Chapter Nineteen

       “Ahhhhhh!” The shrill sound of Kara’s unmistakable shriek met my ears.

       “What?” I yawned.

       “There’s an… ant!” she cried.

       “You have got to be kidding me. We’re in the middle of Africa, around all this incredible nature, and you’re complaining about an ant? One ant? Have you seen how many other bugs there are here?” That’s right, I said it, we were in Africa.

       As much as I may have hated my school sometimes, the community service work they did was incredible. And it wasn’t really even community service- it was more like global service. We were here, in Africa, to go travel around a few of the countries, and help out the local tribes, and villages or something. It was really an amazing opportunity. The fact that we got to go to Africa, and help poverty-stricken people was truly incredible.

       Now, to be honest, I had no idea where the heck in Africa we were. I knew I was being ignorant, but geography wasn’t really my thing, and all I knew was that we were in the middle of Africa. Currently, we were on a bus, going to a village to help build huts or something. How cool was that? Well, I thought it was. All the girls were freaking out, and wouldn’t shut up. Even the teachers were pissed about being here.

       “It’s so gross, though!” she protested.

       “No, it isn’t!” I retorted, rolling my eyes slightly.

       “Ben, tell Elle it is!”

       “I’m sorry, baby, but right now, Elle’s right; it’s not a big deal. Besides, if it comes near you, I’ll protect you,” he said.

       “Nick, tell Kara it isn’t,” I commanded.

       “But it is,” Nick said stubbornly.

       “You two are so freaking ridiculous!” I shook my head in pure amazement.

       “But that’s what you love about us!” Nick smirked.

       “And who said I love you guys?” I asked. I had been thinking a lot about Nick lately. I didn’t know what I felt towards him; all I knew was that I liked him… a lot.

       “Well, Elle, let’s be real here, how can you not love us?” Kara said confidently, dropping the attitude almost instantly. “Ah! It’s coming closer! Kill it!” as if on cue, Ben went over to her in aid, hugged her tight, and then stomped on the puny insect.

       “Murderer!” I accused.

       “He stepped on an ant. Chill,” John said, who had been sitting next to and talking to Cameron the entire ride. Last night, when we arrived here, I introduced them, hoping that their personalities would somehow mesh together. Sure enough, I was right. They were now talking to each other as if they had known each other forever.

       “You chill! She’s just joking,” Nick defended, putting his hand on my shoulder.

       “Stop,” I said as Nick groaned.

       After what felt like days (It was only, like, four hours), we finally reached the village. You could pretty much see the entire thing from the bus. A pang of sadness hit me, knowing how fortunate I really was. I didn’t live in a one-room hut, in the middle of the heat, in Africa; I lived in America, attended an expensive private school, and had more than I needed. It put everything in perspective for me; to see how lucky I truly was.

       “You okay, babe?” Nick asked, pulling me into a hug.

       “No,” I shook my head, “it’s not fair.”

       “What’s not?”

       “That we get to live perfect lives and these poor people have to live like this,” I gestured to the view before us.

       “Sh… it’ll be okay. That’s why we’re here, to help these people,” he said, rubbing the back of my hand to try and calm me, a trick I had noticed he used whenever I was stressed.

       “Okay? What do you mean by okay? These people are starving, or suffering from malaria, how is it okay?” I raged.

       “Elle, just take a deep breath; in and out,” he ordered as I did so unwillingly.

       “I’m sorry, Nick, it’s just so sad to see this!”

       “I know, babe, I know,” he gave me a reassuring squeeze.

       Eventually, we got off the bus, taking our belongings, and made a huge clump on the ground around the tour guide, as we watched the bus drive off in the distance. 

       “You will each be staying in a tent. I believe your teachers have the lists, so they will read off your names, and with whom you will be settling in with,” the tour guide said.

       A few teachers began shuffling through their backpacks, until one finally fished out a piece of paper. They read down the list, and I wasn’t surprised when a few boys were with girls. At our school, they knew everything that went on. I mean everything. They knew who was dating whom, who hated each other, who was friends with one another, and all that crap. Don’t ask me how they know, but they did. They practically stalked us. So, I wasn’t too surprised when Kara, Phillip, and Ben were put together.

       Then I heard it, “And Elle, Nick, John, and Cameron will also be together.” Were. They. Fucking. Serious?! Nick, fine. John, fine. Cameron, NOT FINE. They were clearly just trying to kill me. Then, when I thought it couldn’t get any worse they had to rub it in and add, “The four of you will be sharing a tent.”

       “Ms. Paterson, I hope you don’t mind, but considering you’re really the only one I knew here, I requested to be put with you,” Cam smirked.

       “Actually, I do mind,” I glared at him hatefully.

       “Well, that’s a shame, but I do suggest we set the tent up, it’s starting to get darker, and I have a hunch you don’t want to sleep on the ground.”

