Soaring Higher

Chapter 17

There's a calendar on the wall of the cabin. It's only one day left until the celebration.

A few days have passed, almost all the same except for the schedule, and I've developed a ripe hate for Amber and Gryphon.

I wonder how Elaine deals with him- if she even does.

We sit with our legs crossed, on the chairs in the cabin. The warmth of the cabin isn't enough, so most of us wear sweaters.

The rain outside is pounding on the roof, and that's why Erin went to help Laurie with the little kids.. they get scared easily.

'So.' Someone says.

It's awkward enough that we're not talking, but even more awkward that whenever someone says something no one replies.

I'm regretting wearing shorts now, all my hairs are sticking up and I'm freezing. Underneath my blue turtleneck- that I've already figured out I cannot pull off, is a dark red t-shirt. I'm wearing socks that make me slip if I run on the floor, and my hair is pulled into a ponytail as an attempt to hide how I haven't brushed my hair.

'Ugh. This is so boring.' Amber finally says, making a face.

I rest my head on my hands. 'You think?'

Instead of making some rude comment, she just looks at me like I'm a roach.
'Will you shut up?' She says.

'You're the one who started up a conversation.' I hold my arms in the air.

She rolls her eyes.

'Anyways, what do you guys wanna do? Truth or dare?' She asks.

No one can find a reason to object, so we all agree, but I can only imagine what dares or truths Amber has up her sleeve.

I shrug, why not.

'Okay... Rhonda. Truth or dare?' She asks one of her goonies.

'Which one should I do?' She squeaks.

'Dare.' Amber smirks.

'Okay. I pick dare.'

'Okay.' She rubs her hands together. 'I dare you to show everyone how amazing you are at push-ups.'

Rhonda immediately reddens. I notice her body is sort of unfit and I almost scream with anger.

'But.. Amber.' There's a quiver in her voice, and she looks like she's about to cry, but she's hiding it. 'Isn't there something more dare-ish I could do?'

'Oh are you chickening out?' Amber grins. 'Guess your out then.'

Rhonda is about to get to the ground, when I stand up, not really sure what I'm doing.

I stand there for a few seconds, then come up with a phrase.

'Well can I take it for her? Aren't you allowed to switch dares?' I suggest.

Amber gives me that look again.
'Yeah, but you only get two switches, so you'd be using up one.' She says.

'Like that's going to change anything.' I say gesturing for Rhonda to go back to her spot.

She gratefully runs back to her spot, and thanks me with her eyes.

'How many?' I ask.

'Ten.' She crosses her arms, 'Let's see it.'

I'm not that buff either, but I'd rather embarrass myself than make someone else.

'Okay.'

I get to the ground, and practically kill my arms, pushing up and down.

'Well.. um that was good.' Amber says sarcastically.

'For your information, I wasn't trying to make it look good.' I say, adding a curtesy before going back to my chair.

Some look at me like I'm a hero, some non-chalantly, and some like Amber looks at me.

'What?' I ask Emery as I sit down on a chair beside her.

'Nothing.' She shrugs, as if it's obvious.

'I don't really wanna play anymore. Let's just go to our bunks.'

She nods, sensing something, so we just talk and rest on our bunks for the meanwhile.