Day Two
The scorching yellow sun beat down upon the once abandoned island amply, waves of heat emitting from the vast ocean lapping against the shore. It was early morning and the breeze was cool against her light skin, the small beads of sand cascading from her small hands as it was gripped, brought up and released back to where it had once been. She was far from the others, under the protection of a palm tree on the base of the forest line, and her dark brown eyes lingered upon the gentle tide before her.
So many times she had attempted to imagine she was sitting on her hot pink towel, on a beach in California with her friends by her side or having fun in the ocean. She was tanning in this imaginary scenario, suntan lotion bottled beside her and pop music blasting in her ears through her headphones. Figuratively, she was on a beach. But the problem was she just didn't know which one. She also had no music to listen to; her PearPod had been destroyed from the plane crash and it was so beyond repair she had given up on trying on it.
It had only been thirteen hours since the plane went down and Cat hadn't got any sleep. She had snuck from the shelter she, Tori, Trina and Jade were sleeping under to sit rooted in the very same spot she was sitting in now, thankful she had gotten away unnoticed.
No matter how hard she tried not to believe that she was somewhere else, that she was only a half an hour away from Hollywood, it had never worked. She wasn't in denial, but she was struggling and struggling to get a firm grip upon reality and realize that she was so many miles away from home and from her destination, that their plane had landed on an abandoned, empty island. It just couldn't be true, and she's been trying to convince herself that this was in fact, real life. She just automatically assumed that the only reason she hadn't been able to get a grip on it, was because she was scared.
But really, who wouldn't have been scared knowing that they had just survived a plane crash and was stranded in the middle of nowhere? Cat had gone through terror before, but this was just beyond anything she could handle. She always had that strange fear of heights and flying on a plane, but the one time that she had been reassured that everything was going to be alright, this had happened, and she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. She was thankful though, that everyone was alright. Beside the pilot; the image of his dead body would forever be burned within her mind, as it was nearly impossible to get rid of.
Her hand instinctively drew to her forehead, just to the side of her right eye, where a nasty cut had resided. It stung to touch and was pulsing, furiously red around the rims and blood clotting slowly. According to Andre, it was deep and would most likely scar and she would get the beginnings of a concussion. She hadn't listened to the rest though – how was it that she got away with a scratch as little as this, when she had just been in a major plane crash? It just didn't make sense; a lot of things didn't, to her anyway, but she was naïve. It might have made sense to one of the others, but they hadn't said a word of it ever since the incident happened, and instead was planning on finishing the small camp.
"That's quite the nasty cut."
Cat jumped and looked over her shoulder upon hearing the smooth British accent, her shoulders slumping. Brent was leaning against the tree she was sitting beneath, his hands tucked neatly within his jean pockets and dark brown hair tousled. "Yeah, I guess it is." She replied, fighting back a yawn.
The eighteen year old frowned and sat down next to her, elbows upon his knees. "If only I had majored in medicine, I might have been able to do something about that injury Ms. Valentine. 'Suppose I'll just have to use my magical powers"
"Ooh, magical powers!" She gasped, poking his hard abdomen with her index finger. "Use them!"
"Hmm, let's see…" He trailed off with a smile, his hand hovering above her cut for a few seconds. "Weird, it seems they have stopped working. I wonder what the matter is."
In a small fit of giggles, happy that at least someone could make her laugh in such a serious situation, she bumped her shoulder upon his and swiped the red velvet colored hair from her face. Brent chuckled along with her, his handsome face displaying a crooked smile that she always loved to look at; his blinding white teeth flashing.
"Well, you two seem to be having fun." A second voice came from their right, definitely feminine and sharper than most. Cat glanced around her companion to smile slightly at the smirking Jade, who stood arms crossed a few feet away. "So sorry to interrupt," She continued with a hint of sarcasm, "but Vega's holding some stupid meeting and you two need to get your asses over there."
"Right, we're coming then, no need to get your knickers in a twist sis" Brent said as he stood, holding out his hand to help Cat up, in which she gratefully obliged.
"You're my step brother; I'm not your sister. Idiot." Jade muttered with a well placed scowl. The older of the two shook his head, dusted off his shorts and walked straight passed her and towards the awaiting group, leaving the two best friends alone.
Cat, determinedly avoiding the stare the much taller girl was giving her, brushed the sand from her short blue denim shorts with the palms of her hands. "How's your arm, is it okay?" She asked, chewing on her lower lip.
"Nothing I can't handle." Answered Jade as she grabbed her by the elbow and tugged her along; she didn't protest as she was much weaker than the girl pulling her behind her, and she was much too exhausted to do anything anyway. "You and Shepherd…I knew it. From the way you two look at each other like a bunch of love sick saps."
