Enjoy!
“Go to sleep, you guys,” Velvet called, titling back the green curtain, giving the four campers a reason to scream and scamper. “We’ll be playing an early game of Capture The Flag tomorrow.” Velvet went back into her room where Yori was already laying in her bed, flipping through a People magazine.
“What are you reading?” Velvet asked nonchalantly, pulling back her hair into a loose bun. Yori flipped to the next page in her magazine, scanning through the pictures and captions. Her manicured nails strummed lightly against the covers of the mag. The crinkling of the flimsy paper and the muttering of the little troopers in the next room edged at Velvet’s mind. The mix of negative emotions was getting to her. She was feeling ire with a twinge of guilt from trespassing Yori twice in one day.
“I put your mail back where I found it,” Velvet tried again, grabbing her book from the floor beside her bed. Yori closed her magazine, reached for her bag under her bed, and selected a nail file, proceeding to file her nails.
“Okay, I get it. You’re mad. I still don’t think you should be doing what you are,” Velvet commented, fluffing her pillows.
“Velvet! Can we go to the rec room for pudding?” Sapphire cried out from the other room, her little feet appearing underneath the green curtain. A small hand poked through the slit in the curtain and soon a short-haired head stuck out into the counselor room.
“Sapphire, we can’t. It’s time for bed, actually it has been time for bed for the past thirty minutes. Bed, now,” Velvet commanded, growing a little tired of the tedious routine of trying to get the campers to sleep.
“Please, Velvet? Can we go for tapioca, then? Please! Everyone wants to go,” Sapphire persisted. Velvet wanted to talk to Yori alone even though chocolate pudding sounded pretty tasty.
“I’m going to sleep,” Velvet said simply, demonstrating by tucking herself into bed. Sapphire sighed in disappointment and turned to leave.
“Why ask Velvet?” Yori piped up, throwing her blankets off her legs and standing up. “I’m up for it.” Sapphire’s face lit up.
“Yes! You guys, Yori is going to take us!” Sapphire hollered to the other girls, running into the front room. Yori hurried to her makeup case, rapidly coating her brushes with natural colors and then doing up her face with them.
“We’re just gonna get dressed,” Mallory called into the counselor room.
“Don’t bother. Just put on some slippers,” Yori called back, setting down her brushes so she could drape her silk lavender robe over her shoulders.
“Yori. They need to go to—“
“Yori, you’re the best! Do you think the air hockey table will be plugged in?” Tegan said, pinning back the green curtain.
“I don’t know about you, but I know how to plug in a cord,” Yori responded as she combed through her hair and gave it a messy toss. Tegan grinned. Velvet could feel the surge of jealousy creeping up her throat.
“Yori, did you tell Brody I was sick yesterday?” Velvet demanded Yori, grasping at something to keep herself from plain exploding.
“Of course not, Velvet,” Yori taunted super-sweetly. “I told him that today.” Velvet swallowed, hoping her jealousy would go down too. After spritzing some perfume on her, Yori popped a breath mint in her mouth and looked through the green curtain.
“Ready to go, guys?” Yori called. “Oh, Velvet? Can I ask you something?” Yori asked before she left.
“What, Yori? What could you possibly want from me? After you’ve taken Brody from me, you’ve taken my campers from me, you’ve made lies up about me, and you’ve ignored me, taunted me, and insulted me…all because you need to keep a guy for yourself, you want to tell me ask me something! Oh, pray tell, what you must ask me.”
Yori’s lips curled up into a tormented little simper, her head falling limply to one side. She slowly closed her eyes in a blink and when they opened, Yori shook her head, her black hair tossing from side to side.
“Brody’s in 4B, right? I think I’ll get him and his little campers to come too,” she said. Velvet’s heart burned. How was it, that all the suck in the world could be bottled up and shoved into one person? The one person being the one Velvet had to spend the two weeks that were supposed to be the best days of her life with?!
“Can I ask you something Yori?” Velvet said, surprised by how calm her tone was.
“Go for it,” Yori replied, taking a deep breath, her smile still goading.
“How do you live with yourself, being so…mean and…difficult?” Velvet spat out, staring at Yori’s feet, fearing she would slap Yori if she looked her in the eyes.
“Live with myself?” Yori asked, in a completely serious and sober voice. “It’s harder than you would think.” Velvet snapped her head up to meet Yori’s eye level, expecting to see a disgustingly smug, obnoxiously righteous, and utterly sarcastic expression. Velvet did a retake when she saw how solemn Yori appeared, her wavering eyes darting within Velvet’s.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Velvet heard herself say. Her body suddenly felt very achy as if all the fighting and tension between her and Yori had lifted off of Velvet’s body, leaving a painfully sore repercussion. Was it over? Was all the fighting done? Could Velvet finally relax after all the guilt and jealousy and betrayal and immoral undertaking she had to go through? Was Yori coming around to be—
“So, it is 4B? Oh, never mind. I’ll find him, you get some rest, I can see the bags under your eyes forming already. C’mon girls! Who’s the best counselor?” Yori interjected, whirling around and flouncing off in her nightgown, robe, and slippers, looking more like a Grecian goddess than someone who just hopped out of bed.
Velvet flopped down on her bed, cursing herself for thinking anything had been resolved, especially as the cheers and praise for Yori echoed through the cabin.
Thanks for reading! And thank you for coming halfway with me! :)
And remember guys: "Most of the material a writer works with, is aquired before the age of fifteen." -Willa Cather
ABC 123,
Maddie
ABC 123,
Maddie
Hey, I like that Willa Cather quote. Oh my gosh, you're halfway. I stand in awe of your talent and tenacity.
ReplyDelete