yelled, "Squid got served!"

---

Day 29

I HATE WRITING REPORTS!

I threw my notebook across my tent, hoping that it wouldn't backfire and knock the whole thing over.

Hello there, my name is Bored, and I am currently very Bored of writing Boring reports about Boring camps, which will then be Boringly handed to the Boring AG who will Bore other Boring people by telling them Boring facts about the ever-so-Boring CampBoringGreenLake. (All of this was said in a Bored voice.)

I sighed loudly and glared at the laptop the Warden woman had given me to type. I'm an excellent typer. But typing is Boring.

The time is almost noon. I've spent the day in my loverly orange tent, typing/writing up things that will Bore people to their very tedious, very melancholy, very Boring deaths.

My excessive yet assorted ways of saying BORED tells you something, no?

Okay, I need to get a life.

A fun filled, wild, crazy life.

I was trying to see how many times I could type the 'bored' when I heard the Voice of Saviour outside of my tent.

"Hey, Andii?"

"CAVEMAN!" I yelled joyfully, almost knocking over the laptop in my relief, "HIHI!"

He grinned at me, though he looked more sunburnt than ever, "Hey, how are you?"

"I'm good!" I exclaimed, "And very... bored."

Caveman laughed, "Don't know what you're talking about, myself. I would much rather stay here - " he glanced around my fab tent, " - with that piece of electronic device - " he gaped at the laptop, " - than dig. And dig. Aaaaaaaand dig."

"This place sucks," I remarked.

He chuckled, "Gonna write that on your report?"

"Sure thing," I grinned, "So what brings you here?" I suddenly frowned, "Whoa man, it's way too early for you to have finishing digging."

"Yeah, I know," he said dismissively, "I found this really dirty and damaged jewel when I was digging, and the Warden's gone crazy about it. She's sent everyone digging my hole and I got the rest of the day off. And a double shower."

I laughed. Meanwhile, I was reminiscing about last night and that little dance... it makes me wanna "awww". And I wanna do it again.

I ditched the reports and played Go Fish with Caveman for an hour straight. Amazing, that game is. We mucked around on the laptop but found boring games like Minesweeper and Hearts. We had a blast at Pinball but we stopped because we kept losing.

Afterwards, we trooped over to the Mess Hall and I sweet-talked to the kitchen helpers while Caveman grabbed some food from the cupboards. We fed on Frosted Flakes and potato chips and dry biscuits, but they all tasted pretty good to me.

UH OH.

Fifty-fifth sign of madness: enjoying Camp Green Lake's food.

What's more, we found rather ancient freebie stickers stuck at the back of the food cabinet. It's probably some poor kid's hiding spot, but the stickers are really ugly anyway. Caveman and I made fun of them because... we're just weird like that.

We were still laughing jerkily while sticking them on each other when we walked outside. There was a knot of boys gathered distantly at the library; almost everyone had finished digging.

The atmosphere was really tense. All of a sudden, Caveman and I stopped laughing.

"Something's happening," he said shortly, and we both quickened our pace.

We were still a couple of metres away from the group when I saw a boy lunge forward. In a flash, three guys had flung themselves onto him, punching and kicking.

My instincts told me my eyes widened and I gasped.

I ran over with Caveman and realised that a couple of the B-tent guys were holding X-Ray, Zig and Pit off. They weren't fighting; they were simply keeping them away from going somewhere.

"What are you doin'?" X-Ray yelled bad-temperedly, shoving one of the guys away.

"What's happening?" I heard Caveman ask Zero. My mind was buzzing as I pushed past some boys yelling, "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!"

I saw Zero point at the people on the ground.

I stared.

Squid was getting beaten up by three boys that were a lot heavier than him.

I screamed, "STOP!" but nothing happened. Then someone grabbed my arm and hauled me back. I screamed again.

"Chicka, it's only me," Magnet replied softly, "Come back here, I don't think Squid'd want you to see this."