"What?" Cat abruptly halted; her arm still in Jade's vice grip but making the other girl stop and turn around as well. Her toes curled within the hot sand, burning but rooted all the same. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."
Jade rolled her eyes and dramatically groaned. "Oh don't give me that bull crap, 'Rina. I know you like my Brit of a stepbrother; we've been friends since diapers. You don't have to hide anything from me."
"How long have you known?" She asked as she curled her toes, her gaze falling upon the waiting group not far off.
"Since you've met him," Jade snorted, releasing her arm and turning back to begin walking once more toward the battered plane and the small camp they had managed to set up.
…
Not a speck of snow blanketed the land of Los Angeles California, but the wind was frequent and bitterly cold against Cat's flushed cheeks. It was in the middle of December and only one week left exactly, until Christmas; she was bundled up in her winter clothing, a light pink beanie over her magenta colored hair. She had just dyed it that color before sophomore year begun– she didn't want to walk into Hollywood Arts again with the dull brown color she was born with. Red suited her much better, for her bubbly optimism, the blood from her wrists and red velvet cupcakes. It was a perfect definition of who she was.
She was standing outside of the Shepherd-West household, gloved hands wringing each other and her fingers playing with the fake fur of her winter jacket. Jade, her best friend since pre-k, had suggested – more like demanded – that she come over so she didn't have to spend the entire night with her new stepbrother Brent, all alone. It was an unlikely request; the gothic girl she had considered an older sister, Jade the lion and she the cub, had never asked Cat to come over. It wasn't necessarily vice versa, but the two had always spent days outside of their homes, with the gang and newest member Beck Oliver.
To say she was nervous to meet this person was clearly an understatement. Why? Because she heard from Jade that he had a record. A criminal record. Maybe that was her friend just making crude jokes like she always did, but she really couldn't tell. She hadn't wanted to be spending the night with a criminal, regardless.
It was well past four in the afternoon, and she had told her companion that she would be there around this time. Cat was never late to anything; not to class or school or when she was meeting up with someone.
Finally deciding that it was about the time to walk in, she strode to the porch with a light bounce to her step. She wasted no time hastily knocking her covered knuckles against the wooden door; the cold and the nerves were beginning to get to her, and all she wanted was to curl up on the couch with a nice blanket and a Disney movie to watch. She knew Jade didn't have any though, and the simple thought somewhat disappointed her.
"Ah, hello there."
Her head snapped up from her hands, her large doe brown eyes widening as she stared at the one who had spoken. Standing before her was a tall, lean boy looking no older than eighteen years old. He was boyishly handsome but with an edge to his features that made her slightly nervous, and he was wearing dark colors just as Jade always did. His appearance didn't seem to suit his voice, as from what she could tell his British accent was smooth and collected and a harmony to her ears.
"Hi! I'm Cat! Like the animal!" She giggled, feeling a blush creep up to her cheeks; her nerves completely gone. "You're um, Brent right?"
"Yes, my name's Brent" He answered her, opening the door wider for her to step in. She gratefully obliged, hugging herself as she slid passed him and into the familiar house she had set foot in many times over the years.
"It's so nice to finally meet you!" Cat said with a bright smile, sticking her gloved hand out. It was odd, for he didn't seem like the kind of guy that could bear a juvenile record…Perhaps it was just Jade joking.
Brent took her hand with his own callous appendage firmly, and with a crooked smile he answered: "Pleasure is all mine."
...
"Okay. Now that we're all finally here…We can begin." Tori stood from the blanket she had been sitting on, her hands soon finding her thin waist. "Personally, I think we all need a leader here, to help keep things in order and to keep people together since we're stuck here until rescue comes."
"Guess it won't be you." Jade retorted sharply, leaning against the base of the plane's wing with crossed arms.
"Well obviously I was MADE for that spot, duh. I'm amazing." Trina praised herself, her body splayed out upon her towel as she basked in the suns hot rays, intent on getting tanner than she already was.
The half-Latina pointedly ignored Jade and her sister, and Cat fidgeted in her battered chair. Her gaze was focused upon her friend standing in the middle amongst them all in a minor interest and she was twirling a thin strand of magenta hair between her fingers; she was trying her hardest to avoid focusing upon the heat crashing down upon them all, but even under the shade that was nearly impossible.
She let her eyes travel to the woodland lining the outer shore as Tori drawled on about order and how she was one of the best choices to be a leader. The curiosity to find out what was beyond what they had already seen was almost as overwhelming as the heat was, and she was half tempted to run off to find out for herself. But she wouldn't wish to go alone – who knew what was out there? And Cat was no courageous and daring adventurer like some of her colleagues were, ready to burst out into the dangerous and unknown world beyond her knowledge. She wasn't even close to that.
