LAST YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL

Chapter 8

JAVIER

We were stuck in an abandoned cabin with little hope of anyone finding us. Even if they realized we were missing, which they would because the two coordinators of Lily cabin are missing, they might not find us. It was a miracle we actually found the cabin but we couldn't leave. Marina's ankle was sprained from the nasty fall and she could barely limp. I found some bandages in one of the cabinets, I didn't pay attention during the first aid lessons on our first day here. My mind was preoccupied with thoughts of my family and the horrible dinner and the basketball program that was basically my future.

Marina didn't know what to do, so I tied the bandages round her ankle, and formed a knot. I didn't know the name of the knot, cause I was also absent minded during the rope lessons but I could knot any rope to suit the situation it was called for. 

"Thanks Javier" Marina said when I was done. She sneezed due to the dusty cabin, but I thought her sneeze was kinda...kinda cute. Something was definitely wrong with me. "Let's play a game" She blurted out.

"A game" I c****d an eyebrow at that suggestion. "We're currently stranded and might never be found again and all you can think about is playing a game. How childish of you."

"You don't have to yell, I was just saying cause we might be stuck here for a little while, so we can take our minds off it for a little while" she huffed and crossed her arms but winced at the action. She bruised her elbow slightly and it was creating a lot of discomfort to her.    But my anger was more than compassion at the moment.     "Well its your fault we're stuck here in the first place" I yelled. "Well you shouldn't have dropped your compass" she yelled back at me with equal fervor.

"Its still your fault, we're here because of your foolishness".         "Well, I'd rather be stuck with anyone but you"she fired back.         "Well, I doubt anyone would want to be stuck anywhere with you, coming from a dysfunctional family must have also messed with your head.".       As soon as those words left my mouth, I regretted it. The resounding echo and stinging on my cheek was the only evidence I had that she slapped me. She had left the cabin. Nobody had ever raised their hand on me but she did. But it was my fault, I had provoked her. I had to find her and apologize, she couldn't have gone very far limping on one leg. 

I spotted her a few meters away from the cabin, kneeling in front of a fire, throwing in dried leaves and dead twigs lying on the ground. The smoke from the fire ascended into the skies. It was a distress signal. Why didn't I think of that?  Where did that fire come from? When she noticed I was behind her, she got up and brushed me aside rudely. I deserved that. I followed her inside.

"Why did you do that?" I asked. I mentally whacked myself, I should I have just apologized. 

"I made a distress signal, to get away. Cause nobody is supposed to be stuck with a psycho from a dysfunctional family" she stated with venom in her voice. I could see her clenching her fists. 

"Marina, I didn't mean it that way".          "Then how did you mean it? Did you mean to say I'm a foolish brat you despise so much, you can't even be close to me.".          "No Marina" I replied, this was getting out of hand. She was really furious. "Did you mean-"

"I'm sorry" I yelled. She kept quiet and stared at me. "I'm sorry okay, I shouldn't have said that. You told me something and I used it against you. I'm sorry." She kept looking at me. "Say something please."

"I never thought I would hear you apologize or say please" I looked at her. "Even when we were kids, you would always lay the blame on others or disregard your mistakes but never apologize.".              I didn't expect her to say that. She sat down on the floor and I followed. "Remember the time we were biking with the other kids and stopped by the candy store. My bike had some issues so I was way behind you guys. You guys decided to get some candy, on your way out, you knocked down a jar of candy. But you blamed it on Joey, Joey got upset and began crying. The shopkeeper had to give him some candy before he could stop."

"I don't remember that" I said after a while. "Of course you wouldn't" she said but there was no malice in her voice anymore. "Its okay but I felt that was very mean. Why don't you ever apologize?".             "I don't know, I haven't ever really noticed it."  A comfortable silence ensued between the two of us.

"My family is also having some issues. My mum died of cancer and my dad is about to remarry. I'm about to have a stepmother and stepsister and all my father cares about is having respect for Lucy. He doesn't care about how I feel about mom's death or his remarriage or his new family. He just cares about Lucy." I felt Marina squeeze my hands. "Have you really talked to anyone about this?".      "No one knows about this. I feel I have an image to uphold and if people find out about this, they are just going to pity me. I don't need anyone's pity."

"But you need to talk to someone. I know what it means to lose someone dear to you. It does horrible things to you and I don't wish that for anybody at all" she remarked.                        "I shouldn't have said those things. You have been through a lot. When I think about it, its my family that dysfunctional" I stated.       "We're two messed up people from messed up homes" she said. "Yeah but we'll survive". Another round of silence followed.

"How 'bout we play that game and keep our minds off our situation."I suggested and she agreed. "What game are we playing?"              "21 questions. I'll go first. What's your favorite colour?"

"Blue" I replied. "Blue? I thought you were a black kind of person. Why blue?".          "Isn't it my turn to ask a question? I asked and she ducked her head. "What's your favorite snack?"

"Chips and dip and anything chocolate." She replied after awhile. "You have a sweet tooth" I remarked to which she smiled. "My turn, now tell me why is blue your favorite color instead of black?".                "I don't know I just like blue especially the bright shade of blue" I replied staring into her eyes.

"If you had to go on an all expense paid trip to any country of your choice, which country would it be?" I asked. She seemed to think about it for a while. "It would be a close call between France and Greece. Now tell me, what's your favorite past time?".        "Isn't it obvious, basketball"

"No, I'm talking about your hobby not your favorite sport" she explained further. "I think that would be working out in the gym"I replied and she shook her head. "Seriously you live a boring life" she stated. "Says the nerd who spends her free period in the library" I teased and she giggled. I think that was the sweetest sound I'd ever heard.

We kept on playing for awhile until we were tired and succumbed to the call of sleep. The rustle of leaves woke me up from my brief slumber. It was already getting dark. Marina's head was pressed against my shoulder and I think I lost all feeling in that part of my body. I tried to shift her body without waking her but that attempt was in vain. "What's going on?"

"I think someone's coming" I said and I stood. "I think they might be in here" a familiar voice said. The door opened and I squinted my eyes due to the intensity of the flash light. "I found them", it was Nick.                "Glad to see you guys are okay".   "Glad to see you too" Marina replied. I'm glad that someone found us but I really wished that someone was anyone but Nick.

'Well at least it wasn't Bianca'   my subconscious remarked. True!

"I hope you are not the only one who came to rescue us" I said. "Marina's injured and won't be able to walk back to camp.".      "Of course I'm not alone. But I'll info-"       "What happened to Marina?"Julya asked as she came into the cabin.         "I just sprained my ankle when I fell" Marina explained. She tried to stand and I helped her up. 

"I'm gonna go get help" Julya said and left. I was glad that finally we were gonna get out of here.     "Good thinking with the fire, it helped us find you guys quicker" Nick said as we left the Cabin. "How did you make the fire so quickly?" I asked.              "You weren't so quick to cone after me so I was able to gather some dead leaves and dried twigs."

"Let me guess you struck two stones together to make the fire" Nick joked and we laughed. "I happen to carry a lighter with me everywhere I go. That's how I made the fire" Marina explained. That explained the sudden appearance of the fire.

While the others helped Marina, I provided a full report to Mr Barnaby on how we got lost and everything from there. He was not happy that we got separated from the rest of the team but he was glad we were okay. It turns out that the abandoned cabin used to be an outpost but got infested with squirrels. It was soon forgotten. I was glad we didn't run into any snakes or any other vermin for that matter.

Turns out Nick wasn't such a bad guy after all. He filled me in on all the latest info when I was away and even made a few decent jokes. I didn't like the guy but he was good company. No wonder Marina liked hanging out with him.

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