"Magnet!" I said desperately, "Why don't you go help him - why doesn't X do something - what - he's getting hurt!" I looked back and felt like throwing up. Violence is all wonderful and harmless on TV, but in real life, it's so much more scarier.

BAM.

I jumped. X-Ray had finally punched the guy trying to hold him off. He ran forward to Squid's aid. I started to run too, but Magnet held me back.

"CHICKA! Stay here, none of us want you to get hurt!"

I couldn't believe my ears, "I DON'T CARE! HE'S THE ONE GETTING HURT! IT'S THREE AGAINST ONE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, JUST KEEPING ME BACK? WHY AREN'T YOU STOPPING THE FIGHT?"

"Andii," it was Zero. He lightly touched my arm, "It'll be alright."

No, it won't be alright. Squid's going to badly hurt and I won't have any idea why and - WHAT IS GOING ON?

I was so confused and all muddled up that I wanted to sit down and cry.

Some guys had grabbed X-Ray and pulled him away from Squid, leaving him defenseless once again. There was so much noise and hollering and yelling I couldn't think properly.

I saw a blonde B-tenter sink his fist into Squid's stomach, and that did it.

I tore out of Magnet's grip and screamed, "STOP IT ALREADY!"

Surprisingly, the blonde stopped punching the crumpled form of Squid and looked at me with an evil sneer.

"Stop?" he repeated, advancing towards me. He was getting closer.

Then several things happened at once. Magnet grabbed onto my arm again and dragged me back with such force that I almost fell; a cracking and threateningly loud gunshot sliced through the air; all the boys jumped and scattered; everyone stopped yelling and fighting.

---

"Believe me, they said some pretty awful crap about you," X-Ray said hoarsely.

I didn't say anything; I hadn't said much since stupid Mr. Sir broke up the stupid fight with that stupid gun of his. Hadn't uttered so much as a full sentence since they took a bloody and half-conscious form of Squid to the camp's little medical room. Hadn't really said a word since the Warden interrogated the B-tent and D-tent boys so thoroughly half of them even forgot what happened.

None of us had gone to dinner. None of us had done much after we told the Warden what happened. The B-tent guys trashed me. Squid fired up. Squid decided to punch one. Squid got beaten up. Squid's now on a helicopter flying to a hospital because his shoulders are fractured and he hasn't stopped bleeding.

Squid's an idiot.

We were sitting in their cabin, feeling as though someone died. Although that's probably what almost happened. Okay, a bit of an exaggeration. Whatever.

I'd never seen D-tent look so sad.

Me? I'm fine. Still a bit shocked, I guess. And still revelling on how much Squid's an idiot for doing what he did just for me. Can't he see I'm not worth it? I guess not. There's probably too much trash in that brain of his to realise. What a thickhead.

"You all right?" Caveman spoke up quietly.

"I'm fine," I intended to speak, but it came out as a quivering whisper.

They all looked at me in disbelief.

I didn't look at them. I couldn't. I was afraid that if I did, something awful would happen. Like the cabin would collapse and they'd all die. And it'd be my fault, because I looked at them and cursed them.

We sat in respectful silence for five minutes.

"I'm going to take a walk," Zig said in an odd voice, standing up, "And you're coming with, 'lil girl."

"Am not."

He grabbed my arm as he walked past and yanked me out of the cabin.

"OW! What are you doing?" I asked irritably, rubbing my arm as he started to walk out towards the vast wasteland. It was dark and kind of cool.

He didn't reply.

I rolled my eyes, called "Wait up!" and ran to catch up with him.

We walked in silence for what seemed like ten minutes. Finally, I snapped, "Zigzag, there better be a purpose to this."

"Sit," he commanded as if he hadn't heard me.

I sat.

Pause.

"Well?" I prompted, "What's all this about?"

"Doesn't it bother you?" Zig snapped at me.

Taken aback, I said slowly, "What does?"

