Rodrick Book 1

Chapter 3 We Need To Talk

Wendy blew a loud whistle that was around her neck and told us it's time to go back to the Cabins. All the campers including me rushed to the changing rooms. If you didn't get a room first, you have to wait for one to open. The changing room after somebody else gets it usually is filled with dirt and sand soak with lake water. You can't put your bag down without getting it wet. Thankfully the Men and Women have there rooms separated, so I thought. I managed to get a room and hurry pull the door shut but all of a sudden someone tried to pull the door on the other side. Sorry it's taken I said, but then I looked at who it was. My mouth dropped. "Rodrick what the hell are you doing" I angrily whispered. Looking around I grabbed him and pulled him in before he could reply "Are you fucking Crazy?!" I kept my voice as quite as possible but still in a angry tone "We need to talk" he's said calmly "You think the woman's CHANGING room is a good place to do this !?" I snapped. "Well I didn't really think through" he said with his dorky I'm stupid laugh. I slapped me hand to my head. I can't take this, not today. Wendy announced that the group needs to meet her now In 3 minutes. "Shoot" I panicky stammered. I Quickly pulled my long T-shirt from my bag and put it over my swimsuit and grabbed my shorts and slid them on too. I directly ordered like a teacher "Don't come out until yo-"  "I know I know" Rodrick interrupted obviously annoyed "Do you, Do you really" I grumbled in a snarky tone. Rodrick looked away rolling his eyes. I left the room hoping nobody noticed anything  and joined the rest of the group. To blend In the small crowd I found Abby. "Hey, do you know what we're doing next?" I asked her. "I don't know but I hope we don't do anything outside" Abby sighed "why?" I asked. Samantha jumped In before Abby could reply "There's supposed to be a really bad storm, Almost like a hurricane soon" "oh" I stammered "How do you even know that? We can't have our phones here" Abby said suspiciously. "I love learning about the weather and storms, I looked at the weather for the next couple of weeks before I left to come here" Samantha said proudly "you remembered the weather for everyday for the next week?" I asked "No not usually, this storm is just abnormally big and have been planned for a while" Samantha responded. I felt a bit of pain of Anxiety in my stomach. This wasn't surprising though, I was never fond of storms. All this talk about weather got me distracted, I quickly glanced to see if Rodrick safely made it out the changing room safety. He was with his friends talking he looked away from his friends and met my eyes and my heart dropped or something. You know when you look at someone you like I guess and make eye contact with them. It's like the whole world stops around you in slow motion and the both of you are in a trance, that's what happened. I got a small jolt in my stomach but it wasn't a bad jolt or feeling. This is so weird, maybe it's just butterflies. Ha, I rarely get that feeling. When I told you my whole body just turned into a preheated oven, believe me. I pulled my eyes away breaking the moment. I turned my focus back to my friends. Samantha and Abby are still arguing about the weather. For some reason the small worry I had of the weather a few moments ago felt so small now. Suddenly I got a click of memory of what Rodrick was saying in the changing rooms. "We needed to talk". Shit.

