Thanx G.

Here's another chappie.

And I did NOT know that Max Kasch was in Waiting...

I now have 2 reasons to watch that movie.

(1st Ryan Reynolds!)

Anywayz,

Luvz

Afraid to Trust

The tent was nothing special. Eight cots were inside arranged differently. The blankets were thin, and I finally appreciated the desert heat. Hopefully, the heat would stick through the night, or I'd have to find someone to sleep with. I set my old leather bag on the cot Mr. Pendanski pointed out as mine. The pillow looked stained and I prayed to god not to know what it was. Back outside, I decided to undo the top half of my jumpsuit and tie the arms around my waist. The black tank top they had given me was tight around my bust. I wasn't completely sure it was something I wanted a bunch of sex-deprived boys to see me in. Then again, I figured they'd have to get used to it.

"Now let's meet your new best friends." Mr. Pendanski grinned from ear to ear. I took a deep breath as he opened the door to what he called the wreck room. Instantly, my nose was filled with an awful smell. It took all that I had not to barf right then and there. Mr. Pendanski must have smelled it too because he flinched like he had been smacked in the face. "Mr. Theodore! Would you please put your arms down?" He waded into the smelly room but I wouldn't go any farther. My eyes had started watering, that's how bad the smell was. Mr. Pendanski opened the door wide enough for me to get in. He ushered me in telling me there was nothing to be shy about.

"I'm not shy; I'm scared my nose will go bad." I mumbled. The source of the smell was burly black boy with his jumpsuit up and zipped. I wondered if I should give him my shower tokens. I hoped he wasn't in the D-Tent. I glanced around the room. No one was extremely hot. Four boys were at the pool table in the far back. One was shorter with frizzy hair and creamy skin. The closest to him was a bit taller with curly brown hair. He looked like the typical awkward white boy. Then there was the semi-hot one. I hoped he was in D-Tent. I knew who I would sleep with in case it did get too cold for me at night. He had dark hair and eyes and was maybe a little taller than me. His jumpsuit was tied like mine and he had a white t-shirt on. He also had a hat on, cornered to the side so that his hair stuck out. The last boy had thick glasses, taped together at the nose bridge. He was the only other black boy in the room, other than the Theodore Armpits.

"Boys, this is Riley Sampson. New camper!" Mr. Pendanski couldn't have introduced me in a worse way. Every set of eyes were on me in a second and I could feel my cheeks start to burn. I hadn't even noticed the boy sitting in front of the broken TV. His blonde hair was wild and his bluish eyes just stared at me. He had a black tank top on like mine but my god, I like the way it fit him better. I'd heard the camp made their prisoners dig all day and this seemed to be proof. His arms were built just right and his skin a smooth tan. Not too white but not exactly tan-tan. I gulped without realizing it. My heart had sped from being on the spot.

"Howdy." I managed with an awkward smile and a small wave. Slowly, everyone returned to their activities. Mr. Pendanski pointed to the Theodore Armpits kid.

"This is Theodore. He'll introduce you to the rest of the D-Tent campers." And with that Mr. Pendanski was gone. I never thought I'd be sad to see him leave.

"Hi." I said to Theodore, eyeing him cautiously. He shrugged to make his jumpsuit more comfortable and lumbered toward the pool table.

"Don't be calling me no Theodore. My name is Armpit. And these are the rest of the guys. X-Ray, Squid, Caveman, and Zero." He pointed to each of the boys at the pool table in opposite order I'd noticed them. He then turned to face the broken TV. The boy with the crazy hair looked up from the static on the screen. "That'd be ZigZag. And that's Twitch." He pointed to a smaller boy sitting in the corner watching the pool game.

"Nicknames… cool…" Armpit lumbered off and I suddenly felt very alone. ZigZag still watched me and it sent chills racing up and down my spine. I decided to take a seat next to him on the couch. "What are you watching?" I choked out. I had to get a hold of myself. Where had the tough girl gone?

"Some show." He sighed, leaning back onto the couch. I took my eyes away from him and looked at the TV.

"Right..." He stole a glance at me from the corner of his eyes. I settled into the couch wishing the sun would hurry it's ass across the sky so I could get some sleep and the day would be over. On my way to the camp I had been so sure it would be better than being at home with the monster I called a Dad… but now that I got here, I wasn't so sure about that. "Why are you in here?" I blurted out. ZigZag looked at me.

"There's nothing else to do." He said with a raised eyebrow. I gave a short laugh.

"No, I mean, why are you at the camp?" I put one leg up on the couch so that I could face him better. He looked forward at the TV again and for a moment I thought he wasn't going to answer me.

"I burned a school down." He sighed. The hairs raised on the back of my neck as he said his words. The way they rolled from his mouth made my whole body tingle. I took a silent deep breath and let it out slowly. It was just me wanting someone in this land of unknown… I assured myself.

"Why? It couldn't have been that bad." The fact that both of us had been sentenced to Camp Green Lake for burning things down made me even more interested in him. School had been somewhat of a paradise for me. The only place I could get away from … him. He tilted his head ever so lightly to look at me.

"Well, according to everyone else, I did it because I felt everyone at the school was out to get me and it was the one thing I felt I could do to get the upper hand." He kept looking at me. Silence hovered between us. He leaned a little bit closer to me as if he wanted to tell me something without anybody else hearing. I leaned closer too. "But just between you and me, I didn't mean to do it." He whispered. His breath hovered over my cheek before he pulled back.

"I see…" We settled back into our places on the couch.

"And why are you here?" He asked, continuing the conversation.

"I burned down my house. With my father inside." I grew cold and distant with that simple thought. It always happened to me. Even my eyes got darker, or so I was told. ZigZag looked over at me, sensing it was a touchy subject.

"Did he die?" He asked softly. I shook my head.

"No… unfortunately he got out." Even my voice had gotten harsher. My confidence had grown in that small amount of time that I had thought about my father. I was always strong around him. I had to be. And suddenly I knew I had to be strong here too or I wouldn't survive. Just like the last girl... A bell sounded somewhere. The boys in the room started to disperse. The only window in the cabin showed that I had been lost in thought for much longer than I had thought. The night had set in. ZigZag leaned forward and shut off the TV. He looked over at me and I silently looked back, my mind still on my troublesome life. I could feel the flash of fear slide behind my eyes. ZigZag stood and walked in front of me. He held out his hand for me and leaned down a little.

"You don't have to be afraid of me. You don't have to be afraid at all." My hand slipped into his and he pulled me to my feet. I hadn't even known him for a day but I already trusted him more than I should…