Chapter Five: I Can't Help But Feeling I Like

Scott
"Aww. Looks like you've lost your touch Wolf." I told Jasper as he walked into the bunks looking less than amused.
"Don't even bring it up man. That Ciji chick totally lost it for us. What a reject. The bad part is that she didn't even feel sorry about it." Jasper rolled his eyes.
"So you've given up on her already?"
"Naw. I'd still do her ... it might take a little time." Jasper got quiet for a while. "You know if they'd sent me here when you left I wouldn't be craving a smoke right now. Dude, how can you stand it?"
"I've got my priorities in order. Shelby's here ... Horizon still looks a lot better than home." I responded.
"They've got you brainwashed dude. This place better than home ... right. I could be livin' it up with Veronica right now, but I'm here, alone in this half-sized bunk bed. This sucks." Jasper sat up.
"You and Veronica had a thing?" I wondered, interested.
"Yeah. I didn't think you'd mind ... I mean you weren't there. And you know how it goes. Outta sight, outta mind." Jasper grinned.
"Yeah well I didn't expect her to forgive and forget that quickly."

"She didn't. It took her a while to get over the fact that you left her." Jasper pointed at me. "I was there for her. Don't take it personal or anything. Whatever we had is probably over and you've got that blonde chick. What's the big deal?"

"Nothing. I was just asking." I lied. Veronica had been such a big part of my life back then ... my first love. And I screwed it up. NO, Elanie screwed it up. She couldn't even wait for me ... but I found Shelby, and Juliet before her.
"You know what dude? This scene's gettin' tired. I'm gonna go find that Ciji chick and give her a piece of my mind." Jasper admitted.
"Ooh. That'll work." Shelby walked into the room rolling her eyes. "She is so not interested. Ciji couldn't hate you more—at least that's what she's telling everyone in our bunk. And you actually think you stand a chance? Ha." Shelby plopped down beside me, stroking my hair. "What are you up to?"
"Nothing much. Wolf and I were talking, but he's going out. Right?"
"Yeah. Sure." He took the hint and left without another word.

Ciji
"I think I might really like Augie." I admitted to Kat. He was the only acceptable guy that I'd met so far and I could clearly see that his background was made up of Natives, like myself. Whitey probably drove him crazy too.
"Are you serious?" I nodded. "Well, then, you've got competition."
"Like who?" I wondered.
"Juliet's been after him since she and Scott broke it off and a lot of other girls like him." Kat told me.
"Do you like him?"
"Nope. I use to, but he's so much younger than me. Augie's great but after a while you start to see him as just a brother. Nothing more." She reassured me.
"It's not like I want to date him or anything-"
"You're not allowed to." Kat explained.
"What? How are you suppose to live if you can't have a little love. I mean this stage in our lives is all about finding out who we are." I argued.
"I totally agree. But, I don't make the rules. When Peter found out about Hank and I..."
"Hank? You had an unauthorized 'relationship' with someone?" My eyes got wide. Kat seemed so calm and reserved, the way I use to be.
"Yeah, well ..." Her voice trailed off and she started to giggle.
"You have got to tell me everything."

Jasper
I was on a mission ... find out what Ciji's deal was and make her mine—or at least get something outta it. "Hi." A red head and brunette greeted me. I smiled back warmly. Whoa. They were hott. I knew that I knew one of them from somewhere ...
"Hey."

"Are you new here?" I nodded dumbly.
"I knew you looked different ... I'm Melissa and this is Samantha."
"Yeah ... umm..." I racked my brain for something to say. I wasn't use to being sober. And I had nothing. No lines. Nothing.
"Aren't you going to tell us your name?" Melissa wondered, flipping her brown hair.
"Jasper Wolf." "What group are you in?"
"I'm a Cliffhanger."
"Oh really ..." Melissa smiled and whispered to Samantha, "That's the group Scott's in."
"Yeah. Scott and I are buddies from way back." I intercepted. My brain was starting to work again. A little.

