Conflicting Personalities

"Barf bag is so dead," Magnet groaned as he lifted some sand with his shovel and threw it over his shoulder.

"Agreed," X-ray sighed in the hole beside him.

"He didn't take that long cleaning up," Song reasoned, leaning against her shovel.

"No, but the stink," Squid grunted, "Phew!"

"It isn't my fault!" Barf bag cried out, "It made me nauseous just thinking about that coaster."

"I don't see a problem," Sunshine called out.

"Well, being on a coaster for two hours nonstop will make you sick. I couldn't really jump off of that thing you know."

"Barf bag," Nova yelled, "You're an idiot."

"Hey shut up Nova," Barfbag replied back. X-ray, Nova, Squid and Zigzag snickered as the group began to dig. The distant sounds of the water truck made the tent members stop their digging and climb out of their holes. When the truck did arrive, everyone began to line up in their order. As Beauty and Barfbag went to the back of the line, they were stopped by X-ray.

"Beauty can come to the front."

"You're kidding me, right?"

X-ray turned to Sunshine.

"No, I'm not. Do you have a problem?"

"Yes, because I don't find it fair that you are allowing Beauty to go first while the rest of us wait," She explained as she folded her arms over her chest, "I mean, you could have at least let Nova go too, seeing as she's new here too and ran out of water ages ago."

X-ray glared at her before Beauty cut in.

"I don't mind waiting at the back with Nova and Barfbag."

"But I insist you go first."

"She obviously does not want to, so leave her alone," Sunshine groaned as she leaned in closer to him.

"Make me."

"Why you-"

"If you girls are done your catfight, I'm sure you girl scouts would like some water," Mr. Sir yelled at the group impatiently.

Frowning, Sunshine turned at the heel, walking to the back of the line. She continued to glare at X-ray until everyone had received their water and the truck had left.

Once it was far enough away, X-ray confronted her.

"What is your problem?"

"Obviously you."

"What'd I do?"

"Besides being born, a lot."

"Mind clarifying?"

"Well, for starters, I don't quite approve of your leadership skills sometimes. And you're rude. And you think you're the best thing to ever slither through here. Not to mention the fact-"

"Jeez, do you plan on shutting up anytime soon?"

"Well," Sunshine huffed, "Sorry for answering your question."

"You know, frankly, I'm tired of your attitude."

"And I should care?"

"Well, considering you're getting on everyone's nerves-"

"Does anyone want a soda?"

The two turned to Nova, who was grinning as she held out a Coca Cola to them.

"Where'd you get that?" Squid asked, staring in disbelief.

"The truck. You guys made a pretty good distraction. Besides, I was thirsty."

X-ray paused before he took the bottle from her outstretched hand, taking a swing of it. He smirked at Sunshine.

"Thirsty?"

"Not after your lips touched it."

He shrugged as he handed it to Squid. The bottle got passed around to most of the group before it came into Song's possession. Before she could taste the fizzy drink, she heard the roaring of the truck.

"Quick, hide the coke!" Zigzag yelled as he rushed to his hole. Song was unsure of what to do, before she found the bottle taken from her. Magnet managed to throw it into his hole, pushing dirt onto it. Song stared before she snapped out of her state and went to her hole. Song looked at the walls of her hole as she heard the door slam.

"Ok, where is it?" Mr. Sir asked quietly, a strong hint of threat in his voice. "I know one of you took it."

"Took what sir?" Armpit was brave enough to say.

"My coca cola."

"What coca cola?" Nova asked innocently as she climbed out of her hole before batting her eyes at Mr. Sir.

"Did you take it girlie?" Mr. Sir roared as he advanced on her.

"Nova didn't take anything," Zigzag yelled as he practically leaped out of his hole. He walked over to Nova to stand in front of her. By then, everyone had abandoned their holes and went to argue. No one saw Sunshine disappear to the water truck.

"Why would Nova take your coke?" Squid argued.

"Yea, what would she do with it?" Barfbag echoed.

"Obviously drink it, stupid," Mr. Sir shouted.

"Well how do you know you didn't misplace it?"X-ray asked, pushing back his glasses.

"Mr. Sir, did you check your truck carefully?" Sunshine called from the truck. Mr. Sir ran to it, where she pointed to the driver's seat. Lying in between the gas and brake pedal was an unopened Coke Bottle. Mr. Sir stared at it.

"Well, looks like you kids got a lucky break," he huffed as he picked up the bottle, climbing back into his truck. "Now get your lazy butts to work!" He shouted out the window before driving away.

Sunshine was smirking as she went back to the group.

"Hey girl, how'd you do that?" Armpit stared at her in disbelief.

"Easy, I found an unopened bottle under one of the seats. He probably forgot about that original bottle and just bought another one."

The group gave here praise for her quick thinking.

