Chapter Four
When we got back from me taking a shower, it seemed like the whole camp knew Squid guarded the door.
Just as we were passing tent 'B' a guy came out and said, "Hey Babe, how about I come chaperone your next shower?"
"Ummm Hun, not with a yellow spotted lizard at my neck," I snapped. I was so mad I stomped ahead of Squid into our tent.
"That jerk! How dare he suggest something so vulgar!"
"Yo Emma, what happened?" X-Ray asked.
"THE MALE RACE! THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED! Every other effing guy now thinks I invited Squid into the shower with me! As if I was some slut!" I screamed at them.
"Emma, why don't we all just go to the Wreck Room and calm down?" Armpit suggested.
"And have every person in the room looking at me like some piece of meat? I think not." I said pulling out my journal.
They all left, deciding I should be left alone; mainly because they didn't want to get hurt. Now, I was all alone to write in my journal. I was still writing, when the dinner bell rang. I put my journal inside my pillow case and walked to the Mess Mall. As soon as I stepped into the room, the cat calls started. I just ignored them, got my 'dinner' and sat down.
"Do you want us to take care of it?" ZigZag asked me.
"No, that will only stop them from cat calling, not thinking. But, you are free to do whatever you feel is right," I said.
We, well I, finished dinner quickly and went back to the tent to continue writing in my journal. I eventually just fell asleep writing.
The next morning, I was being shaken awake by some person who was about to get smacked.
"Emma, time to get up," the person was saying.
'I don't give a damn,' I thought.
"Don't even bother dude, she won't wake up for nobody," someone else said.
"Oh, trust me she'll wake up. HEY GIRLIE, TIME TO GET UP OR YOUR GONNA BE DIGGING TWO HOLES TODAY!" a very mean person yelled in my ear.
"What do you people not get? I am not in the mood to wake up, I have already explained to the warden why I'm not digging today, so good day and good bye, Mr. Sir," I said in a low voice with my eyes still closed.
I heard a shuffling of feet, and then there was silence, until more feet came shuffling back in.
"Emma, please wake up," a wickedly sweet voice said softly.
I opened one eye to see the warden in front of me. Shit, I hadn't actually cleared things up with warden.
"Emma, would you like to tell me why you are refusing to get up this lovely morning?" she asked me.
"Sure, but make them leave the tent," I said looking at Mom and Mr. Sir.
"Now, Emma…" Mom started, but stopped when the warden gave them a look that clearly said leave. Once they left, she turned back to me, but without the cheerful look on her face.
"Now, what is the problem?" she commanded.
"My Aunt Flow has decided to visit today," I said in a low voice.
"Oh, well, I won't make you dig a hole today, but you have to go to your digging site. Just, knock on my door, if you need supplies," she said in a much gentler voice.
"Thank you."
She left, and I slowly got out of bed, put on a pair of jean shorts and a pink tube top, and walked over to D-Tent. As soon as I got there the guys looked up and stared. I was laughing so hard inside my head.
I walked over to Squid's hole and jumped in. I could feel how uncomfortable I was making him. I walked up to him, and said, "Hey."
"H-h-hi."
"What's up?"
"Ummm…"
"Squid, are you okay?"
"Yeah, but I, um, have to finish digging my hole," he said obviously getting over what I was wearing. I pushed myself out of his hole and sat in the middle of all of them.
"Yo, Emma. You do realize that you're supposed to dig?" X-Ray said to me as if I couldn't speak English.
"X-Ray, do you realize that the warden told me I didn't have to dig today? All I have to do today is sitting and watch y'all," I snapped at him.
The guys watched to see what X-Ray would do. All he did was go back to digging.
'Smart move, X.' I thought.
I just sat there, sipping my water every few moments, when I got an idea. I got up and started walking back to the tent.
"Hey chica, where are you going?" Magnet yelled to me.
"To the tent Einstein," I yelled back.
Once I found what I was looking for I walked back over to the digging site.
"Whatcha get, Emma?" Armpit asked.
"My notebook," I said sitting back down.
ZigZag suddenly looked at me nervously and asked me, "Your not taking notes on us are you?"
"No, I'm just writing lyrics and stuff Zig," I said patiently.
"What kind of 'stuff'?" he asked me.
"ZigZag, listen to me. I am not working for the FBI, CIA, or anything other government agency. I have no interest in observing you and writing notes about you. I'm just going to write a letter to Lewis," I said in a no-nonsense voice.
"Okay," ZigZag said cheerfully and he went back to his digging.
Lew and Sarah,
I miss you both so much. LEWIS, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT THIS PLACE HAD A STEREO!?!? Sarah, send me all my mixes, they are seriously deprived of good music here. It has a Backstreet Boys CD in it for popcorn's sake!
Guess what?!?! I didn't have to dig my hole today! Lew, skip this if you want to remain sane. Sarah, being a girl in this place actually has its advantages, when you get your period you sit around all day. I'm going to get a big craving for chocolate after dinner though, if they don't give it to me heads will roll. Ha.
Well, I must go back to flirting with the boys.
Love,
Emma
I closed my notebook and sighed. The truck was approaching us to serve us lunch. We all got into our line. I got my lunch and sat down with the rest of D-Tent, making sure to sit really close to Squid.
"So, you almost done with your hole?" I asked him.
"Yeah, just about another foot left."
"That's good."
"Why?"
"Because, then I won't be by myself for much longer. I'm getting really bored."
"Well, I'm sorry you're getting bored of doing nothing."
"Hey, I haven't just been doing nothing. I wrote a letter to Lewis."
"Yeah, your hand must really hurt."
"Fine, if you're just going to be mean, I'll just tell my friend not to send me my mixes, so you're not forced to listen to the Backstreet Boys."
"What is on your mixes?" Armpit asked me.
"Rap and Hip-hop, no pop, country, or crap."
"Squid, be nice to the poor girl, I miss the sound of real music," X-Ray said.
"Nope, too late. He's said what he truly feels, and I would know that if he was nice it was just because y'all told him to," I said and walked back to the tent.
A couple of minutes later I heard someone walk in, I looked up to see Zero.
"Hey, Zero!" I said happy to see that it wasn't Squid.
He didn't respond.
"Why don't you talk to anyone?"
Again, he didn't answer me.
"Zero, you know how annoying I can be, don't force me to pester you."
He smiled.
"Ha, I got you to smile."
The smile vanished.
"Fine, I'll talk. Today was fun, but Squid ruined it. He is such a butt. Why does he act like that?"
He didn't answer.
"I don't know either."
Then Squid and ZigZag entered the tent.
"Hey Ziggy!" I said ignoring Squid.
"Hey Emma. Whatcha been up to?"
"Just having a wonderful conversation with Zero over here," I replied.
"You got Zero to talk?" Zigzag asked me in amazement.
"Well, no. But, he is a great listener. And he is sensitive to other people's feelings," I said the last part looking straight at Squid
The dinner bell rang, and Squid and Zigzag hurried out of the tent. Zero walked past me, and before he left the said, "He likes you."