Bombs Dropping and Previous Nights

The next day started out the same as any other. Everyone woke up, went to the library, walked to where they dug and began a new hole. Today however, no one spoke, as if the tension between X-ray and Sunshine was gasoline. One match disguised as a word and everything would burn to the ground. It wasn't until the water truck came that everyone became more expressive.

Barfbag had allowed Beauty to go ahead of him, which caused Beauty to giggle and Armpit to yell at them to get a room.

"More like a hole," Squid yelled, earning him a high five from Armpit.

"Shut up," Beauty and Barfbag both shouted. They turned to one another before smiling. Nova and Zigzag turned their backs on the group, making gagging sounds which quickly shifted into laughter. Zero stood still, silently observing the situation. Magnet caught Song's eye before he rolled his eyes, obviously at the situation. Song nodded her head in agreement. Magnet grinned. Song noticed that as X-ray walked back towards his hole, he accidently bumped into Sunshine, who had been looking at the distant mountains.

It felt like time had stood still. Nobody moved, and even those who hadn't seen the encounter suddenly felt a change of tension in the air. A second, maybe two, passed.

"Sorry."

If X-ray's lips hadn't moved, Song would have never guessed he had actually said it. Another second passed.

"It's ok."

Song was pretty sure that at that moment, if a bomb was dropped out of the sky, everyone would be too shocked and/or paralyzed to duck for cover in time. Squid, Armpit, Zigzag and Nova all had their jaws dropped. Barfbag and Beauty both looked at one another in shock. Magnet stared at X-ray, Sunshine, then glanced in Song's direction. Zero's face remained emotionless, minus his one raised eyebrow.

"What are you all standing around for?" Mr. Sir yelled, "Get moving!"

Everyone rushed to get their jugs filled and the instant the truck was gone, everyone resumed their silent stare.

"What?" X-ray finally asked in an obviously annoyed tone.

The crew just uttered several responses before they left for their holes. X-ray shrugged; making his way to the hole he was digging. Sunshine looked at Song with a confused look, one that was responded to with a shrug.

Everyone resumed their digging, none of them uttering a single word.

Sunshine sat up on her cot later that night after the girls had fallen asleep. She listened to Nova's quiet snoring and Song's slow breathing. She even thought she heard Beauty mumble in her sleep, some undistinguishable word. Sunshine stared up into the window above, glancing at the bright stars. She could not sleep, no matter how hard she had tried to push her thoughts to a deep, dark corner in her mind. All her thoughts related back to the events that had transpired on the past night.

Sunshine was leaving the hall after she had separated a stunned Nova from a confused Zigzag. She had slapped Zigzag's hand; much like her elderly neighbour had done when ever Sunshine misbehaved in her younger youth. Zigzag backed away, holding his now red hand. Sunshine gave him a warning look, nodded at Nova then left with her head straight up in the air. Once she was outside, she relaxed, putting her hands in her pocket. She became aware of how hot she was; opting to unzip her jumper and let it hang just above her hips, revealing a red muscle shirt. She was about to continue on, when she heard someone whistle. She turned to see that X-ray was sitting on the railing ahead of her, partially covered by the shadows.

"What do you want, you scum bag?"

"To talk to you."

"What is there to talk about, you said enough already," she spat at him in a low groan.

"That just it," he told her quietly as he leaped off the railing, "I want to apologize."

She stared at him before turning on her heel in the other direction. Before she could take a step however, X-ray had reached his arm out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her. She stood still, making no attempt to fight her way out of his grip.

"Please listen," he asked quietly. Sunshine had heard the ever so slight plead in his tone. She turned to face him, his hand still wrapped around her wrist. "I'm sorry for all the mean things I said, I never really meant it. I guess I was tired of all the teasing I got from the guys and I felt the only way I could make them finally stop was to publically shoot you down. That was very selfish and mean of me."

Sunshine stood still for a moment; absorbing all that he had said. At last she asked,

"Why were they teasing you?"

"Because..." he trailed off.

"Because why?" she asked further.

"I..."

Sunshine waited before she sighed, "If you don't plan on telling me, then forget it."

She turned to leave, but X-ray's grip became tight around her wrist. He pulled her towards him, grabbing her waist as she came crashing into him. Their lips met gently. Sunshine, shocked at the action, was paralyzed. X-ray only kissed her for a few moments before he pulled back, still holding her close to him. They stared at each other in silence.

"That's why," he whispered softly.