"Squid. He's hurt, if you didn't realise, Andii."

I don't know why, but hearing him say that and hearing him call me by my real name really hurt. It stung badly.

"Of course it bothers me," I replied, trying to keep my voice level.

"Then why don't you show it instead of being all high and mighty like it doesn't affect you at all?"

"High and mighty?" I howled, "If you hadn't realised, Zigzag, I was trying to get those punks off of him while you all stood there like statues!"

"And did you ever stop to wonder why he did that for you? Hell, I've known Squid for ages and he doesn't defend people that easily."

I dropped my voice, "What are you talking about?"

Zigzag's voice was harsh as if I was a stupid child, "He likes you, Andii. And half the time I don't think it's as simple as that. I don't even think he knows just how close to his heart he holds you to. Except for us, you're the one he cares about the most. Can't you see?"

What. The.

"That's impossible, Zig," I said lightly, waiting for him to say "April Fool's!".

Zigzag stared at me long and hard. Finally, he whispered, "And you like him too."

Before I could say anything, he was ranting, "But you're too good to admit it. You're still in denial. You just think he's some fling that you can ignore, well you can't! What's wrong with him, huh? Are you too good for him?"

"No," I said instantly.

"But you think you are," Zigzag sounded smug, then he sounded serious, "Listen, you're a good person, 'lil girl. And we all love you like you're our sister, but underneath it all, you're just another Diamondville rich kid. You're still a snob, no matter how much you don't act like one, and you still think you're higher than all of us, like Squid's not good enough for you because his father ran out and he's got a drunken mother. Instead of realising how much that guy's got it in for you, you're going to disregard it and shoot for some - "

"Stop."

" - stuck-up jerk who'll be the president of the country and keep you happy with money - "

"STOP!" I screamed.

I was on my feet, breathing heavily. My body was shaking all over with anger and fear, because I hated what he was saying. They were everything I had been trying so hard not to become.

But in the end, I had.

And it struck a nerve.

Zigzag was studying me closely as I glared at him. He whispered, "Don't lie to yourself, 'lil girl."

My body was seething in anger, and my hand was trembling as I pointed at him. I was ready to let loose any foul thing I could think of, ready to scream any insult, ready to contradict and deny everything he had said.

But nothing happened.

I shut my mouth and opened it again.

Still breathing heavily, I looked up at Zigzag and into his eyes.

Suddenly, I remembered everything; the first night here and the fight with him, my interviews, all the fun and laughter I had had, little serious talks with Zero and Caveman, Squid...

X. Zig. Pit. Squid. Magnet. Caveman. Zero.

Squid...

I turned away and burst into tears.

I could tell Zig was surprised. I guess he hadn't been expecting it, but everything that had been bottled up inside of me was finally coming out. I couldn't take it anymore; I hated being a rich kid and a brat; I hated causing Squid and the others pain; I hated how people inherit millions of dollars for doing nothing while other kids are starving; I hated the whole world for being how it is.

Zigzag bear hugged me and said it was all right, that he was sorry for everything he had said, and that I really was nothing like a snob.

"But Zig, he could be so hurt and it'll be all my fault," I wailed, burying my face in his shoulder.

In truth, I just wanted to make sure Squid was all right by giving him a tight hug, and after that, I wouldn't let him go again.

Zig pulled me away and looked at me with a smile.

"He'll be fine, 'lil girl. He's got to come back for you, after all. And you two will be a lovely couple. A very lovely couple indeed. Can I be best man at your wedding? Oh, don't hold the ceremony outdoors. Aliens can broadcast that way, and you'd be on TV all over the universe. That means you'd be famous! Won't that be dandy?"

I half laughed and half cried.

That night, I said a quick prayer that Squid'll be all right, and stayed up half the night thinking about what Zigzag had said.

---

Day 30

I hate cereal.

