InvaSUn

24

I yanked harder on the door but it still wouldn't budge. I panicked and lowered my head. Could things get any worse?

"James, the door... it's locked!"

"What do you mean, 'it's locked'?" He growled and took a step away from the wall. I covered my eyes when I heard him take sloppy steps over towards me. Then I heard the door handle twisting.

He groaned heavily. "Riley, did you remove the bucket that was sitting by the door?"

I was too afraid to open my eyes to answer him. "Um, the blue one?"

"Yes, the bloody blue bucket!" He shouted. "You touched it didn't you? You idiot. Christ, you're so stupid. It was holding the door open! Why did you move it?" He sneered at me.

I felt offended. Why was he calling me stupid for moving the bucket? "How was I supposed to know that it was to keep the door open! I thought some idiot put it there to peek at anyone in the showers!" I frowned.

"Why would anyone peek when they can't see anything? The showers are over there! Open your eyes, Riley." He tapped my shoulder and I jerked away. I shook my head at him.

"I'm not going to! You're naked!"

"I covered myself with a towel, idiot." He spat. "Open your eyes and look what you did."

I slowly uncovered my eyes and glanced at where he was pointing. He pounded the door with one arm while holding up the towel with his other. "Shite, no one is going to be able to hear us in here. Just great." He groaned again. "They probably won't open the doors until the morning."

"The morning?" I whined. "No! They have to open it now!" I knocked on the door multiple times. "LET US OUT!"

"It's no use. We're trapped in here for tonight." James rolled his eyes and made his way over to the lockers. He opened one and took out some clothes.

"Stop!" I hissed. "What are you doing!?"

"I'm getting dressed," James replied in a cold tone. "It's cold in here."

"No! I have to take a shower! Stand over there and keep your eyes closed."

"I'm not going to—"

"JUST DO IT!" I shouted at him. James held a hand up in defense and walked over to the opposite side of the room.

"Jeez, calm your nerves, woman." He sighed. Then he turned around. Once his back was fully facing me, I went over to the showers and got undressed, praying silently that he wouldn't look at me.

I grabbed my shampoo and turned the water on to the warm side, and let the hot water cascade down my skin. I let out a low moan and rinsed my hair, before adding shampoo and washing my hair out.

My body relaxed under the warm water. I felt completely relieved. I missed it so much, having a full hot shower without the stress of being rushed. Once I finished washing my hair, I used a bar of soap to finish bathing.

When I finished, I grabbed a nearby towel and turned off the water. Then I walked over to the lockers and grabbed my clothes.

"Are you done?" James whined.

"Nope. Don't you dare look! Stay over there!" I hissed at him while putting on a new bra and underwear.

"I'm not going to look." James sighed. "Just let me change into my clothes. I don't want to catch a cold."

I shuffled through my things and paused. Did he really catch colds that easily? If he did, then we'd be delayed in heading to California. I definitely didn't want that. We had to get there before the Criebeasts did.