Walking a fine line✔️

15. Carrots

We stood still and listened. The sound grew into distinct voices drawing closer and closer towards the cabin. 

"It can't be," I said, recognising one of them. "How is it that he's always around?"

"Who's him?" Ruben asked. 

I heard June reply as I opened the door and marched outside. My eyes narrowed in on the four people confidently standing before the cottage. As I'd guessed it was Griffin accompanied by Oscar and the two guys from last night.

I frowned at him. "You're like a mosquito."

Griffin chuckled and walked over. "A mosquito?"

"You can't seem to leave me alone." I crossed my arms, suddenly aware of how close to me he was standing.

His voice deepened. "Maybe I just want a bite of you."

Immediately a picture of Edward Cullen flashed across my mind and I grimaced. "No thanks."

"You." I heard June growl as she stalked out of the cottage towards Oscar. A picture of Jacob in werewolf form replaced the one of Edward and the only thing stopping me from laughing was the daggers being thrown from June's eyes.

"June, it's been too long," Oscar drawled. "You're still as icy as ever."

"I hope it's longer next time," she spat back.

I was glad to say that I'd never been on the receiving end of June's wrath.

"Princess, are you feeling okay?" Griffin asked suddenly, bringing my attention back to him. 

"Yes. Why?" I asked, bemused.

He cocked his head. "You're looking a bit orange."

"What?"

"He's right, Ror," June said. "You are looking a bit orange."

"Orange?" I echoed. 

"Have you been in the sun too long?" One of the boys asked.

"I go pink when I burn, not orange." I replied as I whipped out my phone and turned the front camera on. I blinked. Then blinked again. The reflection staring back at me held an expression of complete disbelief. I turned to Griffin, almost giving myself whiplash. "What have you done to me?" 

Griffin laughed. "You look like a carrot."

"And you're still a mosquito—annoying." I looked back at my phone and saw again my orange face.

"Carrot," Griffin repeated. 

I was about to lunge at Griffin when Noah and Ruben came out of the cottage to investigate the rising noise levels. Their eyes widened at the sight of us. "What is going on?" Noah asked slowly, surveying the situation. 

"Carrots." Griffin corrected himself. "There are multiple."

June couldn't contain her snicker. "Oh my gosh."

Now that we were all out of the dimly lit cottage I realised that Ruben and Noah also looked orange.

"What's happening to us?" Ruben asked.

I looked down at the rest of my body. My arms were orange but my legs weren't. My eyes narrowed, this was no coincidence. "Does anyone have a water bottle?" I asked out loud to no one in particular. Oscar nodded and pulled his bottle out of his bag and chucked it to me. I began pouring the water over my arms and rubbing at the orange. Slowly it began to fade leaving behind a strong bronze colour. I began washing my face. "Noah, where did you get that sunscreen?" 

"From home? It's mine," he added. 

"It's been tampered with." I pursed my lips. "That wasn't sunscreen that we put on ourselves." I turned to look at Griffin, accusation in my eyes. "That was a spray tan."

Griffin smirked. "Two all, princess."

I ignored him and chucked Ruben the water bottle who promptly began washing himself followed by Noah.

"That should last you guys about ten days if I remember correctly," Griffin said.

"Thanks, this will save me from having to go to the salon next week," Noah replied sarcastically and handed the water bottle back to Oscar. He then turned to us. "Come on guys, let's go."

We followed Noah away from the laughing boys and out the forest, stopping only once to take a photo of some daffodils which was number twelve on the list. I groaned as we stepped out into the sunshine, the shade of orange now looked even worse than before. "We look like twelvies who have no clue how to apply a spray tan."

June laughed. "I can't deny it. You all look ridiculous."

"Riddikulus!" I exclaimed. "Let's recreate the boggart scene from Harry Potter. The three of us already look terrifying and June you can be the one casting the spell at us."

Ruben grinned. "Brilliant idea."

We set the camera on the ground in between some tree roots and quickly snapped the scene. "We look fantastic," Noah said, picking up his phone and peering at the screen. "Maybe we should thank Griffin for his blessing in disguise."

I smiled. "The gift of blue hair will be a good reply I think."

"He's going to hate us," Noah replied.

"And that's a bad thing?" June smirked, an evil twinkle in her brown eyes.

I laughed. "Not at all." 

We spent the rest of the afternoon voyaging across the grounds and school buildings, completing the scavenger hunt. By late afternoon all of our feet hurt, however the list was finally complete and we trudged back to the great hall.

"Well done," a teacher greeted us as we approached her event organising table. "May I get your names and school?"

June stepped forward. "Ruben, Noah, Rory, and June from Dartington."

The teacher stopped one of the three timers on the desk. "Congratulations, your group is currently in third and will stay that way unless the other two remaining groups get back within five minutes."

We all glanced towards the door. The teacher saw us and smiled reassuringly. "I'm doubtful they will though. Get ready for some points heading your way." She held out her hand. "But first of course, I must check that you have all the photos."

"Here." Noah handed over his phone and we waited awkwardly while the teacher went through the photos.

"If I could give you guys points for creativity I would," she said with a laugh. "How did you manage to get up there?"

I zoned out as June explained our tree escapade for photo number seventeen. Ideas rushed through my head. I needed to come up with new pranks and fast. It was currently Wednesday and Griffin and I were neck and neck in this war. I needed to put some distance between us and leave him in the dust.

Queen began playing in my head.

Let's go

Steve walks warily down the street

With his brim pulled way down low...

And for the rest of the evening I had Another One Bites the Dust stuck on repeat in my brain. 

A/N: 

Favourite song by Queen? One of mine is definitely 'I Want It All.'

On a different genre though... I have Taylor Swift's new album playing on repeat <3 I'm obsessed with it!

Vote and comment if you enjoyed :) 

SouthernAlps over and out...