***

Wendy led us to the cabins or the weird rooms connected to my old middle school. Anyway, I could finally rip of the soaked swimsuit I was in. The girls hurried got changed. I put my favorite crop top and Grey sweats on. We got told to go In the main lounge area. The room was familiar but of course not really but it was filled with games, videos games, couches, and just some cozy fun things I guess. Some of the boys who were already there before the girls. They were playing on the PS4 or just chilling. Abby,Samantha, and the rest of the girls parted ways. I followed Abby and Sam to a long flat but cozy navy couch in the middle of the room. Other guys ,I'm not really familiar with ,were sitting on the carpet and spare chair near us and we all started talking. It was nice actually, laughing with the other campers. I felt a tap on my shoulder and looked up and met eyes with you know who. "Yes" I said calmly and politely like I have no idea who he is. The rest of the group got awkwardly silent. With the Same amount of sass Rodrick said "I need you" In the most bitchy tone I snapped "Everybody does" I heard held back chokes of laughter and small whispered o's. We all know Rodrick has a short temper and how brave I was to piss him off on purpose. "Haha funny" his face fell not hiding his emotions anymore "we need to talk now" he continued. Abby right away urged me to go. "Go it's ok we'll save your spot, have fun, don't stay out to late" I gave her the I hate you but you Know I love you, face while following Rodrick away. After a couple of steps away from them Rodrick grabbed my arm like I was his. He brought me to the corner wall parting to the hallway so nobody could see us. He set me against the wall and did a quick scan of the room to make sure Wendy or any camp counselor could see us. He turned his focus back to me after doing a quick scan of the room. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. "What is this" he said so seriously. His eyes locked on mine. "What do you mean?" I asked "are you just using me, is this just a game" he stepped closer I backed up to the wall "I don't know what you're talking about" He had be completely backup against the wall and but his arm on the wall next to me. Jesus Christ my stomach is acting up. He sharply said "I know you know what I'm talking about Maddie," I interrupted "Look I know I'm being bitchy too you but I thought I was getting played by you and maybe you were just purposely make me fall in love with you or some stupid shit like that so you can prove me wrong and tell Nicole and rub it in my face." His face creased and he backed up "N-No, why would I do that?! He asked defensively "How was I supposed to know, girls are always all over you and you always acted like an asshole around me" I stammered. Rodrick took a deep breath and closed his eyes like he was trying to regroup himself. He opened his eyes and said "Look I'm sorry if I did something in the past or acted like a jerk but I do want this to be a thing, something real and healthy that we don't need to hide" He stepped closer again and kept his eyes on me "I really like you Maddie and for the first time I realized how different things are without you" I smiled "You really have a way with words don't you" He laughed "Yeah, I guess I do" I went in for a hug and he wrapped his arms around me. I never felt so warm and happy before. I guess I do like this dork. After a moment I looked up into his eyes and we both leaned in and kissed. He put his soft lips on mine. And I was still wrapped in his arms. I never want to stop. Suddenly I heard Wendy start call us to gather around. We broke apart. But we both were grinning, we locked are hands together, and walked back into the room.
***

Rodrick and I walked back to the couch where I was originally sitting at while waiting for Wendy to tell us what's going on. Gabby nudged me with her elbow, she grinned and wiggled her eyes brown. She noticed Rodrick. I tried not to laugh and put my finger to my mouth to signal her not to say anything so he wouldn't look over. Wendy finally gathered everyone so she could speak. "So" Wendy said "There is going to be a big storm. It's starting soon so we want to keep everyone here in the lounge room for the rest of the night. Chris, a guy in our group, interrupted "We can't even go in the Cabins?" Wendy looked like she was trying to tell us something but didn't know how. "This isn't a crazy storm but just to keep safe the Head counselors believe that it's safer in here, this room was made to keep us safe, incase there was any damaging emergencies" I looked around, some people looked a little frightened "Don't worry" Wendy said comforting us "We all are safe and this could be a practice drill for when we all do the night over together. I saw some eye rolls from campers. The night over is this stupid trip when just our camp group goes overnight outside camping, camping. Outside with food we need to make over a campfire and only sleeping bags to keep warm. I means this is camp but still. Suddenly dramatically a loud clash of thunder bursted out shaking the entire school. I grabbed onto Rodrick in fear. Gabby and Samantha looked at me trying to hold their laughs in with eyes widening. I hate you I mouthed to them. The room erupted with some dramatic screeches, laughs, or just loud chatter. I looked at Rodrick, "sorry haha" He turned his head and looked at me with his big brown eyes, "it's ok" he quickly grinned trying not to laugh too. I hate you all I looked at Rodrick and my two dumb ass friends, we all laughed but this time it felt different in a good way, like my life is almost perfect. My perfect. It's cheesy but that's ok. I saw a few head turns in our direction wondering why we're laughing during this time of "crisis" "It's Ok" Wendy repeated, assuring us "We're all old enough to understand everything's ok, please for god sakes don't scream or act dramatic because there are other young campers that are afraid of things like this In other rooms and corridors around us. If you need anything for the night from your cabins, grab it, NOT NOW " Wendy interrupted herself loudly because kids were standing up to go to there cabins. Wendy try to calmly continue "after I finish. We are making pizza In the oven for dinner later and the bathroom are over their" Wendy pointed to the restrooms across the room "Do not stay in your cabins or anywhere else without asking Me and Jake. we will check to make sure, Now you can go get your thing for tonight" Wendy finally finished. Some Campers pounced to their feet to try to get to get their things first. I got brought back to reality when He grabbed my hand.