I detest its little delicate goldness and the way it soaks up the milky goodness when you drop it in your bowl and its little tender crunchiness which causes a rumble and then the whole building COLLAPSES!

And the spoon! Don't get me started about the spoon! Look at it, sitting there without a care in the world while showing off its metallic splendor to the whole hall, while we enslaved humans have to pick it up, dip it in the bowl of CEREAL, AND lift it to our mouths.

Well, I hope it rusts! Rusts so badly it gets all rusty!

GAH!

I hate it all! I hate cornflakes, I hate the spoons, I hate cutlery, I hate the dodgy benches, I hate B-tent.

I mean, I don't care that they had completely gotten away with their PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTIONATED VIOLENCE with just some harsh punishments that I don't know of, nor, of course, care about. I just hope the second-cousin-once-removed of spoons, knives, come hurtling in their direction.

You probably wonder how I can possibly be sitting here, reflecting on my intense hatred for Kellogg's cornflakes and certain monsters, while Squid's out in goodness-knows-where, probably in a second-hand, reject hospital, with needles and pipes sticking out of him and people hammering spoons into his organs because they couldn't afford razors.

Well, I get over things fairly quickly, but one thing I'm not gonna get over is CAMP GREEN LAKE and its unsafe safety regulations.

And while I'm at it -

"Maybe he's not in pain," Magnet said in a voice I had never heard him use before.

"C'mon Mag, who are you kidding?" Pit asked mournfully. He wasn't even eating his (must not fall into full rant) cereal.

No... my throat seared as I looked at them, No, guys, please... Don't be like this.

I could feel the tears threatening to spill and I quickly looked down while D-tent talked about their best buddy as if he was up in heaven. I blinked a few times and finally looked up.

Zero was swirling his soggy cereal dully, and staring unblinkingly. Caveman was sitting there pathetically, as if he had no purpose in life anymore. Seeing them like this was... I can't explain it. It's like my heart was breaking. I couldn't stand it.

It was then I realised I had grown to love them like they were my own family.

Family.

Just thinking that made me tear up again. Unfortunately, X-Ray noticed and his expression softened. He laid a hand on my shoulder and said gently, "It's all right, 'lil gal. Squid's tough. He'll come back."

I couldn't find it in my heart to tell them it wasn't really Squid that I was getting all teary over, so I just smiled weakly and nodded.

Over on the other side, B-tent were laughing gaily, without a worry in the world. Tables around us were all chatting as per usual. It seemed impossible that these people could still eat and talk and laugh, when all this was happening.

Breakfast was over too quickly and D-tent got up slowly to collect their shovels. I followed them out quietly; I wanted to be with them for as long as I could.

X-Ray drew me to the side and started talking quietly about Squid, and it was real sweet of him. I even managed to smile at the things he was saying, but that didn't last very long.

I started hearing what I'm guessing was the "awful crap" that provoked Squid. By the very same hateful morons.

I ignored it. I didn't care what they thought.

"...see how he fought? Like a bloody sissy..."

"Couldn't even stand up for his girl..."

"Nice hook jaw, Roller..."

"Thanks, it was easy... didn't even fight like a man..."

"Whatcha expect, what with the pop takin' off and his mum beatin' him 'round the head..."

X-Ray stared at me and said, " 'Lil gal? - "

I had stormed away and right up to the blonde one, who was laughing the most.

"YOU FOUL, HORRIBLE, DISGUSTING LITTLE WRETCH!" Hard shove in chest.

"What the hell?" he said in disgust, raising his eyebrows.

"Don't you ever talk about him like that again!" I hollered, my hand still raised threateningly.

"Who d'ya think you are?"

"Get her!"

Before I realised what was happening, I was yanked back by Zig and Magnet. X-Ray stood in front of me.

"Yo, you don't touch her, or you have us to answer to," he said calmly but in this really slick and cool way that made me shiver.

"Piss off, Ne - "

"You really want to finish that sentence?" Armpit asked, his veins in his temples throbbing.