"Jeez, that was some smart thinking," Zigzag told her, patting her on the back, "Don't you agree X-ray?"

X-ray stood, his arms crossed, staring at the ground. "I guess," he muttered.

"Thank you X-ray," she told him simply, with no attitude or fire in her tone. X-ray looked up at her as everyone went back to their holes. He shook his head before following everyone's example.

With all the excitement that had happened, combined with the scorching heat, it was hard for anyone to work in the silence. That is when the conversations began.

"So you guys don't get any rain here?" Nova asked, heaving a pound of dirt over her shoulder.

"Nope, hasn't rained in over one hundred years apparently," Squid answered her.

"What did you expect," Armpit sighed, "It's a desert."

"Even some deserts get rain," Song reasoned.

"Except for that one place in Chile. Supposedly, it never rains there," Zigzag informed them.

"Then how do the little lizards live there, dog?" Magnet asked.

"They don't."

"Well, they could live in the ground," Nova began, "And have all these tunnels under ground that go for hundreds of miles. That way, they can escape the desert every once and a while, get water, and go back."

"You sound like Zigzag the way you're talking," Squid snickered.

"There's a hole in your theory, no pun intended," X-ray chuckled, "If they had the ability to dig themselves away from that hell hole, why would you go back?"

"Everyone should be able to go back home, no matter how awful it is," Sunshine quietly said loud enough for everyone to hear.

X-ray, surprisingly, did not argue with her and the conversation died.

After an hour, Zigzag broke it.

"So Nova, what other theories do you have?"

"About which subject?" Nova grinned.

Zigzag paused before asking, "How many do you have?"

"A lot. My uncle is a controversial theorist who lives out in Arizona. I used to visit him every summer until I was thirteen. He taught me all I know."

"Sounds like one of my uncles," X-ray sighed, "He used to be a journalist for some controversial paper before he snapped and thought the aliens were stealing his socks at night. I remember he went to visit some hill somewhere. Never saw him again."

Song tried her hardest to keep from laughing. She was unsure about whether X-ray was serious or not, and opted to not laugh.

"Ok, what do you think happened with that one island...?" Zigzag paused, trying to remember the name.

"Easter Island?" Nova finished his sentence.

"Yea, that."

"Well, seeing as the rocks had been there for thousands of years, a simple theory could be that aliens visited us and the people thought they were some sort of gods. Whether it was the aliens doing or their own, the people built giant statues to appease them."

"What does appease mean" X-ray asked.

"To make someone less angry or aggressive by giving them what they want in order to make them content," Sunshine groaned as she lifted her shovel.

"Thank you Miss Dictionary," he blankly said.

"No trouble, Mon Captain."

"Sounds pretty legit," Zigzag reasoned. The group continued to dig in silence, until,

"Will you stop throwing your dirt into my hole?" X-ray yelled at Sunshine.

"How do you even know it was my dirt? I don't see my name on it," Sunshine sneered, her back turned to him.

"Because I've been watching you and I know you were doing it."

Sunshine paused, looking over her shoulder to him.

"You were watching me?"

A thin line formed on X-ray's lips when he realized his error. The boys around him whistled, snickered and winked at him, before X-ray glared at them.

"How sweet," Sunshine said in a mocking tone, "I didn't know you felt that way."

"I don't," He said bluntly.

"Why you gotta lie, you know you want her," Armpit shouted to him from his hole.

"Shut up," X-ray yelled at him, before climbing out of his hole to Sunshine's. "Listen here, and listen good, I don't like you. I never liked you. I never will like you as long as there is a sun. You annoy the living hell out of me with your attitude and how awesome you think you are. You always have to give your opinion, even when it's not asked for. You're ugly and stupid and I wish you would just leave me alone! Got it?"

Sunshine stood still as she looked up at him. Her face remained emotionless. X-ray breathed deeply as he watched her climb out of her hole with her shovel. He didn't move; he just waited for what he knew would happen next. She walked right past him, with her shovel in her hand. Sunshine was walking in the direction of camp.

X-ray turned to see that her hole had been dug, five feet by five feet. He turned to see her back to him.

Everyone who had witnessed the event remained silent, switching their focus from X-ray to Sunshine. Song climbed out of her own hole to follow Sunshine.

"Hey, she isn't even finished her hole," Squid exclaimed.

"Shut up dog," Magnet yelled at him, "I can finish it for her."

"Have fun staying with the lizards after dark."

X-ray stared after the girls just as Song reached Sunshine. Sunshine looked up to her before she told her something X-ray couldn't understand. Song reached up, placing her hand on Sunshine's shoulder as the two girl's walked on.

Something deep inside X-ray poked him; its sudden pain rushed through his chest. His pride and arrogance were replaced by feelings of regret and guilt. He felt like he should have ran after her, apologize and explain to her his anger and frustration, but instead, he went back to his hole and resumed digging. He didn't talk to anyone, and left well after they did, that way, he could be to himself, with his thoughts.