But she figured she needed to do something to aid the group, whether it be setting up the remainder camp or finding everyone's rightful belongings; whatever it was that Tori had in mind because in the end, she just knew the taller girl was going to end up the leader of the group. It wasn't that she minded, but she always supposed that perhaps Beck was more suitable for a leading position, seeing as he was the calmest of the entire gang by far. Cat didn't have one spark of leadership qualities too her, she was a follower and she assumed that though they had just survived a horrible plane crash, that was going to stay that way.
"I think that we should each have our own little designated job, you know like starting fires and building and getting water" Tori said as she clasped her fingers together before her and nodded.
"Who gets what?" Robbie asked, taking his large broken spectacles from the bridge of his nose and examining the glass with a frown.
Tori brought her hand to her chin, pacing around the perimeter of the small, unfinished camp they had managed to set up so far. The huts were made like tents, from blankets and tarp found from the tail of the plane, scraps of metal from the accident and the branches and vines of palm trees holding it all together. Most though, were left half-done and abandoned so they could rest, and would evidently be finished earlier this day. Cat hadn't helped with much of the building; as soon as she had gotten the transmitter she went to the ocean to wash herself from the blood of the pilot and got a new set of clothes to change into in the plane straight afterwards.
"Maybe" Tori said as she snapped her fingers together, breaking the looming silence. "Andre and Robbie could collect wood for a fire; you can do that right? Good. Um…" She trailed off, spinning around from the two boys to glance at whoever was left unemployed. "Trina and Jade could ration the food and water we have. Cat and Brent can search for food and water source and bring it back here, and Beck can be the handyman. He'll help build, fix the transmitter…things like that." She nodded, obviously pleased with herself for coming up with something as simple as that.
"I'm not working with the talentless freak over there" Jade deadpanned, jerking her thumb over her shoulder to Trina; who was still dead set that they were being rescued. "And what are you doing, Vega?"
"Well I'm going to" gonna "help build" Tori said slowly with a small shrug and narrowed eyes.
Biting her lower lip and fidgeting with the hem of her flowy blue shirt she had gotten from Love Culture, Cat looked up. "I'm fine with my job!" She piped and giggled, attempting to bring at least some optimism in her tone to light up not only the group's spirits, but her own spirit.
"As am I" Brent said from his spot leaning against the tree farthest from the group, and flashed a smile in her direction.
It seemed however, that Jade had a different idea than the one she had. "Why do youalways get to be there leader, Vega? Why not give someone obviously more skilled than you, a chance? I mean you'll probably fail anyway." She retorted with her oh-so-famous smirk, and Cat bit the inside of her cheek; all eyes shot from Jade, to Tori for the retaliation.
"To be fair I did come up with the idea that someone should lead the group and I went to a summer camp as a counselor before, so I think I'll be fine for now" Tori merely shrugged.
"No way in hell am I taking orders from you, and like I said, I'm not working with the freak of nature over there either. So I say every man/woman for themselves." Jade argued, standing up from her spot and crossing her arms.
"I think we should give Tori a chance."
Cat released a heavy exhale she had been holding since Jade had first spoken and dug her finely manicured nails into the palms of her hands. Every set of different colored eyes whirled from the rowing girls to the handsome, tan boy that made a move to stand in the middle looking as calm and collected as ever. She furrowed her brow and stared intently at Beck, disapproving with what he had to say. It wasn't that she didn't agree with him, it was the simple fact that as Jade's best friend it came as a natural to hate or disagree whenever he wrongly stood up for Tori rather than his own girlfriend (regardless if she loved them both). She had always thought this and said to her best friend countless times that it wasn't right in private, but she had no nerve to say so otherwise. It was just her duty to disagree, and she had always thought it wrong anyway.
"Oh, so you're going to agree with her now, instead of your own girlfriend?" Jade snapped angrily as she took a step forward and arched a perfectly slender, pierced brow. "You know you're always defending her, every single chance you get you do it!"
"Dude, I was just saying we should give her a chance to at least prove herself." Beck argued back at her, looking confused and distraught.
"I agree with him" Cat blurted suddenly, and soon all eyes fell on her instead of the bickering couple. Jade's eyes narrowed, and when she looked at them she was met with a hard glare and a look of betrayal. "But…I also agree with her. We should give Tori a chance but if she messes up then one of you guys should take her spot the moment it happens." She muttered quickly and all in one breath, toying with her red hair between her fingertips.
"Wow…did Cat just say something smart? Again?" Andre asked disbelievingly, though smiling nonetheless. She only grinned lightly, not having enough energy or will to say something she would usually say in return to him.