Welcome, World War 3. Everyone was spectating.

"Go ta hell, Nig - "

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT!" I screamed.

SLAP.

My first real slap, and it wasn't even because he cheated on me.

"Holy cajoules," was all X-Ray could say.

The force made the blonde stumble back a little. Two of his friends backed him up while he clutched his reddening cheek, swearing his head off in ten different languages.

"Bring it on, brat," one of the boys with purple hair sneered at me, stepping in front of the blonde.

I lunged at him in my fury, but X yelled, "NO!" and grabbed me under the arms and hauled me back.

"Chicka!" gasped Magnet, "What the heck's gotten into you?" He and Caveman dragged me all the way back to the D-tent-cabin and started admiring me immensely.

"Good grief, that was brilliant!"

"Teach me how to slap like that one day!"

I tried to smile, but anger was still too hot in my mind.

In a couple of seconds, the rest of D-tent minus Squid came over.

" 'Lil gal, you are officially grounded."

I rolled my eyes.

"Still, that was some pretty hot stuff," Zig grinned.

"Yeah, man! You're becoming one of us!" Armpit also grinned.

"Oh, believe me. I never want to be like you guys. He just deserved that because he's a crapped up b - "

"Right, well, if you don't want to be like us, then I suggest you stop the cussing," X-Ray cut in dryly though pride was evident in his voice, "C'mon 'lil gal. We'll see that you get back to your tent safely and then we've got to start digging."

---

All in all, the day wasn't that bad. A bit lonesome and sad, I suppose, but we can't get through our life without hard times to overcome, right?

That didn't mean I wasn't happy as pie when D-tent finished digging so I could hang out with them. Caveman gave me a piggy, but it wasn't the same as Squid's piggy-backs.

"Oh dearie dearie me, is that a cup of tea, does your dog have any fleas, just give it a good bee, and have a sack of keys - "

"Shut up Pit."

Utter. Silence.

It was abnormal, so I took up where Armpit left off and together we made up the best song in the universe.

There was about half an hour till dinner, and absolutely nothing to do. Zigzag refuses to watch television anymore, because the Warden woman fixed the aerial and now it actually works, but Zig says she completely ruined it.

"How'm I s'posed to watch with all the colour and the images flying about the screen?" he complained.

X-Ray and Armpit says they don't feel right playing pool without him there with them. Magnet likes watching TV, but he says the shows are boring, so he gave up fighting over the remote with some other kid. Zero and Caveman have never really participated in any activities before, 'cept couch-sitting, which is what they resumed doing.

At dinner, B-tent table was empty. I heard they've been called into serious questioning by some important people. Heh. Hope they throw them into the ocean.

Erm... ignore that.

After dinner, I went straight to bed.

I walked into my tent and stopped short when I saw all these different-sized cardboard boxes strewn around, higgledy-piggledy like.

"What in the world is going on?" I wondered out loud.

"Oh, Andii!" the Warden woman called, and I almost jumped out of my skin, "I'm glad you're back from dinner early. You'll need to start your packing."

...Packing?

My confusion must've shown on my face, because she continued, "I've given you some boxes for you to pack your things, as I realise you will be taking more things home than what you brung, with your birthday gifts and all."

Then I realised.

Going home.

I recovered rather quickly, "Oh, um, yeah. Thanks."

The WW beamed at me, "It's been wonderful having you here, Andii. I hope you got all the reports done?"

I just nodded.

"Excellent. One of the Attorney General's assistants will be arriving here tomorrow morning to drive you home. I'll see that D-tent will wave you off; they'll only be required to dig two-feet holes tomorrow. Andii, are you alright?"

I must've looked stupefied. I quickly nodded, "Yeah, fine. Just - err - surprised. I guess with everything going on, I hadn't realised..." I trailed off.

She gave me a sympathetic smile and patted me on the shoulder, "I wish you could stay as well."