       “Fine. NICK! JOHN!” I yelled.

       “What?” John asked.

       “We need to put the tent up or something, so yeah. Let’s do this,” I said.

       Nick came over, and we put together the tent. It wasn’t that hard, but working so close to Cameron was. I wanted to rip his head off.

       “I’m tired, Elle’s sleeping on the side, next to me, let’s go,” Nick said climbing into the small structure we had somehow managed to put together. I wasn’t complaining. Lying next to Nick all night sounded fun.

       “Okay,” I said, following him. He took something out of his backpack and lay down, patting on the area next to him. I got into a prone position beside him, and the next thing I knew something was on top of me. It was light, and I barely felt it, but I still knew it was there. I touched it, and concluded that it was a blanket. Nick was so sweet. I hugged his side under the blanket, almost happy... until of course John and Cam crept in. Eventually, my eyes drooped down, and I fell asleep.

I woke up and there was sun shining in my eyes. Looking around my surroundings, I quickly gained consciousness of the fact that I was in a tent with my boyfriend, my friend, and my least favorite person, next to Rosie, on the planet. Great. As I sat up in the tent I felt something shift- Nick. No one was up, so I quickly got changed. Then I leaned down next to me, and kissed Nick on the lips. I think he was still sleeping, because his eyes were closed. But after about a minute, his tongue slid into my mouth and I saw his eyes shoot open.

       “Morning, babe,” he greeted.

       “Nick,” I returned, a yawn escaping my lips.

       “You really do look cute in the morning,” he smirked sweetly.

       “Thanks.”

       “And I know I look good in the morning too, so it’s okay, you don’t need to compliment me.”

       “Don’t worry, I wasn’t planning on it,” I laughed.

       “Can you guys shut the hell up? Please?” John groggily asked.

       “Whatever,” I said, pushing his face away.

       “Good morning, Ms. Paterson,” Cameron said, smiling. I didn’t respond; instead I got out of the tent and saw a few teachers who looked pissed, still trying to figure out if there was any chance of having even a bar of reception on their beloved cell phones.

       “Elle, Phillip Anderson is your friend, correct?” a teacher asked.

       “Yeah,” I said.

       “Okay. So, we’re putting you, Nick, Kara, John, Phillip, Ben, Rosie, Gina, and Cameron in a group this morning. You’ll be helping with a building project,” they continued, as my head almost exploded at the mention of the last three names.

       “Cool,” I said, looking around at our makeshift campground. A fire was in the center, which I could tell from the smoking embers had just burnt out, and other tents were scattered about.

       “Hey!” Phillip said, poking my back.

       “Hey yourself,” I said, poking him right back.

       “Sleep well?” he inquired.

       “Not really.”

       “So, are you going to be cranky all day?”

       “Nah.”

       “You better not be,” he joked.

       “Phillip, w-why were you making out with Gina in the elevator?” I asked suddenly, unsure if it was the right time to bring up the interrogation.

       “Do you remember in 8th grade when Gina and I were going out or whatever?” he sighed.

       “Yes,” I nodded slowly.

       “She said we should get back together.”

       “You didn’t think to oppose the idea?”

       “She’s Gina. She get’s what she wants. I couldn’t say no.”

       “Phillip, you’re too nice.”

       “I know,” he agreed.

       “So, how long before you break up?”

       “I’m guessing around a month.”

       “Really? I’m thinking two.”

       “No, I would never be able to survive that long,” he shook his head violently.

       “You mean suffer?”

       “Yeah.”

       “Elle!” Kara screeched, running out of her tent with Ben not far behind.

       “Morning to you too,” I said.

       “There was a bug in our tent! Phillip, good call on leaving!”

       “That’s not why I left,” Phillip said.

       “Okay, I’m going to remind you one more time: We’re in the middle of Africa. There are tons of bugs here. Get over it, babe,” I said, studying her outfit. Only Kara would feel the need to wear an ice blue, valor, short-sleeved tracksuit in the middle of the Africa. 

       “Anderson!” Nick said, brushing past me, and fist bumping Phillip.

       “Ross. And Kent... and the new guy,” Phillip said. I slowly turned around to see John and Cam standing a few feet away from me.

       “I’m Cameron,” Cam said, shaking his hand.

       “Phillip,” he said back.

       “Great. All of you are already here, now we can go,” Dr. G. said, coming next to Kara.

       “You’re our ‘adult supervisor’?” I asked.

       “Yeah. By the way, Kara aren’t you going to get that thing dirty?” he asked.

       “I better not. And if I do, I’ll expect the school to get me a new one.” She shot him a look that read, ‘if I get even a speck of dirt on this, you will die.’

       “Of course,” he said sarcastically.

       “Where are we going?” Phillip asked.

       “To help some local people build a hut,” he said. “It’s pretty much going to take all day, so let’s go now.”

