STEPS AND HOOPS

Ep 3- ice princess

The morning of Fourth of July came with a frenzy that Isla had not expected, and also detested.

Most athletes had left camp to spend the holiday with their families, the previous evening.

“We usually don’t start camp until after the holiday, but we have a lot to cover this year, so camp is for eight weeks instead of six. The two weeks we have spent so far is unofficial, that is why they’re allowing us to go home if we choose to, or leave camp to spend the holiday.” Aubrey had so kindly explained to her when she’d asked, after seeing some athletes leaving camp with bags packed.

After lunch yesterday, she had not seen Jamal again.

Not even during practice, she’d looked forward to seeing him at.

He was so involved in the plans for the holiday during lunch, that she thought he would be around. It never occurred to her that he might have a family he would love to go back to for the holiday, after all, this would be the last opportunity for them to leave the school gates.

Isla laid on her bed with her eyes shut tight, trying to ignore the flurry of activities around her.

Apparently, there will be camping down at the beach and fireworks and everything associated with this holiday that she had never experienced in her life.

She scoffed, to think her mother is even American yet she knew nothing about this.

Had her mother ever been really happy with her life over there? Isla thought.

“Rise and shine ice princess.” Isla heard a voice singsong to her and pretended to be dead asleep, as she recognised the cheerful voice.

“Now come on, I heard you scoff about a minute ago. Don’t you dare pretend that you’re asleep now.”

Isla sighed and cracked an eye open.

“That is the whole point, it’s weekend and a holiday for you guys too. Meaning more sleep time for me.” She replied and proceeded to pull her duvet over her head.

Aubrey pulled it down and tutted.

“Nuh uh..” the redhead said, shaking her head for emphasis.

“I told my mom we were going camping for the weekend, so as to pull us out of her weird family get together thing she always does on the fourth. But if you want to be like this, I’m just going to call her now and let her know that we’re cancelling camping and she should come pick us up.”

Isla made no move to open her eyes, so Aubrey pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialled her mother’s number, putting it on speakerphone.

“Hello darling.”

Isla opened her eyes immediately, hearing the older woman’s voice over the phone, then looking at Aubrey to meet her sly grin.

“Hello mom, I was wondering…” Aubrey drawled and Isla pleaded with her eyes, shaking her head negatively, vigorously.

“I was wondering if you were doing fine all on your own. You know, with lots to do today.” Aubrey digressed and Isla heaved a sigh of relief, dragging her fingers through her hair, she felt an urge to flip the redhead off.

Aubrey finished with her call and Isla gave her the stink eye.

“You are a witch.” She said with a tone of finality and Aubrey shrugged.

“I’m a witch, you’re the ice princess.”

“What’s so important early this morning?” Isla asked with slight irritation in her voice.

“b***h, it’s past eleven am, the boys are done setting up tents at the beach, we’re heading down there to claim the best tents early, before hitting town.”

Only then did Isla really look at Aubrey, and noticed that she was dressed up.

Aubrey was wearing a short black jeans skirt, and a ripped grey long sleeved cotton crop top, with an American flag right across her chest area, thankfully that part was not ripped.

Her eyes were smoky dark, with mascara on her lashes, and just a shiny lip gloss. Her auburn hair was pulled into a tight ponytail.

Isla raised an eyebrow at her choice of clothing and Aubrey smirked.

“You have five minutes to pack an overnight bag, another five to shower and ten to get dressed and get your makeup done. Or else I’m calling my mom back this instant.”

Isla was down from her bed before Aubrey could finish the last part of her sentence, grabbing her overnight bag from her wardrobe in the dorm, and throwing anything she thought she would need down at the beach.

By the time Isla was done getting ready, Aubrey let out a low whistle.

She shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

“Well, shall we?” She asked in a shy voice and Aubrey shook her head.

“No, I have to admire you first.”

Isla rolled her eyes.

All she’d done was wear a pair of ripped faded blue jeans short shorts and a red cropped bustier top, then she completed the look with a white long sleeved shirt, paired with her favourite butterfly necklace and matching earrings. She finished with a pair of white airforce shoes.

Her curly platinum hair was done in a half ponytail, with curls framing her face just as she liked.

Aubrey offered to do her makeup, after she had sheepishly said she doesn’t know how to.

The redhead dabbed a little shimmer on her eyelids and gave her a winged liner, some mascara on her—unbelievably long eyelashes—, according to Aubrey. Lip liner, and some nude lip gloss.

Aubrey had ended up gifting her the gloss after gushing about how cute it looked on her lips than how it does on hers.

Isla flipped her septum piercing out and Aubrey gasped.

“A bellybutton piercing and a septum piercing? Quite the rebel huh?”

Isla felt less nervous now and laughed, “shall we?”

“Hell yes! Just look at the body you’ve been hiding under all those baggy clothes and jerseys.”

Isla laughed heartily this time. Sure, she knew she was quite curvy with a nice ass and boobs for a slim tall athletic girl, but she wasn’t vain and knew there were other girls more prettier and hotter than her. She shouldered her overnight bag, unplugged her phone and threw her charger into the purse that was slung over her other shoulder.

By the time they made it to the beach, the sun was lazily peeking out, it was just about one pm in the afternoon.

Aubrey picked out a nice tent for them and they dropped their bags in there. The redhead had wanted to hit town immediately, but Isla opted to stay behind and help the boys in setting up the grill since cooking was her thing, while the boys dug out the pit for the bonfire instead.

Freckled cheeks stretched into a smile of approval.

“It’s so nice seeing you warming up to the spirit of the holiday!” Aubrey exclaimed and kissed her cheeks, told her to stay safe and not mess up her outfit or makeup before leaving with some girls from the team.

Isla sighed, then took off her shoes, kept them in their tent and jogged towards the boys to set up the grill.

The sun had just begun setting when the athletes that had gone into town began coming back, each with something for the beach party tonight.

Isla had the grill fire going, she had marinated the dozens of chicken pieces with ingredients she had sent a guy,-that she later learnt was on the soccer team-, to buy, and was about to start grilling them, when a red cup materialised in front of her.

She looked up to see Aubrey grinning at her with mischievous eyes, Isla took the cup from her and downed the contents, she frowned.

“This is watered down.”

Aubrey’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“I’ll bring a bottle for our chef then.” Aubrey laughed and Isla smiled in appreciation.

If she was to socialise tonight, she damn straight needed alcohol to do so.

She got the pieces of chicken on the grill, and began cooking.

An hour later, music was booming and it was dark. The bonfire was already lit, Isla was done grilling and had gone through about a third of the bottle Aubrey had brought her.

“Need help?” She heard a familiar voice and a shiver went down her spine.