I looked at her, surprised.

"But all things must come to an end, and I'm afraid you're going to have to start packing. Don't worry about Squid, I heard he's just fine and recovering nicely. If you like, I'll set the task of informing D-tent of your departure to you. I know you're very close to them, and that it'll be hard... But it's not really goodbye if you don't forget them, right?"

With one last smile, she walked out.

I was left in my tent, realising the Warden woman wasn't such a bad person after all.

---

Day 31

I woke up to find my tent half-empty and the feeling of belonging gone. It's just an empty, new, clean tent again. It's got no meaning. It's exactly how I came to it.

I had spent half the night packing my things up. I was surprised it didn't take two days.

As soon as I woke up, I rolled onto the floor and stayed there for ten minutes.

Sometimes, I really hate life.

After I had gotten dressed, the WW came in and told me to go to breakfast.

I wasn't thinking straight while she led me to the Mess Hall. It felt so... weird. Because I knew this was the last time I'd ever set foot in here, and it was just... weird. I had grown so used to randomly skipping, running, falling, jumping into this place that not doing it again would be almost unbearable.

"Dude, you look like you've been hit by a bus," Zig informed me when I sat down.

"Yeah, what's happened?"

I had no energy to say anything, so I just shook my head and pretended to be hungry. I knew they knew something was wrong, so they kept quiet. The silence wasn't normal and everyone began feeling edgy.

"So, what's on the agenda today, 'lil gal?" X-Ray asked uncomfortably, glancing around, "Any more slaps coming in anyone's way?"

They all looked up at me hopefully, wanting me to smile.

Sorry, guys.

I shook my head again.

"So you got all those little reports of yours done?" Armpit wanted to know.

I gave a tiny nod.

Zero suddenly frowned, "Hey Andii, how long did you say you were gonna stay for? When exactly are you leaving?"

Oh.

Aren't you just the best, Zero?

I took a deep breath and lifted my spoon to swirl the dregs around.

"Well?" Magnet said impatiently.

I mustered up all my courage and whispered, "Today."

"Excuse me?" Caveman asked, in a brilliant imitation of the Warden woman.

"Today."

"Hey, I don't know what's wrong with you, but speak up!"

"TODAY!" I yelled.

The silence was loud.

"What d'ya mean, today?" X-Ray demanded.

"I think it's rather straightforward," Zigzag said knowledgably.

"But... you can't," Armpit squeaked.

I just shrugged and stared at the table.

"You can't leave, Andii," Caveman said in an unnaturally high voice.

I shrugged again.

"But - " Zero started in a wailing voice.

"I'm sorry, it's not like I want to leave!" I exclaimed hotly, slamming down my spoon, "But it's not up to me, all right? So why don't we just accept it? I'm leaving! Adios, sayanora. And I'm never gonna come back, or see you guys again, and we'll never talk, and it'll be like I was never here. Just deal with it, okay?"

Silence reigned.

"Fine, we'll deal with it," Zero said coolly.

I suddenly felt ashamed and wanted to apologise, but then I glanced around at their sad faces and grew angry again. It's not my fault I have to leave, so why are they so down in the dumps? Don't they know it's going to be hard for me too?

Stupid Mr. Pendanski chose that moment to trot up to me. He seemed perfectly chipper and oddly like how he had been when I first met this guy.

"Hi Andii! I guess you're leaving soon then, right? Well, I hope you wrote some nice things about me in your reports!" he beamed, seized my hand, and tried to rip it out of its socket. (He was shaking it.)

"Err... yeah," I couldn't even put on a smile, "See... you."

When he walked away, I turned back to the table. They were all silent and glaring at their cereal bowls.

"Theodore, Zero! Meet Andromeda, she's the girl sent to inspect the camp!"

I frowned.

"WHOA! Who's the chick, Mum?"

