CHAPTER 28: I just realized I can sleep with my eyes open

Repercussions are just as bad as a torturous hangover after a great party if you know what I mean.

Wink. Wink.

Come to think of it, you can never find one moment in my life where I've done something embarrassing under the influence of alcohol. As for my brothers...well, let's just stay the landlord has great persuasion skills on my neighbor whose house was raided at 2 am by my own brother.

Naked.

God bless my eyes.

It's indeed a well-known fact, one that everyone in our group is aware of, that Caleb and I are like putting together... mixing...uh...

Toothpaste and orange juice.

Oh dear God, what am I thinking of? These two random things just happened to slip out because right now, I'm currently brushing my teeth and staring at a box of orange juice on the table near the tents, where everyone is gathered.

Now, coming back to repercussions, I would have happily called yesterday's event a repercussion. I should be calling it a repercussion.

But I can't and I'm not.

Instead, I find it deeply intriguing and amicable. I never thought that I would classify Caleb's talk as amicable. I didn't know I would like it.

"Morning, blondie." A swish and those two horrible words compel me to roll my eyes and turn my head toward the one and only.

"Don't call me that," I say as I turn a little and spit my mouth contents.

"Someone's acting like cranky pants." He mutters while brushing, still not abandoning his stupid smirk.

"May the toothbrush break your teeth and get stuck down your throat."

"Your mantras won't work on me. Why are you so angry at me...friend?" He throws a quick grin at me and spits his paste.

"I'm not cranky or angry. I'm just sleepy." I blink and resist the urge to sleep on the tree next to me. I couldn't catch a wink of sleep yesterday night because of the conversation I had with Caleb.

Physical conversation.

Eww. Eww. Eww. I need to pretend I didn't just say that.

"Potato, pohtato. I thought you were the kind who could pull an all-nighter off."

"I very well can. Someone was running after me pretty fast. Not my fault I was super tired and unlucky to not get to sleep." I groan and wash my brush with the small tap that was attached there.

Caleb laughs, his hearty laughter surrounding the quiet area we are in, and washes his brush as well. "You play soccer for god's sake. Why are you so unfit?" He says before gulping down his water from a Nike water bottle I didn't notice he brought with him. I almost drool at his flexing biceps which move as he finishes up the entire bottle.

I shake my head and play around with my brush, "There are a lot of things I suck at, Anderson. Sports and school stuff being number one."

"You're still a pretty good player from what I've seen." He crosses his arms on his chest, making his muscles to pop out more.

Have mercy on me, God.

"What have you seen?" I roll my eyes and start walking slowly.

"A lot."

I sigh catching his meaning behind that. I really do hope I didn't make a mistake by opening up to him even a little.

Shit.

Holy mother of Nutella.

What have I done?

The term 'opening up' was absolutely foreign for me. I've never shared anything to do with my parents with anyone. Well, Maddie knows what happened so there is no use telling her but still.... Caleb saw the emotional side of me. My raw side. A part of me that I never revealed to anyone for the fear of being subject to judgment and more pain. I guess I never really trusted anyone enough to tell them my truth.

Does this mean... I trust Caleb?

All these questions will make my brain go splat.

"Blondie!" I flinch slightly at Caleb's nudge and shout, smiling slightly at him to show him I'm listening.

"I asked you the reason you don't like school stuff."

"If you didn't know, Caleb, my grades are critically low. I don't like...studying." I grimace at the thought of a Math book in front of me, the floating algebraic questions stabbing my brain with their imaginary knives.

"Huh, surprising. Again. What's your favorite subject?"

"English." I shot back quickly. That is the only subject I usually pass in and one that gave me hopes of passing. But sadly, one subject is not enough to pull your grade up.

"Yours?" I ask.

"Math. Easy." I stop in my tracks at his appalling answer. I blink at him, still astonished at his answer. Math? Is his favorite subject?

Does he even belong to this world?

His deep laughter brings me out of my mind and I widen my eyes, knowing I spoke out loud.

"I do belong here, blondie. It's completely normal. Math is intriguing. Very complicated but fun to answer. It's like looking for something when it's right there, but you still got to go around hurdles to find it."

I stare at him, gobsmacked, until his hands lightly shake me. I snap out of the thought of his warmth I feel for a few seconds – the same warmth I felt yesterday night on my shoulders. Ugh.

"You okay, blondie?"

"Yeah... I just realized I can sleep with my eyes open." I laugh and take a few steps ahead of him. I never really took him to be a guy who plays soccer and is equally adept at a subject like Math. All subjects actually.

I envy him a little now.

"Oh, you think I'm boring now?" Caleb asks from where he is standing while I walk backward and look at him.