Sunshine still looked up at him before she wrestled free of his grip. She backed away; looking around. Before he could say anything, Sunshine grabbed his sleeve, dragged him off the deck and into the shadows beside the hall. When he was facing her, she grabbed his shirt collar and brought his lips crashing into hers. He was stunned for a moment before he kissed her back. She stooped after a few seconds and stared up at him.

"Never tell a soul," she ordered in a whisper.

"They might not believe me if I did," he joked before realising she was serious.

"No one can know," she told him, "The last thing I want is drama."

"I think it's too late for that."

"I'm serious; we just have to pretend we hate each other, at least for a while."

"I like the sound of that," X-ray grinned at her.

She realised what she had said before lightly punching his arm.

"Great acting skills, milady. Does this mean you like me too?"

"What do you think? How long?"

"What?"

"How long have you felt this way?"

"Since the first moment you got off the bus. You?"

"When you gave me my nickname and you said I was the sunshine that brightened your day," she smiled at hi, remembering the memory.

He smiled at her before he leaned in for another kiss. This time though, he was stopped by Sunshine's finger.

"No more tonight, not where everyone can see us. Meet me the night after tomorrow behind the library at about this time. Mr. Sir usually doesn't start patrol for another ten minutes. "

"Damn, you are really smart."

"Thank you. Now go back to your tent before any one gets suspicious."

"What about a good night kiss?"

"Good things come to those who wait," she winked as she lightly pushed him into the light. He grinned at her before he walked towards his tent, with a sort of spring in his step. Sunshine waited until he was out of sight before she ran to her tent. When she made it, she almost forgot that Song was inside; having just finished her letter home.

"What's wrong with you?" Song asked, "You just run a mile or something?"

"Um, yea, just saw a yellow spotted lizard outside the showers," Sunshine lied.

"Jesus."

"Yea, my hearts going a mile a minute." That part wasn't a lie.

"You might want to go to bed early, you look as though you're gonna collapse," Song informed her as she dug through her bag for her pj's.

"Good idea."

Sunshine went to her cot, making sure she had her back turned as she grinned.

Sunshine smiled warmly at the memory. She yawned, feeling a sudden wave of tiredness. She slipped under her covers to sleep, thinking only happy thoughts of X-ray.

The tent across from the girls also had a troubled sleeper. Magnet lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He had trouble sleeping for two nights, ever since the previous night. He replayed every moment in his head, over and over again.

The sound of pool balls being broke seemed to be mixed in with the sounds of others conversations. Magnet hit the eight ball, but it hit the edge of the left corner pocket. He stood up, cursing under his breath until he saw two things. First, Zero had moved closer to the pool ball table, a move that Magnet wasn't surprised at—Zero always did this whenever he wanted to watch without being noticed too much. Secondly, he noticed that Rocky had moved from his place with his tent members and was silently leaving the hall. Concerned, Magnet turned to Zero.

"Hey, it's you're turn to play," he handed the pool stick to a stunned Zero. Magnet made his way through the hall and out the door. He looked around to see Rocky walking towards the tents. What surprised Magnet was that Rocky had walked past his tent and kept going down the line. Magnet broke into a sprint. When he was close enough to him, he whispered,

"Out for an evening stroll?"

Rocky jumped around before he frowned.

"What's it to you?"

"I'm just wondering why you were sneaking around; acting all jumpy."

"Well," Rocky grinned, "If you must know, I was just making sure nothing slithered into the tents. I'm sure you don't want your little girlfriend and her friends being bit by any scaly, do you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Just doing my civic duty," Rocky hissed, "Better get going, you don't want your girlfriend seeing you talking to me."

He pointed towards the hall where Magnet could hear Song humming an old Spanish lullaby. When he turned back around, Rocky had disappeared between the two tents. Magnet quickly ran into D-tent, ducking just as Song came to her tent across from hi, pausing before she went inside. Magnet stood still until he saw X-ray come in. He was grinning in a rather stupid way as he went to his cot. Magnet merely gave him a look, no questions asked. He turned his focus to the girl's tent, just as Sunshine stepped inside.

Magnet sighed. The whole encounter with Rocky is what jarred him the most. What Magnet couldn't understand was the way Rocky had hissed at him. He had done it in such a weird way. Magnet shoed the thought from his mind; looking in the direction of the girls tent. He hoped that at least Song was dreaming of better things.

Short chapter I know. But the next one should be lengthy with the way I going with it. My laptop always makes the chapters seem longer. Bugger.