       “Wait for us!” Gina yelled, running up to us in a blur of pink.

       “Fine, girls, let’s go!” Dr. G. said, raking his hair with a nervous hand.

       We followed him into the village, and there was a sense of heartache that came to me, as I saw with my own eyes all the poverty around me. We approached an open area, and there were already some people building what looked to be the exoskeleton of a structure of branches.

       “Hello, we’re from the school, and we’ll be helping you today,” Dr. G. said.

       “Hello! Thank you so much for coming. Shall we get started?” a man asked in dirty jeans a loose T-shirt greeted.

       “Absolutely. Put us to work!” Dr. G. said energetically.

       “Ugh! I don’t like that word!” Rosie complained.

       “Rosie,” John started. “Please, shut up.”

       “Whatever.” she mumbled.

       For three straight hours we (well, not Rosie or Gina) worked as hard as ever to put together a small hut. We had to add mud to the walls, after the branches were in place, and then let it dry. Once all the mud, which was more like clay, now that I think about it, was put where needed, I let out a scream.

       “What?” Nick asked.

       “My hands are really dirty.” I said.

       “Don’t worry! I’ve got it!” Kara said, excitedly digging through her never-ending bag that she had for some reason brought along.

       “What?” I asked.

       “Hand sanitizer! What type do you want? There’s cinnamon, grape, passion fruit, cupcakes, snicker doodle, strawberry shortcake, and peppermint,” she smiled.

       “I really don’t care.”

       “Okay, cupcakes it is!” She threw me one of the small bottles, and I caught it. I squeezed out practically half the bottle, and rubbed it vigorously on my hands. A whiff of vanilla entered to my nostrils, and I put my hands up to my nose to get a better smell. Yum.

       “Is this edible?” I asked.

       “No! Elle, I know it smells awesome, but seriously don’t even think about eating it; I already tried, and let’s just say it doesn’t work out!” she warned.

       “Can I smell?” Nick asked.

       “Sure?” He took my hand and put it up to his mouth, kissing it.

       “I like it,” he said. Then, before I knew what was happening, his lips were attached to mine, and we were kissing. I felt his hand makes its way to my hair, and he started pulling on it, and brushing his fingers through it. Once I had pulled away, I realized what he had just done. Jerk.

       “DR. G!” I yelled.

       “What? Is the sun to bright for you; do you need me to move it? Or, even worse, is your hair starting to frizz?” he asked.

       “My hair’s starting to frizz!” Rosie whined as if on cue.

       “Mine too!” Gina chimed in.

       “Mine’s not. Nick took my hair tie!” I cried. I needed to have a hair tie in my hair at all times. If I didn’t, I couldn’t focus. I coudln’t stand it down, and required it to be up.

       “Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Nick your boyfriend?” he asked.

       “So?”

       “So, why don’t you just ask him for it back.”

       “Because I don’t want to talk to him right now. He took my hair tie!” I complained.

       “Nick, give it back,” the young teacher instructed.

       “No,” Nick defied. “Elle, I think your hair looks pretty down, so that’s how you’re wearing it.”

        “Psh. No it doesn’t!” Rosie snorted.

       “Shut up, Rosie! And, Nick, I think you’re head would look nice shaved, so that’s how it’ll be when you wake up in the morning!” I said.

       “Elle, Elle, Elle, Elle, Elle. What are we going to do with that attitude of yours?” he shook his head, laughing.

       “Well to start, you could give me back my hair tie,” I suggested hopefully.

       “No.”

       “Nick, give it back.”

       “No.”

       “Nick!”

       “Elle!”

       “Just give me it back!”

       “You didn’t say the magic word.”

       “Nick please give me my hair tie back!”

       “Fine,” he flung it at me, and it landed on my head. I quickly put my hair into a tight ponytail, and then scowled at him. He grinned at me, which caused me to irratatingly smile too. Nick’s smile was  sickeningly infectious. 

       “OMG! WHAT THE HELL!” Rosie shrieked, as she picked up her purse. 

       “What?” Nick asked innocently.

       “Some idiot ruined my Prada bag!” she yelled.

       “Oh no! Sweetie! What happened?” Gina asked, concerned.

       “They put this yucky stuff in it, and now it’s all sticky!”

       “Wait! It’s Prada?” Kara asked.

       “Yes!” Rosie cried.

       “I guess you need to wash it,” I said.

       “Ugh! You can’t just wash these things! Besides we’re in the middle of Africa, how could I wash it?!” she sobbed. Getting this upset over a bag? Really?

       “I can’t stand you! Nick, we’re going for a walk,” I said, grabbing his arm, and walking away abruptly.

       “Nick, what did you do?” I asked nervously.

       “I put mud and Kara’s grape hand sanitizer in her bag,” he replied casually.

       “You rock,” I laughed. I knew it officially didn’t count as “revenge”, but for these purposes, it still tasted pretty sweet.