"Can you believe him?"

Song watched her friend pace in front of her as she sat on her bed. Sunshine had been fuming for a solid hour, never pausing to even breathe. Song felt it was best to let her vent so she could blow off some steam. Pretty soon, Sunshine paused before she sat down beside Song.

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why...everything?"

"You lost me."

"I mean, why do I have to like X-ray, why does he hate me so much, why am I in this hell hole, just...why?" Sunshine sighed as she leaned back, letting herself fall backwards onto the bed.

"I honestly can't answer that."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't have the answers to those questions, and trust me, if I did I would tell you. This is just one of those times where patience is the key."

"I hope so," Sunshine sighed.

"Now, quit being all depressed and let's go to the rec hall. Who knows, maybe hitting a few pool balls will de-stress you."

"I don't believe there is such a word," Sunshine smirked.

"Shut up."

The girls laughed as they left their tent. They walked to the hall where Song was surprised that X-ray and his gang weren't waiting for them. Sunshine held the door open for Song, doing a mock bow. Song rolled her eyes before she scanned the room for the D-tent members. Zigzag was teaching Nova—who stood quite close to him-how to play foosball. Zero watched fro a distance; mostly keeping to himself. Barfbag and Beauty were in a corner, talking to one another. Beauty was giggling at something Barfbag had said, lightly slapping his arm.

"Get a room," Sunshine whispered loud enough for Song to hear.

Song looked around, meeting Magnets eyes as he was playing pool by himself. He winked at her, causing her to blush slightly. Sunshine stopped in front of Song, almost triggering her to crash. Ahead of them, X-ray had left Squid and Armpit on the couches and was walking towards them.

"Quick, let's make a break for it," Sunshine hissed.

"Song!"

They turned to see that he had a letter in his hand.

"This is for you, it came today," he explained.

He handed it to her before he faced Sunshine. Song was expecting them to yell and scream at each another, or at least say something harsh. But she was flabbergasted at was conspired next.

"Sunshine."

"X-ray."

And with that, X-ray left the hall, with no screaming, fighting, and threats or hurt egos. Song just stared at her friend as if she had just sprouted wings.

"What?"

"That's it? No fighting, yelling or punches?"

"Just open your letter."

Song did, opening the envelope with her fingernail to reveal a sheet of paper with her older brother's handwriting on it.

"Who's it from?" Sunshine asked curiously.

"My brother Alejandro. He did say he would write."

"Well, read it."

Song began to read,

Dear Felony,

I told you I would write to you, but I don't know if they would actually be allowed to give this to you, but here it goes.

Since you left, Dad's hasn't stop going on about how much shame you had brought onto the family, yadda yadda. Mom's just been staring at your old baby photos. I don't even think she's been in your room yet to stare at your stuff. Dad's been in though and all I allowed to tell you is that you no longer have a door. Isabella's still intent on getting your room—Dad almost let her too—but Grandma, Mom and I are against it. Grandma's ok, she surprisingly has nothing bad to say about you. I once heard her talking to the old photo of Grandpa about how she's glad someone finally did something interesting around here. Apparently, she was a hell raiser in her glory days. I wonder how Dad turned out to be such a stick in the mud.

How's the camp? Are the guys giving you a hard time? Because only I can do that ;) I can come punch out a guy lights if he's giving you trouble...unless he's like six foot ten...then you might have to just hang in there.

Write back will yea? Mom's already keen on the fact something horrific happened to you.

From,

-Al.

P.S. - Izzy wanted to find out more about the camp you're at, but so far, we found nothing. Hope you're still alive.

Sunshine held back a few giggles as she read.

"Wow, never knew your grandmother could be so awesome."

"Who knew?"

"Are you gonna write back to them?"

"I might have to. The last thing I want is for my mom to have a heart attack."

"Sounds good. I'll go see if I can't rescue Nova," she pointed behind her. Nova was blushing profoundly as Zigzag was behind her, trying to show her which way to rotate the players. Song held in her laughter as she left the hall, with Sunshine making a bee line towards the foosball table.

Song walked in silence as she left the hall, but found herself humming to some forgotten tune from her childhood. Before she entered her tent, she heard to rustling sounds, one from the D-tent and the other from in-between the tents. She concluded that it was just the wind before entering her tent. She went to her cot; reaching into her bag for a pen and a stray piece of paper from her notepad. She pressed her pen to the paper and began to write a letter home.

*New Chapter Dance!*

Even if it is short.

Yea, I finished a chapter-several actually-while I was away on vacation for two weeks. Ill upload the net one here quik. BTW, my keyboards busted so I issing the letters x,c,v,m and the space bar. I typed most of this on the off screen key bar. if there's a mistake, ignore it.