I don't know how long we remained like this. Just sitting at the table like pathetic lumps. The hall around us slowly started to empty. We were the only ones left, and no one had said anything since my outburst.

"You think you're better than us, right? Just like all them snobs in Diamondville. All the same, them. Look down their nose at us just 'cause we don't wear pointy shoes and diamond studded underwear."

Oh, yeah. I remember that stupid argument. What the heck's happening to me? My head's becoming a bloody movie trailer.

"DON'T CUSS IN FRONT OF THE 'LIL GIRL!"

Always trying to emphasize how little I am.

"Look, man! I took Mr. Sir's credit card!"

Magnet steals too much.

"HEY, CHICK! CHECK THIS OUT!"

Ugh, Mr. Flash-Happy.

"They're watching our every move! They're using you as a spy! I knew it! I'd been receiving That Tingle about a week before you arrived! ARRGGHH!"

Zigzag's way too paranoid.

"What I think she's trying to say is that she's not going to sit on the dirt."

Caveman's the smart one.

"IT WAS TRYING TO TAKE AWAY MY SENSE OF SMELL!"

Zigzag again.

"Oh... I lost Jaffy when I was younger."

Sweet, little Zero.

Zero...

Caveman.

Magnet.

Armpit.

Zigzag.

X-Ray.

Squid.

Squid.

"So we can prove smart-assy girls like you wrong when they say our fly's undone."

"Yeah, and I'm horny for Pendanski."

"You're pretty."

"Don't worry, princess, you didn't hurt me. You're much too weak."

How am I... supposed to say goodbye to Squid if he's in hospital?

How am I supposed to leave without saying goodbye?

How am I supposed to leave at all?

How -

"Andii?"

"Yes?" I whispered, looking up at the Warden woman.

"They're here."

I thought that when I heard those words my eyes would fill with tears, that I'd start trembling, that my heart would sink down to my feet and that I wouldn't be able to say a single word.

But I remained completely calm and composed as I whispered, "Okay," and ascended to my feet.

The D-tent boys looked at me in a mixture of fear and disbelief.

"Are you boys coming out to say goodbye or what?" the Warden woman wanted to know.

Finally, Caveman nodded and slowly rose to his feet. The others followed suit. We moved gingerly outside the dark desert, where a dark blue jaguar was parked. The back door was opened and I could see my bags in the backseat, and two cardboard boxes in the passenger seat. In the trunk were my suitcase and the other boxes.

A young blonde lady was smiling in front of the car. She came forward and took my hand. Shaking it, she said friendly-like, "Hi Andromeda. I'm Hilary. I'll be taking you back to Palmoilin. So, you ready to go?"

I glanced back at the boys who were looking at me remorsefully.

I turned back to Hilary and managed to nod.

She looked suspicious as she moved towards the car and said, "But we're not in a hurry; why don't you go say goodbye first?"

Sighing, I slowly turned to the boys again. There they were, standing in a line. Dressed in those orange jumpsuits, wearing their hats and caps and bandannas. I had to smile slightly as I remembered Squid's tea towel.

"See you," I muttered more to the dirt than the guys. When five seconds had gone by and no one had said anything, I turned away with a heavy heart.

"Well, if it means anything," X-Ray murmured, and I whirled around, "We're going to miss you like hell, 'lil gal."

Immediately I broke into a weak smile and ran up to him. I hugged him tightly and closed my eyes. X-Ray sounded funny as he muttered, "Yeah, yeah, we're gonna miss you... well I sure am... just don't do nothin' bad, a'ight?"

I leant back and whispered, "I won't."

X-Ray gave me a faint smile and ruffled my hair, "There's a good gal."

I released him and hugged Armpit, who said he wasn't going to let me leave, and that he'd stop eating so much and would start showering twice a day if only I'd stay.

I laughed shakily as I leant back, so I could see him, "That's not the problem, Pit, but it'll be nice if you did start showering twice a day. But it isn't going to help my situation."