Samantha "So tell me. Are you half as skilled as Scott is?" Melissa traced her hand up and down the side of Jasper's arm.
"Nope. Better." Melissa bit her lip as I stood back in the corner waiting impatiently.
"I'll just have to come by and find out how skilled you are." Melissa leaned in, whispering something in Jasper's ear. I had no idea what it was ... probably something seductive or slutty. That was just her style—and it had gotten her Scott even though I had staked my claim on him a long time ago. I would've had him too if Juliet hadn't come into the picture.
"So. ahem I'll see you later?" Jasper wondered desperately. And just like that, Melissa had him.
"Maybe. Maybe not." Melissa lustfully kissed Jasper, spun on her heel, and followed my lead, for once. "He is so hott!" She exclaimed a little too loudly. I looked back to see him grinning.
"Melissa. You went too far." I rolled my eyes, disgusted. I had told her about getting to attached again and again but she never learned.
"Samantha. Chill out chicka. He totally fell for it ... he's so hott!" She sighed.
"See what I mean? You're already going to start building your shrine of him. I can just see it now."
"As oppose to you who's obsessed with Scott?" Melissa rolled her eyes.
"I'm not obsessed. I just want back what we had."
"What you had was a fling. Obviously he had a relationship with Veronica and then turned to nearest girl that would pull down her skirt for him." Melissa responded bluntly.
"Not even. That wasn't it. Our relationship was about more." I answered, only being able to remember the sexual part of it. But he was the only one I had given myself to that I really cared about. The others were to survive.
"Look babe. It was all about sex. And that's okay. What do you think I want Jasper for?"
"You can have anyone on this campus. Why him?" I asked. Her being involved with him could ruin everything.
"'Cause he's fresh meat. And all the other boys out here ..." She shrugged.
"Okay. Fair enough. You helped me out with Scott—even though it didn't work. Now I owe you one." I gave in. Maybe her connection to Jasper would turn out to be a good thing.

Shelby

"What are you thinking about?" I asked Scott, tracing my hand along his stomach. After a long make-out session, he seemed really tired, which was unlike him.
"Nothing."

"Come on Scott. I know something's bothering you. You've been this way ever since Jasper left. What did he say to you?" I wondered, sitting up halfway, letting most of my hair hang over my shoulder, falling into Scott's naked shoulder.
"There's just some stuff about my past that I thought I'd forgotten, but Jasper just reminds me of everything. It's like I'm back home now." Scott told me.
"Maybe this isn't a bad thing. Maybe it'll be the ultimate test for you to see how much you've grown or need to grow." I suggested.
"You just don't understand Shel. I left a lot behind."
"Like what?" I wondered, lying back down.
"Just people and other stuff." He shrugged. "I don't know what to do anymore."
"It's been one day Scott." I told him.
"I know, but-"
"But what?" I asked.
"Never mind. I've got you." Scott gently kissed me. "Nothing else matters. And the make-out session began all over again. And boy was it a good one.

Jasper
"So, I'm gonna walk in there and ..." My voice trailed off as I heard two girls' laughter.
"I can't believe you have these pictures of him!" Ciji exclaimed as I walked into the room. This was a good time. She seemed happy. As soon as she saw me, her smiled faded.
"What the hell do you want?" Ciji asked, seeming less than happy to see me.
"We need to talk."

"No we don't. I don't know you. I don't want to know you. I hate you. The end. Buh-bye." Ciji waved me off, as Kat remained silent.
"I want to get to know you. Why do you hate me?" I questioned her.
"Well, for starters, that cocky grin is a facade. It proves to me that you are truly an arrogant bastard who needs an ass-kicking." Ciji stood up and walked over to me.
"And, what else?"
"You came in here because you wanted to get laid. You don't want to talk to me. You don't want to have anything to do with me." Ciji rolled her eyes. "Now tell me I'm wrong."
"You're right ... well after all this is over ... yeah." I smiled. She slapped me.
"Asshole. I'm not a slut. We're not sluts." She looked over at Kat. "So don't approach us like we're 50 cent hoes."
"You bitch. How dare you slap me?!" I yelled, angrily. I saw her hand coming towards me.
"And I did it again. Now what?"
"You guys need to just chill, okaY? Jasper leave. Ciji come sit down." I ignored her and pushed Ciji. My mom taught me to never put my hands on a girl, unless she hit me first.
"Jackass." Ciji threw a punch at me. She missed and I slammed her against the wall.
"What is wrong with you?"

"Get off me!" She yelled, hitting me in face repeatedly.
"Ciji! Ciji!" Kat screamed, but no one was listening anymore. I fell to the ground, tripping her up as we continued to wrestle on the floor. Moments later, two strong bodies were pulling us apart.
"Who started this fight?" Peter demanded to know.
"You hit a girl?" Juliet wondered in disbelief.
"I barely touched her."
"Okay. Jasper, who started the fight?" Sophie chimed in. Question after question kept being thrown at me—at us.
"I did. I started the fight." I lied. I could tell that at the rate she was going, Ciji needed someone to cover her ass once in a while.

(A/N: So, what did you think? Pretty dramatic, huh? I hope it kept your interest. Make sure to review if you want to read more. Thanks! -NL)