"So boring. Like your Math." I roll my eyes and pretend to puke at the name of it.

"You surprise me, blondie." He shouts as he shakes his head, no doubt chuckling. I turn around and smile as I near the tables where Maddie and the rest of the guys are chatting. It's nice to see Maddie getting along just fine with the rest of these idiots. When they first invited us to their table to eat that day in school, I know I was somewhat wary of the attention we would get from all the female population but I was also skeptical about Maddie not being comfortable with the boys. After all, we are the only girls who hang out with the star players of the soccer team.

I go back to my tent and reluctantly change into a Nike crop top and black leggings paired with my white converse which, I admit, have turned a tad brown.

Well, who cares?

I personally never cared about my clothing sense – even if I had Maddie dancing on my head 24/7 – or even what people thought of my oversized tomboy clothes. I really didn't give a shit. Comfort is like my number one priority. On the other hand, Maddie is hell-bent on making me act like a girl and that included dressing me up as her personal Barbie doll.

There is no use hiding the fact that over the past few years, whatever items of clothing she's gifted me have all been tucked away safely at the very back of my closet. Not that I don't like them – they are okay – but I couldn't just wear them since they are not my type.

It's just called preservation of sentiment.

They all settle into a circle around the two tables we have as I get out of the tent. The very first thing that itches my eyes is Veronica glued to Caleb and I almost pluck my eyes out for even thinking about both of them. I do have a problem with Veronica, okay, but Caleb...

I don't know why I'm suddenly inclined towards Caleb – maybe because of last night – but one thing I do know is that I got to stop harboring those silly little feelings. I may have extended my hand for friendship willingly but I'll make sure it stays there and it is super simple. No much talking, just the hi's and hellos would be enough every day. I can't be raw again in front of him. Being a very new friend, he's already seen and heard too much of me. A little distance will be just what's required.

I sit beside Maddie and she immediately breaks into a conversation about Shawn flirting with her nonstop and her not wanting him to get into her pants. I roll my eyes at Shawn's lame pickup lines and wonder why we are sitting in a circle like a bunch of kids about to play some kid games.

"I'm sure most of you know how to play Never have I ever, right? For those new to this, pity, but it anyway involves one person saying something they have or have never done but they have to start the sentence with Never have I ever. And then whoever will have done that particular thing will take a drink from his or her cup. Fill on those beers, bitches!" One of the guys from the team roars like a high chimpanzee and people get on with filling their cups to the rim.

Guess this camp is all about revealing secrets, huh?

"I'll start! Never have I ever had sex in the kitchen." One of the girls, Valerie maybe, states while winking and takes a sip from her red cup. I grimace and stare around, my eyes widening when they land on Aaron, who was drinking stealthily.

I feel like I just puked in my mouth.

The game continues for a while with most people making sexual references and I'm actually glad for not having to drink since I dislike beer. I play around with my cup, amused at the number of secrets being revealed today.

"Never have I ever attended a funeral."

My wrist stops rotating the cup, jaw tight, body stiff, I slowly look up at two scowling eyes and a smirk settled on the bitch face of a serpent people mistake to be a human girl.

We are hereby gathered to hold in our memories, William Jones, a great father...

NO. NO. NO.

A bright beeping red light flashes throughout my mind as I block my mind from replaying that torturous day's events. I blink in an attempt to push away the tear-striking memories. My breath gets stuck in my throat as Veronica continues staring at me, challenging me to take that sip and allow the tears to overcome me once again.

I should've known she would do this again. I made a mistake coming here. My eyes quickly pick up Jason's fast gaze toward me and I nod in assurance.

She can't do anything to you.

The deep voice rings in my head once again and the same grey eyes float in my mind, encouraging me. He saw a glimpse of the real me and even if it was just for a while, he managed to tell me maybe what I just needed to hear.

I clench my fists and take a sip, as Jason and Aaron do. Veronica's smirk falters a little but she doesn't show it and she winks at me.

"Never have I ever had any job done on my body." I say loudly and inner me is astonished but I quickly rejoice when I see Veronica freeze and glare at me.

Caleb's lips quirk upwards and I smirk at the situation I seem to have Veronica stuck in.

"Come on, V. Your boob job last summer-

"Shut up! You'll forever be a dumb bitch!" Veronica grits her teeth and glares at her friend who almost gave away her secret. I stifle in my laughter and Maddie secretly gives me a high five from behind our backs. Veronica murmurs something in Caleb's ears and she stands up with her minions following her. His head turns to me and something flashes across his eyes but he quickly covers it with a smirk etched on his mouth.

I may be vulnerable to lots of undeniable emotions but I can proudly stand up to Veronica's endless bullshit.