Armpit just nodded and gave a small smile, "Stay cool, 'lil gal."

Then it was Magnet's turn.

"It's been ages since I hugged a chicka properly; I could get used to it," he joked feebly, squeezing me.

"Once you get outta here, I'm sure you'll be a chick magnet," I assured him quietly, smiling, "A real ladies' man, right?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna have them all crazy about me," Magnet grinned but then it drooped, "But you'll always be my only 'lil chicka. Don't grow up too much."

"I'll try not to. And don't steal anymore, unless it's a Valentine's gift for your mother."

"Cross my heart," Magnet smiled meekly at me while he did the cross over his chest, and I grinned and hugged him again.

"Let go of her, I want a hug!" wailed Zig.

Laughing shakily, I went over to him. He pulled me into a tight bear hug, and just that notion made my chest heave dangerously. Afraid that tears would spill at any moment, I murmured, "Tell Squid I said goodbye, okay?"

Zigzag smiled when he let go of me, "Of course, 'lil girl. See you later!"

I looked at him oddly; although Zig was certainly stranger than the other boys, there was something about his goodbye to me that struck me as... weird. Why was he so... optimistic?

It's as if I'll be back again in no time.

Pushing the thought away, I went to say goodbye to Caveman and Zero.

It was one of the hardest moments in my life. We had a group hug and I swore I saw tears in Caveman's eyes. Just seeing them made me lose control. Almost. When it was time to finally let go of them for the last time, I stood back and looked at them all.

Hilary laid a hand on my shoulder, "I think it's time to leave now," she said gently.

My head moved a fraction of an inch up and down. Slowly, the D-tent boys brought up their hands and waved.

I climbed into the backseat while Hilary got into the driver seat and shut the door. I smiled sadly out the window and waved at the guys I was never going to forget.

They waved back, and the car started to drive away. Soon, they became little black pinpricks in the desert background, and Camp Green Lake grew smaller and smaller.

I leant back in my seat and stayed like that for a little while.

Then when ten minutes had gone by and Hilary had given up asking questions, I buried my face in the side of the car door just as my first tears began to fall.

Look to the past,
And remember and smile.
And maybe tonight,
I can breathe for awhile.
I'm not in the scene,
I think I'm fallin' asleep,
But then all that it means is
I'll always be dreaming of you.

Fate fell short this time.
Your smile fades in the summer.
Place your hand in mine,
I'll leave when I wanna.

It's just so hard to say goodbye...

----------

A/N: Why, it's been a long time. :) Hello to you all, I hope this chapter makes up for the long while it took me to update. Firstly, that chapter was really quite drama-tized. The ending was supposed to be sad, but it really didn't turn out that way. Lol. Anywho, secondly, a big HUG to everyone who has reviewed, and especially those who participated in my story-telling contest... though it wasn't much of a contest... and no one was going to win anything, so yeah... :)

You are in control of the song Andii and Squid dances to... I thought maybe She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5, or something sweet and slow. But anything you like that you think would fit the category is just fine. The one I chose is called Kai Bu Liao Kou by Jay Chou, but that's an Asian song. :) The little song lyrical bit at the end of the chapter is Feeling This by Blink182, and the "just so hard to say goodbye" is from She Will Be Loved.

Thank you to those who emailed me. :) I'm sorry it's taking me an age to reply. I'm busy with boring things like school. And stupid things like friends-who-don't-get-over-people. And others who are just plain silly. Hehe, I feel like ICE CREAMERY!

Now here's a little shouty thingy... 264 DAYS TILL HARRY POTTER GOF COMES OUT! (Assuming it comes out on the 24th of Nov.) - dances like a fool -

Your turn to shout something out you're looking forward to! It can be anything! Even if it's like your enemy's death or something. XD I feel rather tired and worn out at the moment, so I'll leave it here and hope you review. :)

- msq; who has no muses but kidnaps Zero at regular intervals to hug. x)