"All right." Jade huffed, her arms still crossed as she turned her gaze from Cat back to Tori. "We'll see just how long you last as leader, Vega." And with that she stormed off and kicked sand at a startled and overly dramatic Trina as she passed by, fists clenched tightly at her sides. The group watched her back as she retreated in a familiar silence, each with raised brows and Tori looked just a tab bit frightened by the vague threat she was previously given.
"Perhaps Cat and I should go get looking then, after all, it's still early morning and I don't believe time will matter on an island." Brent commented with a light shrug, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jean and his tank top tight against his muscular and chiseled chest.
"Yeah, okay." Tori said distractedly, blinking. "Just be careful, okay?"
Cat hopped up from her seat in false optimism and waltzed carefully over to Brent's side, smiling brightly at her other companions as she passed by. "Kk!" She squealed at her frozen friend and grabbed the college student's hand, pushing through the trees and into the open forest. She had never been camping before, as nature was not in her favor, but she had seen in brochures and pictures what real woodland looked like and in Iceland the vacation house they stayed at was surrounded by trees and all kinds of nature, and pretty horses next door. And so when she her clean converse sneakers hit grass and leaves and sticks rather than sand and she was weaving slowly through trees with Brent at her side, nothing was familiar.
This particular forest was indeed rather peculiar; large palm trees and the trees one would find in front and back yards towered overhead, and vines hung down, swinging from the weirdest places. It was allied with obstacles of all sorts, varying from fallen trees to cages (not literal cages, but groups) of bamboo they were forced to go around. The treetops did not stop the sun from beating down upon the pair of them and was forcing them to a slower pace than she would have liked, but with all the obstacles in her way and unfortunately having two left feet Cat was almost glad, so she could save herself from the embarrassment.
She pushed back a branch in her way and ducked beneath it, simultaneously stepping round a large log in her way as she trailed after Brent, out of breath and panting at the scorching hot sun. She suspected it was no better at the beach, where they were almost completely isolated from any type of shade. She was by no means athletic although her weight might have suggested otherwise; she was just lucky to have an extremely high metabolism – and being so short was just a plus. Walking through this forest seemed more fun and a lot easier when Tori said it.
Her friends always commented on how short and tiny she was, and unlike any other short person this really didn't bother her. She knew she was the tiniest one in the gang and she was glad, because they always were protective over her; especially the guys. Cat always assumed it was because they didn't want her to get hurt, and it made her smile because that meant that they cared.
"God, I'll go with her. For all we know, she would walk straight up to a van if a guy offered her candy" Jade had once said the moment Cat told them she was going to walk home from Karaoke Dokie. She didn't get what her best friend was saying or why she was saying it, but she giggled, linked their arms together and walked down the road anyway.
Without warning her foot caught upon a vine, and with flailing arms and a startled gasp she collided with the rough undergrowth of the forest. She hadn't completely came in contact with the ground before dragging Brent down with her, in which the two lay flat on their stomachs in both shock and amusement. Cat couldn't help but giggle as she looked up at him, strands of magenta hair falling into her face and covering her eyes and dirt staining their sweaty bodies and clothes. "Well done" Brent said with a chuckle whilst he hauled both himself and her to their feet once again.
"Rex says I have two left feet" She told him with a giggle as she attempted to dust herself off and straighten out her locks of hair. She looked around herself with a light grin tugging at the corners of her plush lips, her breath coming in pants. She was utterly exhausted, and running on no sleep from the hectic night before wasn't giving her any benefits or favors. "How long have we been out here?" She asked him suddenly as her gaze tore from the vast forest to the darkening sky.
"Far too much time to keep count. It's probably, if I'm correct, around 3 or 4 in the afternoon" He answered her, slightly out of breath as he squinted and looked up at the sky as well.
"Then we should start heading back! That was a long trip!" Cat gasped, eyes wide.
Brent nodded and without any speck of warning he tore his shirt from his body, revealing toned muscles and smooth creamy skin that made her go instantly red in the cheeks. He smirked over at her and turned, tying his dirty and sweaty tank top around the base of a tree trunk beside him. "There," he murmured, tying the knot once more in what she assumed was assurance. "It's a marker, now we know we've reached here when we return tomorrow."
Clasping her hands together with a tiny squeal Cat beamed over at him. "That's such a good idea! You're a genius!" She complimented, at which he simply nodded with a smile and began to walk back in the path in which they had come. As she watched his bare, sun kissed back her smile fell.
She needed a smoke (but she couldn't). But most of all, she needed her damn pills. The numbness was coming back.
…
Okay so chapter three complete! Took me a little while on this one because I was out all day shopping for clothes and school supplied and when I got back I was completely spent. But I hope you liked it anyways! And thank you all for your reviews! (:
You know what to do!